Meet our Eastern Region Division Director of Drug and Alcohol Division
Continuing our recognition of women leaders at Gaudenzia and their work, today we highlight Pamela Kalay, the Eastern Region Division Director, Drug and Alcohol Division. She has been with Gaudenzia for over three years.
What is it like to be a woman working in this industry?
A lot of women are natural nurturers. I am one of those women. Health and wellness have always been important to me and the mission I believe God has placed me on. Gaudenzia has always been dear to my heart, and as a community leader, people got sent or would stumble to my doorstep and ask for a sandwich and where they could go for help. I would give them a sandwich and send them to Gaudenzia. I could help them out of hunger, but I knew that Gaudenzia would help them out of addiction with the dedicated people that serve. The behavioral health field has a plethora of women from different walks of life, but we are here for one reason, to serve as a mirror and a sounding board to steer individuals back to healthy choices.
What is an accomplishment you are most proud of while working at Gaudenzia?
One of the proudest moments was when our regional director asked me to be the operations manager for our COVID-19 site. The blessing was not opening up the COVID-19 site once but a second time. It was an overwhelmingly grateful experience welcoming individuals to a place of peace to transition into wellness. This was done before we even knew the health ramifications of being in a COVID-19 site less known the health consequences of the virus itself. The site is still going strong and helping people back to wellness in a safe space.
What inspires your motivation for work?
Many factors inspire my motivation for work, and one of the greatest inspirations is my son, who has a behavioral health diagnosis and was a Gaudenzia client many years ago. I sought to understand his pain to help relieve it where I could. Doing so would allow other mothers to understand how to help their family members suffering from various behavioral health conditions. That became my main influencer. Secondly is the phenomenal team that I was blessed to be a part of here at Gaudenzia. My team makes me want to come to work every day and with a fresh perspective to help individuals in our trusted care work their way out of another dark dilemma. And finally, I am inspired to come to work because I have come to understand that Gaudenzia is a place where you can learn, grow and develop.
