Cheers to the 2025 OnShift Applause Award Winners!

Since our founding, OnShift has been dedicated to supporting those who serve our nation’s seniors. We do this mainly through our software solutions and customer success management, but we also celebrate outstanding individuals in the industry with our OnShift Applause Awards.

The OnShift Applause Awards recognize and celebrate the people who make a difference in caring for our nation’s seniors, highlighting their creativity, innovation, leadership, determination, and compassion. This year, we received nearly 900 nominations across our four award categories that honor dedicated caregivers (Best in Care Award), administrators and executive directors (Innovator Award), schedulers (Scheduler of the Year Award, now in its 11th year), and human resources professionals (Impact Award). After narrowing the Best In Care Award nominations down to six finalists, we opened the winner decision to public voting and received 2700 votes.

The stories that we received are truly heartfelt and showcase the passion and selflessness that exists in this industry. Here are some examples:

• “Whether it's taking an extra trip to the rose garden with a resident who was a gardener her whole life or spending time looking through old photo albums with a resident who is lonely or accompanying our Memory Support residents on outings, Aaralyn always shows how much she cares.”
• “When we heard it was going to snow here in Texas, Cheryl came into the office the next day with her mattress and pillow (and of course a HUGE smile). In true Cheryl fashion, she had extra snacks, blankets, games, etc. for everyone.”
• “Carmen took notice of a resident who appeared particularly isolated during her birthday. She personally organized a small gathering in the residents’ honor, decorating their room and bringing a few of their favorite treats. This thoughtful act brought joy to the residents and reminded them they are valued and seen.”
• “Katie works one-on-one with staff to tailor schedules around personal obligations, such as family responsibilities, school commitments, and vacation time. Whether it’s adjusting shifts so a parent can attend a child’s school play, offering late or early arrivals to accommodate unique circumstances, or even stepping in to babysit staff members’ children, Katie always finds a way to say yes. She has opened her home during severe weather events and personally offered rides to ensure her team feels safe and supported.”

We are pleased to announce that the 2025 OnShift Applause Award winners are:

• Impact Award: 
  • Brenda Asher, Assistant Vice President of Human Resources, Gardant Management Solutions
  • Timothy Brice, Human Resources Director, Williston Care Center
  • Ashley James, Business Office Manager, Rosewood Village Assisted Living
• Innovator Award: 
  • Stephanie Crump, Executive Director, Belmont Village Senior Living Memphis
  • Stacy Forrest, Administrator, McMahon Tomlinson Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
  • Dr. Dawn Giakas, Administrator, New Jersey Eastern Star Rehabilitation & Nursing
• Scheduler of the Year Award: 
  • Kimberly Brown, Staffing Coordinator, Veterans’ Victory House
  • Cindy Cratsenburg, Scheduler, The Harmar Place Community
  • D. Fields, Staffing Manager, Solaris Senior Living North Naples
• Best in Care Award: 
  • Aaralyn Alvarez, Care Partner, The Ridge Pinehurst

We are honored to play a small part in supporting and recognizing these outstanding individuals. Congratulations to our winners and nominees! We appreciate all that you do!

Learn more about each winner here.