Talent Tribute: Troy Allen

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

Troy has been a valued part of the VALLEYLIFE team since 2018, when he first joined as a DTA Float before transitioning into the Vocational Department as an Employment Specialist in 2019. In his role, he supports Members in building skills and finding success with Sky Café, a vocational partner, and through on-campus opportunities.

What Troy enjoys most about his work is the chance to connect with Members each day while helping them grow. He takes pride in creating a positive, engaging environment and finds it especially rewarding to witness their progress and accomplishments firsthand.

Troy has a fun and outgoing personality. Outside of his day-to-day work, he enjoys exploring new restaurants, listening to all types of music, and bringing humor into his interactions with others. He also considers himself a spiritual person and values sharing his faith with those around him. Most often, Troy can be found out in the community, encouraging and supporting Members as they work toward their goals.

We sat down and asked Troy 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 most, if not all Members arrive early, they show up as scheduled and all work well together as a team. When everybody works well together, usually the day goes by pretty smooth.

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

My time at VALLEYLIFE has taught me to be patient, understanding, and to choose my battles. There are times when a Member has a behavior, where they don’t know how to handle certain things, so they stress out, and I would just help them to relax, show them how to do it, and be encouraging. Once they see how to do it, they’re fine.

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

What I enjoy most about interacting with Members is seeing them make progress and later seeing them get jobs after the program.

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

To be successful in my role, you would need to have patience, and you need to love and care for the Members, just like you would need to in caregiving. What I think is most important for success is just being able to find ways to help them reach their goals.

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

In my future at VALLEYLIFE, I want to help more Members get the skills they need to get a job and think independently on their own.