Staff Spotlight: Susan Hodnefield, Parent Educator Lead
Susan Hodnefield always knew she wanted to work with children and families. She earned both a bachelor’s in social work and associate degree in criminal justice, and her career has spanned experiences with people with developmental disabilities and special education, as well as pregnancy counseling and adoption services. Susan joined the staff of Family Resource Center St. Croix Valley as a Parent Educator in 2012 and enjoys helping parents find resources and achieve their goals through the Home Visiting program. She also works closely with participants in the Young Parent group, creating a safe space for them to find support from others in similar situations.
Susan is aware of the importance of self-care and reminds moms and dads to meet their own needs in order to be able to provide the best care of their children. She believes it is important that participants know that any personal information they share will be treated as confidential and that they will not be judged. Susan says that clients often open up about struggles with mental health; she helps them to recognize their resilience and see how far they’ve come. “I have had the privilege of joining Susan during a number of visits with families,” said Development & Communications Coordinator Kristin Thompson. “She has a gift for noticing people’s strengths and is always generous with her praise. I appreciate the positive outlook she brings to any situation.”
Susan took on the position of Parent Educator Lead in 2016. She also serves as the leader of the Family Resource Center’s Continuous Quality Improvement Team, where she engages with other home visiting agencies around the state to identify and test strategies for improving outcomes for the families we serve. “Susan is a team player who leads by example,” said Executive Director Agnes Ring. “She is passionate about her work with families and is committed to developing our home visiting team to be the best they can be. Her strong work ethic is balanced with a sense of humor.”
She brings the values of open communication and self-care to her role as a manager as well. “The one thing I have always appreciated is the open-door policy that is given to me, and I offer that to the staff I supervise — to reach me if they need anything,” Susan said. “I feel we have a great team of people working together to support the mission of the Family Resource Center, and I know that if I ever need support or assistance I can count on anyone for their assistance and not be judged. I have enjoyed the creativity on our team and flexibility we have in our organization!”