Guest: Krista Thompson (former CEO of an organization for at-risk youth)
As the former CEO of Covenant House, Krista Thompson’s driving vision for helping at-risk youth is very simple – will they have a better outcome because of her work? To make that come true, she had to gather talented staff that have the same goals and make sure there are the resources needed to do their jobs, while keeping love and respect at the forefront of the mission.
To Krista, focus is the key to make sure nobody is spread too thin. To help the most youth, she had to be able to see dangers on the horizon, such as the fentanyl crisis, and to make sure her organization is in the right place to help those in need.
How does the Kettle Society, a mental health and housing nonprofit, get its funding? That is the challenge that Michelle Vanderzon tackles, in her role as the director of philanthropy. This is often in the form of grant writing and applications, which relies on a variety of strategies, such as storytelling and building relationships with companies, family foundations, and those who care about the mission.
Can “encourager” be a job? For Joe Roberts, that is how he sees himself in a world full of change and uncertainty. In his Push For Change Foundation, he seeks to better protect kids so they don’t fall through the cracks. And he isn’t just all talk – he draws on his own struggles with being a homelessness youth in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. On top of his foundation, he also does public speaking at conferences, where he uses his empathy to understand how to speak to each audience.
How do you allow men to live longer and healthier lives? As CEO and president of the Canadian Men’s Mental Health Foundation, that is Kenton Boston’s job. To be successful, he had to be good at elevating each member of his small team, so that they can solve difficult tasks and challenges, especially when spanning provinces, time zones, and community types.
How do you build affordable housing? This is Muktar Latif’s job, as CEO of the Pomegranate Housing Consultancy. He supports governments and other entities in figuring out ways to address housing solutions – it is a job he loves, to the point where it doesn’t feel like work. This is a far cry from his background in chemistry but due to science not paying well in the 1980s, he switched careers to real estate, revealing the path to his future career.