Among her colleagues, Direct Support Professional (DSP) Brenda Olson is known for going above and beyond to support individuals through Dungarvin Minnesota’s Employment Services. This is evident by the extraordinary effort and extra hours she spends helping people find employment opportunities and to succeed in their goals.
Described as caring and compassionate, Brenda has an inexhaustible capacity for taking on challenges and finding creative solutions. That’s one of the reasons why the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) chose her as the DSP of the Year for Minnesota.
Brenda will accept the award, along with five of her Dungarvin peers from around the country, during the ANCOR Connect ’26 conference, this week in Boston. ANCOR, a national association for community-based disability service providers, selected a total of 57 DSPs out of a record-number 544 nominees for this year’s awards.
“I am honored, of course, to have received this award,” Brenda said. “But I feel the whole Employment Services team should be awarded because of our teamwork and guidance from our supervisors, who make my job a whole lot easier.”
In the video above, Dungarvin Minnesota State Director Nat Graf congratulates Brenda on her DSP of the Year Award.
Brenda entered the field 20 years ago after her son was injured in an accident. “I was searching for solutions to help him navigate the system that was in place at that time,” she recalled. “I started by working as a Professional Care Assistant to learn about the different programs and services. I then transitioned to working in group homes and, eventually, Employment Services.”
Working in direct support roles can be very rewarding, and sometimes quite challenging. For example, one of the individuals Brenda works with is highly reactive at times, and walked away from promising job opportunities. However, Brenda never expressed frustration; instead, she came up with innovative solutions and reinforced the person’s strengths and potential.
“Brenda provided transportation, on-the-job support and coordination for an individual outside of her typical service radius. Brenda helped this person with job stability and in developing a positive relationship with the employer,” said Brenda’s Supervisor Anita Clark, Dungarvin Minnesota Employment Services Program Director. “She is always willing to go the extra mile — literally — when support is needed, especially when advocacy is required in the workplace.”
For another individual, advocacy was needed when he encountered poor air quality at his job that could aggravate his asthma. “Brenda helped this individual request workplace accommodations, including additional breaks and the use of a step stool to reduce physical strain during shifts,” Anita said.
“Employment Services is an area I found to be the most rewarding to the person served, which really makes my job enjoyable,” Brenda said. “Sometimes, when a person thinks they can only do one type of job, it’s nice to see them discover that they are capable of doing more than they thought they could.”
The people Brenda supports appreciate her, as does her team and the entire Dungarvin family. Congratulations, Brenda, for being recognized with this prestigious honor!