DIALOGUE A Quarterly Publication of the Regional Center of Orange County VOLUME 38 NO. 2 • SPRING 2024
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
2024 Spotlight Award Honorees REGIONAL CENTER OF ORANGE COUNTY HOSTED ITS 27TH ANNUAL SPOTLIGHT AWARDS celebration on April 18 at Garden Grove’s Embassy Suites, with around 300 people attending. Special guest emcee Lesley Marin, on-air anchor and reporter for KCAL News and CBS Los Angeles, joined RCOC Board Chair Chip Wright and Executive Director Larry Landauer to present the awards. Here are snapshots about the honorees. Self-Advocate: Nick Westphalen A person-served by RCOC, Nick was honored for bringing greater awareness of and recognition to the abilities of people with developmental disabilities in Orange County. A role model for others, he successfully lives in his own apartment and is an active member of the community. A self-professed people person, he enjoys daily walks to Starbucks and the market and serves on the Project Independence volunteer board of directors, bringing his perspective and experiences and providing support to his peers. Direct Support Professional: Daisy Guy
(L-R): RCOC Executive Director Larry Landauer, Self-Advocate Honoree Nick Westphalen, KCAL News and CBS Los Angeles On-Air Anchor and Reporter Lesley Marin, RCOC Board Chair Chip Wright.
Daisy was honored for providing compassionate care and support for the past 15 years, assisting the person she serves to grow, mature and overcome a number of challenges. With her support, the person she serves was able to attend numerous classes at Saddleback College, and engage in a wide range of enriching outings to the library, bookstore, the mall, movie theater, parties and more. Service Provider: Dreams of America
Dreams of America Founder Tala Fazeli and her team create person-centered programs that go above and beyond to ensure participants are involved in planning their own programs and creating their own goals, with staff treating them not just as equals, but like family. When another large program in Orange County closed its doors, leaving hundreds of individuals with extremely limited options, Dreams of America stepped up to make space for many of them. Cont. on Page 7 PAGE 1 • DIALOGUE • SPRING 2024 • RCOCDD.COM