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It all started with a short announcement on the local radio station and a joke over a cup of coffee. This led to a 20-year career and continuing growth. She’s not just a supervisor—she’s a mentor and a friend. This is Bertha’s story.
Twenty years and counting
Bertha Holtzclaw’s career with Bobby Dodd Institute spans two decades. She’s a supervisor at the IRS mailroom located in the Summit Federal Building in Atlanta, where the team handles all mailing operations.
Even today, Bertha vividly remembers her job interview. On the local radio station, she heard an announcement about a training offered by Goodwill of North Georgia. Without thinking too much, she signed up and graduated. Not long after, she was offered a job interview. “The interview went well,” she recalls. “The gentleman [who interviewed me] was hilarious.”
That same night, she got a phone call. She was offered the position. The following week, her journey with the organization began.
Bertha recently marked her 20th anniversary with the organization. “Every year that I survive, and I go to work, I always look at it as a blessing. I always think of it as surviving another year,” she says.
Regard me as a person who’s willing to learn
Bertha describes herself as someone who is very engaged in what she does. She says she’s customer-oriented, and that’s evident from the moment you meet her. She will always greet you with a smile. When asked what her co-workers would say about her, she says, “I guess they’d describe me as a person who cares about people. I don’t care about your race, your gender, (or) your religion. I look at you as a human being. I just love people.” She’s extremely proud of the relationships she has built with her team. They feel comfortable in her company and know that they can always count on her for advice and encouragement, and that all they share will be kept confidential, no matter what. “If they need support and I can offer it, I will. If I can’t, I let them know I can’t. But my thing is to never tear anybody down, no matter whose job you’re on,” she says.
Outside of work, Bertha is the same energetic and humble person. She is a “church girl.” She enjoys listening to all kinds of music and values a good laugh. She also likes to stay active.
Bertha has lived with degenerative arthritis for years, and it’s gotten harder as the condition has progressed. The pain brings on strong headaches and affects the right side of her head, neck, shoulder, and back. On top of that, she also deals with carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands. But none of this stops her from showing up every day with energy and heart. And she has a lot to teach to the younger generations. “My advice to young people with disabilities, starting out in their careers, is believe in yourself. You have to believe that you can succeed, no matter how difficult it is or how challenging things may seem. And my thing is—you are human. You will make mistakes along the way. But don’t give up. I always like to say: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. Eventually, you will win, if you just don’t give up. Do not become a quitter, because if you become a quitter, you will be swallowed up.”
Bertha encourages employers to be understanding when it comes to hiring people with disabilities. “If you hire them. If you train them well. If you give them the attention they need, they will succeed. If I don’t get on board at first, just work with me. Give me a chance. Because eventually, I’m going to get it. So don’t regard me as someone with a disability. Regard me as a person who’s willing to learn and perform to the best of my ability,” she says.
Her commitment to the organization goes beyond salary and anything material. “Bobby Dodd [Institute] is my family. I wouldn’t trade Bobby Dodd Institute for anything,” she says.
