New ED Gets an Earful
Since assuming the position of Bainbridge Prepares’ Executive Director in early March, Stephen Richardson has immersed himself into learning about BP’s culture by meeting with 100 BP volunteers. He has also met with the Bainbridge Prepares board four times.
The main meeting places were Cups and Coquette, but Richardson also conducted meetings in his car, at the Marge Williamson Center (home to BP’s new office), in his own home office, while walking around Bainbridge, at Fire Station 21, and in the Emergency Operations Center at the Ted Spearman Justice Center.
During his meetings, Richardson has consumed an estimated 35 cups of tea.
Meeting Takeaways
When asked to reflect on what he’s heard from people during his many meetings, Richardson says what has struck him the most is “The sense of purpose that being involved in Bainbridge Prepares provides to volunteers. I’ve seen at least six volunteers tear up when they reflect on the role volunteering with the organization has played in their lives—not because things are hard, but because the work gives them a sense of purpose. That's not something you can manufacture."
He's also been moved by stories of the organization in action through coordinated COVID-19 vaccine clinics and when BIGWEELS volunteers stepped up after an ice storm to help Island Volunteer Caregivers continue delivering community meals to seniors. "That kind of thing doesn't make the national news," he says. "But it's exactly what community resilience looks like."
A Focus on Volunteers
Richardson is no stranger to working with and managing volunteers. In his twenties, he co-founded a nonprofit in South Africa. He then earned a Master’s of Education from UMass Amherst before spending years performing humanitarian work in some of the world's most demanding environments including in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. He also supported organizations serving displaced populations during Syria's civil war.
No matter the specifics of what he was doing, Richardson kept encountering the same truth: Community members are among the first responders when disaster strikes. He says, "Bainbridge Prepares was built on that truth. It's a 15-year proof of concept for something I've seen work around the world."
Bainbridge Prepares has more than 725 volunteers—more than any other nonprofit in Kitsap County. From meeting with a sizable fraction of those people over the last six weeks, Richardson has refined his priorities: Strengthen internal operations, build fundraising capacity, and deepen the partnerships with the City and Fire Department that have always defined how this organization works.
When he's not downing tea in meetings, Richardson plays in a local band and explores Pacific Northwest trails with his family. He's been a Bainbridge Island resident since 2020.
Featured Photo shows Stephen Richardson standing in back row surrounded by BP volunteers: From left to right, Tami (Flotilla), Stuart (Flotilla), Stephen, Becky (MYN), Susan (MRC), and Dan (MYN).