“Nicole is always willing to go the extra mile. She is very accommodating, and willing to do anything to help.”
Congratulations to Nicole Smarro, recipient of the May Staff on the Rise recognition. Nicole was recognized as the very first Staff on the Rise in February 2021. Since then, she has continued to grow and excel as Hedgerow House Manager. She began her tenure at Hedgerow House in November 2016 and has been the House Manager for over four years.
“Nicole is always willing to go the extra mile. She is very accommodating, and willing to do anything to help,” her coworkers say. “She has amazing work ethic,” shares Stephanie Gudebski, Case Manager. “Nicole excels at her job and in quite a few extra jobs that she is not even required to do. She’s always there for help. She is a team player and inspires both Hedgerow House staff and clients with her presence.”
“Nicole has continuously strived to do her best.”
“It’s part of my go-getter personality,” Nicole responds. “Give me a task and I will get it done. I believe in working hard, and sometimes working even harder! I strive every day to be a little bit better than yesterday.”
Julianne Thomas, Hedgerow House Program Director says, “Nicole has continuously strived to do her best since she has started working at Hedgerow House. Her work ethic and willingness to grow has made her a vital part of our Hedgerow House team.”
“I want to continue to grow in my role as part of Hedgerow House’s leadership team,” Nicole says. “I am close to obtaining my Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) certification. I have one class left before I am eligible to take the exam to be full CASAC. So, I am taking Group and Family Counseling in August at Adirondack Community College. I’ve already completed my 4000 clinical hours, so once I complete the class, I am eligible to become a CASAC – Advanced.”
“I appreciate the work Nicole has done. These advancements will enable her to take on greater leadership responsibilities.”
In addition to working on her CASAC, Nicole is taking other classes that will allow her to take on more responsibilities at Hedgerow House. “I and working on my Criminal Justice Training,” Nicole explains. “Once I complete it, I will share the responsibility of investigating incidents that happen within the program with Julianne Thomas, Hedgerow House Program Director.”
Nicole is also planning on taking a clinical supervision class. “I’m excited to take this class. I will allow me to take on more managerial roles such as Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) reporting on the program’s statistics. Currently, I am able to supervise relief staff, but once I finish this training, I will also be able to also supervise Case Managers and be the oversight person for the interns.”
“I appreciate the work that Nicole had done to complete her CASAC training as well as the Clinical Supervision Training and the NYS Justice Center Investigation training,” Julianne says. “These advancements will enable her to take on more duties and greater leadership responsibilities at Hedgerow House.”
As a leader, Nicole wants to help coworkers have confidence to do their jobs well. “I want to have the answers to help them do their job. I’ve learned to slow down and see the bigger picture. This has enabled me to trust my team and to delegate and rely on the team to do the day-to-day tasks, so I can focus on the bigger picture of managing the program. I am always working on improving documentation and assist the staff on improving theirs. It is a challenge to encourage others to be confident and it requires me to continuously improve organizational and managerial skills.”
“How many people can say that they bathe, feed, and groom a hedgehog as part of their job responsibilities?”
“I love that not one day is the same as the other,” Nicole exclaims. “At Hedgerow House there are so many different responsibilities. For example, a large part of our jobs is to connect the 
individuals we work with to the resources that will them in their recovery. I have strong relationships with our community partners, which is very helpful in making these connections and providing the information the residents need to succeed. I love this aspect of my job.
Other things I do are more organizational, such as coordinating staff and resident trainings such as Fire Safety and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) trainings. And I take care of Randall the hedgehog! How many people can say that they bathe, feed, and groom a hedgehog as part of their job responsibilities? I love Randall. I enjoy taking care of him. He brings so much comfort and joy to our residences.”
The thing that Nicole likes the best about working at Hedgerow House is the interaction with all the different personalities. “It is fun and challenging. Overall, I feel I carry myself well. I feel I am able to connect with people very well. I can communicate with anyone no matter their demographic or culture. I am a strong facilitator, and I receive a lot of positive feedback on the group I run. I love to see the growth and change in people, and watching their confidence grow. Even if they don’t complete the program, they still grow and leave here with something to take away.”
Nicole and her fiancé Megan, have wedding plans in their future.
Nicole and her fiancé Megan, have wedding plans in their future. “We are getting married on Feb 28, 2025, in Puta Cana. We are looking forward to this trip because not only are we getting married, but we love to travel. We have plans to go to Universal Studios, to Charleston, South Carolina, and to Nashville in the fall. We love music so we are going to Nashville to experience it all and hopefully run into some famous musicians! We are going to visit Dolly Parton House and Blake Shelton restaurant and rooftop bar. Megan and I watch him on the voice and look forward to going to his restaurant.”
Nicole and Megan recently bought a house together and added a new canine member to their family. “Aspen has a brother now, Niro. Aspin is white and Niro is black. We call them our yin and yang. In addition to our love of playing with the dogs, we love going on car rides – enjoying the scenery and taking photos of great views. We have game nights with each other and with friends. We like playing Yahtzee, Sorry, Cards Against Humanity, and having friends over for Corn Hole tournaments. Now that we have a house, we happily host these types of things.”
RISE Administration appreciates all that Nicole does for the agency.
Nicole continues to take advantage of the opportunities at RISE as the agency grows and more programs are opened. “I am very excited about the Community Rehab that is currently under construction on the backside of the Hedgerow House property,” she shares.
RISE Administration is very proud to have Nicole be the first recipient to receive a 2nd Staff on the Rise recognition! Nicole is highly motivated, compassionate, and dedicated – all the qualities of a Staff on the Rise. Please join us in congratulating her and wishing her well as she finishes up the classes that will enable her to take a more active part in the leadership at Hedgerow House.