Getting to Know...
LaDawna Doolittle
LaDawna joined the YES family this summer as the Executive Assistant to Executive Director Mary Fraser Meints.
She's the first person to say Hello! to visitors, staff and anyone who visits our administrative office. She accepts deliveries, performs office duties and takes great photos -- always with an infectious smile!
Take a few moments to learn about LaDawna in this short Q&A!
If you could have a superpower, what would it be, and what would you do with it?
Time travel, so I could see Queen (with Freddie Mercury) in concert and spend more time with loved ones I have lost.
What brought you to YES?
I started in June. I was working at a law office, and I decided to make a change. I had heard about all the great things YES has done for the community from Teammates, so I decided to apply.
Did you have any previous connection to the organization before you arrived?
My daughter had a friend in the foster care program. She had lived with us for a year so she could attend Council Bluffs schools. After graduation, she aged out of the foster care program. YES helped her with an apartment and a job. She is now living on her own and thriving.
Tell us about the work that you do.
I work at the Administrative office. I answer the phones and greet visitors. I handle all the mail and log in the checks and other donations.
What do you enjoy most about working at YES?
YES is full of amazing people who do great things for youth and the community. I am honored to be a part of that. The holiday season has been so busy with donations. I love meeting new people who are so generous to think about the youth and are inspired to help out.
What do you find most fulfilling/rewarding about your work?
The most fulfilling part for me is seeing the youth after they have been through the program and are independent. Having a support system makes a huge difference, and it's a blessing to see them succeeding.
Tell us about your family.
We are a blended family. Between me and Will, we have 6 kids. We only have 2 high school seniors left in the house. We have 2 dogs, Cami & Diesel, and a cat named Vincent Frederick Percury (Vinnie for short). We have 4 grand kids -- 3 girls and a boy.
What do you do for fun? Hobbies? Interests?
Music is a lifeline for me. I love anything outside in the summer. I love attending concerts, swimming, boating, bonfires, biking and walking my dogs. To me, the only good thing about winter is football and holidays! I love to cook new foods so we do that a lot as a family. We like to play Song Quiz, BBQ and watch movies. The grand kids stay a lot so we watch quite a bit of Disney and Marvel movies.
When do you know your work is making an impact on the youth that we serve?
For me, it is when I see clients come in, and they are able to go through items in the back room that they need. Seeing them loading up much-needed supplies for their new apartments is very exciting.
If you won the lottery, what would you do first?
Open up an animal sanctuary and save all the homeless animals.
