EMPLOYEES OF THE QUARTER

Three employees at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility — Joseph “Dan” Vallier, Shanley Loffer and Tonnette “Toni” Rusch — were named Outstanding Employees of the Second Quarter for Fiscal Year 2020.

They were honored Dec. 6 at an Employee of the Quarter Ceremony at the Ellsworth Correctional Facility with family members and professional colleagues in attendance. They will also be recognized by Gov. Laura Kelly and Secretary of Corrections Jeff Zmuda at an Employee of the Quarter Ceremony and Reception at the State Capitol in Topeka, once a date and time have been set by the Governor.

Some background:

• Shanley L. Loffer, Outstanding Uniformed Employee of the Quarter, began his career at ECF April 22, 2002, as a Corrections Officer IA. He was promoted to Corrections Officer II on Feb. 8, 2004, Corrections Supervisor I June 21, 2009, Corrections Supervisor II Jan. 9, 2011, and to his current position of Corrections Supervisor III (Captain) Nov. 25, 2012. Shanley presently serves the Night Shift as the Area 1 Shift Supervisor.

• Joseph D. “Dan” Vallier, Outstanding Non-Uniformed Employee of the Quarter, began his career at ECF Sept. 23, 2013, in his current position of Clinical Chaplain. He previously worked for Prison Fellowship Ministries as a Program Counselor for four years with ECF’s InnerChange Freedom Initiative.

• Tonnett “Toni” L. Rusch, Outstanding Contract Employee of the Quarter, began her career Aug. 5, 2001, with Prison Health Services at ECF as a fulltime Licensed Practical Nurse on the night shift. She then transferred to the evening shift, and was subsequently assigned to the day shift with Correct Care Solutions in 2003, when she took over the chronic care position. Since 2014, under current healthcare contractor, Corizon Health, Toni holds the positions of chronic care nurse, annual health assessment nurse, and Hepatitis C infection control nurse for the facility.