Joan Cardwell

AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR

Joan’s previous position with CIS was Program Director for the Spokane program.  As the leader of that program, she had a sizable team of people that reported to her. “I am NOT the boss,” she emphasizes. “I call myself the ‘head cheerleader’ because teamwork and attitude are more important to our mission.”

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Joan has used her skills and enthusiasm to help build a strong team. She is dedicated to the CIS mission of providing an affirming and supportive environment that allows clients to flourish and grow. As director of operations, Joan continually collaborates with human resources, training, medical coordinators, and other program managers in both Federal Way and Spokane.

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Joan is proof that you can translate skills from unrelated fields into social services. “I came from 24 years in retail department stores, and I am still focused on customer service.” Joan re-directed that focus from helping retail clients to working with CIS clients.

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While Joan likes the head cheerleader description, she also compares her management style to that of a steward. “I like rules, cohesion, and cooperation. We know that we’re only as strong as our weakest link,” she notes, “so we make sure we give strength to our weakest links because it makes the entire chain stronger.”

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When asked what it takes to work at CIS, Joan was quick to list the qualities of empathy and compassion. “Make sure you are able to put aside preconceptions and can see each client as a person.” She adds that if people come to CIS with the right outlook, they are paid to get the thorough training they need to get started. “But it doesn’t end there,” she adds. “Here, we are constantly learning and growing.”