Veteran staff member named executive director of Ottawa Friendship House

After spending almost 20 years in various roles with Friendship House in Ottawa, Allison Perez recently was named executive director of the nonprofit organization.

Ottawa Friendship House is a full-service nonprofit that helps adults with disabilities live fuller lives through community housing, employment and programs.

Perez previously served as director of employment and outreach services, overseeing the community employment program in partnership with the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services.

Perez first started at the Friendship House in 2005 as a direct support professional, and it wasn’t long after she started that she considered a career there.

“I saw it in the newspaper and thought, ‘That sounds perfect. I’m going to do that for one year.’ That was my plan. I was going to stay in Ottawa for a year, save up money, and move to New York City. But 20 years later, here I am - and I couldn’t be happier,” Perez said.

In her previous role, Perez coordinated efforts to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities find community jobs. She led skills training, mock interviews, resume building and job matching, empowering clients with employment tools and workplace readiness.

Although she was promoted, Perez said she still will perform many of the same tasks that she already had been responsible for.

“I’m kind of doing the dual thing just because they go hand in hand. A lot of the executive director’s work is [public relations] – getting out in the community, meeting with businesses – and that’s what I did as director of community employment and outreach,” she said. “It gives me a little normalcy of what life was like a month ago.”

Friendship House board of directors President Brian Hughes explained why the decision to promote Perez was easy for the board.

“Allison has exceptional knowledge of how we operate [and] has held many positions within the organization, from supervising the day program on campus to organizing many of the concerts and fundraisers held by OFH,” Hughes said. “She has proven that her No. 1 focus is making the proper decisions for the clients and families that the organization serves.”

Hughes emphasized Perez’s relationships with the people within the organization, as well as those who lean on it.

“Allison is on a first-name basis with all of the clients that we serve and most, if not all, of their parents/guardians,” he said. “And her co-workers see her as a leader within the organization, and know that she is dedicated to the clients who live or work there.

“She maintains great relationships within the community, and many people in the area see her as ‘the face of Ottawa Friendship House.’”

In the same sentiment, Perez said she’s always felt a strong pull toward helping others, but it’s the lasting relationships she’s built that have made it more than just a job.

“My compassion and empathy for people is what led me to Friendship House. But what’s made me stay is the people – the staff, the clients, the residents. That’s the reason I’m there.”

The nonprofit’s next major fundraiser, Concert for a Cause, is scheduled for Sept. 20 on the Friendship House campus and will feature Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Natalie Hemby, a member of the country supergroup The Highwomen.

“There will be food trucks, August Hill, Tangled Roots, Country Vodka. It’s just the best time. People would be supporting Friendship tremendously – and also having fun while doing so,” Perez said.

For more information on Ottawa Friendship House, visit its website or Facebook page.