Today, we have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Jenna Sallee, the Family Recruited Employee Program Manager and a true cornerstone of Imagine!. 
For the past 25 years, Jenna has been an integral part of our journey, witnessing and contributing to our growth and evolution through several departments and roles. Join us as we delve into the stories, insights, and wisdom that she shares from her remarkable career spanning a quarter of a century with Imagine!.
What does the name Imagine! mean to you?
We used to be called the Developmental Disabilities Center, and then we had a contest to see what our future name would be. Imagine! was chosen overwhelmingly, and to me, I guess it’s always just meant, imagine the possibilities. That’s what I think in my head. What comes next? Imagine the possibilities. You could do anything if you just put your mind to it.
I always associate the name of the company with trying to push people a little bit harder, trying to live up to your potential. I believe that everybody has some ability.
My first job here was with Labor Source (now Imagine! Employment Services), Supported Employment. There was a participant we used to just pick up and staff would say, “Yeah, he just goes along for the ride. There’s really no expectation here.” And I’m like, oh, he’s on a work crew, so there IS an expectation here. It took a while, but we just had to find what he was skilled at. With his set of abilities, he had skills placing things properly in the right order, in a specific place. Labor Source found a job putting labels on bags. He excelled more than anybody we ever put on that crew, and he was contributing. He was happy while working. He wasn’t running around trying to move things and touch things because he was very focused on completing his task. So not only was he doing a job and getting money for it, but it was helping him too.
I think that there’s potential in everybody, you just have to find it.
Why do you think Imagine! is well-known in the community and how can we keep working towards the future?
Over time, name recognition from the great services we have offered over the years. It’s good when people know that they have quality services in an area. I’ve heard more than once that people moved to the state of Colorado because they knew they were going to get quality services in the state and specifically in this area.
25 years ago, there were no service options similar to the 1:1 support and training offered through the FRE program, but now there are. There are now other players in the game, so it’s more important than ever to be able to stay current.
One of our former CEOs always reminded us to stay ahead of the trends. If you’re ahead of the trend, you’re doing good. If you’re with the trend, then you’re a bit behind. I feel like we need to look at what’s coming, to not be reactive, but a bit more proactive in our future endeavors. I think that mindset really took us far in the early 2000s.
Each [CEO] brings something unique and interesting and amazing to the table. It’s interesting to see the way the company changes as the new head comes on. I’m super excited about having Jodi [current CEO] back and I can’t wait to see what happens this year.
What did Imagine! look like in the past?
There was a certain culture at Imagine! 25 years ago where everybody knew each other and there were lots of collaborations going on. It was a smaller company then and being at the forefront of delivering services to individuals with disabilities, we grew to be a really big company and may have lost a bit of our culture. Maybe now that we’ve split, we can get some of that small business mentality back. You know, that was one of the greatest things about being hired here and working here, everybody knew everybody, no matter what department you were in. We used to have meetings where all the different services managers would get together and talk about general issues we may need guidance on, what’s going on in each department to see if there were any collaborations we could start up or work on, or making sure we’re not doing redundant services. It was a great way to stay informed about the company and its progress in different areas.
I feel like over time the departments have kind of siloed themselves a bit. I’d love to see us get back to sharing our thoughts, sharing our ideas, helping other departments implement those ideas, because really, it’s all about services. It’s not about the Family Recruited Employee department versus School Age Services. It’s about Imagine! providing awesome services all the way around.
When I walk through the new (old) building, I’m seeing people I haven’t seen in ten years. It’s great to see those people again and make those connections again. I’m also excited to be making those connections with new people who I don’t know yet.
I received a message on my anniversary from the gentleman who hired me 25 years ago, saying how great it was to work with me and see my career grow. That’s the culture we want. Building those friendships and community where they check in with you 25 years later and say, I still remember you, you know?
How has Imagine! supported you as an employee?
I definitely feel like Imagine! has supported me throughout my 25 years in my goal of wanting to try new and different things. I started out in Labor Source [Employment Services] for six or so years, then I became a Case Manager for a couple of years. I then went and worked for a department called the SCA, which doesn’t exist anymore. It was a sub-department of the billing department, where we worked specifically with SLS funding, authorizations and billing. I worked there for a couple of years. The gentleman running the FRE department was moving on to another opportunity within the company, and he said, “I think you’d be perfect for this.” So I applied for the position and I was chosen.
Every time I felt like I had hit a ceiling at Imagine!, there was another opportunity for me somewhere within the company. I never got bored. I learned more about the company and felt I was growing as an employee by learning all these different skills and facets of Imagine!.
Knowing that you have the potential to grow your career and stay with the same company is very inviting. Stay with us, and you’re going to go somewhere.
Is there anything else you want to mention about your time?
I’ve worked with some amazing bosses and supervisors. I’ve felt each have really taught me something. I’ve never walked away from a situation where I’ve worked with a supervisor and haven’t learned something from that supervisor. I feel really good about that and can’t wait to see what the future brings.