Building a Culture of Excellence and Becoming an Employer of Choice

In this presentation, we will examine the approach LISTEN has used to strengthen the organization with better business practices and dedicated staff development to create an environment of greater accountability and respect. This approach has created a desirable work experience for our employees and an even better experience for those we serve. In our presentation, we include 3 handouts that offer professionals practices to use as building blocks for small steps to success. Adopting our recommendations can catapult organizations forward in changing their culture to provide excellent services to people with I/DD, and becoming an employer of choice.

Tom Hehir

Tom earned his Master in Organization Development from the University of San Francisco, and his Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Gonzaga University.

Meredith Larson

Meredith Huseby Larson has been an attorney for 16 years and is currently licensed in both Minnesota and North Dakota.  Meredith’s background is diverse and includes working in both the private and public legal sector. Meredith spent 15 years practicing as a prosecutor for the Grand Forks County States Attorneys Office specializing in the prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assaults, and crimes against children, as well as representing the County in a variety of civil matters.  Meredith also spent time working in private practice representing nonprofit boards and employers in various matters, including assessing legal risk, human resources counseling, leadership coaching, responding to administrative complaints, and conducting internal investigations. In addition to her traditional legal work, Meredith has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of North Dakota School of Law in the areas of Domestic Violence Law and Trial Advocacy. Meredith is a frequent lecturer with the University of North Dakota, University of North Dakota School of Medicine, George Washington University School of Law, and has trained locally, regionally, and nationally with various non-profit and advocacy organizations. In addition to serving on the CVIC Board, she also serves on the North Dakota Bar Foundation Board and the Grand Forks Growth and Support Center Board.  Meredith is a proud past recipient of the CVIC Peacemaker Award, recognizing her work in holding offenders accountable and keeping victims safe in her role as a prosecutor.

Christina Potts, MSM

Christina (Christy) Potts joined the LISTEN Center as Executive Director in 2018. She is responsible for setting the organization’s strategic priorities with the board of directors and for ensuring programmatic and operational excellence, as well as strong fiscal management, effective human resource management, and the center’s long-term financial viability. She reports directly to the board of directors and works in partnership with her leadership team to build positive public awareness of The LISTEN Center, developing and maintaining constructive working relationships with funders, civic leaders, and organizations working toward common goals.

Christy came to the LISTEN Center with over 10 years of experience providing care and services to those with disabilities, focusing on both advocacy and nonprofit management. She is personally committed to the work of the LISTEN Center and throughout both her career and personal life has worked to ensure that people with disabilities are treated with respect and dignity. As the LISTEN Center’s Executive Director, Christy believes those who work at the organization should be treated with the highest levels of respect and dignity as equally as the community members the center serves.

Christy has a master’s degree in Management from Minot State University and is a graduate of the National Leadership Institute on Developmental Disabilities.