16 Employee Profile Rachella Bressler, Employee of the Year The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members. – CORETTA SCOTT KING 17 50 years of service THA currently provides the City of Tulsa with over 2,800 housing units and has a waiting list of more than 3.9K applicants. Tulsa Housing Authority currently serves close to 9K children. $1.3B Since its inception, THA has provided the City of Tulsa with close to $1.3 billion in housing subsidies. Programming is one of the keys THA uses to unlock self-sufficiency in every individual we serve. Each THA family community offers programs that provide a place for residents to go where they can utilize various programs and services. Some programs and services include parenting classes, nutrition classes, social service referrals, educational assistance, mobile libraries, GED classes and tutoring. Programs Tab 1 Tab 2 Tab 3 Community Partnerships Through THA’s numerous community partnerships, our agency is able to fulfill the goal to help residents achieve self- sufficiency while living in public housing, by identifying barriers and offering programs that assist residents in breaking free from the web of poverty. Home Ownership THA’s First-Time Home Buyer Program is designed to inform and educate our residents about home buying and home ownership issues. Our program will help potential homeowners address credit issues, teach budgeting tactics and shop for lenders. Transforming Lives THA provides housing to close to 20K individuals, of which almost 1.3K are elderly and 3.6K are disabled. In the Assisted Housing Program, more than 10K of Tulsa’s disadvantaged are served. It would be at THA’s Inaugural Employee Appreciation Bowling Event that Human Resources Generalist, Rachella Bressler, would learn that she had been named the 2017 Employee of the Year for the agency. Bressler says the recognition initially caught her off guard, but when she saw the response of her team members, she knew it was really happening. “Receiving this award was both rewarding and humbling,” said Bressler. “It just felt great to be appreciated by a company I love so much and the people I get to serve through my position.” Garnering a THA Employee of the Year Award is no easy task. First, the employee must be recommended by the THA Employee Association, then their immediate supervisor must write a letter of recommendation, and lastly the finalist is determined by the Executive Office. For Bressler, she relishes the fact that every day she gets to wake up and work in a position that allows her to positively impact the lives of those around her. “My mission in life is to encourage people to believe in themselves, so they can reach their goals in life,” remarked Bressler. Working for THA since December 2000 as an HR Generalist, Bressler’s prowess for working in excellence has been repeatedly showcased during her tenure at the agency. In 2008, she was awarded the agency’s Creative Thinker Award for utilizing social media platforms to extend the reach of her department’s job postings. That same year, the mother of two also received the Professional of the Year Award from THA community partner Goodwill Industries of Tulsa. And in 2013, Bressler was named “PAC Member of the Year” by Vatterott College. Determined to imprint a legacy of hard work and dedication within the fabric of THA’s corporate culture, Bressler says when she looks ahead she sees her best days just over the horizon. Hoping to be the type of co-worker others remember fondly, Bressler says it’s what you leave in others – not give to others – that matters most in the long run. “At the end of my tenure here at THA, I want to be remembered as someone who was always helpful, positive and uplifting,” continued Bressler. “I hope 10 years after I’m gone that people will hear my name and still smile.”