Allies case managers not only work with our clients living with HIV but with community organizations and medical professionals throughout southwest Pennsylvania.
Collaboration and communication is important to make sure that our clients are getting the care and services they need.
Recently, Greg Valdisera, MSW, a social worker for UPMC, reached out to share his experience with one of Allies' case managers, Nicole McCaffrey.
'Nicole is professional, solution-focused and comprehensive in their approach to helping clients,' he said. 'Nicole has helped one of our mutual highly complex, high needs clients successfully move to [a location] where their quality of life, already, has greatly improved per client self-report. Truly, the client would not have been able to make this move without Nicole's assistance.'
Nicole got their undergraduate degree in music therapy - they play the euphonium and guitar and they sing - and really enjoyed the social work classes they took as part of their minor. After working in music therapy for a while, they decided to pursue 'something more community-based,' so they got a joint degree in social work and public health.
'One of the things that drew me to social work is along with being a really diverse and wide-ranging field, social justice is so intrinsic to social work values,' they said. 'I couldn't imagine doing direct services work without looking at it in the context of social justice and societal issues.'
Nicole learned about Allies while pursuing their education in Pittsburgh, and when they saw a job opening at the organization after graduation, they thought it would be a good fit. Nicole has been with Allies as a case manager since October 2024.
'I really like case management,' they said. 'I like getting to know people and how they navigate the world. When you get to know people and you develop a relationship and become a safe person for them - it's really profound. I work with some incredible people.'
Valdisera said that Nicole has a thoughtfulness and attention to detail, which extends to all their mutual clients.
'I find Nicole to be always one step ahead, thinking about all the ways to assist a client,' he said. 'Additionally, Nicole is detail-oriented and an excellent communicator. Nicole keeps up with mutual tasks and makes sure nothing slips through the cracks. Having Nicole as a co-collaborator is wonderful, and I just wanted to share my appreciation for Nicole with you all!'
'We're all really trying to meet people where they're at,' Nicole said. 'We're all working with our clients and making sure they get every chance to get the services that they need. You don't get that at every agency.'
