Posted on April 4, 2025
– DSP Christal Lovelist Named Maryland’s DSP of the Year By ANCOR –
April 4, 2025
Baltimore – Penn-Mar Human Services, the region’s leading provider of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is honored to announce that one of its outstanding Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), Christal Lovelist, has been named Direct Support Professional of the Year for Maryland in the 2025 American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR) Direct Support Professional of the Year Awards.
Christal joined Penn-Mar in 2023, but in that short amount of time, she has made an incredible impression on her team, supervisors, and the 80 people she supports in Penn-Mar’s Freeland, Maryland Day Program. She is known for coming up with unique ideas for new activities such as “Sip and Paint Parties,” outdoor yoga classes, and a cooking club, often using the clubs to create educational opportunities for the people she supports. For instance, she frequently takes members of the cooking club to the grocery store, where she teaches them basic life skills such as how to find and select food, compare prices, handle payment transactions, and interact with other shoppers. She is also an active participant in Penn-Mar’s beauty club, which is designed to expand the knowledge of people who are often struggling with self-care hygiene. Beyond her impact in the Day Program, Christal also often covers shifts for residential DSPs.
“Christal is a remarkable example of the impact Direct Support Professionals can make in such a short time,” says Penn-Mar CEO Greg Miller. “Christal has shown an incredible ability to adapt and tackle any challenge that comes her way, and she always goes above and beyond to ensure everyone’s needs are met with compassion and creativity. Her dedication is an inspiration to all of us, and she truly embodies what it means to live courageously.”
Christal has also been committed to professional development, actively participating in Penn-Mar’s Career Ladders program and recently receiving her DSP-1 certification through the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP). Supporting people with disabilities is something Christal has always felt drawn to, as one of her family members has an IDD. In fact, before joining Penn-Mar, Christal provided job-site training for people with disabilities.
“This is a calling that I have been drawn to for years and I am so happy that Penn-Mar has given me a chance to grow both as a person and a professional,” she says. “The process to get my DSP-1 certification was tough, but the Penn-Mar team has always believed in me and wouldn’t let me give up. And now, with this award, I have even more validation that this career is what I should be doing.”
Since 2007, ANCOR has awarded the Direct Support Professional of the Year Award to DSPs who embody the hard work and dedication that is a signature trait of people who have chosen to support people with IDD. This year, ANCOR honored 53 outstanding DSPs out of more than 500 applicants from across the nation.
For more information, please contact Roger Mecca at roger@vitaminisgood.com.
About Penn-Mar Human Services
Penn-Mar Human Services is a nonprofit that supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to Live Courageously, whether that’s securing a job, being an active member of their community, building independence, or developing new relationships. Penn-Mar accomplishes this by supporting people on their own unique personal journeys. Founded in 1981, Penn-Mar operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in northern Maryland and southern Pennsylvania. They support 400 adults with disabilities daily through an array of customizable services. www.penn-mar.org.
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