What I Enjoy – Kalie Brisbane
Kalie Brisbon…
CEO & President of United Way of Northern California
What do you enjoy most about living in the North State?
Being close to my family after years away. A very close second is everything outdoors: Hiking endless trails to majestic views, springtime native flowers, swimming in lakes and stargazing at night.
Family: My partner Corey and I have been together two years and are both graduates of Central Valley High School. Most of my immediate family are locals; Amber and Ryan are two of my siblings, along with their partners Bex and Vanessa. Our youngest brother Christopher, mother Sue and father Monty all passed in the last four years. My stepfather James lives in Redding, and I have one half-sister, Cierra, in Denver. I’ve chosen not to have kids but love my role as auntie to 13 nieces and nephews. They are a big reason I moved back to the North State.
How long have you lived in the North State? July will be 10 years since I “moved home.” I grew up around Redding and moved to Los Angeles after graduating from Central Valley High School in 2004.
For someone who leads a nonprofit focused on strengthening communities, what’s one small act of kindness you think everyone should try this week? Move through the community with a smile and notice others around you. Choose curiosity over judgment and assume people are doing their best. Look at people and smile. If you feel called to do more, spread kindness in ways you feel comfortable. “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
What’s the most unusual job you’ve ever had? In 2013, I was a youth activities counselor on the Disney Dream Cruise Ship. I was terrified of the ocean and had only left the country once. A friend encouraged me to try. Sailing between Florida and the Bahamas, in charge of hundreds of kids (and sometimes their grown-ups), was one of the most formative and exciting periods of my life. One evening, I led a game of Uno with five kids who all spoke different languages—only two understood English. We fumbled, figured it out and had fun. It showed me the capacity of people to work together.
If your personality were an animal, what would it be? A grizzly bear (also my roller derby name). I’m fiercely protective, could spend all day with other bears by a river and would prefer to hibernate November through February.
If you had a free month with no responsibilities, how would you spend it? Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s a dream of mine and right in our backyard.
If you had to give a 10-minute TED Talk tomorrow, what topic would you choose? The power of believing in yourself especially in the chaos of change or deepest times of grief.
What’s a book, movie or show you recommend to everyone? Zlata’s Diary by Zlata Filipovic. I read it in eighth grade and it changed my perspective on a child’s ability to cope with hard things. Also Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and anything by Brené Brown.
If your friends described you using only three words, what would they say? Empathetic, passionate, intentional
If you had to survive a zombie apocalypse with three items from your purse or pockets right now, what would they be? Carabiner, hand sanitizer, face mask
What’s a small everyday thing that makes you ridiculously happy? Flowers of all kinds and colors. I love them all.
