President's Award Winner 2013

The President's Award is given each year to an Ayusa Regional Director who has shown an outstanding commitment to excellence and a deep passion for cultural exchange. This year’s recipient is Traci Clary of the Heartland region, an extraordinary Senior Regional Director from Missouri. Traci has worked with Ayusa since 2003. For 10 years, Traci has shown extreme dedication to her students and her host families, organizing wonderful monthly activities for her students, as well as providing excellent support to all of the students in her care. For the 2012-2013 school year, Traci has 31 placements, and 6 field staff who directly report to her. She is an Ayusa superstar!

Traci’s Regional Manager (RM), Jessica Anderson, considers Traci to be an invaluable asset to the Heartland team’s success. Jessica says, “Traci Clary has gone above and beyond this year for service for Ayusa. She is an excellent leader, encourager, and mentor. She has a very strong program that she runs year after year. She has exciting events that incorporate her large cluster together as a team. She meets with her students each month. They take trips to Six Flags, the Missouri state Capitol, participate in International Education Week, and Global Service Day. She also organizes a Diabetes run with her group as well- they raised over $1000 this year for diabetes research. She partners with her local Girl Scout troop on events- what a wonderful idea! Above all, Traci is a friend to everyone on the team. When someone new joins the Heartland team, Traci reaches out to each of them, helps with ideas and mentoring them to get their area “up and running.”
 
Her RM also considers her to be one of her best friends. This past year, when her RM had to take some time off for family reasons, she stepped in and fulfilled the role of temporary RM and did it with excellence. She assisted in helping the team meet their goals last year, even with the RM absent. She is smart, organized, a leader, fun, creative, and knows how to get the job done! She is an amazing woman- she juggles a full time job, 4 children, a family, and Ayusa- all with excellence!  We are so glad to have her as a part of the Ayusa team!
 
Traci has also been a host family over the years. She loves her students and this work. Traci is an outstanding member of the Ayusa family and we are thrilled to recognize her efforts with the 2013 President's Award!