The people behind the care

Shonta Battle is a dedicated human services professional with a diverse background in social services, program operations, quality assurance, compliance, and services supporting individuals with intellectual, developmental and mental health disabilities. Throughout her career, she has worked in roles focused on helping individuals access meaningful supports while also strengthening the systems, programs, and teams responsible for providing quality services.

Shonta earned her Bachelor's degree in Gerontology with a minor in Social Work and later earned her Master of Public Administration (MPA). Her professional experience has included welfare-to-work case management, individualized service planning, residential services, habilitation/rehabilitation skills, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, staff development, and operational leadership. She is also recognized as a Qualified Intellectual Disability Professional (QIDP).

Shonta was drawn to the human services field by a desire to advocate for others and help ensure that people receive services that are not only compliant, but genuinely person-centered, respectful, and meaningful. Her work with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities strengthened her commitment to improving service quality, promoting individual choice and independence, and helping programs move beyond simply meeting requirements toward creating better outcomes for the people they support.

In her current role as Director of Operations, Shonta brings together her background in direct services, quality assurance, compliance, and administration to support programs, staff, and organizational operations. She particularly enjoys identifying opportunities for improvement, developing practical solutions, mentoring and supporting others, and creating systems that help both employees and the individuals they serve succeed.

Outside of work, Shonta enjoys spending time with her family, arts and crafts, creative projects, and finding new ways to turn ideas into something tangible. She values creativity, continuous learning, and bringing that same sense of curiosity and problem-solving into both her personal and professional life.

Jhconda has worked in the human services field for more than 15 years, with most of her experience focused on supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Over the years, she has worked in direct support, residential services, case management, staff supervision, compliance, program development, and leadership. As IDD Director for Insight Disability Services, she helps oversee services, support staff, and coordinate care, making sure the individuals IDS serves receive quality, person-centered support.

Jhconda earned her Bachelor of Arts in Applied Behavioral Science in 2022 and her Master of Arts in Human Services in 2024. Her education, along with her hands-on experience, has helped her grow into a stronger leader, advocate, and program professional.

She chose this field because she has always been drawn to helping people and advocating for individuals who may need additional support to have their voices heard. She enjoys helping people become more independent, reach their goals, and live meaningful lives in their communities.

Outside of work, Jhconda enjoys teaching, helping others solve problems, spending time with family, and finding ways to make a positive difference in the lives of others. She especially enjoys creating strong programs and opportunities that help individuals with disabilities grow and succeed.

Aylin Smith brings a background in Management Information Systems, data analytics and technology to her role as Human Resources Administrator. Her career has taken her across industries, countries and roles, shaping the way she approaches work and new opportunities.

Aylin began her career while still in college in Turkey, as a Customer Success Manager at Netmera, a software startup, where she managed more than 20 key accounts and worked closely with development, sales and testing teams. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems from Marmara University in Istanbul, in a program taught in German, and studied Business Informatics at Leuphana University of Lüneburg in Germany through the Erasmus exchange program.

After university, she worked as an external SAP IT Consultant for BSH Home Appliances and as an SAP BW Consultant and ABAP Developer for NTT DATA Business Solutions, collaborating with project managers and stakeholders in Agile/Scrum environments to develop data solutions.

A summer spent living and working in York, Maine sparked her love for the United States. Aylin went on to earn her Master of Business Administration from Southern States University in 2024, regularly driving between Las Vegas and Los Angeles to attend classes while adapting to life in a new country.

In HR, Aylin combines a people-focused approach with data, process improvement and practical problem-solving. Outside of work, she is pursuing her pilot's license after falling in love with flying on a discovery flight. She enjoys learning, exploring and taking on new challenges, and believes her ability to adapt and bring different experiences together is one of her greatest strengths.

Annella Kelsey has wanted to be a nurse since she was 12 years old, when she volunteered at nursing homes in Washington state. After 17 years as a Hospice Case Manager and Director of Nursing, she came to IDS for a change of scenery.

Before nursing, Annella attended college in Ellensburg, Washington, then worked as a Legal Secretary and spent almost nine years as an accounting lead for a major power inverter manufacturer. She later moved to Las Vegas with her family and worked at Caesars Palace and for the County. Las Vegas has been part of her life since 1967, when her grandparents moved here and started the Skyline Casino.

Annella earned her Bachelor's degree in Nursing with honors from Nevada State University and is one semester away from completing her Master of Business Administration through WGU.

She loves getting to know the residents and helping them through their life journey and medical needs. She is also passionate about learning where support is lacking for different groups in the valley and researching how systems can better fill those gaps.

Annella is a proud mother of four, plus a bonus child. In her free time, she enjoys movies, reading, researching and learning new things, crime TV, listening to all genres of music, and spending time with her children.

Arrian Farmer started out as a CNA, following in her mother's footsteps, then bridged over to work as a direct support professional and personal care aide. She went back to school to become an LPN, but when that school closed on the very first official day of class, she started an RN program just a few months later and earned an Associate Degree in Nursing.

Arrian chose this field because it serves one of the most underserved populations, and she works to bridge the gaps in care so that everyone feels like SOMEONE. She cares deeply about making sure people receive the best care, no matter their situation or circumstances.

Outside of work, Arrian loves to clean and to travel.

Jay Ibanez was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, as one of nine siblings. His mother has always been his biggest role model and one of the people who shaped him into the man he is today.

Jay served in the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Georgia and deployed to Syria. His time in the military taught him how to handle pressure, work with people from different walks of life, and find his purpose.

He earned his bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration because he finds fulfillment in helping others and wants his work to have a positive impact. Jay values hard work, discipline and respect, and hopes to continue growing and building a meaningful career in healthcare.

Outside of work, Jay enjoys going to church, reading, spending time outdoors, staying active and healthy, and taking on challenges that push him both physically and mentally. As he likes to say, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

Mila Allison is originally from Montana, where she grew up very involved in sports and went on to play collegiate soccer in her hometown.

She attended Rocky Mountain College, where she earned a minor in Pre-Law Political Science, and later finished her bachelor's degree in Psychology after transferring schools.

Mila chose this field because she has always been interested in helping others through difficult situations and in understanding people and how they think.

Outside of work, Mila loves spending time with her family in Montana whenever she can make the trip, staying active, and watching horror movies with her partner.

Timothy Perry is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences with the goal of becoming a pharmacist, following in his parents' footsteps. Having worked alongside them in pharmacy since the age of 10, healthcare has always been a fundamental part of his life, and that early exposure gave him a deep appreciation for patient care and the vital role of medication management.

Through his transition into medication coordination, Timothy has gained a broader perspective on individualized care and accessible healthcare, particularly as disability awareness continues to grow. He has learned that success in this field takes strong attention to detail, clear communication, patience, and adaptability.

Outside of work and school, Timothy stays active and engaged in his personal interests. He enjoys reading, his book club, going to the gym, traveling, following the Chicago Bears, and playing Pokémon on his Nintendo Switch.

Pender King has spent more than 20 years working in mental health and healthcare, in roles including Quality Assurance, Mental Health Specialist, Medication Trainer and administration. These experiences have taught Pender a great deal about supporting people and the teams who care for them.

Pender cares deeply about treating people with respect and making sure they feel supported, and wants to be part of the solution, helping make things better for the people IDS serves.

Pender believes in being yourself, staying open to change and accepting constructive criticism, because it helps everyone grow and become better in the end.