WELCOME BEVERLY HAMILTON TO THE IMPACT TEAM!
We are excited to announce that IMPACT continues to grow as we ease into this new year with the addition of Beverly Hamilton, our newly appointed Regional Manager based out of Austin, Texas. Beverly brings with her a wealth of non-profit knowledge/expertise (she helped found the Austin Diaper Bank in 2013) and a spirited passion on the topic of proper skin protection and health being a skin cancer survivor herself.
Please join us in welcoming her to our team, and learn more about her and the role she’s taking on in the following conversation:
How’d you learn about IMPACT Melanoma initially? What led you to want to get involved?
I was immediately grabbed by IMPACT’s mission- skin cancer. My dad and I have both had skin cancer battles. As someone who has spent too many long Texas summers in the sun, as a lifeguard, swim instructor, camp director and runner, protection from the sun is something I take seriously. I think about skin cancer and how to reduce my UV exposure every single day. Yet, I know people who don’t regularly use sunscreen! In terms of skin cancer prevention and health promotion, there are not many of these organizations actively working on the ground in Texas. The opportunity to positively affect the community and improve public health is huge.
What is your past experience with the non-profit world (if any)? How does this experience help you walk down this new path?
I founded the Austin Diaper Bank in 2013 out of my spare bedroom, and by 2016, I had grown the organization to a warehouse sized operation serving over 5,000 families a year. To do this, I had to learn every facet of nonprofit management, from governance to social media/marketing to fundraising and everything in between. Starting the Texas imprint of IMPACT Melanoma draws on all of these skills.
Outside of the non-profit world you’ve earned your Ph.D. What other pieces of education/experience have you collected over the years that will help you walk down this path?
I am always in learning mode. You have to be in a growth mindset to evolve with community work. The Ph.D. provides a nice foundation for research, assessment and evaluation but I like meeting with active scholars from time to time to see what’s new. Earlier this year I earned a certificate in Nonprofit Financial Management to sharpen those skills. I’ve refreshed my knowledge on social media and fundraising over the years with free webinars and mini-conferences. In 2016, I completed an Executive Director Academy, a kind of a bootcamp for nonprofit leaders, through a local foundation. That experience was very helpful to cover the wide range of responsibilities that directors face. I want to bring my best to my work and continually learning helps me do that.
What excites you about your new role at IMPACT?
I love bringing an award winning set of programs to a place that has such a high need and opportunity for impact. The people at IMPACT are quality and I feel lucky to have joined their team.
What do you think you add to IMPACT and what are you hoping to accomplish as you work yourself into the new role?
I bring a background in evaluation, grant writing, grassroots outreach, volunteer management and scaling nonprofit organizations. I’m looking forward to adding value in these areas and help IMPACT grow across the country.
How do you think/hope Austin will respond to the mission of IMPACT Melanoma?
I really think Austin will embrace IMPACT Melanoma and its programs. We are an amazing community that wants to invest in being a better place to live. From parents to students to educators to tech professionals to local health leaders, I see a place for everyone in our skin cancer prevention mission.
What kind of change are you looking to incite in and around the Austin community?
I’m most excited about busting the myths about sun safety and skin health. No, your tan is not healthy nor does it protect you from getting skin cancer. I can’t wait to see the public sunscreen dispensers go in around town and watch the word of mouth spread about sun safety.
What’s your personal battle cry as it pertains to sun safety and skin care as it pertains to UV radiation and skin cancer prevention?
SPF is absolutely my BFF. I have had basal cell carcinoma removed from under my right ear. I was lucky to have caught it myself by noticing that a tiny bump wasn’t going away. I was also fortunate to be insured with a good health plan and have access to a wonderful dermatology practice and surgeon. Not everyone has those things. I’m not letting the chance of skin cancer keep me from running or being active so I cover up with sunscreen, hat and sunglasses. I am adding sun protective sun sleeves this year to add an extra layer of prevention. An annual skin check is a must for me and I keep an eye on any skin changes.
Why should folks get involved? How can they get involved (in what capacity)?
Raising awareness is critical to IMPACT Melanoma’s work so we need as many hands on deck as we can get. What is great is that there are so many flexible ways to be involved, whether you are a corporate volunteer, a student or a family. Coupling educational outreach with volunteer time is a win-win. You can bring sun safety education to your office or school, build camp kits, maintain sunscreen dispensers, pass out sunscreen and information at outdoor events, run or race to raise funds, serve on our street survey team or even work on an individual project to help our sun safety mission.
What should people know about you? What are some “fun facts” about Beverly Hamilton?
I’m very much an Austinite- I love our food: tacos, queso, and margaritas, running the trails, two stepping at a dance hall and being involved in the community. Some of my favorite Austin spots are Yard Bar (outdoor dog park and cafe), Treaty Oak Distillery (family friendly ranch that produces spirits), BookPeople (cool indie downtown bookstore), and Alamo Drafthouse (awesome cinema that serves good food and beverage).
Visit www.IMPACTMelanoma.org early and often to keep up to date on all the goings on here as 2020 unfolds.
