Celebrating Staff Reaching Over Twenty Years of Service
One of the best parts of the Annual Staff Meeting is celebrating staff milestones. BronxWorks is lucky to have amazingly dedicated staff who have given years or even decades of service to the communities of the Bronx. This year we celebrated five staff members who reached over twenty years of service and one staff member who reached over twenty-five years of service at BronxWorks. That’s a combined one-hundred and twenty-five years dedicated to the betterment of our communities. There is so much history to recognize in the stories of these six staff members and we want to thank them for their commitment to the Bronx.
Wanda Abeyllez – Twenty-Five Years of Service
Wanda grew up in the South Bronx and was actually a summer youth intern with BronxWorks, then known as the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). After she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology at Queens College, Wanda applied and was hired as a Case Manager for a housing program. Wanda worked in various housing programs, until 2005 when she joined the Senior Services Department. She has been the Program Director for the E. Roberts Moore Older Adult Center for seventeen years. During her time at BronxWorks, Wanda completed a Master’s in Public Administration from Metropolitan College. Congratulations, Wanda, on twenty-five years of service at BronxWorks.
Maxene Foster – Twenty Years of Service
Maxene started at BronxWorks in 2001 as an Aftercare Case Manager at the Jackson Avenue Family Residence. Born and raised in Jamaica, Maxene moved to the US in 1986, at first to Colorado Springs and then eventually to New York and the Bronx in 1990. She completed an Associate’s Degree in Health Education at Bronx Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education and Promotion from Lehman College. Maxene has worked between the Eviction Prevention and Access to Benefits Departments for the majority of her time at BronxWorks, including the last eight years as Program Coordinator of the Benefits Access and Assistance Program. Congratulations, Maxene, on your twenty years of service at BronxWorks.
Marjorie Jeannot – Twenty Years of Service
Marjorie grew up in Haiti and came to the US when she was fourteen. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences at Stony Brook University. Marjorie started at BronxWorks fresh out of college as a Case Manager for an eviction prevention program. She left BronxWorks to pursue her Master’s in Social Work at Columbia University and returned as the Program Director for the Living Room. During her time at BronxWorks, Marjorie has also worked as Department Director of various Workforce Development programs, and Director of the Nelson and Willow Avenue Family Residences. Today, Marjorie is the Department Director of Family Shelters. Congratulations, Marjorie, on twenty years of service at BronxWorks!
Rosa Martinez – Twenty Years of Service
Rosa started at BronxWorks within the Access to Benefits Department and has worked as an Administrative Assistant and Messenger for many years. She has reliably assisted programs including Eviction Prevention and Walk-in Offices throughout her time at BronxWorks. Rosa’s family is originally from Puerto Rico, and now she lives in the Bronx. As an Administrative Assistant, Rosa has helped staff throughout the agency and appreciates everyone she has been able to work with. Congratulations, Rosa, on twenty years of service!
Frank Melendez – Twenty Years of Service
Frank was introduced to BronxWorks by a friend. He was hired in 2001 as a Family Monitor at the Jackson Avenue Family Residence. Later he joined the maintenance team, where he would work from 2004-2016. Born and raised in the Bronx, Frank attended the Adlai Stevenson High School. In 2015, he transferred to the Senior Services Department as a Driver, maintaining the vehicle and delivering food to a number of sites, as well as providing maintenance at the Morris Innovative Older Adult Center. He also does part-time street homeless outreach on the weekends with the Homeless Outreach Team. Congratulations, Frank, on your twenty years of service!
Igor Zekster – Twenty Years of Service
Igor grew up in Ukraine and lived in Russia, where he studied and worked in neurosurgery science and brain research. He has a Master’s of Science from Gorky University. Igor came to the US in the late 1990s with his wife and daughter. He was recruited by a friend to a small technology business where he got his start working in IT, completing projects like cabling and building computers. After completing his certification in IT, Igor interviewed at BronxWorks and was hired as an IT Technician. Igor helped design and start to build the entire modern IT infrastructure at BronxWorks. He has been integral in growing the IT department during his twenty years of service at BronxWorks. Congratulations Igor!
Celebrating Staff Reaching Over Twenty Years of Service
One of the best parts of the Annual Staff Meeting is celebrating staff milestones. BronxWorks is lucky to have amazingly dedicated staff who have given years or even decades of service to the communities of the Bronx. This year we celebrated five staff members who reached over twenty years of service and one staff member who reached over twenty-five years of service at BronxWorks. That’s a combined one-hundred and twenty-five years dedicated to the betterment of our communities. There is so much history to recognize in the stories of these six staff members and we want to thank them for their commitment to the Bronx.
Wanda Abeyllez – Twenty-Five Years of Service
Wanda grew up in the South Bronx and was actually a summer youth intern with BronxWorks, then known as the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). After she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology at Queens College, Wanda applied and was hired as a Case Manager for a housing program. Wanda worked in various housing programs, until 2005 when she joined the Senior Services Department. She has been the Program Director for the E. Roberts Moore Older Adult Center for seventeen years. During her time at BronxWorks, Wanda completed a Master’s in Public Administration from Metropolitan College. Congratulations, Wanda, on twenty-five years of service at BronxWorks.
Maxene Foster – Twenty Years of Service
Maxene started at BronxWorks in 2001 as an Aftercare Case Manager at the Jackson Avenue Family Residence. Born and raised in Jamaica, Maxene moved to the US in 1986, at first to Colorado Springs and then eventually to New York and the Bronx in 1990. She completed an Associate’s Degree in Health Education at Bronx Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education and Promotion from Lehman College. Maxene has worked between the Eviction Prevention and Access to Benefits Departments for the majority of her time at BronxWorks, including the last eight years as Program Coordinator of the Benefits Access and Assistance Program. Congratulations, Maxene, on your twenty years of service at BronxWorks.
Marjorie Jeannot – Twenty Years of Service
Marjorie grew up in Haiti and came to the US when she was fourteen. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences at Stony Brook University. Marjorie started at BronxWorks fresh out of college as a Case Manager for an eviction prevention program. She left BronxWorks to pursue her Master’s in Social Work at Columbia University and returned as the Program Director for the Living Room. During her time at BronxWorks, Marjorie has also worked as Department Director of various Workforce Development programs, and Director of the Nelson and Willow Avenue Family Residences. Today, Marjorie is the Department Director of Family Shelters. Congratulations, Marjorie, on twenty years of service at BronxWorks!
Rosa Martinez – Twenty Years of Service
Rosa started at BronxWorks within the Access to Benefits Department and has worked as an Administrative Assistant and Messenger for many years. She has reliably assisted programs including Eviction Prevention and Walk-in Offices throughout her time at BronxWorks. Rosa’s family is originally from Puerto Rico, and now she lives in the Bronx. As an Administrative Assistant, Rosa has helped staff throughout the agency and appreciates everyone she has been able to work with. Congratulations, Rosa, on twenty years of service!
Frank Melendez – Twenty Years of Service
Frank was introduced to BronxWorks by a friend. He was hired in 2001 as a Family Monitor at the Jackson Avenue Family Residence. Later he joined the maintenance team, where he would work from 2004-2016. Born and raised in the Bronx, Frank attended the Adlai Stevenson High School. In 2015, he transferred to the Senior Services Department as a Driver, maintaining the vehicle and delivering food to a number of sites, as well as providing maintenance at the Morris Innovative Older Adult Center. He also does part-time street homeless outreach on the weekends with the Homeless Outreach Team. Congratulations, Frank, on your twenty years of service!
Igor Zekster – Twenty Years of Service
Igor grew up in Ukraine and lived in Russia, where he studied and worked in neurosurgery science and brain research. He has a Master’s of Science from Gorky University. Igor came to the US in the late 1990s with his wife and daughter. He was recruited by a friend to a small technology business where he got his start working in IT, completing projects like cabling and building computers. After completing his certification in IT, Igor interviewed at BronxWorks and was hired as an IT Technician. Igor helped design and start to build the entire modern IT infrastructure at BronxWorks. He has been integral in growing the IT department during his twenty years of service at BronxWorks. Congratulations Igor!
