2024 Annual Award Recipients
Outstanding Service Award
Joan Meyer
Joan Meyer
Child Care Assistance Program and Regulatory Care Training
Joan Meyer's career is a model of dedication, leadership, and excellence. Since joining the Early Childhood Education and Training Program (ECETP) in April 1998, she has played a pivotal role in shaping professional development for child care across New York State.
As supervisor of PDP's Regulatory Staff Training and Child Care Assistance Program teams, Joan's contributions are both strategic and hands-on. She is known for her exceptional organizational skills, especially in curriculum tracking. She has built strong relationships with sponsors. Her technical expertise and mentorship have supported staff development. She has also voiced, acted in, and moderated numerous video projects and played a key role in PDP's IACET reaccreditation and CEU issuance efforts. Joan supports her teams with kindness and high expectations, and she has an unwavering commitment to the mission of PDP.
PDP Outstanding Team Award
DTAT SNAP Team
Team Members: Team Members: Peter Bee, Susan Bippus, Deborah Brathwaite, Monica Burris, Kasey Crandall, Alexandra Gavin, Tanisha Grant, Diane Hodurski-Foley, Christine King, Jenna Moran, Patrick Mason, David Pinkowski, Michelle Ray, Daniel Restrepo, Rudy Robles, Slava Ryklin, and Chris VerWys
DTAT SNAP Team
In 2024, the DTAT (Department of Temporary Assistance Training) SNAP Team significantly enhanced the effectiveness of New York State's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through exceptional training and teamwork. Their efforts improved case processing accuracy, service consistency, and overall program delivery, contributing to a reduction in SNAP errors and helping ensure food access for low- and no-income New Yorkers.
The team delivered 93 instructor-led training sessions totaling 164.5 days to 1,935 trainees across NYC and the rest of the state. They maintained and updated 13 instructor-led and 9 self-paced courses and developed a new four-day institute for NYC supervisors. Their work was praised by the project sponsor for its quality and impact.
PDP Outstanding Trainer Award
Katharine Costello
Katharine Costello
Child Care Assistance Program and Regulatory Care Training
As a master trainer and team leader, Kat is well versed in every training curriculum her unit develops, maintains, and delivers. She immerses herself in the subject matter to bring herself up to speed, remains current on regulations, policy statements, and internal guidance. Kat skillfully builds professional relationships and has an easy rapport with training participants, sponsor staff, and colleagues.
With an encouraging approach, Kat shares her institutional knowledge, training expertise, and adult learning experience with her team. She is a consummate professional who uses her influence to lift her team to ever higher levels of excellence.
PDP Outstanding Professional Staff Award
Allison Davenport
Allison Davenport
Department of Child Welfare Training
Allison is the sole curriculum developer on PDP's Youth Services Training project, which supports child welfare staff serving older youth in care. She consistently delivers high-quality materials enables the project to offer relevant, impactful training for child welfare professionals across New York State. In 2024, thanks to Allison's dedication, the Youth Services Training project produced significant new content: two course outlines, two classroom to virtual classroom conversions, nine new courses and seven resource guides.
Known for her dedication and responsiveness, Allison often makes herself available after hours to support trainers. She conducts thorough walkthroughs of pilot materials, identifies potential challenges, and ensures trainers are well-prepared for new course deliveries.
PDP Outstanding Administrative Support Staff Award
Deborah Brathwaite
Deborah Brathwaite
Department of Temporary Assistance Training
Deborah was the first PDP staff member hired at the Harlem Training Center and for over 20 years, she has consistently provided outstanding customer service to HTC customers.
In 2024, the HTC underwent a major construction and reutilization project. Deborah played a vital role with preparations and planning. Deborah's proactive approach and can-do/will-do attitude was a major reason for the project's success.
In addition to her regular responsibilities, Deborah stepped up when the Albany-based DTAT support team leader position was vacant for half the year. She helped to lead DTAT's three-person project support team, shared her HSLC expertise, and ensured smooth operations during this transition.
Deborah contributes to PDP's organizational goals and steps up wherever needed. She is regularly recognized by sponsors and colleagues for her excellent work.