Please give a warm welcome to Casey Hanson who joins Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference as our new Operations Director! Casey will play an important role in helping us maximize our time and resources so that we can best serve and support the youth in our Education and Community Engagement programs. Casey’s goal is to expand our organization’s capacity to “encourage our future leaders while at the same time having a direct impact on those in our lovely community.”
We hope you’ll take a moment to get to know Casey whose adventurous spirit has taken her as far as Bangkok, Thailand! Her journey eventually led her back to the Placerville area where she was born and is now raising her two daughters with her husband (who she’s known since 3rd grade) in the home that belonged to her grandparents!
Welcome, Casey! Tell us a little bit about yourself!
I’m a small-town girl, born at Marshall Hospital right here in the heart of Placerville. I grew up exploring the forest trails of the Sierra Nevada and breathing the sweet mountain air. I’ve lived in many places since then: from Monterey Bay and San Diego and San Luis Obispo to Bangkok, Thailand, but my heart belongs to El Dorado County. My husband (who I’ve known since 3rd grade) and I moved back to Placerville in 2015 after our oldest daughter was born. Now we have two girls who are 5 and 8 years old and three sassy cats. We just bought our first home in the Fall of 2022 - an adorable 1951 ranch-style home that belonged to my grandparents. Together we are giving it a little TLC and transforming it into our dream home.
What were you involved with before starting with Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference?
Most recently, I was the Treasurer for the Gold Oak Elementary PTO Board. I absolutely loved working alongside the other amazing and talented PTO Board Members who spent long hours and countless weekends making our little school community the best it could be. It was so rewarding to be giving back to my daughter’s school, which happened to also be my alma mater. Prior to that, I worked in healthcare administration, for the California State University system, in magazine copyediting and teaching at Chitralada Royal Palace School in Bangkok. I’m proud of the skills and experience each of these varied positions has given me and I’m looking forward to using them in my new role as the Director of Operations for Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference.
What do you like to do in your free time?
My days are never dull - I feel as though I could fill 5 lifetimes with the hobbies I enjoy! When I’m not shuttling my kiddos to swim practice or dance or softball games, I like to take in a coffee date with my friends, plan parties and events, create fun things on my Silhouette machine, book a flight for my annual girls' trip or play Settlers of Catan with my family. In the warmer months, you can find me playing ball on my women’s and co-ed softball teams or hiking to Lake Winnemucca. Home design has moved to the top of my list lately and one thing I’m very excited about is the art studio my mom and I plan to make out of a converted horse stable!
What’s something about you (a fun fact) that not many people know or are surprised to learn?
I’m a thrill seeker and have absolutely no fear of heights. I always want to go higher, faster and further! I once jumped off a rope swing 50 feet up while tubing down the Nam Song river in Vang Vieng, Laos. Unfortunately for me, my oldest daughter seems to have inherited this gene and is likely the reason I have so much gray hair. I also happen to be very good at remembering names!
What goals do you have for your work with Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference?
My immediate goals are to quickly learn the intricacies of this awesome organization and make myself an asset to the team. I want to put my enthusiasm, creativity and positive energy to good use! A more long-term goal is to help the day-to-day operations of the organization run like a well-oiled machine, to help improve processes and make them more efficient, freeing up more time for learning, growing and expanding. I think the possibilities for Hands4Hope are endless and I can’t wait to see where we are going next!
What are you most looking forward to in working with Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference?
Not only am I excited to work with a very inspiring team of people, but I also can’t wait to be a part of an organization that is working to encourage our future leaders while at the same time having a direct impact on those in our lovely community. I’m looking forward to meeting new people who share a vision for a better tomorrow and are ready to put their thoughts into action!