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To celebrate the 15th anniversary in Vista’s history, we are bringing you a spotlight of someone who started his or her employment or service with Vista across each of the past 15 years.
2015 – Katrina Young
Katrina has been a member of The Vista School®/Vista Foundation Board of Directors since 2015. An accountant by profession, she works at Delta Dental as a Financial Reporting Manager. She has been with Delta Dental for nearly 10 years and specializes in the reporting aspects of accounting and finance.
Katrina has four children, all boys, ranging in age from 10 to 17 years old. Katrina shared that she has two sons on the autism spectrum.
How did you get connected with Vista?
Through her previous accounting experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Katrina developed a contact with a Vista Board member who was aware that Katrina had one child (at the time) on the spectrum and might have an interest in becoming involved with Vista. As it happens, Katrina was quite interested in becoming involved with Vista!
Katrina said she can remember clearly when her first child had problems and required interventions. While going through the Medicaid application process, she asked herself how families could possibly follow up as much as necessary to get the services needed for their child. Because of this experience, Katrina has become passionate about helping others to gain the services they need for their children.
What is the role you play as a Board member? Katrina explained that the Board spends a great deal of time trying to determine the best direction for services and tackling questions on how to maintain a sustainable organization. Katrina’s role, specifically, has to do with how finances can support the mission of Vista and move the business forward.
“It’s been invigorating to see everything move forward and to be a part of that movement.”
What does Vista mean to you?
“I find that when I am in contact with or discussing Vista, I am continuously inspired. The people that work at Vista, the students, and the families all embody a unique and empowering energy to find solutions for every one of our students.”
Katrina went on to explain that it is energizing as a Board member to see the staff doing everything they can to support the students. Vista has motivated Katrina to do more in all aspects of her life, simply because Vista is so inspirational to her.
“Every member of the organization is so engaged in making sure that we are making a difference in the lives of the students.”
What is the most rewarding part of being on the Board?
Katrina explained that she has never worked before with Board members so passionate and driven by what they are doing.
“It is so rewarding just to be a part of the mission. It is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The people [staff, students, and families] the Board is supporting are the very ones feeding the entire Board, through their energy, to move the organization forward.”
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