We are excited to announced that the UWATX Board of Directors has appointed David C. Smith, founder of Hill Country Ride for AIDS, as Chief Executive Officer effective immediately today. David has been in executive nonprofit leadership for more than 20 years in Austin, leading mission-focused and results-driven organizations to substantial growth. While serving as the founder and Executive Director of Hill Country Ride for AIDS from 2001-2012, he was concurrently the founder and Executive Director of Mamma Jamma Ride for Breast Cancer, making both rides two of the largest in the country. “As we face a rapidly changing city, I am very enthusiastic about what the future holds for us, and look forward to engaging and collaborating with other community organizations, individuals, corporations, and our elected officials to come together around a common dream for a stronger, more vibrant community for all. It’s going to take all of us to ensure that everyone has access to the same opportunities to fully enjoy the promise of Austin, and together, we can get there.” –David C. Smith In 2011, David started his own consulting firm with an emphasis on nonprofit clients with services including fundraising, strategic planning, executive coaching and collaborative projects. Most recently, David served as the Interim Executive Director of Conspirare from September 2012 to August 2013 and Interim Executive Director of The Thinkery from October 2014 to September 2015. “The board of directors was beyond impressed with David’s extensive nonprofit experience, outstanding leadership skills and enthusiasm for our […]
Read MoreFree Educational Summer Activities for Children
Think about when you take time off of work to go on vacation. It can be hard to get back in the groove of things when you return; this is similar to what your kids experience when they have time off from school. When school is out of session, many children struggle to find educational opportunities in the summer months. According to the National Summer Learning Association, research spanning 100 years show that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer break than they do on the same tests at the beginning of summer break (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004). It is critical for kids to keep their minds active to avoid the summer learning loss that so many children unfortunately experience. Summer is actually a great time to strengthen a child’s academic skills while still balancing other nonacademic fun summer activities. Here is a diverse list of FREE educational summer activities for your kids to enjoy this summer that will help prevent digression in their academic skills: Literacy Luau at Bright Horizons at Round Rock On Saturday, July 18th from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Bright Horizons at Round Rock is offering a Hawaiian-themed event that will include storytelling using Smart board technology, family-oriented literacy activities and a hula dance performance from Island Rhythms Hula Company. Parents can also learn how to document literacy for all ages! Summer Playgrounds Program Summer Playgrounds is a drop-in program providing quality recreational experiences that […]
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