A temporary role has turned to solid “Gould” as the Gateway Services Board announces today the official appointment of Tamera (Tami) Gould as the new Executive Director for the non-profit agency headquartered along Empire Avenue in Benton Harbor.
It was in late January that we told you here that Tami had taken on the role of Interim Executive Director, but the board has elected to drop the interim part of the title making her the boss at Gateway Services.
Gateway provides habilitation and rehabilitation support and services to individuals with disabilities or various other barriers to independent community living.
Tami assumes the role as Executive Director and will take charge of driving Gateway’s mission of “Inclusion and Independence for Everyone, Every day, Everywhere.” Tami briefly served as the Interim Director after Tim Smith left the role shortly after the New Year.
After sharing her strategic vision advocating for the nonprofit to expand programming, promoting collaboration among community organizations, and diversifying funding streams in order to expand Gateways community impact, the board recognized that Tami was the right captain to steer the Gateway Ship into new waters.
Current Board President Marjorie Tardiff says, “We are greatly impressed with the strategic and project oriented visioning, creative problem-solving, and interpersonal skills Tami brings to the job.” After sharing her strategic vision for growth and outreach within the community, the Board agreed that Tami’s experience, passion for Gateway, and her forward thinking growth vision would catapult Gateway into a new frontier.
Under Gould’s leadership, a trio of key initiatives is underway, including:
- Expand Gateway outreach through focused expansion to under-served populations and other counties, diversifying funding portfolio, and organizational talent development.
- Engage staff, board, and the community through amplified marketing and communications efforts, with emphasis on “Telling the Gateway story” and illustrating the impact of Gateway’s efforts of “Inclusion and Independence for Everyone, Every day, Everywhere.”
- Exploration of partnership collaboration with other businesses and nonprofits to bring Gateway’s mission to the forefront
Tami began her career with Gateway as a Program Manager. Since 2010 she has held the Director of Services position and more recently Interim Executive Director.
Annually more than 200 residents of Berrien County receive individualized services through the variety of programs available through Gateway. Services provided include:
- In-home Respite care which provide caregivers a temporary rest from the great demand of caring a disabled loved one…
- Community Living Support life skill classes used to increase or maintain personal self-sufficiency, community inclusion and participation, independence, or productivity…
- Job development and job coaching supports participants with a variety of disabilities to obtain competitive community employment by providing the supports necessary to ensure their success in the workplace…
You can learn more about Gateway’s impact by visiting their website at www.GatewayVro.com and be sure to check out information on Gateway’s Annual Softball marathon to raise funds for special projects.
