From our Executive Director

Today begins my first day as the Executive Director for the KCRCO. Previous to today I was the President/Founder of the KCRCO Board since its inception in 2019. That role was truly more of a President of a Board role and we didn’t have a need for an Executive Director.

Since moving into our space in November of 2021 that changed. Almost immediately when we were given the keys to the building I began working to manage creating the space, managing volunteers, hiring staff, managing our finances, and the myriad of other roles that come with having a physical space and funding to launch the KCRCO into the entity it is today.

It wasn’t to longer after getting our space we started having discussions about the need for having an Executive Director for the KCRCO. Literally, until today, I was fulfilling dual roles for the KCRCO. One, being the President of the Board, and two, the Executive Director role. While we did have the role of President of the Board in place through our bylaws, the functions I was performing acting as an Executive Director were not formally in place.

We started having more serious discussions about these blurred lines and responsibilities that really needed to be distinctly different and separate over the last few months. We learned that we needed to make the responsible decision to either, hire an Executive Director to take over those responsibilities I was doing while also being the President of the Board, or, I could step down as President and the Board could make the decision to appoint me as the first Executive Director. The decision for me to do just those things happened and today is my first day as the very first Executive Director of the KCRCO. This will be a part time role for me, and, while there is no time line for me to being this role, it is not permanent. I can only do this in a part time capacity and we already know this could easily be a 3/4 time position now and for sure will be full time in the next year or two for sure.

For now I will focus on creating solid structures for the KCRCO as a viable entity through working to creating a policy manual, staffing the board and assisting our Vice-President with her temporary role leading the board itself, helping our new staff grow and learn in their new roles, increase our volunteer base, facilitate fundraising and grant opportunities and managing the overall finances, overseeing the management of the building, and other duties as they arise.

While the work I am doing at the KCRCO really doesn’t change for me because I have been doing many of the things an Executive Director does, it does give me pause and a strong sense of gratitude that the board has trust in me to be our first Executive Director. The future of the KCRCO to serve our community members in recovery is strong. Just this morning we have had foot traffic in the space from people wanting to learn more about our services. Each time this happens I smile and it cements in me the need for the KCRCO to be here for now and the future.

David A Douglas EdD CFLE
Executive Director/Founder
KCRCO