Lauren Paley '98, '99, '02-'06

Lauren Paley ‘98, '99, ‘02-06 is a New York alumna who graduated from George Washington University. Lauren initially went to college with the intention of being a journalist; she had even taken time off from school to work for a news service. However, working as a counselor from ’02-’06 and working with other non-profits ignited her passion in non-profit management. As it turned out, the news service was a nonprofit too, where her reporting work quickly changed to grant writing. 

After returning to college and taking up a part-time job at a law office, Lauren learned about the pro bono work of many law partners there. The law firm job was meant to just help pay bills while in school, but it led her down a path that ultimately shaped her career. 

Lauren currently works at the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center where she helps match community nonprofits and small businesses in the Washington, DC area with free legal assistance. “Nonprofits and small businesses are the back bone of a healthy community," Lauren says. "They offer essential services to the public and are the top job creators toward a thriving local economy.”

However, paying for an attorney can significantly deplete the funds a nonprofit needs to keep programs running or a business needs to grow on start-up capital. The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center runs classes on legal basics, brief advice clinics where organizations can meet with attorneys for the day, and a match program that creates long-term relationships between lawyers and organizations. Attorneys from large law firms, solo practices, the federal government, and local corporations all donate their time through the Pro Bono Center to help these small businesses and nonprofits. Lauren adds that, “When I hear people get frustrated about Washington, DC, I like to tell them about the Pro Bono Center and remind them that public service is alive and well in this city!” 

Lastly, we asked Lauren for one piece of advice she would like to give to our younger alumni. She stated, “Sometimes we’re so narrowly focused on the ‘right way’ toward our goals, we prevent ourselves from trying unrelated experiences. It’s okay to try out things that aren’t part of the plan. Some may not stick, but often you’ll be surprised.” 

Rene Pierpont, '95, '96, '00-'03

Rene Pierpont is a current LAJF Board member, as well as acting Board Secretary and Chair of the Selection Policy Committee. She was a Legacy camper in 1995 and 1996. Her grandparents are Libby and Mandy Mascia. She returned to Camp in 2000 as a staff member at Clinton, a position she held until 2003.  

Rene completed her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University.  She worked with the Brain and Language Lab, where she developed an interest in studying children with language disorders and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.  Her graduate degree in Psychology and postdoctoral degree came from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Recently, Rene joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in the area of pediatric neuropsychology. In addition, she is married and has two young children, Nina, 4 years and Elijah, 11 months. 

Rene continues to be interested in Selection Policy because she would love to see our process of increasing the effectiveness and diversity of campers succeed. She attended the camper Selection in Minnesota this year and shared the following thoughts:

Every year when conducting interviews for Camper Selection I am so re-energized! While having fascinating conversations with the potential future campers from Minnesota, I am reminded of the essential role that our alumni have to play in enabling successive generations of change-makers develop their talents and voices through the Rising Sun experience. Selection is almost like a "Circle of Life" phenomenon within our community. Those of us who experienced something worthy of sharing while we were at Rising Sun eagerly await passing along this gift to a new set of fresh-faced young leaders. 

We caught up with Rene to ask her about her current pursuits, as well as how Camp Rising Sun impacted her:

1) What do you think is the biggest lesson or takeaway you learned from
Rising Sun?

I've learned that our character is defined not by how much we wish for something, but by how much we are willing to commit, struggle and sacrifice for that thing. This lesson applies to me in my own life every day... There are certainly always trade-offs in my career, in my role of motherhood, in my activities as a CRS Board member. All of these things present challenges-- and I continually have to choose to apply myself wholeheartedly to those challenges every day. 

Incidentally, this lesson about commitment is also really relevant to the current challenges facing the CRS community as we try to determine solutions that will ensure a sustainable future for our program. Achieving sustainability will require a serious collective effort- every one of us will need to share our precious time, to open our minds and wallets, to roll up our sleeves, to work through tough conversations and beyond hurt feelings, and to participate in tasks that are sometimes very, very challenging. I believe that our alumni will be able to do this to keep the mission of Rising Sun alive.

2) Can you tell us more about the work you do with your organization?
 
I am a pediatric neuropsychologist in a busy academic medical center. I conduct evaluations of children with complex medical, neurodevelopmental and mental health needs which inform their educational and treatment plans. I love working in pediatrics, and of course I have a special fondness for working with teenagers! Interestingly, many of the skills that I learned from being a Counselor working with exceptional teens at Rising Sun still apply today in my work with children who are struggling. Each type of person has their own developmental needs. To meet those needs we must be willing to listen and find ways to support them to develop into their best selves.

3) If you had one piece of advice to offer young men and women who are
still in high school, college, or the early stages of their career, what
would it be?

If you aren't making mistakes, you aren't challenging yourself enough. It's okay to be wrong sometimes-- in fact, people will respond better to you if you are humble, acknowledge that you messed up, and commit to working to improve it the next time. Also, you will probably learn the most from listening to those who have a different perspective than you.

Mikako Tai, '04, '05, '11

Mikako Tai, '04, '05, '11, was a Japanese representative camper at CRS/Europe (Stendis, Denmark) in 2004 & 2005, and returned to CRS as a visiting counselor at Clinton in 2011. Initially, she was only supposed to be there for 2 weeks, but ended up returning and staying for a total of 5+ weeks because she simply could not get enough of CRS.  She graduated from Wesleyan University with honors in the College of Social Studies (CSS) and spent six months living in Kenya to conduct fieldwork in the rural parts of the Swahili coast.

Currently, Mikako is the Executive Assistant and Corporate Affairs Officer at the Africa-America Institute in New York City.  She is the go-to person for all AAI stakeholders, including the Board of Trustees, sponsors, partners, program beneficiaries, and staff in both Africa and the U.S. and provides direct programming and administrative support to the President and CEO.

We asked Ms. Tai about her involvement with Camp as well as her current career endeavors.

1) What do you think is the biggest lesson or takeaway you learned from Rising Sun?

As a camper, I learned to think and act outside the box; not only tolerate but also appreciate differences among peoples and cultures; and just how much you could gain by being outside of your comfort zone. i.e. taking pride in being "Crazy". Getting to know campers and counselors from different backgrounds helped me discover first-hand, that what I believed to be true or normal did not necessarily mean it was for others. In fact, there are always multiple perspectives to a story. I learned to be cognizant about that, and be open-minded---in the true sense of the word---whenever I approached new ideas. Personally, discovering that something my community considered to be a misfortune was actually "super cool" and "unique" in my fellow campers' eyes, was very empowering. I remember vividly how this realization took a huge weight off my shoulders, and I felt like seeing the world through a completely new set of lenses. In the process, I also learned to reflect on and appreciate my own background and identity, as I was given the opportunity to compare and contrast my "Japanese-ness" with others.

I also learned that one can be an effective leader in whatever they do, whether or not they are formally placed in a so-called leadership or managerial position. And I believe that is at the core of the "sachem" spirit.

2) Can you tell us more about the work you do with your organization?

The Africa-America Institute (AAI) is an international organization dedicated to increasing the capacity of African individuals and institutions through higher education, skills training, professional development, convening activities, and program management. AAI's mission is to empower the African youth to become globally competitive, as well as to promote dialogue and engagement between Africa and the U.S. At AAI, I manage the programmatic and administrative operations as well as priorities set forth by the Executive Office. I work closely with the Board of Trustees and key stakeholders, all of whom are major players in African & U.S. businesses and governments. Our major program today is the Future Leaders Legacy Fund, which is a scholarship fund that provides opportunities for smart yet under-resourced Africans to study at high-performing African universities and obtain a formal degree. It has been very eye-opening and exciting to work with multi-sector leaders on an important cause.

3) If you had one piece of advice to offer young men and women who are still in high school, college, or the early stages of their career, what would it be?

When in doubt, say YES to opportunities that come your way. I have always believed that it is better to regret by doing than not doing. Whatever it is that you decide to take part in, it can open doors for other exciting opportunities, if you commit to making the most of your experience. Discovering what doesn't excite you is as important as knowing what you love and thrive in. So get out there and do it!!

Priya Jain, CRS Board of Directors Member

Priya Jain, current senior vice president of business development and strategy at Atkins, is the mother of two Camp Rising Sun alumni and serves as a member of the LAJF/CRS Board of Directors.   She leads and implements strategy and client-focused initiatives with an emphasis on account management, sales pipeline, and sales talent development. Over the course of her 23+ year career, she’s held a variety of leadership roles that have encompassed strategy, sales, operations, and project delivery. She holds multiple advanced degrees including Masters Degrees in environmental engineering and in physics.  

In addition, Ms. Jain currently serves as a leader in the Northern New Jersey Chapter of Ellevate, a global professional women’s leadership organization and is the founder of Prabhat, a nonprofit aimed at providing educational opportunities to the underprivileged.

We asked Ms. Jain about her daughters’ involvement with Camp as well as her current career endeavors.

1) What do you think is the biggest lesson or takeaway you (or in your case, your daughters) learned from Rising Sun?

Witnessing the emotional and intellectual growth of my two daughters who attended CRS over the last five years.   They both came back with an intense awareness of global issues and a highly developed ethical sense of responsibility towards addressing them. 

2) Can you tell us more about the work you do with your organization, Prabhat?

I am the founding member of Prabhat (prabhat.org) a non-profit dedicated to educating the underprivileged children in India and the US. Founded in 2010, Prabhat has created a network of partners and non-profit educational organizations and effectively connected donors with recipients. As a board member, I am actively involved in all aspects of strategy and planning, organizing fund raising events, vetting out partners and recipients, ensuring appropriate use of funds, and communications. 

3) If you had one piece of advice to offer young men and women who are still in high school, college, or the early stages of their career, what would it be?

Life is a marathon and not a sprint.  A bad grade, being passed over for a cherished job, or getting that coveted promotion does not define who you are now or what you will become in the future.  Take these bumps or successes in the journey as an opportunity to learn from and grow.  Celebrate your successes and dig down deep to find the strength to overcome setbacks.   

Be curious, discover what you value, work hard to achieve your goals, and learn to adapt. Above all, don't forget to enjoy the journey - you have only one life to live!