We know you love learning about everything that happens at Ascend, so we try to cover a diverse series of positions and roles to keep you informed. While we have tons of amazing staff that contribute so much of their time and energy to helping clients thrive, one of the most important is Dave. He helps keep Ascend running and acts as a major backbone to our daily operations. Take the time to learn a little bit more about what he does for us and how he changes young lives every day.
What Is a House Manager?
As House Manager, Dave needs to wake up super early every day. Even if he’s up by 5 am, he already has 10 or 11 missed calls because we offer 24-hour care at every facility. These calls range in topic from light bulbs that need changing to smoke alarms going off because of an overly enthusiastic baker experimenting with a new recipe. Anything related to the operations within our facilities goes through him, including filling up our vans with gas, making sure the wifi is working, and refilling the hummingbird feeders outside.
How Did Dave Get His Start?
Back in the early years of his career, Dave started working with children with autism. He discovered that he loved it and had a talent for connecting with kids who felt out of place for being a little different. When he moved to California, his work intensified, as he was working with inner city kids that acted a little tougher and needed a little more time to trust Dave.
While he loved his time working with kids, Dave still wanted to broaden his horizons, so he started working with adults that struggled with substance use issues. During his time in adult treatment centers, he was still open to other opportunities, and when Ascend came knocking, he was happy to answer!
Mental Health Wasn’t Always His Thing
Even though Dave has been doing this for about 15 years, mental health wasn’t always his thing. He actually went to school for music and believed that’s what he would be doing for the rest of his life. Interestingly, life had its own plan for Dave, and when he ended up coaching basketball for kids with autism, it was a calling he hadn’t realized was there.
Why Ascend Is the Right Fit for Dave
Dave loves working at Ascend for many reasons. He gets to connect and interact with our clients on a daily basis and feels right at home with his team and other staff members. He says that he can talk to anyone about anything without worrying about making a mistake. Dave likes that everything at Ascend is treated as a learning opportunity and a chance to improve. That warmth and family atmosphere continues to inspire his work with our clients and his interactions with other team members, like Jaq, our Operations Manager.
Why We Love Dave
Dave has been a fantastic addition to the Ascend team because, beyond his typical job duties, he goes above and beyond to connect with our clients. He has a way of getting even the shyest clients to come out of their shell, relating with them on multiple levels and helping them open up to their therapists and peers. With Dave around, many clients feel comfortable being themselves and start to connect and interact with the world around them.
Another thing that makes Dave a huge boon to Ascend operations is his ability to adapt. He’s a quick learner and thrives when getting things done and checking items off his list. If he sees a problem, he’s always ready to tackle it!
Dave’s Side Gig
While Ascend is Dave’s real job, he also sees it as part of his personal development to take on a little added responsibility. He has such an enormous and compassionate heart that he has turned to helping the homeless in his community. In his off time, Dave has worked on Skidrow, mentored inner city kids, and participated in community projects wherever he happens to live.
More Team Spotlights Coming Soon!
Dave is just one of many essential people who help Ascend grow and our clients thrive. Stay tuned each month as we interview a new team member for our Day in the Life spotlight blogs!
And don’t forget to check out some of our past spotlight blogs when you read about yoga with Andrea or eco-therapy with Nicole.
