'Power of families': Co-director of Port Huron Professional Counseling Center receives state award

Nancy Pfeifer was awarded the Guy Thompson Champion of Reunification Award on June 27 for helping to keep area families together.

Pfeifer has been the co-director of the Port Huron Professional Counseling Center for eight months but has been working there in different roles since 1992. She was recognized for her leadership, service to families in the Port Huron community and her dedication to family preservation.

She helps staff in ensuring they are providing services to families to help them provide safe and stable environments for children.

In terms of reunification services, Professional Counseling Services works with the Department of Health and Human Services to bring children who were placed in foster care back to their families. Pheifer said her staff would help to ensure a smooth transition back to the home and help families overcome any barriers that can cause crisis.

Pheifer said that winning this award is special to her because she knew and worked with Guy Thompson, who was the Michigan program director of family reunification.

"I just feel honored to have the award," Pheifer said. "He was an exceptional individual and pressed upon me the power of families."

Pheifer received the award on June 27 at the Coleman Young Municiple Center in Detroit. She said there were families present who told their stories of how reunification services impacted their lives. Pheifer said it made receiving the award that much more special to her.

Professional Counseling Center Family Reunification Program Supervisor Christina Agle nominated Pheifer for the award. She said it's has been a long time coming for Pheifer to be recognized.

"Nancy has been in the field for decades, and she's always wanted families to have the best likelihood of reunifying," Agle said.

Agle said Pheifer cares about the families and the community. She said that while Pheifer prefers to stay out of the spotlight, she deserves to be recognized for her work.

Pheifer said receiving the Guy Thompson Champion of Reunification Award speaks volumes to the work done at the Professional Counseling Center. She said she has amazing co-workers and she is honored to work alongside them.

"This was really a collective effort," she said. "This speaks volumes to our services, and I really think this should have been a team award."

Pheifer said she is committed to making sure family voices are heard and that needs get met.

Contact McKenna Golat at mgolat@gannett.com.

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