PSi ExperienceI have been a member of PSi and co-founder of Silver City Poetry Bread since 2007. I have been on the EC since late October of last year, when I was invited to fill a vacancy. Since then, I have participated in the creation of a Finance Committee and with the departure of our last Finance Manager, I have stepped in as Interim FM until PSi can hire a new FM.
I do write and perform. I enjoy slamming, but I try not to take it too seriously. It has been a struggle at times to organize and keep alive a Slam and reading series in a town our size, but every time I think this is the last show, someone goes and makes me cry with their words or a new poet takes the stage and the audience showers them with love, or we get an out of town feature roll through that brings the house down and I realize that it is all worth it.
We host about a dozen events each year; all of our features do a workshop for youth the day after or day before the slam.
Work ExperienceAt my day job, I am the Executive Director of The Wellness Coalition (
www.wellnesscoalition.org), a non-profit that develops and supports the vitality of the people of southwest New Mexico and the community organizations that serve them.
The Wellness Coalition (TWC) operates in two main areas: Youth Development and Organizational Development. In the field of Youth Development we are the second largest AmeriCorps program in the State of New Mexico, placing corpsmembers in Forestry Crews, Health Care Centers, Domestic Violence Shelters, Schools and Early Childhood Centers. We catalyze community change by providing people and organizations the opportunities to be a part of the National Service movement. In the field of Organizational Development, we host trainings, provide technical assistance and facilitate peer networks for non-profits in our area and across New Mexico. We hold group trainings on Board Development, Financial Management, Fundraising, Strategic Planning and other topics. I conduct trainings on Positive Youth Development, Information Systems and other technology.
I have worked at TWC for 8 years, serving as the ED for the last 4. My previous employment includes 3 years in the cycling and outdoor recreation industry and 5 years in the natural foods industry at Wheatsville Co-op in Austin, TX.
Sam Castello ExperienceI live in a town of about 10,000 people. The closet major town to the north is two hours away and has 500 people living there. An hour to the southwest is Lordsburg (population 2000), and to the southeast is Deming (population 12,000). You have to drive two hours to get to a bookstore and three hours to get to an airport. The upside is that my backyard is 3.5 million acres of wilderness and my small town has an incredible coffee shop, farmers market, co-op and zero traffic. I grew up in Houston, so I know all about the big city and I don’t miss it except for the occasional 3am craving for Pho that must go unfulfilled. I appreciate knowing my neighbors, walking to work, and getting excited when the new phonebooks arrive.
I am a DJ and comic-book nerd. I like Linux, but I run windows. I grew up on Lord British and Steve Jackson Games. Kirk is my hero, but Picard is my role model. I am married and the proud father to two boys who just turned 7 and 5.
I welcome any questions you have for me. I hope to continue my current service on the EC. I plan to be in Denver for WOWps and would love to talk in person or here on the Forums.
