Social Services Coordinator of the Year
While subsidized housing (the HUD 202 program) has been in existence for more than 50 years, the Social Service Coordinator position has only been in existence for less than 20 years. Now, for many, it is hard to imagine what residents did before the position existed.
The Social Service Coordinator’s main goal is to empower the residents of their community with the ability to live an independent lifestyle. They are creative individuals whose role varies with the needs of those they help.
They are investigators, researching the types of services that their residents may use, need, or want. They help residents obtain needed equipment and devices such as walkers, wheelchairs, talking books, etc. They try to locate free or reduced-cost providers of services for their residents.
They are educators; bringing information regarding health and wellness into the community; informing residents on how to apply for available services and benefits; keeping staff up-to-date on any aging-in-place issues a resident may have.
They are builders of the community; mediating disputes among residents; facilitating support groups within the community itself. They are links between community agencies and service providers and residents. They provide resource directories for residents, their families, and community staff.
They are advocates for their residents within the communities they live in and the larger community they live in.
The service they provide is invaluable for both the residents and RHF.
Social Services Coordinator of the Year Awardee
2025 Social Services Coordinator of the Year
Wendi Butkovich
Round House Manor, Kaukauna, Wisconsin
As the third generation in her family to work in Senior Housing, Wendi Butkovich grew up learning the ins and outs of her profession. She earned a degree in Counseling and holds certificates in Gerontology, Grief Counseling, Hoarding, Dementia Care, and Senior Transitions, which have provided her with a wealth of knowledge to help residents navigate various challenges during her 16½ years at Round House Manor. With a diverse employment history—from being a clown at Shakey’s to teaching Special Education—Wendi has learned to adapt to a wide range of situations.
2024 was a particularly challenging year for Round House Manor. In addition to the usual day-to-day responsibilities, an EF1 tornado struck the building on May 21st, tearing part of the roof off and causing significant damage that led to the mandatory evacuation of residents. The Round House Manor team collaborated with city, county, and state leaders, as well as RHF corporate office staff, to secure housing for residents in need, ranging from a few weeks to five months. The process of seeking donations and support was relentless and overwhelming, but ultimately, everyone made it through and returned home.
Wendi credits much of her success to the strong relationships she has built with her on-site team and her extensive network of professionals within the Fox Cities Senior Resource Network, of which she has been a member for over 19 years. Her mantra is, “It’s not what I know, it’s who I know.” She explains, “There’s no way to remember everything we need to know as Service Coordinators, but if I know the right people to reach out to for information, it makes everything so much easier.”
RHF is pleased to present Wendi Butkovich with the 2025 Social Services Coordinator of the Year Award.
Congratulations to all of our past award recipients!
2024 – Eliza Guerrero
2023 – Ansley Thomason
2022 – Angelica Traore, BSW
2020 – Karleen Davis
2019 – Tammy Schendler
2018 – Ricardo Justiniano
2017 – DeLisa Harrington
2016 – Christy Sadler
