Pictured: Carroll County Comms. Director Jason Hoffman, NENA Iowa President Chris Jasper, and Carroll County Dispatchers Lisa Graves, Dallas Chargo, and Kasey Sorensen. Photo courtesy
Lisa Graves of the Carroll County Communications Center was named Communications Training Officer of the Year at the Iowa Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and National Emergency Number Association (NENA) joint conference awards banquet on Monday evening. Graves was recognized for her outstanding dedication to training new dispatchers and for leading the development of Carroll County’s structured Communications Training Officer (CTO) program. Her work has brought clear expectations, data-driven evaluations, and a supportive environment to the training process—ensuring new hires are well-prepared to serve the public. Carroll County Communications Director Jason Hoffman says, “Lisa’s commitment to our team and to the profession is exceptional. She leads by example, embraces innovation, and truly embodies the spirit of mentorship. This award is a reflection of her tireless work and dedication.” The Carroll County Communications Center as a whole was also a nominee for Team Telecommunicators of the Year for its role in responding to last year’s flooding in Spencer. The joint nomination with Clay County and the Iowa Department of Public Safety Communications Centers reflected their coordinated emergency evacuation and dispatch operations during the crisis.