Cydnei Dean likes to see people happy. In fact, her favorite days at Catholic Charities are when expecting moms in the Mother-Infant Care program receive the supplies they’ve earned through six weeks of program participation. “We tell them every week what they will receive, but they don’t really understand until they see it all together,” she laughed. “Books and clothes and diapers and wipes—they just can’t believe it. And then a crib or a car seat, too! It’s the best thing to see them so astonished. They just light up!”

Cydnei is the program coordinator for Mother-Infant Care and Mama Matters, two programs in Family Support Services (FSS) that strengthen families by helping moms and dads become confident parents.

When she graduated from UK with a degree in psychology  and a minor in family studies, Cydnei thought she would return for her master’s and become a counselor. But instead, she joined the Department of Community Based Services as a child protective services worker, then Center for Women and Families as a family advocate in their emergency shelter. It was rewarding but “heavy work” and, as Cydnei thought about transitioning to something “less trauma-heavy” she heard about FSS, applied, and joined the team in January 2018. “I was happy to still be able to serve the community and work with families,” she said.

Cydnei and her “very pregnant” oldest sister share an apartment in Louisville while the rest of her family lives in Lexington. She said she spends at least half of her time there, visiting and spending time with family, especially a niece and nephew. She likes to hike, in part because “you get a workout without realizing you’re getting a workout,” and in part because it helps her connect with nature and with others. “My sister and I get home and we don’t talk much because we’re tired from work. But when we go on a hike, we talk about everything the entire time, without even thinking about it.” Some of her favorite hiking spots are Cherokee Park, the Parklands of Floyds Fork in Louisville, and Raven’s Run in Lexington.

For fun Cydnei and friends like to get together, order takeout from Tikka House (which she promises is the best Indian Food you’ve not yet tried), and watch horror movies. During the pandemic she and friends watched all the legitimate horror films and then moved on to “horrible horror films, the kind with terrible special effects.” Now, she said, the worse they are, the better they are. “Now it’s more of a comedy. We’re watching to see how terrible they can be.” One of the best worst horror films? “It was about a recliner chair that would eat people. It was the most hilarious, wonderfully terrible movie ever.” And a truly scary film? Silent Hill, which was based on a video game. “It was just creepy.”

Cydnei also enjoys adding to and tending to her collection of houseplants, even though she is surprised she can keep them alive, never mind thriving. “I somehow got a green thumb at one point. I remember just killing plants without even trying previously, but somehow I’ve managed to get a bit of a green thumb.” She has more than 10 plants, many of which are becoming “quite large,” to the point that her sister has begged her to not bring anymore home. “But I can’t guarantee that,” she said.

Cydnei is hoping to add a puppy pug to their household after her sister’s baby is born, although she also has been thinking about a pet rabbit. “I’ve had some unusual pets,” she said. “I’ve done the standard dog, but also ferrets and rabbits. And I have a little bit of rabbit fever right now.” Still, the pug seems slightly favored. Cydnei’s youngest sister, who passed in 2019, had a pug when they were children, and Cydnei would like to have another “because of that connection to my sister.” Plus, she loves pugs “just because they’re silly looking and because of their little scrunched up faces, and they’re not very active … which I appreciate.”