Meet Brooks Hanewich, Gateway’s new Executive Director
Hello! My name is Brooks Hanewich and I’m soon to become the next Executive Director of Gateway Association. I’ve been asked to write a short piece about joining Gateway, and I have to say it has been a struggle to contain it to a few paragraphs. There are so many positive elements that boiling it down is tough, but here goes ...
First and foremost, I’m excited about the people -- from the people who turn to Gateway for supports and services, to the staff and board who are clearly inspiring, strong, and dedicated. Just the other day, I attended the Mayor’s Luncheon and witnessed, in the face of several big organizational changes, an inspiring, impactful event that ran as smoothly and flawlessly as an event could. Through it all, the staff were calm, professional, and engaging. I left that event knowing more clearly than ever that I had made the right choice and I was lucky to be joining such a strong team. To be fair, it shouldn’t have surprised me. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Gateway as a stakeholder over many years and I could always count on them to drive the discussion, push me and others to think differently, and ultimately deliver with a high degree of professionalism and warmth.
I suppose what I’m trying to capture is that Gateway is a perfect fit in regards to values. What I’m excited about is working with an organization that believes and fights for human rights and that does so in increasingly innovative and boundary-pushing ways. And I’m also excited about working for an organization that’s constantly reflecting and open to challenging perceptions about how things can be done. For me, it’s the perfect mix of good people, strong values, and the right amount of challenge that screams the sky’s the limit!
I have a lot to learn and we have a number of challenges ahead, but I can’t help feeling that this next phase at Gateway is going to continue to be fruitful and fun.
See you soon.
Brooks