After 40 years of dedicated service to children and families, Alison Berning, Early Intervention Speech Therapist at the Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities, is retiring. Throughout her distinguished career, Alison has made a lasting impact on the lives of countless individuals and has been an integral part of the Shelby County Developmental Disabilities community.
Alison began her career in 1985 at the Auglaize County Board of Developmental Disabilities as a Language Development Specialist. She joined the Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities in 1992 as a Preschool Instructor, and in 1995, she transitioned into the role of Language Development Specialist, where she worked closely with children and families to develop communication skills and foster language growth.
Her passion for helping children has always been at the core of her work, and she has built meaningful, long-lasting relationships with those she served. Throughout her time with Shelby County Developmental Disabilities, Alison’s contributions have been invaluable, particularly as she navigated changes in programs and adapted to new approaches—all with the goal of helping children thrive. She will be greatly missed by her colleagues, clients, and the community she has served for so long.
As Alison enters this new chapter of her life, she reflects on the joy of spending more time with family. Her son and daughter-in-law live next door with their three children and are expecting a fourth in July. Alison’s daughter and son-in-law reside in North Carolina with their two children, so she and her husband plan to visit them frequently. Additionally, Alison looks forward to pursuing hobbies such as sewing, thrifting, and philanthropic work.
The Shelby County Board of Developmental Disabilities extends its deepest gratitude to Alison for her years of service and wishes her all the best in her well-deserved retirement.