Lauded for her aggressive case management skills and innovative intervention methods, Town of Apple Valley Human Resources and Risk Management Director Nikki Salas was named this year’s recipient of the Capstone Award at the California Joint Powers Insurance Authority Educational Forum today. The honor is granted annually to an individual who best exemplifies the practice of Risk Management.

Employed with the town since 2009, Salas took on the risk management responsibilities in early 2010. Since taking on the role, Salas has made improvements to the Town’s risk management program through proactive training, revisions to the Town’s safety plan, aggressive case management practices for worker’s compensation and general liability claims, and early intervention on employment claims.

“This is the second consecutive year that she has been named a finalist for this prestigious award,” noted Town Manager Frank Robinson.

“Nikki’s repeat nomination is a testament to the quality staff that the town employs.”

Under Salas’s direction, in the last year, the Town found funding to add security cameras to the Town Hall Complex, including the aquatics center. The new cameras provide web-based video surveillance that allows staff to identify potential risks as soon as an alarm sounds and has improved response time by as much as 30 minutes. As an added benefit, the cameras are providing clear images of pool rescues that can be used as training videos to help improve the lifeguards’ skills.

“This nomination is really a reflection of all the hard work from all of the Town employees to mitigate risks and ensure safety in the workplace,” Salas said. “I’m just here to help give our employees the tools to stay safe while performing their jobs.”

For the Worker’s Compensation program, Salas established a town-wide modified duty program that brings injured workers back into the positions that accommodate their injuries by participating in agreements to minimize further injuries. She also heads up the Town’s employee wellness committee that encourages staff to get out and walk on their breaks to help stay healthy. Since this program started, the Town’s worker’s compensation injuries have decreased by 83% in comparison to the same time period from one year ago.

On the general liability side, she works closely with the CJPIA staff to offer proactive training to minimize injuries, keep employees safe, and reduce claims filed against the town.

Salas was one of five finalists chosen from a pool of 120 agencies eligible for nomination. Other finalists included risk management professionals from Bellflower, Carpinteria, Palo Verdes Estates and Walnut. Salas was announced as the winner JPIA Risk Management Educational Forum in San Francisco.