LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Rachel Dorfmeister was nominated by her colleague, Jo Anne McClelland.

Ms. Dorfmeister is one of those people who has never met a stranger. She has the ability to connect with everyone she works with.  She has devoted her career to working with Special Education students, and is a huge advocate for them.

"I first worked with Rachel six years ago at a local middle school. She was relatively new to the area and was teaching Special Education - and making a difference for those students," said McClelland. "Since that time, she has decided that she could make more of an impact at the high school level and transferred.  Within a couple of years, she has proven to be such a crusader for her students and fellow teachers that she was appointed as the department chairperson for Special Education. She is currently leading the department through some difficult circumstances. She has taken it upon herself to work with students who are not on her large caseload, because that is what is best for the students and the other teachers. Rachel is the first to offer her time and expertise when someone says 'What can we do?'."  

If that wasn't enough, Ms. Dorfmeister was emotionally affected by the recent fires in Northern California, even though they were 500 miles away. On her own, through social media and local contacts, she acquired an RV, fully furnished it (complete with a gaming system for the kids), and had it towed to Paradise for a family who lost their home in the fire. No committee, no big organization, no fundraising, just Rachel.  

"This is her essence - she always gives, gives, gives. I am proud to know her," said McClelland. "Also, she makes the best cheesecakes in Ridgecrest, if not California!"