Newsletter about the Gallup 2013 ALPS Program

May 28, 2013
Edition 99.0
DC Dispatch
Weekly News from Gallup’s World Headquarters
Gallup Celebrates ALPS Program Success
Birthdays
When was the last time you powerlifted 100 pounds? For ALPS participant Lori, this was just last week.
Be sure to send happy
birthday wishes to:
Katie Bass: May 30
Anniversaries
Lori has developmental delays and must use an iPad to communicate. Weighing in at only 85 pounds,
Lori can deadlift over 100 pounds. Her most recent display of this strength was showcased at the ALPS
graduation reception, held in the Great Hall last Tuesday, May 21 st.
Steve Crabtree and Special Olympics Area Director Pam Yerg helped start the ALPS mentoring program
Congratulations to these
dedicated associates:
in 2001. “ALPS is a mentoring program on which Gallup partners with Special Olympics to create a really
Mike Segal:
explained. “Gallup mentors work one-on-one with the athletes to help them understand their strengths,
May 31 (2 Years)
Stephanie Goldklang:
transformative experience for the athletes with intellectual disabilities who participate,” Steve
think about how they use them in their daily lives, and articulate how they will use their strengths to
achieve their future goals.”
May 31 (1 Year)
Jim Clifton:
Katie Bass, Alyssa Brown, Chase Cheatham, Meredith Fender, Chris Garner and Stephanie Holgado
June 1 (44 Years)
participated as mentors this year and were excited to see their mentees share growth with family and
Connie Rath:
special guests at the graduation ceremony. “There is something truly awe inspiring when you see young
June 1 (40 Years)
people with varying levels of both mental and physical disabilities feel empowered,” said Chase. “I have
Steve O’Brien:
participated in the ALPS program twice now and each time I see shy, special needs teens enter, not quite
June 1 (23 Years)
knowing what to expect, and later graduate knowing that they are stronger than their handicap.”
Steve Crabtree shared more on the impact of the program:
In our first year there was a lot of emphasis on helping the participants improve their public speaking
skills and introducing them to a professional business setting. We had them all take StrengthsFinder, but
initially planned to make strengths training just a part of the program. However, we quickly realized
strengths had to be the foundation of the entire ALPS curriculum. The athletes lit up as they began to
focus on the set of positive qualities that make them unique as individuals. What's more, it was an
approach that fit perfectly with Special Olympics' mission to empower people with intellectual disabilities
by helping them achieve goals they might not have otherwise.
Over the years, we've seen many, many athletes grow tremendously in poise and self-confidence over the
course of the ALPS program. We've also been blessed every year to have a corps of talented, dedicated
mentors who themselves understand the power of the strengths perspective and work every month to
share that understanding with the participants.
Graduation is always the highlight of the program, as the participants make a presentation in front of
Lerone Allen: Thanks for a
fantastic job giving some of
our Hilton reports a facelift
that generated a very
positive client response.
-Leonard Gooz
family, friends and special guests on what they've learned about themselves and how they plan to use
their strengths moving forward. We always have a few surprises at the event, and this year was no
Jennifer Bustamante:
exception. In the past we've had athletes sing, play original piano compositions and demonstrate their
golf swings -- but this year was the first time we had a power-lifting demonstration in the Great Hall, as
Thanks for providing
an 85-pound athlete gave us a very literal demonstration of her strength!
proactive reporting to Hil-
I feel very fortunate to be involved in the ALPS program, and feel Gallup's commitment to it says a lot
ton worldwide about their
about our organization's dedication to helping maximize the potential and wellbeing of individuals from
owner diversity initiatives
all walks of life.
that also generated client
To participate in the ALPS mentoring program, contact Steve Crabtree or one of the ALPS mentors.
compliments. –Leonard
Gooz
New Faces
Elliot Henney is the temporary new face at the front desk on the second floor! Elliot is from the D.C. subburb of Springfield. He went to middle school and most of high school in Japan, giving him the chance to
Christina Han, Chris Garner,
travel throughout Japan, as well as China and the South Pacific. He graduated from American University
& Kyle McKenzie: Thanks for
and just recently moved back from San Diego to be closer to his family after a four year hiatus. He
setting up our Mars Canada
enjoys biking, weightlifting, kayaking, flying and watching DC sports teams, as painful as that can be.
team up for success related
to tackling organizational
New Tribe Addition
Jessica Mangskau joins Gallup as a CSM with eight years of experience leading
education and development of people and organizations in the public and nonprofit sectors, with previous employers including General Services Administration, U.S. Peace Corps and Operation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE). She has a M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Minnesota and an undergraduate degree in Psychology and Sociology from Augustana
College in Illinois. Jessica lived in Eastern Europe for two years and speaks the
Macedonian language. She is an avid novice scuba diver and backcountry hiker;
health nut, news junkie and dog lover.
q1/q2 barriers with 100+
leaders. -Leonard Gooz
DC Spotlight: Sara Huston
Please tell me about your background and how you ended up at Gallup.
I spent the last ten years working for a small project management software firm here in D.C. I was
responsible for providing project management implementation and consulting services to our
clients. Late last year I decided I was ready to challenge myself in new ways, and applied for a position
at Gallup. From the time I had my first phone interview, I knew I wanted to join the tribe!
What are you paid to do?
My #1 strength is discipline and I bring a love of planning and project management to everything that I
do. Simply put, I’m paid to ensure projects are completed successfully! Some of the ways I do that are
by building realistic schedules, communicating with team members and key partners, and identifying
ways to improve processes so that we can deliver impact more efficiently for our clients.
Do you have key partners who you couldn’t do your job without?
Of course! I focus primarily on BBG client work and we have a diverse and amazing team. Working on
this team is one of the things I love most about my job. Every single person plays a critical role and is a
key partner at some point in the project lifecycle.
What surprised you most about working at Gallup?
I was surprised how embedded strengths are in every aspect of the company culture. It has changed
the way I think about myself both personally and professionally and I love it!
What is your favorite part of your job and working at Gallup?
Working with really smart people who are passionate about what they do.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
When I’m not working, my 2 year old daughter, Hannah, gets all of my attention (unfortunately for my
husband). We just bought a new house so I’m spending a lot of time on home improvement projects
and decorating, which is a lot of fun. I also love to cook and entertain friends.
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