(Submitted by Wood Lane)
Melanie Stretchbery was awarded the Betty Macintosh Award for Professional Leadership and Advocacy on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 at the Annual Meeting of the Ohio Association of County Boards for Developmental Disabilities. The award is given annually to a professional in the DD service delivery system who exhibits extraordinary accomplishments in professional leadership and advocacy for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Like the late Betty Macintosh, Stretchbery has been a “visionary agent of change.” For her entire career she has worked to advocate and further the lives and wellbeing of people with developmental disabilities in Wood County. Beginning in the field in 1982, Stretchbery worked as a case manager out of the Toledo Regional Office for the State of Ohio. Her move to Wood County in 1983 as Support Services Supervisor was, as she describes, “a dream job.”
Stretchbery moved quickly into a leadership position as the Director of Case Management in 1986. Always interested in learning more to do more, she switched positions in 1998 to become Director of Adult Services. She then served as Superintendent for eight years beginning in September, 2008 until her retirement this year.
During her early years of service, Stretchbery was instrumental in deinstitutionalizing people with developmental disabilities and assisted with finding homes in the community where people could live and participate beside their friends and family.
Stretchbery is a humble leader who does not list her accomplishments easily. She has also been employed as a CARF Program Surveyor, field instructor at Eastern Michigan University, adjunct instructor at Bowling Green State University and as a social work consultant at Tiffin Developmental Center, all while tirelessly serving the individuals of Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities for 33 years. Over her career, she has served on more than twenty board or committee appointments and has given more than seventy presentations.
While Stretchbery retired in October of this year, her passionate support and advocacy for people with developmental disabilities and their families will not stop. She continues to be sought out as a voice and leader. She continues to be active in several area clubs and committees. Additionally, she gives countless hours to volunteering in her community.
