Behind every milestone at Black Hills Works are the extraordinary individuals who have dedicated decades of their lives to our mission. These staff members, who have been with us for 20+ years, embody the heart and soul of our organization through their unwavering commitment to the people we support. Their stories reflect not just careers, but callings—filled with moments of challenge, triumph, growth, and profound connection. As we share these journeys, we hope they inspire each of us to see the lasting impact we can make through dedication to our shared purpose. These are the voices of experience that shape our culture and remind us why the work we do matters so deeply.
Lissa Marotz – Assistive Technology Coordinator
Lissa Marotz has always liked helping things grow. It’s not just plants that thrive under her care, though! Since 1993, Lissa has worked alongside participants at Black Hills Works as they grow and blossom as individuals.
Lissa was employed at a community support provider in Fargo when she visited her brother in Rapid City and immediately knew she wanted to live here. Her skills made her a natural fit for Black Hills Works. One piece of early advice has guided her work for 32 years: treat participants the way you would want to be treated.
Lissa began as a community living instructor in the residential program, first at Edwards C and then Hampton. She later became a long-time service coordinator at St. Cloud when the Custer institution closed. With a degree in landscape design, she was also a perfect fit to manage the hydroponic greenhouse program and earned her master gardener certification during that time. Before moving into Assistive Technology, she also served as a residential supervisor. Lissa acknowledges that job transitions can be challenging, but supportive supervisors made a difference along the way, including Diane Flahaven Neu, Susan Latusek, Connie Melvin, Tammy Murner, and Alexa Steve.
Those experiences helped prepare Lissa for her current role as Assistive Technology Coordinator, where she designs solutions that enable and empower participants to be as independent as possible. Looking back, she says, “All the experiences that I’ve had have led to where I’m at.”
Nurturing Relationships
No matter her role, the same thing has kept Lissa motivated: building relationships with participants and helping them reach their goals.
“I’ve thought outside of the box since I started,” she says. “It’s what we need to do to help participants. We’ll do whatever it takes to help them succeed.”
Connecting participants to meaningful experiences has always been important to her. One story that stands out involves a participant who enjoyed helping her mother in the garden when she was younger. Lissa arranged a garden plot where they planted seeds, watered daily, and eventually harvested carrots the participant proudly enjoyed.
Her efforts have also helped build connections in the community. Native American participants she connected with drum circles developed natural supports, and participants in a weekly water walking group she organized at the swim center formed friendships with others they met there.
One of the hardest aspects of her work has been losing participants to age and illness, but she finds joy in forming new relationships with participants who enter her life.
A Bountiful Harvest
Over the years, Lissa has watched both participants and the organization grow. She is encouraged by the increasing number of participants working, volunteering, and staying active in the community.
She is also excited about the future of assistive technology. “The assistive technology stuff is exploding,” she says. “We’re expanding all the time and getting people more independence.” She believes the technology first initiative will continue creating new opportunities and choices for participants.
Seeds of Advice
Lissa’s years of experience shape the advice she offers to other staff: “Keep your sense of humor always. Never take anything personally. Even if they like you, they may not like you in a particular moment.”
Her perspective and curiosity have made her a problem solver since her earliest days at the agency. These qualities also continue to inspire her colleagues to approach their work with a growth mindset as they support participants in building even brighter futures.
