2023 Employee of the Year is Deanna Saefke
Deanna is a true leader when it comes to community building. She regularly plans staff gatherings to boost comradery across departments, plays a central role in bringing people together at community events, and has even learned new language skills to better communicate with residents. You might say she wrote the book on interpersonal communication, and this is seen and felt by everyone she interacts with.
Whether she’s helping a non-English speaking family book a rental at Murzyn Hall or volunteering to lend a hand with City events outside of normal work hours, Deanna is there for you (and maybe even a step ahead of you)!
In her 18 years here, Deanna has become integral to the Columbia Heights Recreation Department, and it’s hard to imagine Murzyn Hall without her. She’s a reliable wealth of knowledge, and staff can depend on her for just about anything. It’s evident that she genuinely cares about her coworkers and the Columbia Heights community, and we’re incredibly fortunate to call her one of our own.
Congratulations, Deanna!
More About the Employee of the Year Award
The Employee of the Year nomination review committee is composed of former Employee of the Year recipients who are still employed by the City. This year, the selection committee reviewed 10 nominations.
When a person is selected as Employee of the Year, their name and year of award is engraved on a plaque displayed at City Hall. They receive a congratulatory letter, an extra paid day off, an article and picture in the City Newsletter, a month-long announcement on the City’s electronic bulletin board, and a featured role in the annual Jamboree parade. On rare occasions, more than one employee is selected in a given year.
12-22-2023