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Jen Liebenthal Awarded Supervisor of the Year

Supervisor of the Year Jen Liebenthal

KVC Nebraska’s Omaha Foster Care Supervisor Jen Liebenthal was honored with the 2016 Kevin H. Orr Supervisor of the Year Award from the Nebraska Association of Homes and Services for Children.

Learn more about Supervisor of the Year, Jen Liebenthal

Below is the nomination letter written by Admissions Liaison, Wyvonne Harper. 

Supervisor of the Year Winner Jen Liebenthal

Foster Care Supervisor Jen Liebenthal and KVC Nebraska Vice President Ashley Brown at the 2016 NeAHSC Awards.

Where does someone start to explain how much of an asset Jen has been in the development and continued growth for the foster care program at KVC? Jen is supportive, knowledgeable, compassionate, and creative. In three short years, Jen has gone from being a caring hands-on foster care specialist, to being a phenomenal leader and facilitator in driving KVC’s practice model.

Jen is a World Class Social Worker, no literally. “After graduation with her B.S. in counseling, Jen traveled for 7 years working with military teens as a life coach with Cadence International. Jen did not stop there! In her efforts to be a game changer in the world of social work, Jen moved to Alaska where she was the co-director of youth ministry with a local church for almost five years. After moving back to Nebraska, Jen worked with KVC Nebraska and NFC, but ultimately ended up with KVC in August of 2013.

Jen is an example of how and why we should do the work that we do. With every case she gives 110% of her time an talent and she challenges her team to have the same tenacity and compassion for each and every case that we are a part of. Two of our pillars at KVC is that “kids can’t wait” and “kids grow best in families.” Jen embraces these pillars everyday but, especially during our Safe & Connected staffings.

Jen challenges us to think more critically and passionately about each youth that we staffand because of that, we will exhaust any and every option to give a child the opportunity to be placed in our foster homes.

Jen’s passion for the craft makes her team show up and be present in the moment. It is the example that she sets and the expectation that we all give our best because children are depending on us to show up for them.

Jen just cares. I remember a case that Jen had when we needed an extremely specialized and creative plan to maintain this youth in a foster home to prevent him from going into a higher level of care. Jen was a part of an intense planning session and multiple staffings to ensure that all services that were needed to maintain this youth were agreed upon and implemented. To this day that youth is still in that home and has experienced such success that he may never had had a chance to if Jen hadn’t advocated for this extremely specialized plan.

Getting creative is one of Jen’s specialties. As the co-chair of the social committee you can catch Jen showing up as whatever character the holiday calls for. Most recently giving her all in the office Olympics potato sack race with head and wrist band in tow.

While Jen is a number of things to a number of people, she has been my supervisor for the last three years. She has been my advocate and my proponent. Jen champions the fact that there is no greater act than the service to others. Jen jumps in whenever coverage is needed. One must respect a leader that is not confined by a title but, instead excels when all levels of duty calls. When I needed to take an extended period of time off, it was Jen’s leadership and compassion that helped me in finding balance during that time. When Jen takes a few shifts here and few calls there on my behalf, well it made me a better person both personally and professionally. I am grateful for her leadership.

Last, but certainly not least, Jen is an amazing wife and mother of four.

Congratulations Jen! KVC is extremely lucky to have you as a member of our team!