Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Newbie to community goes to LSC

I moved to Washington in February of 2011. I now know that February is not the ideal month to move to the Northwest (I went into serious sun withdrawal my first few months here) but my excitement around my new job and the opportunity to explore a new part of the county  trumped the rain. A large part of my current position with United Way of Snohomish County as an Impact and Community Investment Manager revolves around understanding the current conditions of our community and then relaying that information to our volunteers. Moving here from the East Coast, having never lived in this area of the country, I knew I had much to learn about Snohomish County and my new community. Leadership Snohomish County offered the perfect opportunity to dive into that task in a way that strongly complemented my new position. I have felt so lucky to be able to dedicate an entire day every month to learning about my new community from experts in their fields while surrounded by dedicated, intelligent, and interesting peers. There have been areas I don’t know that I otherwise would have touched and I have met people with whom I likely would not have crossed paths.  I am ending this year with a great deal more knowledge, broad exposure to Snohomish County,  new friends, and a plot in a community farm (which certainly would not have happened without the requisite interview).  Not only do I have the education, I will also have vegetables to show for my year with LSC!

Svea Stromme, MSW  

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