PCG’s EPIC Awards program is a quarterly employee recognition initiative that shines the spotlight on exemplar staff across the firm who embody the core tenets foundational to PCG: Entrepreneurial Spirit, Passion, Impact, and Community. Today, it is our pleasure to announce that Lori Bobb has been selected as PCG’s newest EPIC Awards winner in recognition of her Passion for her team, her clients, her community (including the PCG community!), and for delivering solutions that matter to our clients and those they serve.

While Lori’s “official” nomination came from manager James Dachos, the process was a collaborative effort as evidenced by the supporting statements and thoughtful remarks from so many of her colleagues—a true testament to Lori’s passion and enthusiasm for her work. She has spent the past 10+ years at PCG giving her all to her school district clients, going above and beyond every single day to deliver the highest-quality service. If you were to ask her how, after more than a decade, she maintains such enthusiasm for her work and what drives her passionate approach day-in and day-out, she would tell you it’s all about her “why.” Simply put, Lori’s “why” is about “helping kids in special education receive the best quality care from their school district,” and she does that by passionately working towards maximizing Medicaid revenue in the school-based setting. Read on to learn more about Lori’s work and how her passion for supporting students continues have a resounding impact on clients, colleagues, and her community.

All about the “Why”

As a former schoolteacher, Lori’s heart and drive to help students spills over into the work she does at PCG. To her, the work is so much more than district names and numbers – it is everything to her because she sees the individuals that she is helping. Her passion is recognized not only by the staff she leads on various projects but also by colleagues throughout the firm and the clients we serve. Lori is well-known as a fire extinguisher: always coming to the table with solutions to problems to better help our clients and the populations we serve. She puts her whole heart and soul into her projects and still manages to be involved in her community while also continuing to make PCG a wonderful place to work.

Lori is always excited about the work that we do, the clients we serve, and the solutions we deliver. She is motivated, curious, and action-oriented, especially when there is no roadmap or easy answer. For these reasons and more, Lori is a most-deserving recipient of PCG’s EPIC Award for Passion.

The Impact of a Passionate Personality

Lori is a subject matter expert when it comes to all things in school-based Medicaid revenue maximization. As she continues to lead school-based Medicaid program efforts and work on different types of projects, including her involvement in PCG’s work with the emergency medical services (EMS) community, Lori’s passion for the work she does keeps her going every day – a fact that anyone who works with her would agree with. No matter what challenges she faces or late nights she spends working on project deliverables -- Lori always perseveres and brings forth the quality that makes her well-respected by so many. Even after working until midnight the day before, Lori shows up bright and early with her ever-infectious “Good morning! It’s a new day!”’ attitude that overflows into her team. Her love for the work we do inspires so many to strive to be the best versions of themselves every day.

One of her direct reports commended Lori’s management style, stating that: “Lori is a fantastic manager who understands her staff’s strengths and weaknesses, working style, and background when it comes to staff management. She understands that not everyone is the same and has had to tweak her management style to each staff member to understand their needs, and to effectively step in when necessary. Lori is a big reason why I continue to go over and beyond for my clients and projects. She sets an example of how to be a great employee and many of her staff members follow in her footsteps.”

Lori’s passionate outlook has a notable impact on people both professionally and personally; her commitment to the people that she works with speaks volume about her as a person. For example, when a team member’s dog passed away, Lori went out of her way to show compassion, sending them treats to lift their spirits and let them know she cared and was thinking of them. This is just one example of her positive spirit and outlook, Lori shows every day her passion for making a difference in people’s lives both internally with her co-workers and externally with her clients and the populations we serve.

Passion for Team Culture

Outside of her commitment to and passion for her project work, Lori makes sure that everyone feels included and welcomed in the team. With over 50 people spanning from Maine to Oregon, Lori works hard to keep everyone on her team engaged and feeling more like a close-knit family than coworkers. She makes sure people feel included by sending out special messages to everyone - ranging from birthdays to anniversaries, and even planning virtual baby showers and wedding showers.

Lori is always uplifting her teammates and succeeds in bringing everyone closer. She has led efforts to create sub-committees specific to team debriefs, including a quarterly newsletter, virtual events, team ‘coffee talks,’ and birthdays/anniversaries. The first person to recognize others for their work and contributions, Lori is quick to celebrate the successes of her team members and regularly gives kudos for achievements. Her enthusiasm and encouragement are felt by all of her colleagues: she is incredibly generous in giving support to others and inspires many to emulate her passion for project work, teamwork, and the care of others.

Dedicated to PCG Cares

Altruistic to the core, Lori never misses an opportunity to support her community. Her passion for helping others is reflected in her involvement in both the planning and participation of many PCG Cares efforts. She has spent a considerable amount of time volunteering in the community through various non-profit organizations, including (but not limited to):

• Horses Help: an organization that strives to improve quality of life for individuals with special needs and those at risk by providing a therapeutic and recreational equine environment

• Laura Danieli Senior Center: an organization dedicated to enhancing personal growth and health as well as increasing social fellowship among senior citizens
  
  
• Assistance League of Phoenix Delivering Dreams Bus: an organization that hosts a mobile dressing center to provide clothes, school supplies, and hygiene items to students in need at more than 50 elementary schools
  
  
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: an organization committed to improving the health and well-being of children and their families by enabling, supporting, and facilitating family-centered care programs
  
  
• Ryan House- an organization that provides respite and palliative care for children and their families as they navigate life-limiting or end-of-life journeys

While volunteering has been more difficult during the pandemic, Lori’s unwavering passion for supporting those in need has led to her donate blood and volunteer at vaccination sites in her community.

Women@PCG

Lori’s commitment to being an advocate for diversity, inclusion, and belonging is reflected in her involvement in various ‘People Networks’ at PCG. She is an ally on both the Pride@PCG (LGBTQ+-identified employees) and POC@PCG (members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups) People Networks, and a member of the Women@PCG (women-identified employees). In addition to attending events, meetings, discussions, and other engagements, Lori has further committed herself and her time to Women@PCG as she was recently selected to be a co-lead for this People Network. After meeting with the other co-leads, Lori took the initiative to meet with the Human Capital Management (HCM) team to discuss the Women@PCG’s ideas and in-progress ‘Path to Promotion’ presentation. Lori’s passion and drive to deliver solutions that support employees’ journeys—professional growth, diversity, inclusion, and belonging—is apparent in her involvement in PCG’s People Networks.

High Praise from Colleagues

Within her EPIC Awards nomination, Lori’s colleagues and teammates shared extensive accounts of her passion and enthusiasm for the work she does, her clients, the students she ultimately serves, her team, and her community. The following excerpts paint the picture of a most worthy EPIC Awards winner.

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“Lori is the true embodiment of a passionate citizen of the firm. As one of her many direct reports, I can always count on Lori to bring 110% to any and all initiatives we tackle together, both within our team and for the clients we serve. Her fearless approach to day-to-day obstacles is backed by an unwavering commitment to improving the lives of others. Lori’s infectious energy towards tasks comes with vast experience on both the Education and Health sides of the table…I can’t imagine someone more deserving of the Passion EPIC Award than Lori.” - Consultant

“Lori is the true definition of a passionate employee and, honestly, one of the kindest and most giving souls in the world. There are so many instances where she exhibits all the qualities that would qualify her for the Passion EPIC Award, but the one that comes to mind first is her work on [one of PCG’s] school-based services project, specifically with listening to the school districts and staff involved in the project on areas of process improvement. Over the last three years, Lori spearheaded the initiative to bring to our client the possibility of a sample for reviewing specialized transportation maintenance and repairs for [the state’s] compliance review process… Lori deserves so much praise and recognition for getting this accomplished.” - Consultant

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Lori both on project work as well as within a mentor-mentee relationship. In every interaction I have with her, her passion for her work and the organization as a whole shines bright. As a mentor, Lori is encouraging and compassionate, motivating me to be the best version of myself. It’s clear that Lori always puts her best foot forward in order to best serve our clients, and to contribute to the progress of our organization as a whole.” - Consultant

Lori Bobb embodies what it means to be a passionate employee in everything she touches at PCG. Not only is she passionate about our work but I believe she demonstrates this best by how she leads teams. Lori always makes it a point to provide team members with the resources they need to make an impact and be successful, in addition to always expressing her gratitude and acknowledging hard work…She always goes the extra mile to make sure what we are doing matters and has a real impact!” - Consultant

“I’ve worked with Lori for six years on multiple projects and I see the passion in her work in the solutions she provides to our clients. She’s always willing to go the extra mile on project deliverables, meetings, etc. to make sure PCG is a good partner to our clients. Lori inspires her coworkers by explaining and teaching which allows them to do better. For these reasons and more, Lori is an ideal candidate for the Passion award.” - Consultant

“There is no individual on our team that better demonstrates PCG’s value of “Passion.” Lori enthusiastically serves her clients and supports her teammates…[She] is one of the strongest and most tenured leaders with our team’s school-based services (SBS) projects. She loves the idea that she is making a positive difference for school districts and our state Medicaid agency clients…Not only does Lori serve our external clients, but she also demonstrates a strong commitment to her direct reports and her entire team…[She] is most deserving of a Passion EPIC Award. Whether it is with external or internal clients, Lori brings the passion every day.”  - Senior Consultant

“Lori’s positive energy and enthusiasm for everything she touches is contagious. It is an absolute pleasure to supervise her on a daily basis. The passion she shows in her work is remarkable to witness. The number of times I have asked Lori to take up a task, or assist with something - it is either done or on its way to being done - which is not only impressive, but also inspiring. Lori’s passion allows her to be a great mentor for staff, and many folks, not only across our team, but across [the firm]. Everyone knows that if they need something- they need to go to Lori…I cannot speak highly enough of Lori, and she is absolutely deserving of this EPIC award. - Senior Consultant

“Lori is one of the most passionate individuals I have ever worked with in all my working years! She takes every step of any process to heart and ensures that it is completed thoroughly and accurately, all with a huge smile on her face and a cheerful attitude. When workloads feel even slightly overwhelming, Lori is ALWAYS the one to offer a helping hand and never complains or reflects negatively on anyone who requests her assistance. Lori is also a huge advocate for her staff and is passionate about assisting everyone in obtaining his/her goals. ‘Every district should be able to maximize their program reimbursement with integrity’ is a personal motto Lori lives by each workday and shows it in her communication (both written and verbal), work ethic, attitude, and mostly her influence…” - Operations Analyst

“I fully support the nomination of Lori Bobb for an EPIC Award. I vividly remember interviewing Lori a decade ago and thinking that gal is a people person to the core and will be someone to get it done…Lori is one of the most resourceful people I have had the pleasure of working with over the years. Since the onset of her PCG career, Lori has always come to the table with ideas, options, and solutions, not just problems for someone else to tackle. Lori’s approach and hard work just make the most difficult and complex functions manageable and at times even fun…” - Account Manager

“Lori Bobb exemplifies the EPIC definition of Passion. She cares deeply about her clients, the people her clients serve, and her colleagues. In the early days of PCG Cares, Lori was one of the first to join the PCG Cares Committee in downtown Phoenix, to help coordinate and manage events that support the community and create an atmosphere of appreciation and collaboration in the office. Her PASSION to serve and help others is evident in the camaraderie of her team and their willingness to work together to help affect positive change in their community…Lori’s PASSION is making the world a better place for all of us.” - Director

Please join us in congratulating Lori Bobb for this well-deserved recognition of her passion and hard work. It is because of colleagues like Lori that PCG continues to make an impact in the communities where we live and work.