L to R: Rebecca Strombosky, Iris Martinez, Ryan Mountain, Elena Stroeble
(Rowley, MA) On December 29, 2025, Iris Martinez, a Career Resource Specialist on the North Shore Team, was presented a Success at Work award by Ryan Mountain during a team lunch. She was nominated for the award by Director Rebecca Strombosky. Since the award’s inception in 2000, Work Opportunities Unlimited (WOU) has presented the Success at Work award to honor and recognize team members who have delivered outstanding service consistent with the company’s core values.
Iris was nominated for the person-centered services she provides to her clients, her positive relationships with referral sources and employers, and her dedication to the mission of creating new opportunities for success in the workplace, every day. When working with young individuals who are referred to WOU through MassAbility’s NextGen program, Iris helps these individuals pursue their unique career goals and seek employment at their own pace, offering the extra support they need to build confidence, self-advocacy, and independence. One of these individuals completed a work-based learning experience but was not offered placement at the employer. Iris continued meeting with the individual to build job skills for his new goal of working at a local grocery store. The individual’s first interview at the store did not result in a job offer, so Iris contacted the store’s manager to request a follow-up interview with her present, explaining that she was supporting the individual with his interview skills. The manager agreed, and the individual was offered his first job.
Iris’s ability to build successful, reciprocal relationships benefits clients throughout the North Shore community. An example of this is her relationship with a Walgreens manager who has worked at several store locations in the market. One individual who completed Walgreens’ REDI training program received a job offer, but decided it wasn’t a good fit for their long-term goals, so Iris completed a company interview to gather information about hiring needs, learn more about the manager, and share details of WOU’s mission. When that Walgreens location closed and the manager relocated, then later transferred to a different store, Iris kept in contact with them, which led to training and employment opportunities for other WOU job seekers. Rebecca states, “Iris deserves the Success at Work Award because of the quality work she does each day, the positive impact she makes while supporting the North Shore community, and how she demonstrates our mission and core values. Iris is always positive, professional, and a pleasure to work with. We are very lucky to have her here at Work Opportunities Unlimited.”
