Katra Jensen (middle) with Dungarvin Oregon State Director Brenda Linden and Dungarvin Northwest Regional Director Brent Aberg.
Dungarvin Oregon is proud to celebrate Katra Jensen, who was selected as a recipient of the 2026 Oregon Resource Association (ORA) Works of Heart Awards.
Katra was honored during a special ceremony on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the annual ORA Northwest Conference on Disability Services, where she was joined by her husband and several members of the Dungarvin Oregon team. Of the 81 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) nominated across Oregon, just 20 were selected to receive this year’s Works of Heart Awards, making Katra’s recognition an incredible and well-deserved honor.
The Works of Heart Awards recognize Direct Support Professionals who represent the dedication, skill, leadership and enduring passion that define the direct support workforce. Honorees exemplify a commitment to helping people make their own decisions, participate more fully in their communities and live meaningful and self-directed lives.
Katra and her husband with the Oregon team, which attended the ORA event to see her receive the award.
Those qualities can be seen throughout Katra’s work.
During her three years in the field, Katra has progressed from DSP to Program Coordinator, a role she’s held for more than a year. Throughout that journey, she has remained willing to step in wherever support is needed and find practical, individualized solutions to challenges people face in their everyday lives.
Her nomination highlighted numerous examples of that commitment. Katra has helped people clean and organize their homes, identify storage solutions, search for apartments and navigate difficult circumstances. In one instance, when someone faced a bedbug situation, she provided hands-on support with laundry at a laundromat. She has also pursued job-coach training for Supported Employment, further expanding her ability to help people work toward their employment goals and greater independence.
Perhaps most importantly, Katra helps the people she supports find and use their own voices. Her nomination described how she has supported individuals in advocating for themselves during interactions with police, hospitals, 911 and Social Security. She supports them navigating complex and sometimes challenging systems, while communicating their own needs and priorities.
This year’s recognition is also a celebration of the broader Dungarvin Oregon team. Six Dungarvin DSPs were nominated for the 2026 Works of Heart Awards, reflecting the tremendous work happening every day across our Oregon programs.
Congratulations, Katra, on this outstanding achievement. We are incredibly proud to have you as part of the Dungarvin Oregon team and grateful for the difference you continue to make in the lives of the people we support.
If you or someone you know is interested in receiving services from Dungarvin Oregon or in another state, please visit www.Dungarvin.com.