How I know Sue Manery – Gail Stephens
For the first 20 years of knowing Sue I was CEO of the Alberta Council of Disability Services so had the privilege of knowing her as a professional colleague and observing her as she became a leader in the Community disability service sector. Over the years I have been observing Sue as a colleague I watched in awe as she pulled together political campaigns in Southern Alberta to help the MLAs and the Minister understand the gravity of the situation. I saw how she collaborated with the other community organizations and brought in parents and community leaders. A unique thing about Sue is how she did this while continuing to have healthy respectful relationships with those she was challenging.
I watched as Sue became a powerful voice at provincial tables whether that was for family and individual advocacy or for the service sector funding levels or for the development of a profession or for appropriate legislation and policy. This was always done with creative ideas for how we could support individuals to live more typical inclusive lives within their own communities. I spent time in the south region as Sue took on new roles with the service provider group here and as she continually pushed us all to meet her high expectations.
Sue searched far and wide to find people who were doing things differently and brought them here to teach the rest of us. She persuaded others to listen and learn. She kept all of us on our toes as she challenged us to go on the journey with her. She was and is a stickler for appropriate language to describe the work we do in the community disability sector and the people we support.
Sue is constantly curious and always on the lookout for a better way. I have often observed her as she asks questions. She would take every opportunity to corner someone at coffee and lunch breaks to learn from that person who might not fit the mold and has different ideas.
I also see Sue through the eyes of a mother as my son receives supports to live in his community. Having this lens gave me an understanding of why families in and around Lethbridge have confidence in and a level of comfort in having their sons and daughters supported through SACLA. I know as a mother that I would be heard and that my son would be seen as a person first. I know that he would not be part of a program but would be leading his own life with his own dreams and living in his home with people of his choosing.
Finally, I see Sue from my position on the SACLA board of directors. This is a group of caring bright and skilled people who Sue has brought together to support and govern the association. Over the past 12 years on this board we have heard stories of the successes of people SACLA supports along with the stories of people who have died but lived lives that wouldn’t have been dreamed of a generation ago. I have been a participant in the dreaming about new futures for those SACLA supports and those in the community who interact with and share lives with them.
As a colleague, board member and friend I am continually impressed with Sue’s attention to detail and her memory. She sees things the rest of us do not see in the details and she remembers. She remembers birthdays, the kind of wine you drank, what was said two years ago and how one line of a report showed a lack of respect for a person. Sue keeps you on your toes. Inadvertently one can trip over Sue’s vision of how she sees the world and receive a look that tells us that we missed something of importance.
Contribution from Frank Henke
I have been a SACLA board member for 24 years over two terms several years apart. I was on the board that hired Sue as CEO and again on the board that saw her retire. The infectious enthusiasm that she showed at the start of her years of service has never waned. The relationship Sue had with the Board was always one of mutual respect and friendship. She would report to the board on all aspects of SACLA activities as well as developments in the field of working with individuals with development disabilities. She often presented innovative ideas for improving the living conditions and supports given to the people we served. Sue was always appreciative of the Board’s advice and critique, recognizing our prospective from various personal and professional backgrounds. Our input was considered as she developed new strategies for SACLA programs.
Our board meetings were loaded with content, lively discussions and occasionally with presentations from experts in the field. The Board was kept up to date with current developments
Sue’s leadership brought SACLA from a fairly small organization with limited residential services to a large multi-million-dollar operation with individualized support services for a large number of individuals. We have witnessed inclusive housing move from “six-packs” to personalized housing in various settings suiting the specific needs of the people we serve. Sue always takes a personal interest in establishing homes for each person.
The Board recognized Sue’s broad range of experience and connections with other organizations and with that, an accumulation of valuable knowledge and wisdom. With Sue’s input, support and encouragement, the Board developed a new code of ethics and bylaws to regulate and guide current and future boards. A new vision statement was also developed. The My Compass app was invented, jointly with another organization, to provide an easier and complete record of individual needs and supports.