From Then to Now: 27 Years at TASC

After 27 years at TASC, I have had a front-row seat to the organization’s growth, leadership transitions, and evolving impact on communities across Illinois. 

I am Teresa Duran, Executive Assistant to TASC’s President and CEO, Joel Johnson. 

My TASC life began in 1998 as the administrative assistant, supporting two amazing executive assistants, Nitza and Shanti. With the opportunities TASC offers for advancement, Shanti was promoted to Director of Development, and I was promoted to Executive Assistant to the Executive Vice President.

When founder and president Melody Heaps decided to retire in 2009, Pamela Rodriguez was appointed as her successor and Pam chose me as her executive assistant. When Pam retired in 2021, Joel Johnson joined TASC as President and CEO, and I continued supporting the organization through this leadership transition. 

In nearly three decades at TASC, I have learned from each of our CEOs, as I watched and supported them as they handled many challenges and changes. 

Melody showed compassion and support for staff who were affected by the 9/11 plane hijackers, which changed America, and never accepted mediocre standards in the workplace or service delivery. 

Pam, along with CFO Roy Fesmire, kept TASC services operating during the 2 years that the State of Illinois did not pass a budget and moved our headquarters to a location half the size. They also led the agency during a pandemic and civil unrest, which was a time for immediate decisions needed to keep staff safe and as many client services operational. 

Joel Johnson is the third CEO and the first male in this role, and unlike his predecessor, he did not have years of service at TASC. He did work with TASC as the leader of a partner organization. He came on board, learned from other leaders at TASC, and has set a vision to sustain and grow TASC services.

While leadership sets direction, my dedication to TASC also comes from watching the work of our case managers and direct service staff every day. As one of my “special projects,” I was fortunate to be involved in the creation of videos interviewing successful clients in various programs. Hearing the stories of how TASC helped these individuals change, and in some cases, save their lives, was a constant reminder of why TASC services are necessary. The work our case managers do daily to support our clients in succeeding is beyond anything taught in school, and their work motivates me. 

Even if you are not directly impacted by someone who has been incarcerated, with a substance use disorder, or has been diagnosed with a behavioral health issue, as a former colleague said, each of us is one decision away from finding ourselves in a situation where we need help navigating systems.

As we approach our 50th anniversary, we’re given a chance to reflect on the events, challenges, and celebrations. It is also an exciting time of growth and a renewed excitement around our new logo, mission, and name, Treatment Alternatives for Stronger Communities. 

Be it advocating for policy change, connecting individuals to services, expanding services or relocating offices, I look forward to continuing to learn as TASC strengthens the communities we serve.