Staff Reflections
From our Health Equity Profile Data Walk to the premiere of Razed to Care Grants to our We Run These Streets 5K and more, a lot can happen in a year. As we head into 2026, we asked our team to reflect on the year ending and the one about to begin. Here’s what they said.
“What a fulfilling year 2025 was. From the African American Health Forum to Building an Equity Movement at Camp Anytown, to our We Run These Streets 5K, we collaborated and celebrated 10 years of impact with our community in ways we never have before. Next year I look forward to applying everything we learned from year one of our strategic plan to help us continue our collective journey of sparking joy and improving systemic conditions so that everyone in our city can thrive. This work never stops, and I can’t wait to hit the ground running in 2026.” – Joshua Bean, Impact Manager
“I’m proud that we were able to participate in three volunteer opportunities as a team. It felt very meaningful to support current and former funded partners and to have time outside of the office to bond as a team. Connecting the dots between the work we do internally with external partners helped bring our work to life.” – Raena Boston, HR Associate
“I am excited to have created the Foundation’s advocacy plan that will be executed in 2026 and look forward to collaborating with our other activation pathways to continue elevating the work and impact of FHSP!” – Tristin Brown, Advocacy Manager
“2025 was my first full year at the Foundation, and I am deeply grateful to have had the opportunity to learn alongside an extraordinary team while contributing to work like the Arts and Health Partnership, the Care Grants, the Systems Change Leadership Program, and the Building an Equity Movement, all of which reinforced for me that nothing meaningful happens in isolation and that our best work reflects shared intelligence. In 2026, I am excited to step more fully into the next stage of my role on the impact team, bringing greater confidence in the meaning of our discipline, while continuing to show my team what I can contribute at the next level. Let’s go!” – Blanca Catalina Garcia, Senior Impact Associate
“I was excited to be a part of the team to share with our funded partners that they were receiving the Care Grants from the Foundation. It warmed my heart to hear the gratitude and excitement from our community from the small gesture of simply saying we see you, and we could not do this important work without you. It was the ultimate holiday blessing!” – Dr. Bilan Joseph, Senior Impact Manager
“I always want to prioritize the wellbeing of the people involved in our work, so I was especially proud of the Care Grants we provided to recognize and support the staff and volunteers at non-profits. Relatedly, when I think about our capacity-building initiative this past year and in the year ahead (which I am also quite proud of!), I hope that everyone recognizes staff wellness, restoration, mental health, etc. as central to any organization’s success and capacity.” – Olivia London, Senior Grants & Program Associate
“I’m really excited to do more participatory research in our community and honor the wisdom of our local residents.” – Dr. Susie Paterson, Director of Research, Evaluation, & Learning
“In 2026, I am looking forward to bringing greater clarity, alignment, and shared purpose to our work, while continuing to cultivate strong, trust-based relationships across our team and with our partners.” – Kewa Wright, Senior Center Operations Associate