‘Heart of Excellence’ award celebrates dedicated team members’ achievements</headline>
At Continued, we have built a team of dedicated, passionate individuals who keep excellence at the forefront of all we do.
In order to recognize team members who go above and beyond to exemplify our core values, we introduced an excellence awards program to highlight these individuals who help us thrive as an organization.
“Heart of Excellence” awards are given on a quarterly basis through a peer-nominated process.
Recipients are recognized based on project achievements, innovations, system improvements, morale-building, and going above and beyond.
Awardees are celebrated company-wide and receive a monetary award.
“We are excited to recognize these award recipients, who their colleagues nominated for championing the values we all hold dear,” said Asher Primrose, vice president of human resources. “Their dedication, passion, and positive influence consistently go above and beyond.”
—MEET SOME OF OUR HEART OF EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS—
ANGIE BERLE, SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
Angie Berle joined the company in 2023 as a finance and tax analyst. She was promoted to an expanded role in March 2025.
Now the senior accountant, Berle says she is “responsible for all things revenue and taxes.” Just on the tax side of things, that means handling more than 30 state filings and federal returns!
Berle has been lauded for mastering her new responsibilities and delivering exceptional results while navigating complex processes.
“I love the team I work with. I'm proud that our company insists on respect. Everything else falls into place once respect is established and upheld. We drive each other to be the best versions of ourselves, while still accepting who we are as human beings,” Berle said.
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“Angie has successfully navigated complex processes that were entirely new to her while making the transition appear seamless. Angie consistently elevates the performance of our entire team through her expertise, reliability, and collaborative approach.”
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MELISSA FREUND, SR. CONTINUING EDUCATION MANAGER
In her role as senior continuing education manager, Melissa Freund manages and produces education and editorial content developed by Corporate Partners for the Continued site AudiologyOnline.
A team member since 2005, she says the company has always stayed true to its values.
“What makes me most proud to be here are the examples of giving I have seen,” said Freund, who noted the company has supported employees during difficult times such as family illnesses and deaths, hurricanes, and tornadoes.
And, she notes, “I have seen this company give back to local charities in almost every city we have been to for our all-company meetings.”
Freund also says that the people at the company are genuine and that team cohesiveness is “unlike anywhere else.”
“We all lift each other up,” she said. “I hope I get to keep working with these amazing people and clients for many years to come!”
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“Melissa approaches every task with dedication and a full heart, consistently delivering excellent results. She has a strong commitment to collaboration and support, which is evident in her extensive work across so many teams. She embraces growth with a can-do attitude.”
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ERIC PRIDHAM, STAFF ENGINEER/DEVELOPER
Eric Pridham, who joined the company in 2018, is a staff engineer/developer and tech lead for the developer experience team.
“I help developers do their jobs faster, easier, and with fewer interruptions,” Pridham said.
Pridham has been applauded for his deep knowledge and high-quality work, which he’s maintained even while contributing to multiple major initiatives. He’s also known for mentoring new team members and boosting team productivity.
Pridham credits the company for creating a working environment that he says is “ideal for me to do my best work.”
And, he said, “The culture is incredible.”
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“We often joke that we need to clone Eric, and this was never more evident than during this past year. Eric doesn't just deliver; he empowers those around him, making him a true force multiplier for our engineering organization and an exemplar of outstanding achievement.”
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JESSICA WALKER, CEU ADMINISTRATOR
Jessica Walker, who joined the company in 2023, believes that excellence is in the details.
“As a CEU Administrator, my daily work involves a deep dive into the details: managing complex spreadsheets, handling course submissions, and monitoring shifting licensure requirements,” Walker said.
“I love the problem-solving nature of my work. There is a great sense of accomplishment in auditing our systems and workflows to identify bottlenecks or issues and then finding a solution.”
Walker said she’s proud of the company’s supportive culture.
“We celebrate each other and actively help each other succeed,” she said.
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“Jess’s unmatched work ethic is foundational to our team's success. She tackles complex projects with speed and precision. She excels at catching errors and proactively correcting discrepancies. Furthermore, Jess's collaborative spirit is immense. While managing a demanding workload, she is always the first to help, asking thoughtful questions that elevate the entire team.”
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JENNIFER WETZEL, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Jennifer Wetzel, who joined the company in 2018, was recently promoted to communications director. She said her role spans the full spectrum of communications strategy and execution—from internal announcements to this blog, press releases, and media relations.
“No two days are the same, and that variety is my favorite part of the job!” Wetzel said.
Wetzel said that she genuinely believes in the company’s mission and that it means a lot to be part of a company that makes a real impact on people's learning journeys.
“Beyond that, I've simply never worked with a nicer, more dedicated group of people, and I will never take that camaraderie and respect for granted. We work hard together, and we support and cheer each other on along the way.”
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“Jennifer is at times the unseen force ensuring organization-wide messaging is delivered with clarity and with our culture in mind. She ensures that every communication she touches is thoughtful, appropriate in tone, and accurate in detail. Anyone who has the pleasure of working with Jennifer knows that the outcome will always be better due to her involvement.”
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