Employee Spotlight: Corey McCann
Happy Friday to you!
I hope that you had a great week and, hang in there, they say April showers bring May flowers! We should be seeing a lot of flowers across PA come May. This week’s spotlight introduces you to Regional Director Corey McCann. Corey is part of our IDD service line and has worked in his current role for the past 6 years. He started his career through a temp agency as a Direct Support Professional and soon became a permanent member of his Berks county team, consistently taking advantage of the opportunities for advancement within his program. Operations Director Ashley Gorman, who works closely with Corey, chose quotes to define his great leadership qualities but pointed out his love for “the Office” and chose this to describe Corey.
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”~ Wayne Gretsky/Michael Scott
Please take a moment to read more about Corey and what drives his passion for helping others.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself/your family?
Hi! My name is Corey McCann, I’m the Regional Director for IDD services in Berks County, and I’ve been with the company for a little over 10 years. I was born and raised in Tamaqua, a small town in Schuylkill County, majoring in Kinesiology at Penn State’s main campus after high school. I love sports, although at my ripe old age of 33, that mainly consists of watching instead of playing. I’m a huge fan of the Eagles (Go Birds!), as well as anything Penn State athletics related (WE ARE!). I have one older brother who lives in Illinois, Erik, and an absolutely adorable 21-month old niece named Vivian. She can sometimes be a little bit of a terror, but she keeps our family on our toes and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Can you share a fun fact about yourself?
I like donating blood as often as I can, and I actually donated bone marrow in 2013! I signed up for the Be the Match registry in college, and a few months later, I was notified that I could be a potential match for a 60-year old man living with Leukemia somewhere in the US. After some additional testing and lab work, the donation was scheduled. Ironically, it was originally scheduled for my 21st birthday, but it ended up having to be pushed back another 11 days.
Who has influenced you most in your life?
It’s hard for me to pick just one person, so I think that I would say both of my parents. Both my mom and my dad have been instrumental in my success, starting at an early age. Both instilled a sense of resilience, hard work, and determination in me, allowing me to make independent decisions while still offering support and guidance every step of the way.
Has your current position always been your career goal?
I don’t know that I can say that becoming the RD has always been my goal, but I think that the impact that I’ve been able to make in it has been. I genuinely have a passion for helping others, and serving as the RD in Berks County for the last 6 years has really provided me with an incredible opportunity to make positive changes and improve the lives of those that we support.
What pointed you in the direction of your career goal?
More than anything else, I’ve always wanted to have a career that allowed me to help others. I’ve always enjoyed learning about mental/behavioral health, so I completed a wide variety of psychology and human development classes in college. While I initially thought that my path would take me into more of a physical-health type space, I’m incredibly thankful that I found our IDD services soon after graduation.
Can you share a professional success story that you are most proud of?
I’d like to share two if possible, one kind of generic, one specific.
First, I’m really proud of my growth within the company. I started out as a DSP with a temp agency before being hired on FT at the end of my contract, became a group home supervisor, a residential Program Specialist, and ultimately took on the role of Regional Director in 2019. I like to use my story of development and success as a way of showing others that advancement and continued growth is possible, the first and most important step is just taking the leap.
Second, one of our consumers dressed up and went as a version of me for Halloween 2024. Providing a little bit of back story, I always carry a water bottle around with me everywhere that I go. This includes when I make rounds around our office, checking in with everyone and asking if they “need anything?”. I’m not the biggest fan of Halloween myself, but seeing the consumer so happy and proud of himself will stick with me forever. Truly an unforgettable and incredibly proud moment for me!
Thank you so much, Corey, we appreciate your passion for helping others, both personally and professionally. So much that some want to literally be JUST LIKE YOU!
“If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody else.”~ Chinese Proverb
And thank you to each of you, we couldn’t provide the quality support to those we work with without your commitment!
Please remember, if you are interested in introducing yourself in a future spotlight or have a colleague who you would like to nominate and recognize, please reach out and I can provide the information to you.
Have a great weekend!
