Fran Ellis
2020 Exceptional Service Award Recipient

Program Director
May Center for Adult Services
Jacksonville, Fla.



Fran Ellis has been the Program Coordinator at the Buck Point residence since July 2019. Prior to this, she was the Assistant Program Coordinator at the Song Sparrow residence. Fran had an excellent reputation at Song Sparrow, and when she was given the opportunity to lead Buck Point, she was very grateful.

Fran has a pleasant, friendly, and professional demeanor. When she took over the lead at Buck Point, there were a number of transition issues. Using her approachable demeanor, she stabilized the home and built up a core staff that loves working for her. She also did an excellent job overseeing the licensing process for the residence.

Over the summer, Buck Point was hit hard by COVID, with all of the individuals and a significant portion of staff testing positive. Fran worked closely with the Residential Director and Executive Director to develop a staffing plan that maintained the home in compliance for weeks until it was stabilized. During this time, Buck Point also suffered the unfortunate loss of one of its individuals to COVID. Anyone who knows Fran knows she was heartbroken by this and took it hard. However, it did not stop her perseverance in ensuring the other individuals in the home were safe and staff members were maintaining proper protocols, all while working 12+ hour daily shifts. In addition, Fran served as a gentle ear for those staff members who were upset at the loss of their beloved friend and housemate. She demonstrated true leadership and professionalism during this very difficult time.

Fran is reliable and does an excellent job with paperwork and meeting any required deadlines. She is a good communicator, and always demonstrates a level of caring that makes her a special Program Coordinator.
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