Providence Center, a nonprofit dedicated to providing effective, comprehensive services and day programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has a mission “to support people to discover and live their best lives” and Kristina Mitchell, Providence Center’s Quality Assurance  (QA) Manager, exemplifies that mission, said Karen Adams-Gilchrist, President and CEO. “Not only am I grateful for Kristina’s expertise, passion and commitment, but time and time again, I hear from families, people we support, and members of our team about their wonderful experience working with Kristina,” she said.

Kristina leads the Center’s self-advocacy educational program, which teaches clients decision-making skills, to understand and use community transportation resources, and to understand the voting process, register, and ultimately vote.  

“Kristina’s work is transformative, both from the impact she has on the people we support, and on the organization’s processes and procedures,” said Nominator Aimee Bullen, Providence Center Director of Community Relations. “Kristina personifies the Providence Center belief in people.”  

No one knows that better than Brittany Gray, a young woman who receives support from the Center. “She helped me learn to advocate for myself by teaching me to be vocal about my wants and needs,” said Gray. “No matter what, I know that I can count on Kristina. She has a beautiful heart and anyone around her knows that she cares about them and that they are important.” 

In her QA role, Kristina is committed to protecting the individual rights and safety of everyone in the organization. She works with many different constituents including the people the Center supports and their families, fellow staff, staff from other agencies, and staff from regulatory agencies. Kristina is a member of the Standing Committee and Human Rights Committees, the Maryland Association of Community Services peer networking group, is the gatekeeper for the state health risk screening tool approvals, co-chairs Providence Center’s Clinical Review Committee, and chairs the internal QA Committee. Since many of the organizations programs had to close during the pandemic, Kristina took it upon herself to design a virtual platform of educational courses and curriculums to support people’s continued learning, skill building, and engagement from their homes. 

“Everyone who knows Kristina knows her exceptional work, her professionalism, and commitment to supporting people to live their best lives. She helps to move our mission forward and is an asset not only to the Providence Center family but to the greater community that is moving forward with the contributions of people with disabilities with her support,” said Bullen.