Katie Davis will take over for outgoing executive director Linda Civitello at the start of October
Amid near-constant changes brought on by fires and a pandemic, the Sebastopol Area Senior Center will be going through another change this month, as it bids farewell to current executive director Linda Civitello and welcomes current director of programs and communication Katie Davis into the role.
Davis, who’s worked at the center for three years, will become the executive director effective Oct. 1.
“I absolutely love the Sebastopol Area Senior Center community, so when Linda announced her retirement it felt like the right time to expand my role at the center,” Davis said of her interest in the position. “I am finishing up my final capstone project for my Master’s in Public Administration at Sonoma State University, and between my education and direct work experience I felt like a strong candidate for the role.”
In an announcement about the change, board president Alan Beckstead commended the improvements that Davis has made to the senior center’s programs, public relations and marketing, as well as her work to bring hundreds of new members to the center.
When asked about what she’s most proud of accomplishing thus far while working at the center, Davis noted that the center has nearly tripled its membership, as well expanded its classes and services.
“I have also been able to see how big of a support our crafting thrift store, The Legacy, is to our continued success as well,” she said.
Civitello has served as the executive director for the center since January 2017, during which she helped the nonprofit gain better financial footing and bring it back into the black. It’s this work that helped lead the way to the center’s future growth, Davis said.
“It has been three and a half years now and I will be 70 in January. I think it is time for me to retire again. Knowing the center is in great hands with Katie, the fabulous board, staff and volunteers, I feel comfortable passing the torch,” Civitello said in a statement sent out by the center’s board of directors.
It’s an interesting time to be stepping into a prominent position at a senior center, in part because of the current limitations brought on by COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, the Sebastopol Area Senior Center has made significant changes to its programs — it’s pivoted programming online so seniors still have the ability to socialize with one another, it’s delivered nearly 21,000 meals to seniors in their homes and it has worked to call and check in on seniors in the community to make sure they had resources and support to get through this time.
Going forward, Davis said that she’s excited to take on and accommodate the unique needs of the center’s membership.
“We look forward to continuing the conversation about how we can continue to evolve as the needs of the older adult community change. In less than 10 years, more than 20% of the total U.S. population will be over the age of 65, so the world of aging is changing dramatically,” she said. “And that number is even greater for the Sebastopol area. The center serves folks from 55 (and sometimes even younger) to 105 — a 50-year range. That’s huge! And each of those people have unique needs and unique values so the senior center strives to meet all those needs with a small budget and small staff.”
Included in being able to adapt to the changing needs of local seniors is raising money. A long-term goal of the center is to continue fundraising to allow the senior center to further grow with its members, she said.
As part of her work to increase the number of folks taking advantage of the center, Davis noted that the senior center is open to adults of all ages.
“While most of our programming is particularly tailored to folks over 55, anyone can join as a member and take our exercise classes or attend an educational lecture,” she said.
