Kieran Highsmith, a new Program Associate with Pasadena Village, recently moved here from the Pacific Northwest. She lived with her mom, who dealt in home remodeling; her dad, a sales representative in the field of architecture; and her brother, two years her senior. While still in the Northwest, Kieran enrolled in the Pacific Northwest College of Art, where she met three other students, including fellow staff member Hannah Rough-Schock. All four focused on animated art and soon became fast friends.

After graduation, the foursome decided to move to Southern California. Noting Kieran's interest in volunteering, Hannah introduced her to Pasadena Village where she volunteered at several events over the past two years for us. When fire relief funding enabled us to add a temporary staff position to facilitate more programs, Executive Director Katie Brandon reached out to Kieran to gauge her interest in joining the staff. Katie said, "When Kieran volunteered at events, I noticed her positivity, caring attitude, and willingness to solve issues gracefully. She had the added bonus of knowing some Villagers and how we operate already! We are fortunate to have her on staff through December to jumpstart new fire relief related programs and improve our processes." Kieran’s responsibilities as Program Associate include facilitating the Village's LGBTQ+ outreach initiatives. She is responsible for scheduling various LGTBQ events and workshops, including all of the Village's Hope and Healing Supper Club events. Of her job, she says “I am not used to office work. But everyone at the Village is so kind, even when I find myself fumbling around the office.”

In addition to working with us on Wednesday through Friday, she took on a job in Burbank with Cookie Dough Dreams as a raw cookie maker. Yes, she sells cookies made of raw cookie dough! For you cookie lovers, please note that the company has recently opened a store in downtown Pasadena.

Kieran has many interests. In addition to volunteering and animated art, Kieran has a love for birds. Recently she participated in a zoo tour run by the Friends of the California Condor. She was delighted to see the amazement on the faces of children at the size of those birds! Kieran also enjoys crocheting, and she is studying how to bind hard cover books. And her skills in the kitchen are not limited to raw cookie dough!

Looking to the future, Kieran's dream is to become an animated artist, but the field is rather volatile at this time. She understands that she needs to be flexible in this economy, so her backup plan involves seeking a job as a baker. She also hopes to continue as a volunteer and to find another cat to replace the one she lost not long ago.

Kieran is a delightful young lady and easy to talk to. She is an asset to the Village. We owe a debt of gratitude to Hannah for introducing her to us.

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