We are thrilled to introduce you to the newest member of our staff, Caitlyn Roseborough!
Except… she’s not exactly new. If her name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you’ve talked to her on the phone or gotten an email from her before.
Caitlyn joined the Blood:Water team as our Development Intern last year before accepting a full-time position as our new Development Coordinator at the beginning of September. She liked Blood:Water so much that she decided to stick around – and we’re delighted she did!
Caitlyn’s proactive go-getter attitude, positivity, and sense of humor has been a delightful addition to our office. She’s easy to talk to, which may have to do with the fact that she grew up in several different parts of the country and so has experience talking to all kinds of people. Originally from the small town of Kingman, Arizona, Caitlyn moved to Los Angeles in middle school, and finally landed in Nashville, Tennessee to go to college at Belmont University to study social entrepreneurship.
Not only has Caitlyn experienced growing up in geographically disparate areas, she has also enjoyed a diverse family background! Her mother is Japanese-American, her stepmom is from Mexico, and her father’s family has resided in the U.S. practically since the country was founded. Combine that with one younger brother and three younger step brothers, and she has one big multicultural family! While she loves being around her various cultural influences, she’s actually found that she feels most at home in the small-town American culture of her grandparents’ place in Golden Valley, Arizona.
From a young age, Caitlyn has had a heart for helping others. Her dad had her read Promise Me by Nancy G. Brinker (about the founding of the Susan G. Komen Foundation) and The International Bank of Bob by Bob Harris (about a journalist traveling around the world meeting people he’d loaned to through Kiva) when she was in middle school. These books were formative in her life, and awakened a desire to devote her life to helping others.
Caitlyn joined Blood:Water out of a love for Africa and a desire to fight the inequities stemming from poverty in many communities in sub-Saharan Africa. As the Development Coordinator, Caitlyn supports Blood:Water’s donors, fundraisers, and followers, as well as helps to spread the word about our work using a variety of methods. She loves helping others figure out how they can make a difference with their unique skills. So, if you want to know what you can do to participate and contribute to the mission, Caitlyn is the person to talk to!
About her role at Blood:Water, Caitlyn says: “While my talents lie more “behind the scenes” of the organization than our partners’ work on the front lines in Africa, I love being a part of Blood:Water, knowing that my work is still an integral piece of making sure we can continue serving others.”
When she’s not at the Blood:Water office, you may find Caitlyn reading or watching a movie. She maintains that Back to the Future is the perfect movie for all ages and tastes, and will defend this statement at length if given the chance. The Office is another favorite, and joining the workforce has added to her appreciation of the show – although she promises that working at Blood:Water is nothing like that. 😉 And one fun fact about her: if you’re the type of person who likes to kick back with a good puzzle, you two would probably get along well, as Caitlyn has the ability to spend hours completing a jigsaw puzzle in one sitting.
When asked why she felt called to Blood:Water, Caitlyn says:
“I love that Blood:Water places such an emphasis on empowering local leaders and grassroots organizations to continue their great work teaming up with their fellow community members in ways that will change everyone’s health and happiness forever. I didn’t know that such an organization already existed, and when I was introduced to Blood:Water, I knew that God was sending me a message that this was where I needed to be. I am so grateful that He has given me the opportunity to step even further into my work here and give back in new and exciting ways!”
