In the Q&A below, Nancy reflects on her path to community service, her first encounter with Sierra Community House, and the perspective she brings to the Board of Directors.
Q: Can you share a bit about your professional background and the path that led you to community-focused work in the North Tahoe/Truckee region?
A: I retired in 2020 after a 40-year career in human resources management, including 37 years with Apple. Throughout my adult life, I have been involved in community service, inspired by the example my parents set in the community where I grew up. I have served on a public school board and on the boards of local nonprofit organizations in Nevada County. We have had a home in Truckee since 2007, and after moving here full time several years ago, I began looking for opportunities to contribute more directly to the community.
Q: How did you first become aware of Sierra Community House, and what was your impression of the organization’s work before joining the board?
A: I was aware of some of Sierra Community House’s work, but I did not fully understand its scope until I attended a community meeting focused on supporting local neighbors in the context of ICE enforcement efforts. Sierra Community House was one of the participants, and I was both impressed and inspired by its work, especially around legal support.
Q: What motivated you to step into a board role at this particular moment in your life and career?
A: At this point in my life, I have the time, background, and motivation to make a meaningful contribution to my community and to support our neighbors.
Q: North Tahoe and Truckee are often perceived primarily as resort destinations. What do you wish more people understood about the year-round needs of community members who call this region home?
A: I wish more people understood that behind the beauty and recreation of this region is a year-round community with real and sometimes significant needs. Many local families face challenges related to housing, food security, access to services, and the pressures of living in a resort economy. Supporting the people who live and work here year-round is essential to the health and strength of the entire community.
Q: Sierra Community House serves people across a wide range of needs. Is there a particular program or population that resonates most deeply with you, and why?
A: I began my professional career as a social worker, working primarily with youth in residential treatment. Because of that background, Sierra Community House’s programs in family strengthening and crisis support resonate especially deeply with me. I see them as essential services for a healthy community.
Q: What strengths, skills, or perspectives do you hope to bring to the board table?
A: My experience serving on other boards, combined with my professional background leading global teams that handled complex employee relations, conflict resolution, investigations, and crisis response, has given me perspectives and experience that I hope will be valuable assets to both the organization and the board.
Q: Can you share a moment that reinforced for you why organizations like Sierra Community House are so essential?
A: Throughout my professional and community work, I have seen how much difference it makes when people can turn to a trusted organization during difficult times. Whether the need is practical support, guidance, or simply knowing someone is there to help, that kind of response can change the course of a person’s life. That is why organizations like Sierra Community House are so essential.
Q: What does “community” mean to you in the context of North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, and how do you hope SCH can continue to strengthen it?
A: To me, community means looking out for one another and recognizing that we all have a role in helping our neighbors thrive. In North Lake Tahoe and Truckee, that means building a place where people feel connected, supported, and valued. I hope Sierra Community House continues to strengthen that sense of community by meeting people where they are and providing services that help individuals and families build stability and resilience.
Q: What would you most want donors, volunteers, and neighbors to understand about Sierra Community House that they might not already know?
A: What stands out to me is the breadth of support Sierra Community House provides under one umbrella. It offers a remarkable range of services, and the staff and volunteers are extraordinary people who bring both energy and heart to this work every day.
Q: Outside of your board work, what do you love most about living in this region, and how does that connection to place fuel your commitment to the people here?
A: How lucky we are to live here. Simply taking your dog for a walk can lead to meeting wonderful people and their pups within minutes. It is a place that fosters connection so naturally, and that sense of connection strengthens my commitment to the people who make this community what it is.
Recent News
