What year did you join the HBH Board?
2018
What motivated you to become a part of the HBH Board?
I went to the Milwaukee wine event 3 years ago and read the children's stories. Once I did, I felt that I could offer my unique perspective of being a therapist to the organization. I left my information with Adam Weiss hoping that HBH would call me.
After a few months, I received a call, and from there I offered to go to Tanzania to meet the kids and see how things were going. I actually did not go into this to become a board member. I just knew that I could offer a good perspective on how to help the children.
How has joining HBH as a Board Member impacted your life?
This has been a wonderful and exciting experience for me. It has helped me grow personally as an individual, especially after spending time in Tanzania. On the professional side, it has opened my eyes to how many ways you can truly help someone. I have been in the field for over 10 years, practicing directly with children and families. This board work has shown me another side to helping people. Helping to organize the business plan, take part in strategic planning, gaining a new understanding of fundraising, and looking at the HBH community as a whole, instead of just one client and their family, has been eye opening.
Tell us about your professional background, and how it helps you contribute as an HBH Board Member?
I have a Master’s Degree in Social Work. Along with being fully licensed in the state of WI as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have a certificate in family therapy, trauma work, and a background in child development. My main focus throughout my work history has been with children and their families.
What impact do you hope to have on the HBH kids, and our organization as a whole?
I hope that my unique background of being a therapist will help bring a more detailed look at how what we do, and what has happened to the children, impacts them. I feel that society in general does not realize how much a therapist truly knows about human development, human behavior, and how the environment impacts it.