Values Ambassador Spotlight: Karena Sweeten

Value: Leadership     |     Nominated by: Erin Ludwig

For the last nine years, Karena Sweeten has been a dependable presence at Heartspring, supporting students, families, and coworkers with patience, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to doing what’s best for those in her care. From her start as a paraprofessional in G1 to her current role as a Certified Medication Aide (CMA), Karena has built a reputation as someone who steps up whenever she’s needed.

As a CMA, Karena administers medications and monitors student health needs. But according to her nominator, her impact extends far beyond her job description because of her willingness to always lend a helping hand.

“Clinically, Karena delivers the majority of medications with exemplary precision and has maintained a record free of medication errors, setting a high standard for patient safety and accountability,” said her supervisor and nominator, Erin Ludwig. “Always kind, approachable, and willing to help, she supports coworkers, guides new staff, and strengthens team collaboration through her generosity and knowledge.”

Karena never hesitates to take on new challenges, and she plays a vital role in training new CMAs and improving the efficiency of the medical office.

Before joining Heartspring, Karena worked with children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and discovered how meaningful it was to spend time getting to know each child as an individual.

When Karena first joined Heartspring, she wasn’t sure exactly where her career path would lead. Although she had an interest in healthcare, she didn’t want to leave the students she had grown to care about. She needed a change that would challenge her and fulfill her desire to support the students in a different way.

So, she jumped on the opportunity to join our Therapeutic School’s medical department so she could keep caring for Heartspring students and embrace a new career as a CMA.

Working one-on-one with our students gives me purpose.

– Karena Sweeten

Her ability to jump in and help and her flexible mentality are reflected in how she approaches every interaction. Administering medication isn’t always easy, especially for children who may be hesitant or anxious. Rather than rushing the process, Karena focuses on meeting students where they are and building trust.

“We’ve had to get creative with administering medicine. From Oreos to applesauce, we’ve tried it all,” Karena said. “I always go back to having patience, trusting the process, and remembering that we’re on the kids’ time, not ours.”

Karena’s ability to help put kids at ease, support her coworkers, and collaborate with other departments helps improve workflows and sets staff and students up for success. Not to mention that her attention to detail and commitment to safety have helped set a high standard for the Heartspring medical department. Through her reliability, compassion, and willingness to always lend a hand, Karena exemplifies the value of Leadership.

At Heartspring, we value excellence, celebration, leadership, service, possibility, and integrity.

Our Values Ambassadors put Heartspring’s mission into action — going above and beyond to empower children to realize their full potential, support families, and help young people build skills for life beyond our campus.