JRP helps Young & Healthy Land a Passionate New Board Member
“Health” has long been a keyword for Angel Reyes. During eight years in the US Army, he served as a Medic, a selfless role that shaped his aspirations for the future. (He still serves part time as a healthcare specialist at the naval base in Port Hueneme.) Early this year, he did a five-month rotation as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Coordinator for the City of Hope, and continues to serve on its CCARE (Center of Community Alliance for Research and Education) team.
Having earned his Master of Public Health at Azusa Pacific University and begun working toward his Doctor of Public Health at Claremont Graduate University, Angel has intensified his efforts to find the right future career fit for his commitment and skills.
A key step was connecting with Leadership Pasadena (LP), an immersive program that gives participants executive level leadership training in the local community. LP introduced him to Jericho Road Pasadena (JRP), which links professionals with nonprofits that need their skills, including board service. “To me, it was like finding a personal matchmaker in this new world of nonprofit board service,” says Angel.
JRP quickly found the ideal connection for him: Young & Healthy, a Pasadena nonprofit that links underserved children with free medical, dental and mental healthcare through its volunteer doctors. Y&H also helps families with insurance enrollment and navigation and provides referrals to local services. “The Young & Healthy board is a dynamic one where communication is valued and problem solving is a priority,” Angel says. “My experience there has been very positive from the beginning—I was encouraged to provide feedback and start implementing foundational public health skills out of our initial conversations.”
Another of Angel’s keywords is “driven.” “I have a tattoo of Edgar Allan Poe’s Raven on my arm,” he says. “It reminds me that time is valuable and spent by the second. I work hard because I want to get to a place where I can make higher level decisions in our world—the kind that create policy change and advocates for stronger stances on improving conditions that affect peoples’ physical and mental health.”
At JRP, we’ll be proudly watching Angel achieve his goals, knowing we played an early part in getting him there.
Thanks to volunteer Linda Taubenreuther for writing JRP social media posts!