Serving as Board Chair for the past two years has been such a privilege and has given me the opportunity to witness all the ways that our programs make a difference in the lives of our athletes.
As an athlete myself, being the first to lead our Board of Directors has been nothing short of amazing. My time as Board Chair has not only allowed me to apply my experience as an athlete to inform my own leadership, but this time has also granted me the opportunity to bring my forefront vision to life: presenting more athletes with leadership opportunities.
One of my proudest moments from the past two years was creating Special Olympics Washington’s mentorship program for board members and athletes, where athletes provide mentorship for each new and existing board member. This partnership helps board members better understand what we do and why we do it, recognize what Special Olympics Washington programs truly mean to us, and gives board members the opportunity to get more involved in the community.
Though my tenure as Board Chair has ended, my involvement in Special Olympics Washington’s leadership will remain a top priority. I aim to grow the mentorship program, expanding it to even more athletes and board members. I plan to focus on our Athlete Leadership Program that encourages athletes to pursue leadership majors like Sports, Communications and Governance—all of which culminate in practicum experiences. I also look forward to working more closely with LETR and starting summer sports camps for younger athletes to explore different sports and find their passions.
I hope that my time as Board Chair will inspire others to dream more, learn more and do more as athlete leaders, and as the New Year approaches, I look forward to seeing Special Olympics Washington make even more strides to further the athlete experience and expand the leadership program so that more athletes have the opportunity to do what I do.
I have no doubt that our incoming Board Chair, Mr. Denny Eliason, will lead in the efforts to do just that. Each of us has different gifts, but it is through working together and combining these gifts that we are able to change the world.
Thank you, Special Olympics Washington, for your support in our mission of inclusion.
Sincerely,
Kelly Campbell
