Get to know our Director of Development, Chase Overholt
0:00: We feel so deeply connected to the work that we do and that work is what keeps us going.
0:07: You don't owe us anything to be here.
0:09: Hi, welcome to Positively a podcast by positive images.
0:13: I'm Marian and I'm here with Chase Overholt, our director of development Positive images.
0:29: My name is Chase Overholt.
0:31: My pronouns are he and they and I'm the director of development for positive images.
0:36: So Chase, what are your top three passions?
0:39: Oh OK.
0:40: This is tough.
0:41: My top three passions would probably be number one.
0:45: I want to say like community care, showing up volunteering.
0:49: I when folks ask me to help with something like I can't, I can't help but say yes, it's hard for me to say no.
0:56: My second passion would probably have to be cooking.
1:00: I love to be in the kitchen, creating new recipes.
1:03: I'm working on another cookbook maybe.
1:06: And then my third passion would have to be Sudoku.
1:09: So you're also a huge Dolly Parton fan.
1:12: What's your favorite Dolly song?
1:13: Oh OK.
1:15: What is my favorite Dolly Parton song?
1:16: This is really a difficult question because so many Dolly Parton songs mean so much to me for different reasons.
1:21: , of late, my favorite Dolly Parton song has been, I'm gone.
1:26: , it's, there's something about it that, like, I just start crying every single time.
1:31: I don't know what it is.
1:32: I, I love, I'm gone by Dolly Parton.
1:36: And how would your friends describe you?
1:39: Oh, I think my friends would describe me as doing too much doing the most.
1:45: , you know, I'm the friend that when they say let's have like a chill dinner party at your house and game night, I need to spend all day in the kitchen making an eight course meal and like writing a murder mystery game from scratch, you know, can't confirm, have experienced this.
2:05: So how did you first hear about P I?
2:08: Oh OK.
2:08: How I first heard of positive images was actually through at the time, Marion, who was my college friend.
2:15: I was working for another nonprofit and I wanted to stop by the center and bring Mary and some boba.
2:22: And what I thought was going to be like a 15 minute little come and see the space and say hi to my friend turned into like a two hour debrief session with our current director of programs, Jess Carol.
2:34: So not only did I get to start working with my friend but also like some really amazing friends working at positive images.
2:41: Now tell us a little bit about your career before P I oh, OK.
2:46: So right out of college, I got my degree in pure mathematics and I was like, what am I gonna do with this?
2:51: So I became a wealth advisor, which was not the t I, I liked it.
2:56: I was good at it.
2:57: I love the like math puzzle kind of thing, but it wasn't for me in the long run.
3:02: So I jumped ship from wealth management and joined the nonprofit sector.
3:07: I worked for Latisha Hinky at the Lime Foundation after hearing her story and just falling in love with her.
3:13: And then when I saw this role open up, I thought to myself, like this is my chance to do this work that I love fundraising and systems building for an organization that is serving my own community.
3:28: And I couldn't pass up the opportunity.
3:30: So I applied and went through the process and now I'm here and tell us about your involvement with C C F.
3:37: Oh OK.
3:38: What is C C F C C F is the community centric fundraising round table of Sonoma County.
3:44: It is an offshoot of the C C F principles created by incredible fundraisers like Lula and their peers.
3:52: And it was originally brought to Sonoma County by the United Way of Wine Country and Michelle Shereen MRI.
4:00: And it is about switching from a donor centric model of fundraising that centers the donor and instead replaces it with centering the work in the community, we're community centric, right?
4:14: Everything that we do in fundraising needs to start from the people that these organizations serve and not from the people that are funding it.
4:21: So this group is an effort to change the culture of fundraising in Sonoma County and create a space that is more equitable, not only from the ground up but also from these like higher level systems of funding down.
4:34: What is the most rewarding part working for?
4:37: I think that the most rewarding part of working for positive images is the fact that everybody on this staff holds themselves to a level of accountability around equity and anti racism that inspires me to do more and be more and push harder to uncover and live in discomfort and figure out what my next step on my journey to equity and anti racism is and how to show for community in a real way.
5:06: So it's really rewarding to be in a space where that is so valued and is so intrinsically a part of everything that we do.
5:16: So tell us, what are you up to in the office?
5:20: Oh my gosh.
5:21: When I'm at work, I'm up to so many things.
5:22: I'm writing those newsletters you get in your inbox.
5:25: I am updating our website.
5:26: I am working with donors to steward relationships to help support our programs through funding.
5:33: I am supporting the executive director, I am supporting the programs team where I, when I can I am helping the trainings team expand.
5:42: I am doing the most.
5:47: What do you wish people knew about P I?
5:51: One thing that I wish people knew about positive images is that it's all free that we don't want your money unless you're a donor.
5:59: Then, then we, we do want your money.
6:02: but it's all free to community.
6:04: You know, we're here to provide services for our community.
6:08: Every single member of our staff on board are members of the LGBT Q I two S plus community and we feel so deeply connected to the work that we do and that work is what keeps us going.
6:22: You don't owe us anything to be here.
6:24: Come sit in the center, watch TV, have a snack, try on some clothes in the transformation station, grab a book.
6:30: You know, this is your space as much as it is ours.
6:33: I every time somebody's in the space and they're asking, oh, can I do this?
6:37: Can I do that?
6:37: I love to tell them like this space is as much yours as it is mine as it is our executive directors as it is our boards.
6:45: This is your space and it's for free.
6:48: Thank you so much, Chase.
6:50: It's been a pleasure chatting with you and thank you all for listening.
6:54: This interview is available in video format on Instagram at positive images where you can find Chase's interview and all of our other staff members.
7:03: My name is Marian.
7:04: I'm one of the program's coordinators here at P I and I'll catch you next time on positively.
7:09: The future of positive images is looking bright and we hope that you will join us along our journey.
7:15: You can check out our website, pause images dot org.
7:18: That's P OS images dot org and see our community calendar for fun things coming up in community and opportunities to join our peer support groups.
7:27: You can also drop into the center from noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Fridays.
7:31: We'd love to see you there.
7:33: Don't forget to follow us on Instagram at positive images to stay up to date with the absolute latest.
7:39: Until next time, I've been Marian programs coordinator for positive images, positive images.
7:58: What you're still here, that means OK.
8:02: But what you're still here, that must mean that you really love us.
8:08: If you're willing and able, you can always support positive images by making a donation.
8:13: Did you know that by making a donation of only $5 a month, you help us out immensely.
8:18: We're using this money to continue to support the LGBT Q I A two S plus community right here in Sonoma County.
8:26: Click the link in our episode description to learn more about donations.
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