Talent Tribute: Patrick Lunasol

Our Talent Tribute Monthly Feature is designed to celebrate the phenomenal staff that serve our Members.

Patrick began his journey with VALLEYLIFE in September 2018 as a Direct Support Professional in the Day Program and has since taken on the role of Assistant Supervisor within DTA 2. From day one, he has brought dedication, teamwork, and a heart for service to everything he does. Inspired by his grandparents’ example of helping others, Patrick has always been driven to make a difference. Before joining VALLEYLIFE, he served in the Army as a combat medic, with plans of becoming a wildfire fire fighter after his service ended before an injury sustained during PT training necessitated a different path.  Patrick began his career in the special needs field working at a day camp in Iowa, where he oversaw a day program before relocating to Arizona with his family.

Patrick believes that growth never stops and that there is always room to do more, learn more, and help more. One of his favorite parts of the job is working with a wide range of Member personalities, which has helped him strengthen his stress management skills and build meaningful connections along the way. He also finds great fulfillment in knowing the work he does positively impacts the lives of VALLEYLIFE Members.

Outside of VALLEYLIFE, Patrick is a proud husband and father of two with a passion for woodworking, video games, and volunteering at his favorite cat shelter. He heavily prioritizes spending time with the people he’s closest to, and often travels out to have quality time with family. If he could offer one piece of advice, he would advise others to take the time to take chances and not be afraid of failure.

We sat down and asked Patrick about his VALLEYLIFE experience as a whole, and this is what he had to say.

1. How would you describe your ideal day at VALLEYLIFE?

My Ideal day would be one where we get through everything on the calendar with everyone participating, we witness Members accomplishing parts of their goals that they’re here to work on, and I personally really like to see moments where the Members are having a good time. I like seeing them truly smiling, laughing, and thriving. When you can see that, naturally, it’s a really big personal ego boost, but it’s also really positive for the program.

2. What has your time at VALLEYLIFE taught you over the years?

My Time at VALLEYLIFE has taught me that people’s lives are ever-changing. We try to add stability here, and we try to keep an atmosphere where everybody feels comfortable, but what that is day to day definitely changes. Things that we’re used to change, sometimes the Members change and graduate to different things.

We’re all changing as people, hopefully for the better, and what I thought would be the same here when I first started working here is almost completely different now that I’ve been here for almost a decade.

3. Can you tell us what you enjoy most about interacting with Members?

When I interact with Members, the selfish side of me is always really pleased when Members, not only from my DTA but from other DTAs, approach me and are so excited to see me. They give me positive compliments, they tell me they miss me, and they want to include me in their world.

The professional side is seeing those small successes with not only their ongoing programs, but also things that they sometimes struggle with on a personal or educational level. These can be things that they’ve tried and failed to do for a long time, and seeing those little successes is really positive. We all, as staff, love our Members, but there is something special and really rewarding about seeing someone who couldn’t stop in the middle of a behavior, and one day they’re like, “Pat, I’m feeling really frustrated,” instead of having a behavior. I know it’s really simple, but those little successes are so special to see when you’re interacting with the Members. The fact that I have been able to progress as a person in this field who can look for those things, find them, and appreciate them is a big deal.

4. What skills or qualities do you think are most important for success in your position?

There are so many skills that are important for success in my role. Obviously, we go through training to teach us the skills for safety and health, but you have to have a good perception of what’s going on around you. When I started my career, I was really bad at juggling small tasks. I’m fantastic if you give me one task and you want me to micromanage that one task, but in this environment, you have to not only be focusing on this task here, but also this other handful of tasks for later today.

On top of that, you have to be aware not only of what your staff are doing but also what the Members are doing. You just have to be aware and be teachable.

5. Lastly, what do you hope to accomplish or learn in your future at VALLEYLIFE?

I think my role here at VALLEYLIFE has evolved over the years. As employees, we wear many hats. For example, I’m at DTA 2, but that’s not all I do for the organization. I have management of all sorts come to me at different times and ask me to do tasks or ask me for feedback, and it’s nice to be included in that.

I think as my kids are getting older, my son is heading off to high school next year, and my daughter will be in middle school, at some point I would like to have a better understanding and a more present role in some of the planning for the future of the organization. I want to understand how our organization interacts with the community around it and how we succeed at getting the resources we need to not only thrive at our current level, but to expand.

I really hope my future with the organization is a long one.