Behind the Scenes (Helena Van Voorst)

Behind the Scenes

with Helena Van Voorst

Each month,

"Behind the Scenes" features an interview with a leader in our community designed to provide readers a glimpse into his/her interests and passions inside and outside of the workplace

This month,

"Behind the Scenes" sat down with Helena Van Voorst, Executive Director of United Way of Addison County.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Ferrisburgh, but moved to the big city (Vergennes) with my husband in 2005 after living in Iowa for 6 years.

I received my BA in Communication with emphasis in Public Relations & Human Resources from Dordt University. I received my MA in Communication & Leadership Studies from Gonzaga University.

My first job was working for my parents who owned Skyview Motel in Ferrisburgh. I cleaned rooms, folded laundry, took reservations over the phone, and checked customers in. I was trained from a very young age to make sure lampshade seams always face the wall. Undoubtedly, my parents. My dad immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island from the Netherlands with his family in 1958. My mom moved here from Sweden in 1966, planning to stay with relatives in Bristol for 1 year (that plan changed when she met my dad at Kennedy Brothers in Vergennes!). They both started new lives in a new country in their teenage years which I always found to be both brave and inspirational.

My family’s camp on Shadow Lake in Glover. Cell phone service is spotty, there’s no WiFi, and the only agenda every day = lakeside time with my family.

Where did you go to college?

First ever job?

Helena Van Voorst Who was your greatest inspiration growing up?

Favorite vacation spot?

Behind the Scenes

with Helena Van Voorst

Who do you most admire?

My children, Isabelle (13) and Hendrik (10). They teach me something new every day. Sometimes that thing is what’s not cool anymore (the word “sus” was out before I knew it was in!), but more often than not it’s something more profound (like how to extend forgiveness or set healthy boundaries).

Favorite TV Show/Movie?

My friends and colleagues know that I seldom watch movies (this is something I am frequently chastised for because I don’t catch/understand movie quotes when used in conversation). However, I just watched “A Man Called Otto” and really enjoyed it. (And by “enjoyed it, ” I mean I cried 5 times. I read the book first and knew what was coming, but the storyline still got me!)

Typical work week?

My typical work week is filled with meetings with community partners, UWAC ‘s funded partners, donors, grant officers, etc. Prepandemic, I was in and out of the office for in-person meetings every day. These days, however, most of my meetings are on Zoom/Teams so I spend a lot more time physically in the office and/or in my home.

Favorite type of music?

I’m all over the place when it comes to my preferred musical genres. I’m going to cheat and answer with my favorite album which is “So Far” by Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young.

Greatest risk taken in your career?

While it shouldn’t have felt like a risk, going from full time to part time when I had my first born felt like a big one. I was completing my Master’s Degree and wasn’t sure how that change would impact my career or my studies. (Issues mothers face in the workforce is a soapbox for another day, but I’d be remiss not to add that I’ve been fortunate to work for very supportive organizations my entire career.)

What's the one thing you would change about your industry/mission?

I would change the perception that, for nonprofits, low overhead = a sole indicator of fiscal responsibility and/or organizational effectiveness. Nonprofits need to invest in overhead to a) recruit & retain qualified staff, b) “keep the lights on, ” c) advance their impact through improved technology/online platforms/etc and d) respond to increased demand for their services. Nonprofits do life changing (and often life saving) work. As a community, we need our local nonprofits to have qualified staff and the proper resources and, in today’s world, that will likely mean increased overhead costs. I’d like for us all to reframe that as an investment in their mission.