“By centering the humans who work at Thinkery and the humans we aspire to serve, we keep the voice of the community at the forefront. “ – Dana Domingue, VP of Culture and Community
People are at the core of everything we do at Thinkery. From our staff to our volunteers to our visitors and beyond, we work to center the voices and lived experiences of our community. This is why in 2022, we combined our human resources, volunteerism, and community relationship work into one department: Culture and Community. By uniquely combining these teams, we can ensure our culture and community relationships work is aligned both internally and externally while embedding this work across the organization.
The work of this team activates the organization’s resources and staff to earn, build and sustain trust, while welcoming diverse perspectives and nurturing authentic relationships with the communities we aim to serve.
Keep reading to learn more about what Thinkery’s newest department is working toward achieving in 2023.
Madeleine Edwards (Volunteer Resources Manager): In 2023, I look forward to continuing to grow and strengthen the volunteer program to meet the needs of our community and Thinkery visitors.
Dana Domingue (VP of Culture and Community): My goal this year is to facilitate the Culture and Community Team in living out our team values and goals, so that we can support the organization’s embodiment of our core values (playfulness, belonging, innovation, and collaboration) and foster community relationships that ensure ALL children will be confident, creative thinkers.
Kristen Pursley (Senior Human Resources Manager): My goal for this year is to provide more opportunities to promote personal and professional growth and development for our staff so that they can continue to innovate and support our community.
Sarah Ruiz (HR and Finance Specialist): I want to continue to grow in my role, assisting Kristen with hiring needs but also take on more responsibilities as the year progresses.
LeKeisha Harding (Director of Community Relationships): My big goal for the year is to ensure that our cultural fluency development and practices reach ALL levels of the organization. I desire for folks to lean into courageous conversations and unlearning any behaviors that might be causing harm. I hope this work heals relationships, improves decision-making, and offers the families we are in relationship with a real sense of courage and belonging.