To execute a fantastic dish, one must have all the right ingredients. The same is true for Choice Partners and its team.

General Clerk Faye Yvonne Johnson is an “essential ingredient” in Choice Partners’ recipe for success and the first Employee of the Month for 2022.

Cora Day, who nominated Johnson, succinctly explains her colleague’s contributions to the team.

“Choice Partners relies heavily on future member and vendor recruitment, so our field representatives, management team, and contract managers travel extensively,” said Day. “From large groups to individual attendance, Yvonne has us covered. From having large displays delivered to an event site to prepping every single item we could need for customer engagement, her attention to detail is meticulous.”

It’s her attention to detail and dedication that have earned her colleague’s respect.

“Yvonne is a bright light,” said Senior Director of Choice Partners Jeff Drury. “She’s the first face you see when you come into the Choice Partners area, and she’s so pleasant. She keeps us straight. She makes sure that we’re on task, on point, that we’re ready to go, that we’re taken care of, that we’re looking good when we are out there, and that we’re putting our best foot forward, so she’s a very integral part of what we do at Choice Partners.”

But Johnson’s cooking has also earned her colleague’s affection.

“She’s got a lot of friends in the area,” jokes Drury. “One of the things she’s famous for is her guacamole dip. The biggest problem is that she never makes enough. It’s usually one of the first things gone [at our potlucks].”

The native Houstonian is indeed a bright light, giving back not just to her colleagues but also to her community.

“I feel like it’s important to be available and also to be a go-to person,” she says. “If you have something that you need or if you have an idea you want to run by me, I’m just open.”

During the holidays, her family gathers toiletries and clothing to donate to the Star of Hope homeless shelter downtown. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, she would cook “soup for seniors” for elderly members of her church. A licensed cosmetologist, Johnson would also visit seniors in nursing homes who otherwise would not have their hair done.

“That was my heart’s joy!” exclaimed Johnson. “I would go to them and shampoo and style their hair. Oh my God, it gave me so much joy because they would be so excited and so happy.”

Johnson’s warm energy and generous laugh are indicative of the positivity she propagates for herself and others.

Seemingly never seeing anything as an obstacle, Johnson earned an associate’s degree in 2013 and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston-Downtown before the COVID-19 pandemic at the age of 57. She credits her success to her family and support system.

“I was determined that I was going to get my degree. My family and my husband, most importantly, made it possible. I really love my husband. That’s my soul mate, my biggest supporter,” she said. “He told me, ‘Stop talking about it and be about it! Go to school!’”

Family is perhaps the most important element in Johnson’s life and what makes her so special.

“I love when we get together,” affirms Johnson. “You know there has to be some food. We have to get around the table where we have an opportunity to talk. And I love to cook. I love to do a big spread. I’m very family-oriented. That’s why I love our division. When we get together, and we have our potlucks, it’s just like family.”

Johnson will be recognized as the January Employee of the Month at the regular board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 19.