Kristine (left) with her two children.

Meet Kristine Hilton! She has been with SA for the last 6 years! Kristine originally began her journey at the Burlington office as a Case manager, before being transferred a year ago to the Spokane office to become the new Spokane Children & Family Services Program Manager! What Kristine most enjoys about working with SA is that she is always busy!

When you meet someone and they ask, “What do you do?” How do you answer that?
“I get this one A LOT. My answer varies from Social Service Worker to Human Service Worker. I explain to people that I work at Service Alternatives and explain to them what all SA entails – that we are a human service agency that works with kids and parents in the foster system, providing family preservation, and social work within Washington State – and that’s just ONE of our divisions!”

What does a typical work day look like for you? If there is no typical, describe your most recent work day:
“I’m trying to find consistencies because there is no “typical” day in my world. I do start every day at Dutch Bro’s Coffee, they are simply the best! When I get into the office, it’s emails, phone calls, tracking referrals for different contacts, inspecting referrals and assisting employees. I enjoy being there for my employees and I truly believe in an “open-door policy.” Having a safe and encouraging place for people to be themselves and ask the questions that are needed – this is a work space that I strive for.”

What do you like most about your job?
“Two main things, first is the ‘professional’ aspect of my job. I know we are making a difference with the kids and parents we serve! This has been an important to me since I was in middle school. No matter how small of an item it is, it can mean the world to someone else.
And for the ‘personal’ side, it’s the flexibility. I can’t say how nice as a single parent to have flexibility in my work. I can arrange my schedule around dropping off my child and picking him up at the end of the day. He can even stay in my office while I finish up any items that may need to be resolved. I feel like this is a very large part of SA’s values and it shows their employees that they care about the employees of their company.”

What three words would you use to describe your role?
“Busy, Advisor, Advocate”

What personal quality or skill do you think has helped you most in your job?
“I think the most important one is that I have an everlasting quest for more knowledge. I want to learn more, I want to share more, and I want to gain more, by always having the drive to practice everything that I learn daily – and to put everything I learn into action.”

Given your experience, what would you say to someone who has just started in the field? (and/or) What about someone who is interested in a job like yours?
“I think organization and time management are some of the most important skills you can possess. This is a demanding and busy job, if I couldn’t organize and time manage, I would be in a world of hurt. Also, it is extremely important that you know the jobs you are supervising. Keep yourself in the field, and have an open-door policy to your employees – so they know you’re going to be there for them when they need you. Without my employees, my job is meaningless.”

Join the conversation on our Facebook page!