Be a Part of History – Volunteer at the Waterfront Park’s Grand Opening

After more than 100 years, the dream for a waterfront park is finally becoming a reality. The grand opening celebration is taking place Saturday, May 10 outside the County Administration Center and volunteers are needed to help make this historic event a success.

Plans are in the works for a huge celebration with live music, a classic car show, farmer’s market, food truck pavilion, a sports zone with inflatable games, kids zone and more.  

If you’d like to help or know of any civic groups that would like to help mark this day in history, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities. The day-long party starts with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. but volunteers will be needed for three-hour shifts starting from the early morning hours until 7 p.m.

Help is needed at the stage, the kids and sports zones, and a beer and wine garden. Volunteers are also needed for the setup and breakdown of various booths, clean-up duty and crowd control. Each volunteer will receive a T-shirt commemorating the grand opening. Bragging rights for taking part in one of the County’s most momentous events are already a given!

Ready to pitch in? The countdown is on, so contact Volunteer Coordinator Cheryl Wegner as soon as you can at (858) 966-1335 or email her at cheryl.wegner@sdcounty.ca.gov.

[Recipe] Final Four Strawberry Spinach Salad

Sure, strawberries came out on top during Munch Madness, but the final four were so compatible, we thought it made perfect sense to combine them all for one healthy dish.

The ingredients are simple and cheap, so gather these up, toss it together and get munching!

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Almonds and Multi-grain Croutons (Serves 4)

What You Need

• 10-ounces fresh spinach
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• ¼ cup almonds, roasted and chopped
• 4 thick slices of stale or two-day old multi grain bread, cut into cubes
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), plus a tablespoon for the croutons
• 1 ½ Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. grainy mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

What You Do

1. In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, drizzle the tablespoon of EVOO and heat over medium heat until the oil is shiny. Add the cubed, stale multi-grain bread and toss, adding salt and pepper to taste. Cook until golden brown.
2. In small mixing bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup of EVOO, balsamic vinegar and mustard until emulsified (the mustard will combine the olive oil and vinegar so they don't separate). Add salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
3. In a large glass bowl, toss together the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Drizzle the dressing over and toss to coat.
4. Serve on individual plates and top with croutons.

Add-ons

• Add crumbled feta cheese for a salty kick
• Reduce the balsamic vinegar with lemon juice and drizzle over the salad for a sweeter dressing
• Add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the dressing mixture
• Toss the croutons with garlic salt or season salt
• Add goat cheese for texture and richness

Printable version of this recipe

Making it Easier to Learn at the County

You may not recognize it.

Almost everything about the County’s Learning Management System (LMS) just changed.

Launched this morning, the overhauled site looks more inviting and is a lot easier to use.

Those were two of the main goals in redesigning the site over the past few months, said Ciara Webb, a Senior Human Resources Analyst with the Department of Human Resources’ Employee Development division.

Check out the introductory video above on the newly redesigned site.

Webb said that in the past, employees have gone to the LMS because they needed to complete some type of training.

“Our goal is for employees to want to go into the LMS,” she said.

Among the aims of the site is to offer employees a broader range of resources and to even help change the way we approach learning.

“We’re focusing a lot more on opportunities for continuous learning,” Webb said.

A colorful geometric shaped graphic at the top of the new homepage will feature timely announcements and tips, inspirational quotes about learning, and other features.

Employees can also browse for classes or trainings by subject matter using a redesigned catalog. For example, you can search for “computer skills” or “supervisors” to find related opportunities.

So, take a look at the new LMS!

Blood and Bone Marrow Donors Needed!

Assistant CAO Don Steuer gives blood at the CAC Blood Drive April 2.

Saving a life can be as simple as setting aside an hour or less out of your day.

The 30th Annual County Employees Blood Drive kicked off this morning at the County Administration Center. The event, which this year also includes a Be The Match marrow registry drive, will make 12 stops at County offices throughout the month of April.

Your first chance to donate is today—until 3:30 p.m. in the CAC’s Bayside Rooms 1 & 2. If you’re interested, just stop by. Appointments are encouraged but not required. For details on when and where the drives will take place, visit the County Employee Blood Drive Web page and scroll to the bottom.

Donating blood takes about an hour and the drives are open to employees and the general public. No appointment is necessary to join the Be The Match registry, and the process takes just five to 10 minutes. The nonprofit is seeking donors between the ages of 18 and 44. This registry benefits patients fighting more than 70 different diseases including blood cancers or sickle cell anemia.

County employee Greg Murphy donates blood at the CAC Blood Drive on April 2.The County’s blood drive is one of the largest and most important in the region each year, said San Diego Blood Bank CEO David Wellis. Only two drives are bigger—the Chargers and the Comic-Con blood drives.

The donations allow hospitals to maintain a supply of blood that is so critically needed, Wells said.  
“There’s always a need,” he said.

For more information on the marrow registry, contact Shelley Baker at Be The Match at 714-296-8479 (cell) or sbaker@nmdp.org or visit the organization’s website. For more information about the blood drive or to sign up, visit the County Employee Blood Drive Web page, the San Diego Blood Bank website or call 1-800-MY-4SDBB (469-7322).

Catalina McKasson On Her Catch: It’s Been Crazy

Safe to say, few of us spent our Cesar Chavez holiday as memorably as Deputy Probation Officer Catalina McKasson. Her leaping catch as a Padres ball girl Sunday drew national attention and kept her busy on her day off.

There were back-to-back interviews with local and national media—the U-T, the Today Show, Fox... And then watching the coverage with her daughters and seeing that catch over and over. 

Back at work Tuesday, it was impossible to keep a low profile.

“It’s been crazy; my co-workers are having fun giving me a hard time,” said McKasson, who does background investigations and reports on young people who go to juvenile hall.

“We feel like we’re around a celebrity right now,” Acting Supervising Probation Officer George Simmons said. “The catch she made was simply awesome.”

McKasson, a former elementary school teacher who joined the Probation Department about a year ago, after a brief stint there right out of college in 1996, said she’s worked for the Padres part-time since 2002. Her duties include shagging foul balls, running relief pitchers’ jackets off the field once they take the mound, and, every once in a while, grabbing a scary line drive.

“We’ve all made great catches and we’ve all made errors,” McKasson said of herself and the other women she works with. She says a catch she made in 2012 was even better, but Sunday’s was her first to get so much attention.  It came during a sold-out, nationally-aired season opener. And the quick nab she made clearly saved a fan from injury. That felt good.

“They were very thankful,” McKasson said.

The game went on, and McKasson resumed her duties. She had no idea people all over the country were talking about the catch. Her social media savvy daughters, ages 12, 14, and 17, clued her in when she got home Sunday, showing her how the play had already generated online buzz.

The attention has been a lot of fun for the whole family. McKasson’s daughters were interviewed on Fox News, too.  

“They’re having a good time with it,” she said.

A San Diego native, McKasson said working for the Padres started as fun part-time work when she was a stay-at-home mom. She continued the gig while she was an elementary school teacher, and last year, she made it work while she embarked on her new Probation career too.

McKasson played high school sports, and these days she plays on a softball team with fellow Probation employees. The next game is Thursday, and the pressure is on, McKasson joked.

“Expectations are kind of high.” 

Do You Have What it Takes to be a Supervisor (Not the Elected Kind)?

 Human Resources Manager Anne Calle speaks at the well-attended "So You Want to Be a Supervisor" workshop in March.

Do you have strong character? A love of working with and mentoring other employees? A positive attitude? All are critical attributes to have as a supervisor at the County, according to a panel of experts at a recent workshop titled, “So, You Want to be a Supervisor?”

Being a technical expert isn’t always the most important aspect of supervision. Supervisors and managers spend a lot of time on big picture questions.

“You could be a technical expert,” said Anne Calle, a Human Resources Manager and Business Coach. But “when you’re a supervisor, it’s your role to teach other people to have that expertise.” Contrary to what some may believe, keeping the knowledge to yourself is not powerful, Calle said. If you want to look good, put the knowledge and expertise of your team in the spotlight and let them shine.

These were just a few pointers speakers shared at the well-attended workshop earlier this month. Organized and hosted by the County’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and the Department of Human Resources, the event took place at the County Operations Center and was the first of its kind. Calle led the workshop. A panel of Senior Human Resource Analysts joined her, including Erica Bayles, Kathleen Murphy, Tim Mathues, Nameh Rezvan, Adriana Matsuhiro and Zenobia Howard.

Israel Garza, Vice President of the San Diego County Latino Association, said the County’s Employee Resource Groups hope to organize more workshops like this in the future.

Among the advice shared:

-At least as important as your skill level is who you are as a person, Calle said. “I’m talking about character, I’m talking about who you’ve become,” she said. Opportunities open up for people who demonstrate integrity and character.

-Being a great supervisor means a lot of interaction with people. You are helping your employees, and inspiring, nurturing and developing them. When supervising is in your title “that means that you are overseeing people, overseeing their careers,” said Calle. If you prefer to work independently, without interruption, supervising may not be the best fit. As a supervisor, your role is to develop, guide and support your team.

-Strong supervision is having the ability to make high-level strategic planning decisions by using your technical knowledge along with understanding the big picture.

-Having a positive attitude is one of the most important attributes a supervisor can have, Mathues said.
“Be upbeat, informative and inquisitive,” he said.

-Self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses is very important, Bayles said. How do you present yourself? How do you react to situations? And work to improve your areas of weakness. “Look for opportunities to get out of your comfort zone,” Murphy said.

-Build and maintain your credibility. When you don’t know the answer to something, ask for more time to research it, for example, rather than guessing. It’s much better to be honest, said Rezvan.

-Be innovative. Managers are looking for people with creative ideas who can also apply them.

-Be able to make decisions independently, Howard advised. “If you are in a supervisory position, you need to be able to make decisions,” she said. “There are going to be critical times when you have to do that and you can’t wait until your supervisor comes back from vacation.”

Speakers also suggested that employees consider their motivation for wanting to become a supervisor. There’s a difference between wanting power and control versus wanting to inspire, empower and develop employees.

As a supervisor, “it’s not about you,” Calle said. “It’s about leveraging the successes of your team.”

For more information on the County Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), visit the ERG InSite page.

LGBT and Allies Association Officially Launches

 The County of San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Allies Association is the latest employee resource group. About 140 people attended the launch party March 27 at the County Operations Center, including Chief Administrative Officer Helen N. Robbins-Meyer, Supervisors Greg Cox, Dave Roberts and Ron Roberts.

For more information about the LGBT and Allies Association, contact cosdlgbtandalliesassociation@gmail.com.

HHSA Employee Saves Stranger’s Life

Velia Fematt has donated about 10 gallons of blood.

She has donated blood most of her life. Now 53, Velia Fematt has been doing it since she was 18.

So when in 1995, Fematt was asked to donate an extra vial to submit to the national bone marrow registry, she did not think twice about it.

She registered and heard nothing about it for almost a decade. But about 9 years ago, Fematt got a call that changed her life and the life of a stranger forever.

It turns out Fematt’s blood stem cells were a perfect match for a woman in Florida who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancer of the lymph tissue.

Fematt wanted to share her story as the County gets ready to launch its annual blood and bone marrow drive next week. Joining the registry these days requires no more than a mouth swab. And Fematt says we all have blood and our donation can help save a life. Hers did.

Back to the story.

After the woman’s diagnosis, she learned she would require high doses of chemotherapy and radiation to kill cancer cells. The problem is they can also destroy the bone marrow, where blood cells are made. Transplants are used to restore the stem cells when the bone marrow has been destroyed. 

The bone marrow registry tested the woman’s two daughters, but neither was a good match. Her father was too old to be considered.

Fematt was the perfect match on all six stem cell markers. She agreed to be a donor, but first she had to go through a battery of blood tests to make sure she was healthy and still a match. Days before the harvest, she was given injections to help her produce more stem cells. She was in discomfort and pain, but her resolve to be a donor never wavered.

“She was only 58. She had her whole life ahead of her. She had grandchildren. How could I not be a donor?” said Fematt, who has worked for the County for 25 years, 23 of those with the Health and Human Services Agency. “My father always donated blood, and I am sure if he had been a match he would have donated stem cells or bone marrow if needed.   It’s something we have that is free to give and also my way to honor my father.”

The woman’s age, her name and other aspects her life are details Fematt would find out after her donation since the bone marrow registry forbids any contact between donor and recipient for at least one year and facilitates an interaction only when both parties agree to connect with each other.

Fematt finally did get in touch with Marilyn Halberg-Diem, 67. They’ve become friends on Facebook and maintain contact via email or phone.

Halberg-Diem said she tried to stay positive throughout her ordeal, but when she learned the registry had found a donor, she tried to take “it sort of matter of fact.”

Her brother died from AIDS. Her mother had died from cancer. Her husband did too.

But, she said, deep down, she was thrilled.

“I was very happy that they did get a match,” said Halberg-Diem from her home in Delray Beach, Florida. “I knew I could go forward with my life.”

Halberg-Diem is now cancer free and enjoying her life with her two daughters and two grandchildren. She got emotional when asked why she opted to meet her donor, but said that is something she knew she wanted and would try to do from the moment she learned they had found a match.

“She saved my life. I wanted to thank her for being so compassionate and understanding. For giving me hope and for giving me a life,” said Halberg-Diem.

Fematt was contacted by the bone marrow registry about a second donation and she agreed once again. The registry later found a better match but if contacted again, Fematt said she would donate blood or stem cells every time she is called.

“I would do it in a second. You always hope that it’s not going to be your niece, nephew, child of family member who will need the blood,” Fematt said.  “Your gift could really make the difference. That’s somebody’s family or loved one.”

For more information about the blood drive or to sign up, visit the County Employee Blood Drive Web page or the San Diego Blood Bank website or call 1-800-MY-4SDBB (469-7322). For info on the marrow registry, contact Shelley Baker at Be The Match at 714-296-8479 (cell) or sbaker@nmdp.org or visit the organization’s website.

Taking 'Lead Well by Living Well' to Heart

Deanna Zotalis before and after her 90-pound weight loss inspired by Live Well San Diego.

After a lifelong struggle with weight, Deanna Zotalis has lost 90 pounds and kept it off for the past five months, crediting both a diet plan and some inspiring words from the CAO.

Zotalis, the operations chief for HHSA in North County, had tried diet after diet for more than 30 years searching for the answer to her quest for a healthy weight. But she finally found the right motivation in a message from Helen Robbins-Meyer to “Lead Well by Living Well.”

“I love that expression. County employees are in a leadership role in our communities,” she said. “So I decided to take steps to improve my own health.”

Zotalis said she had been on every diet you can name since she was 10 years old. When she finally got to the Medi-fast plan, she found a diet that worked for her. Beginning in April, she’s going to be featured on the diet system’s website as a success story. In her five-minute video she touts the County’s Live Well San Diego initiative.

“I was successful in losing weight with all of the diets I tried, but eventually always gained it all back,” she said. “Live Well helped change that.”

With her current diet plan, she has weekly weight-loss counseling sessions and monthly body scans that pinpoint the changes in the body’s composition.

“They helped me identify a goal of 80 pounds to lose,” Zotalis said.

She began the program in January 2013. She met her goal in November, and has lost an additional 10 pounds since then.

“If I can keep the weight off for a year I’ll be successful, and it’s been five months now.”

The weight loss has meant improved health all around for Zotalis.

“I had heel spurs and had to wear special flat shoes with expensive inserts,” she said. “And now I can wear heels again!”

She also developed sleep apnea as a result of the excess weight she was carrying. That has disappeared, as has slightly elevated blood pressure.

She now exercises three times a week with her daughter: 45 minutes of cardio, 30 minutes of strength exercises and swimming.

“It used to be very difficult to exercise because my back hurt,” Zotalis said. “Even doing housework my back hurt.”

In Zotalis’ office, Live Well has meant people bring in healthier options for pot luck and share healthy recipes. Her office has a salad club where they take turns bringing in a large salad to share.

If she has her way, the changes won’t stop there.

“I’ve been exploring forming a support group at work for people who struggle psychologically with weight loss,” she said. “I want to share with others who struggle.

“If you stick to your diet for a few days, you can do it. I feel much better now.”

HHSA Social Worker Goes Behind Bars to Touch Lives

Sara Otto was the recipient of the 24th annual Jay Hoxie Award, given to the a County social worker for commitment to others through volunteering in the community.

Most people wouldn’t pick a maximum security state prison as a place to volunteer. But Sara Otto is pretty fearless in her determination to help children - both in her job and on her own time.

Otto was honored yesterday as the winner of the 24^th annual Jay Hoxie Award, presented to a Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) child welfare services social worker for commitment to others through volunteering in the community.

For four years, Otto has boarded a bus with San Diego County children to head to one of California’s prisons. The program, run by the Center for Restorative Justice, allows children (and a caregiver) to visit their mothers and fathers in prison.

“It encourages parents to be doing things in prison knowing that their children are waiting for them when they get released,” she said. “They have someone important waiting for them.”

The program provides the children with a photo taken with their parent, a travel bag and their meals for the day. On the way home, they are given a teddy bear with a letter from their parent and post-event counseling.

It’s a pretty powerful experience, according to Otto, and has provided some touching moments.

One boy came all the way to the prison with his grandmother when they learned she didn’t pass the background check. Without a guardian, he wouldn’t be allowed to see his mother. Otto stepped in to accompany him.

When it came time to take the photo with his mother, he insisted Otto be in the picture.

“I was trying to avoid that, but he kept insisting I be in the photo,” said Otto. “That’s the motivation to volunteer.”

On another trip, she got to witness a 13-year-old meeting his father for the first time. The father had been sentenced to prison before his son was born.

Otto also volunteers with older adults. It’s a little more light-hearted than the prison visits.

Once a month, Otto can be heard singing karaoke for residents in a convalescent home on 54^th Street in San Diego with a church group.

“They tap their little feet and get into the music,” she said.

Her favorite songs to perform are “Crazy,” “Blue Bayou” and “The Rose.”

“I’ve seen people crying when I sing ‘The Rose,’” Otto said.

She spent her first four years with the County working out of the Escondido Child Welfare Services office. She recently was promoted to supervising protective services worker in the Oceanside.

County Social Workers were honored at appreciation event held at the Jacobs Center. From left: HHSA North Regions General Manager Chuck Matthews; Jay Hoxie Award winner Sara Otto; HHSA Child Welfare Services Director Debra Zanders-Willis; Hoxie Award finalists Jennifer Whitton, Melissa Straus, Ashley Harden and Leticia D. Rodriguez; and HHSA Director Nick Macchione.Child Welfare Services eligibity workers Bernard Cook and Linda Cornejo were honored at the appreciation event.