Employee Highlight: Zackery

Zackery, pictured above on the far right.

For many people, finding a meaningful and fulfilling career isn’t a straightforward path. Reach’s Waiver Case Manager, Zackery Henslee’s unique story is a great example of how a strong personal mission, ambition, and a desire to learn can help turn a personal passion into a rewarding career.

As an undergraduate student, Zackery was originally interested in pursuing a law degree. His fascination with sociology, social statistics, and law led him to take courses in college that explored the interaction between law and human behavior. Through his education, he discovered that the real root of his desire to work in the legal field was a strong drive to help people to live better lives and reach their potential. After taking a break from college to help support his family, Zackery decided to finish his degree and focus his efforts on finding a position that would allow him to use both his educational background and his strong sense of empathy.

The first job Zackery took after finishing his degree proved to be both challenging and rewarding. As a “salter” for the SEIU Union, he worked full-time in a healthcare facility while also driving unionization efforts to improve working conditions for employees in the healthcare field. “The work was a lot, but I actually felt like I was helping people,” Zackery said. After finishing his work as a salter, he began searching for a more sustainable career that would allow him to continue working directly with people, but with a better work-life balance. “Reach matched those things perfectly for me,” Zackery said. Shortly after, he joined Reach as a Waiver Case Manager.

“Case management is a very cerebral job, but you also have the personal side. You get to meet people in person, see how they’re doing, travel…both of those things are what I value most in a job,” Zackery said. Outside of his job duties, Zackery also appreciates the flexibility of his position, the dedication and attentiveness of his management team, and knowing that he can directly impact the people he serves. “I like being able to see that someone has a problem and knowing that I have the ability to help them, and then walking them through the issue until we hit that point where I know they’re now going to be okay,” Zackery mentioned.

From technical know-how to mastering effective communication, Zackery has gained many new skills while working for Reach. While every new job comes with a learning curve and the challenge of doing things for the first time, he feels that his role as a Waiver Case Manager has helped him become a better citizen and community member. “It’s an absolutely incredible experience,” Zackery said.

Outside of work, Zackery enjoys exercise, rugby, reading books, and running a Dungeons and Dragons campaign for his friends. Thank you, Zackery, for your continued dedication to the Reach community and the WCM department!