26 Oct A House To A Neighborhood 🏘 – Build Internal Capacity For Mission Growth

Posted on Oct 26 by

Priority #4: Continue to build our internal capacity to deliver and grow our mission. 

Strategic Priority 4 - We will continue to build our internal capacity to deliver and grow our mission

As with any growing neighborhood, our facilities are crucial to our ability to thrive. We are committed to thoughtful, strategic, and long-term investment in the people and systems that drive our mission. 

In a world where communities evolve and grow, our groundwork becomes the backbone upon which progress thrives. At Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Bay Area, we recognize that to deliver on our mission effectively, we must continually invest in our internal ability to grow and serve even more families in need. Today, we’re excited to discuss how we’re achieving our mission and organizational growth goals in three key ways: Recruiting and retaining diverse top talent, creating momentum to foster positive board culture, committee engagement, and effective governance to attract prospective members. 

RMHC Bay Area aims to create an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and has the opportunity to thrive. Leveraging the diverse backgrounds of our staff is a key approach to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can use their set of skills to advance our mission reach. Many of RMHC employees began their role in entry- level positions. As they gained experience within the organization, it’s clear there is plenty of opportunity for advancement. We love to hire within! 

Here’s a glimpse of individuals that have experienced growth in their careers with RMHC Bay Area.  

Renzo Valencia is celebrating his fourth year at RMHC Bay Area this month of October. Prior to joining the Facilities crew at RMHC, Renzo was an instructor for high school students in his home country of El Salvador for over 20 years. Renzo’s unique perspective and background as a leader in education and relationship building contributes highly to his day-to-day work with RMHC families and team. Renzo’s facilities role requires him to interact with staff and families every day, assuring our facility is running smoothly. 

From communal kitchen issues to assuring the facility is up to code on building safety standards, his role is crucial to making RMHC a home-away-from-home for families. His dedication and ability to work with diverse groups of people, make all the difference in providing a safe and welcoming environment for anyone who walks through our doors. 

Nicole Frances Williams 2023

Nicole Williams first joined RMHC Bay Area six years ago! Nicole has led initiatives that have taken the development and marketing team further than ever. Because of her work with RMHC Bay Area, Nicole received recognition as 2021 Marketer of the Year! 

Most recently, to help support RMHC Bay Area with our strategic plan and expansion projects, Nicole is taking on a new role as our Senior Strategy Officer. Her role will focus on partnership development, research and evaluation, and cross-functional collaboration with team leaders to conduct needs assessments and track/measure impact. Her role will contribute highly to positioning RMHC Bay Area as a leading crisis-response organization in the Bay Area. 

Uriel ValenciaUriel Valencia started his career journey in the Bay Area at a local McDonald’s restaurant where he found out about Ronald McDonald House Charities. Uriel began as a part-time Guest Services Associate, where he first learned about the mission of RMHC and its impact on families. He then became the Volunteer Coordinator, working directly with all Stanford volunteers and learning all aspects of the volunteer program.  

His resiliency in the operations department has not gone unnoticed. Recently, Uriel was promoted to the Family Service Manager, supporting day-to-day operations with families, overseeing the youth programs team, activity rooms, programming, summer and winter camps, and engagement with community groups. Uriel’s positive contribution to the organization has further advanced our goals of celebrating individuals for their strengths and driving the mission forward.  

Recognizing and supporting the RMHC team to grow in their careers within the organization has proven to move our mission and drive it forward. Since first opening as a 13-room facility in 1979, RMHC Bay Area has grown to now be able to serve families with sick children in three different locations including Palo Alto, inside our partner hospital UCSF Benioff Children’s at Mission Bay, and our newest facility, the Larry C. Tripplett Sr. Family Center at RMH Oakland. Without a doubt, our employees have played a crucial part in supporting more families during medical crises.

To ensure the organization operates in the best interests of stakeholders and shareholders, our board of directors’ guidance and expertise is essential to our decision-making. Our board comes with a wealth of experience in various sectors including health care, technology, finance, and even local McDonald’s business owners.  

Katty Coulson, vice president of information technology at Oracle NetSuite, and RMHC Bay Area’s Board President-Elect shares her drive for supporting families in medical crisis, “There’s nothing more important than keeping families together… throughout the board recruiting process, we talked about my background, experience, and commitment to the community, especially with underserved minorities. We could see the value of having Latinx representation that can help us understand and connect a bit better with those we serve.” Katty Coulson’s actions exemplify the kind of positive influence and engagement that is found within our board and leadership, which, in turn, can attract prospective members who aspire to make a similar impact. 

Katty Coulson on Why We Serve – A Lifetime of Giving Back

Utilizing each board member’s strengths and ties to their communities, we are spreading our mission even further. Read more about why our board members choose to be part of RMHC Bay Area: 

Why We Serve – Black History Month 2021

Why We Serve – The Impact of Charity

Why We Serve – Keeping Families at the Center

Why We Serve – Bridging the Gap in Healthcare

As a way of cultivating the next generation to ensure that the mission of RMHC Bay Area is secure for the future, the Red Shoe Society is an initiative to attract and cultivate young professionals who want to begin their involvement in philanthropic work.   

A group photo of Red Shoe Society members

The Red Shoe Society includes a professional membership group of young leaders who collectively share the goal of advancing the mission and initiatives of RMHC Bay Area. Red Shoe members actively engage with their local communities throughout the Bay Area and beyond, encouraging their network to take part in keeping families with sick children together and close to the necessary medical care. Through service, fundraising, mentorship, and networking, Red Shoe Society members directly impact the lives of RMHC families. Get Involved! 

At RMHC Bay Area, we know that building a solid foundation within the internal capacity is key to our growth. We are dedicated to strategic and long-term investments, from attracting and retaining diverse talent to fostering a positive board culture and nurturing new groups like the Red Shoe Society. These efforts help us extend our support to families with ill children, keeping them close to vital medical care for years to come!