Wayfinders at Fresno State

Meet the team...next up Donna!! Name: Donna Martinez Position: Wayfinders Case Manager... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? 4 years and counting :) What do you like about working at Wayfinders? Wayfinders is a wonderful program with great coworkers and amazing students! I genuinely love seeing our students thrive in new environments, especially when they are told otherwise. I get great satisfaction in seeing our students reach milestones, accomplish their goals, and make decisions independently!!! What do you like to do when you're not working? I love spending time with my baby, cooking, watching a travel/comedy/food shows, podcast on self-growth, and researching countries! What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? I follow soccer and absolutely love the World Cup! Something about the world coming together for the passion of soccer makes my heart skip a beat. I personally root for Chivas from the Mexican Soccer League. I also like Real Madrid Club de Fútbol. I follow Mexico and USA during the World Cup. I also root for the Fresno State Bulldogs! If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? This is a tough decision because I love food. However, I would have to go with Pozole (Mexican beef stew) but the one my parents make. If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Amazon, Etsy, & Kayak, & Yelp, & Instagram. I want to keep all, hahaha. Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? No hidden talent but I enjoy singing! What is your favorite vacation place? I am passionate about traveling and traveling with a purpose. I think one of the most unique places that have left a mark and a desire to go back has been Morocco. (Beautiful place, beautiful people, and amazing food) Other than that I love to vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Mexico is another place dear to my heart. Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama, and Mother Teres

Meet the team...next up Ryan (me)! Name: Ryan Wilson Position: Transition Coordinator... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since Jan 2013 What do you like about working at Wayfinders? Lots of things and too many to mention but I do love going to transition fairs and seeing students/parents faces when they realize post-secondary education is an option for them. I also love to see the students journey...from meeting them at a fair, to their time at Wayfinders, to what their life is like after Wayfinders! What do you like to do when you're not working? Family-time...we do lots together like canoeing, hiking, camping, playing sports, etc. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Easy...soccer (ahem football!). I follow Liverpool FC, we just won the league for the first time in 30 years so still on cloud 9!! If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Bacon...can not get enough of it!! If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? BBC Sport, LiveScore, and Facebook Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? I used to be able to Russian dance back in the day, but those days are long gone! What is your favorite vacation place? So many places yet to see, loved South Africa and Kauai, but can't resist the charms of the beautiful Emerald Isle Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? George Best, Steven Gerrard, and Kenny Dalglish

Meet the team...next up Alma! Name: Alma Her Position: Residential Assistant... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since 2015 What do you like about working at Wayfinders? I love being able to witness the growth and transformation our students go through. What do you like to do when you're not working? I enjoy watching movies and baking with my daughter. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Not a huge sports fan but I do follow the Golden State Warriors, the Giants, and Leon (a Mexican soccer team). If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Street tacos hands down! There’s something about taco trucks that you can’t get at a restaurant. If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? YouTube, Pandora, and Instagram. Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? No hidden talent I can think of. What is your favorite vacation place? I haven’t had the opportunity to travel very much but I love exploring new places in California. Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sonia Sotomayor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Meet the team...next up we have Leslie! Name: Leslie Shirakawa Position: Vocational Specialist... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since April 1, 2011. Before we had any Wayfinders Students!! WOW, have we come a long way and for the better!! What do you like about working at Wayfinders? Supporting the students with reaching their goals, supporting coaches and interns/practicum students with learning, growing and becoming more competent; ever creating new and better ways to prepare students for applying, getting hired and being successful at their job. What do you like to do when you're not working? Travel; eat awesome food, which can come from 'hole-in-the-wall' restaurants; play with my 2 adorable dogs, and spend time with my super awesome husband!! What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Gymnastics and ice skating. Of course I support Teams USA!! If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? I know I'm to pick only one, but it would be a tough decision between Japanese and Italian dishes!! If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Podcast, Instagram and any music app. What is your favorite vacation place? Hawaiian islands, Japan and Italy Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? My Grandfather Shirakawa who died when I was very young, Eckhart Tolle, and Carol Burnett.

Check out no. 9 on the list for Positive Peer Role Models for Kids With Down Syndrome...it's none other than Wayfinders Hall of Famer Marissa Erickson!! Congratulations Marissa, this is an amazing achievement!! https://themighty.com///down-syndrome-adults-role-models/

Meet the team...next up we've got Stephanie!! Name: Stephanie Foster Position: University Inclusion Coordinator... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? I started working as a Residential Coach in August 2013, and became UI Coordinator in January 2015 What do you like about working at Wayfinders? I love to see people grow in areas where they didn't think they were able. It is great to see Wayfinders students go through the program and gain confidence in their abilities. What do you like to do when you're not working? Spending time with my husband and son is my favorite thing, no matter what we are doing! We do lots of random things together, but we all love music and going to live shows. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? I do not follow professional sports much these days, but absolutely love going to live sporting events! I have a great fondness for baseball. Most of my adolescence was spent at a ballpark in one way or another, and I worked for the Fresno Grizzlies for several years when I first moved to Fresno, which was a blast! If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Tacos! If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Instagram, photos, not sure if "messages" counts, but I have to be able to text! Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? I like to do impressions of people. Some are better than others... What is your favorite vacation place? It is hard for me to pick a favorite because what I love most is going to places that I have never been to before. I love being able to explore places for the first time. Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? I would really love to be able to spend time with my grandfather and 2 uncles who passed away when I was a baby and get to know them =

Meet the team...next we have Mackenzie!! Name: Mackenzie Burke Position: Administrative Assistant... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? 4 years What do you like about working at Wayfinders? I have a deep appreciation for working with a team of passionate and driven individuals who provide quality support to Wayfinders students. What do you like to do when you're not working? When not working, I enjoy traveling, boating, and camping with my family. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Not a sports fan! If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? My favorite food is probably peanut butter but I wouldn’t want to eat it by itself everyday! If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? 3 apps - Libby, MyFitnessPal, Mint Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? No hidden talent that I can’t think of. What is your favorite vacation place? My favorite vacation spot is Montana because I have family there and Montana has some of the most scenic places I have been such as Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park.

Meet the team...next up Gabriel! Name: Gabriel Diaz Position: Case Manager ... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? I joined the Wayfinders team in February of 2016. What do you like about working at Wayfinders? Overall, simply working with our students. I've heard the only way to do great work is to love what you do. It is because of our students that I get to work with a passionate team who all love what they do and see their efforts transpire into setting up students for success. What do you like to do when you're not working? When I am not working, I enjoy spending my time doing basic dude stuff around the house and spending time with my wife, 2 children, and 2 fur-babies. These days it consists of playing Barbie Dream House with my 3-year-old daughter, crawling and wrestling with my 6-month-old, and making sure I have the greenest and neatest lawn on my block. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Are you ready for some football?! I cheer for the Pride of the Valley Fresno State Bulldog Football and America's Team aka Dallas Cowboys. If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Anything can be a taco if you have a tortilla and you try hard enough. So tacos. If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Instagram, YouTube, and Pandora Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? Not sure if it's a talent but more of a skill. During my free time, I detail vehicles. I enjoy the challenge and process of working on a car or truck and making it shine again. What is your favorite vacation place? I love traveling. My wife and I hope to visit Santorini in Greece again with our kids. Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Tough question. I think I would like to have a taco dinner with Selena Quintanilla, Lebron James, and John F. Kennedy.

Meet the team...next up is Christina!! Name: Christina Gutierrez Position: Residential Job coach... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since Nov 2017 What do you like about working at Wayfinders? All the staff and the students we get to work with. What do you like to do when you're not working? Watch my kids play sports. Any sport. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? I enjoy watching basketball. The Los Angeles Lakers If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Tacos If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Facebook, Google, Snapchat Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? I enjoy singing mariachi music What is your favorite vacation place? Don't like traveling. But I'd have to say any beach Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Debra Messing, Kobe Bryant, and Will Smith

Meet the team...next up Jasmin! Name: Jasmin Rocha Position: Residential Coordinator ... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? 6 years What do you like about working at Wayfinders? I love teaching our students independent living skills, such as personal finance, and overseeing an amazing and dedicated team of coaches. What do you like to do when you're not working? Going out on road trips, reading and listening to music What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Baseball and SF Giants If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Tamales with salsa If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Bible app, instragram, and apple music Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? I don't know if you can consider it a talent but I can translate spanish lyrics into english as it is playing. What is your favorite vacation place? Pismo Beach Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Alex Guarnaschelli, Robert Irvine, Hank Williams

Meet the team...next up is Shail! Name: Shail Lopez-Ortiz Position: Executive Director... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since April 2012 What do you like about working at Wayfinders? I love everything about working at Wayfinders: The challenge of creating exceptional experiences for our students; being able to implement and accomplish a vision; being surrounded by a team that genuinely cares about our student’s wellbeing and outcomes and I get to witness the tremendous transformation of our students into independent young adults. What do you like to do when you're not working? Cuddling with a good book, traveling/hiking, spending time with family and friends, giving back to the community, more recently during COVID-19 binge watching shows. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? I love, love, love Rugby. I’ve been obsessed with Rugby since college. I follow the South African Springboks. If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? In a world where junk food would not affect my heart and hips it would be a Panda Bowl with Chow Mein, Orange Chicken, and a dash of hot sauce. If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? Audible, Podcast and Calm. Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? Not so much a talent but a skill.My kids would say a sixth sense honed into intuitively knowing when they have done something wrong or when something is wrong. What is your favorite vacation place? Big Sur & Spain Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Indira Gandhi (first female Prime Minister of India) Nelson Mandela (South African anti-apartheid activist & first black president of South Africa) Hrithik Roshan (Indian Actor;)

Next up on Meet the Team, we've got Gary!! Name: Gary Hagy Position: Systems Coordinator... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since 2014. What do you like about working at Wayfinders? I really enjoy the innovation. With students and staff alike we always try to push the boundaries and grow together as a program. What do you like to do when you're not working? I like playing guitar and writing music. I also like bike riding. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? My favorite teams are skateboarding teams like ReVive and Braille. I was looking forward to seeing skateboarding in the Olympics this year but I suppose I'll just have to wait.. If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Sushi, specifically nigiri. If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? SoundCloud (music sharing), Tabata Timer (for exercises), and The Pattern (astrology). Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? I can ride a unicycle. What is your favorite vacation place? Monterey Bay. Love those cold beaches! Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? Alan Watts (philosopher), Shigeru Miyamoto (game designer at Nintendo), and Tom Delonge (musician).

Next up on Meet the Team we have Kodie from Residential... Name: Melissa Kodie Scheidt Position: Residential Assistant ... How long have you worked at Wayfinders? Since August 2014. What do you like about working at Wayfinders? Working with our students and watching them become more independent/confident as they work through the program. I also enjoy learning from our students as they have taught me a lot throughout the years. What do you like to do when you're not working? Spending time with family and friends. What is your favorite sport and which team do you follow? Sport: Snowboarding, Team followed: The Ride and/or Rome snowboard teams If you could eat only one item of food for the rest of your life what would it be? Japanese food, Yum. If you could have only 3 apps on your phone what would they be? 1. Camera/photos app, 2. Music app, 3. Positive and Encouraging K-Love/Bible and prayer app. Do you have a hidden talent & what is it? Snowboarding and writing poetry What is your favorite vacation place? Pismo Beach Name 3 people dead or alive who you would invite to a dinner party? 1. Doris Roberts, 2. Melissa McCarthy, 3. Ray Romano

We are so glad to be back with students this week! What are you excited to learn this semester?