Happy New Year!
I wanted to start this year off with acknowledging the deep heart of AccesSurf, our staff.
Together they are the motor that keeps AccesSurf running!
Last year wasn’t easy on any of us and more than ever we asked a lot of our crew behind the scenes. They responded by going well above and beyond with passion for our mission shining through. I wanted to take a moment and thank each one of them for all their hard work and dedication. Although we were not able to run our traditional programs, they made sure we continued to serve and support our community.
As our Trainer; Ann oversees all of our training procedures, adaptive equipment modifications, and profiling our AccesSurfer’s so that we are able to provide the best support for each person. Her professional and personal experience has been instrumental in our program development, creating groundbreaking programs and platforms.
Russell’s job title is Program Administrator but it’s hard to describe all the things he does! He has brought us to a new age of data tracking, overall IT support and overseeing our general communications but he is also always at the ready for any hands on program and equipment support OR let’s be honest…whatever needs to be done!
We had the great pleasure of having Gabe as our Program Coordinator for the past year and half. Gabe took his role to the next level with his organizational skills and thoroughness. His time on staff will have a lasting impact on our organization for years to come.
Sad for us but happy for him, we share that Gabe is transitioning back to a volunteer position as he embarks on a new journey applying for school. Good luck to you Gabe and we look forward to continuing seeing you at programs!
If you don’t know Shaina, you’ll definitely know her creative work with our social media, email newsletters, videos, and just generally making us look good. Now she will work alongside Russ, Ann, and our core volunteer team with program and administration support. We look forward to working more with you, Shaina.
All that we do cannot be possible without the funding to make it happen and that doesn’t happen overnight! Simone has been a deeply dedicated grant writer and program evaluator for AccesSurf for many years. She was (and still is) the driving force as we began to build our program evaluations and how we track our impact; all of which is essential for the grants she diligently writes that help keep the lights on.
The next layer of keeping us afloat is overall fundraising and we are so fortunate to have Auli’i oversee our Development. Her blend of professional expertise and personal passion for our programs has been such a big part in helping us traverse these uncertain times.
This team of incredible people along with our Board of Directors and Leadership Committee continue to work on our program development this new year. We will have some updates to share with you soon.
In the meantime, I want to personally thank you all for your unwavering support; riding the waves with us through both the good and the challenging times.
Cara Short
AccesSurf Executive Director
