Ryan Easterly, Executive Director of WITH
Dear Friends and Partners of WITH:
Welcome to this new chapter in the Foundation’s history! I want to take a few minutes and share a little about myself and talk about the future efforts of the Foundation.
I am passionate about philanthropy. As you may have learned in our previous announcement, I have ten years experience working in philanthropy on issues impacting people with disabilities. I spent the majority of my career at a public charity (operating-support) foundation located in Washington, D.C. During my time in D.C., I also spent some time working at the U.S. Department of Labor. I have spent my life learning about, interacting with, and advocating regarding the systems, supports, and services that impact the lives of people with disabilities.
Although I may be a new face to some of you, and we have a new name, we still have the same mission. In order to fulfill our mission, the Foundation’s efforts will focus in these three areas:
- The Foundation will continue to support organizations and projects that assist adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in accessing healthcare as well as working with medical professionals and medical institutions to support accessible, inclusive healthcare delivery. We value self-determination and dignity for ALL individuals. We understand how critical the Foundation’s support is, especially in these changing political landscapes. I understand lives are at stake and will work, in partnership with the Board, to ensure that grantees and partners experience a process that is as smooth and responsive as possible.
- The Foundation will also continue forming partnerships in the digital health space. As a foundation based in Silicon Valley, we understand that healthcare delivery will look different in five, ten, fifteen years. We have a unique opportunity to involve the disability community in the initial stages of the development of digital health technologies, to be at the table as the applications are designed, launched and marketed. We will continue to make investments and form partnerships that enhance digital health developers and companies understanding that if they wish to innovate within the healthcare industry, the disability community should be at the forefront in their planning and development of healthcare technologies and applications.
- The Foundation will work to deepen collaborations with other funders. We hope to help educate other funders about the good work our grantees are doing, as well as assist funders, especially health funders, in developing partnerships within the disability community. We believe the communities we serve have an important voice in efforts to support effective, inclusive grantmaking.
My goal in this new role is to continue to use my professional and personal experience to improve access to comprehensive health care for people with developmental disabilities. As a black, gay man with cerebral palsy and mental health diagnoses who also spent my earliest years in the foster care system, I understand that access to healthcare is crucial for a good quality of life. I am passionate about equipping those with fewer resources and less access with information and services.
I want to thank Founder and Board President, Lynne O’Hara, as well as the other members of the Board of Directors for this opportunity and their support. I look forward to continuing to work with Lynne and the Board to build on the strong track record that has been established over the past 15 years. I also greatly appreciate the Self-Advocate Advisory Committee members, as your continued feedback is invaluable to ensuring that our efforts are in partnership with the communities we serve.
As we begin this chapter at the WITH Foundation, please feel free to reach out to me directly with any thoughts or feedback. I can be reached at: ryan@withfoundation.org.
I look forward to working with you!
Best regards,
Ryan