The Million Dollar Admiral

I am an engineer, its one of my core identities. I also like being a consultant, either formally hired to do a project, or by serving on a board or just being asked by a friend for input. 

My social media handle says, "I use OutSight and creativity to solve community problems." 

In early 2013 a friend suggested I go work at La Casa de Amistad. They were hiring a new director, and while I had volunteered there a little and loved the mission, but I was not sure I was the right fit. I had worked the previous 11 years in higher education, and I knew very little about being an Executive Director. I applied. 

In 2016 the La Casa board of directors approved "Vision 2020 and Beyond" the document to guide the future of La Casa de Amistad. It was the product of about a year long process of focus groups, interviews, surveys, etc. We still didn't know where we were going (physically), but we knew it was up, we knew it was bigger, we knew it had to be what our community deserved. Email me if you want a copy. 

We got to work. We planned. We plotted. We went BOLD. 

During the project, and many of you might of heard this speech, but I often called the new La Casa center the battleship. The analogy played out in a few ways, from that ship we could keep people safe, from that ship we could reach farther, do more, and be a bigger force for good.

I am an engineer. La Casa hired an engineer to help build a battleship. I wrote a little more in a previous blog post about that process, Battleship Engineer. 

I knew, that when the project was done I would transition to something else. I knew my mistakes of the past could set us back, I knew my skills and what I could provide had been used, I knew that La Casa needed a new leader, with different skills, with a changed focus to usher in the next age of La Casa de Amistad. Its the nature of things; you love something, you want better for it, let it go. 

La Casa now needed an admiral to steer that battleship. 

They found that admiral in Juan. I have meant to write this blog of appreciation to La Casa for the opportunity to serve, and to congratulate him and the org overall, on their next big success for over a year. With each big win, they accomplished the things in the strategic plan, in our dreams and in our vision of success. Each time, before I get to write something, they are onto the next big thing. 

CONGRATS

Juan you are an inspiration to many and as we all know, the work of the entire team at La Casa makes a difference in the lives of so many. To those who ask, yes I absolutely miss the work, but I absolutely know it was the right decision to leave, knowing La Casa would do bigger and better things than I ever did. 

I tell you this a lot Juan, but I am proud of you. You probably just think I use that word a lot, but I don't. I also know, that you know, that people think this is about personal glory and gain, and I know that its not for you, and its why you are so damn good at that job. I also know you must feel the weight of being perfect, and the stress of being out front is tiring, I know. I hope you know the number of people backing you, supporting you, lifting you when you are tired, and know that every fight you are in with the battleship, you are not alone.