BY PETER BELAND AND CORY MIMMS

Full Access program manager Heather Hopkins-Slechta helps a client fill out paperwork. The nonprofit, which has offices in Bend and Eugene, helps disabled adults gain independence.

Full Access CEO Margaret Theisen believes people perform best when they have autonomy over their work.

Full Access employee Cindy Carney digs into the paperwork that comes with the job. Full Access serves 800 clients in five counties. Despite the workload, turnover is low because the staff loves the rewarding mission. // PHOTOS BY JUSTIN TUNIS

Our second annual ranking of the 100 Best Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon celebrates what it means to be a great place to work.  Read about the top three medium organizations, with 25 to 74 employees worldwide.

No. 1 Best Medium Nonprofit

Full Access

Full Access has helped developmentally disabled adults become independent since 2002, and has worked just as hard to empower its own employees.

Helping people reach for their dreams enables you to reach for your own, says case manager Lydia Hemsley. In August, Full Access helped launch a public awareness campaign called “Look Me in the Eye,” which encourages the acceptance of the disabled. “It is really inspiring,” says program manager Heather Hopkins-Slechta.

Full Access has offices in Eugene and Bend that serve 800 clients across five counties. The employees of Full Access love the rewarding mission, one reason why turnover is so low; the administrative team has not lost a single person. The case managers serve about 40 clients each and work hard to get each of them the assistance they require. “We give them the tools to be successful,” says assistant director Kim Sellmann. Even after multiple promotions, she has served the same clients for seven years.

The employees also like chief executive officer Margaret Theisen’s management style. People work best when they have their autonomy, Theisen says, so she gives the employees the tools they need to grow within the organization.

“My job has evolved,” says case manager Jeffrey Fields, who also functions as a quality assurance representative. A flexible schedule allows the 35 employees to work from home when needed, but Fields has not taken advantage of this benefit. “It’s actually fun to come to work,” he says.

CORY MIMMS