About Mouse Mountain and Ben Danley
Several years ago, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to volunteer and work in Asia for three non-profit organizations. My roles were much different than the director and executive level positions I held before and after my international adventures. Yet it was that experience that impacted my view of how services are delivered to the most vulnerable, and I gained invaluable insights as to what is needed to create change.
Whether at home or abroad, I’m interested in work that increases access to education for people whose economy, geography, or culture limit their ability to go to school, become literate, learn a new language, or develop skills at any stage of life.
In my leadership roles, I have a collaborative working style. I rely on building a strong network of colleagues and working together to get big jobs done efficiently. When working for International Charities, I developed international partnerships and projects, representing organizations in donor meetings and community events, resulting in improved access to education for low income populations in 10 countries.
When I took over leadership at Community Outreach, Inc. (COI), the organization had a reputation for sometimes not playing well with other providers.
In part it was due to having different missions, visions and values, but moreover a blindspot to seeing the common ground. We were all trying to address issues caused by poverty and vulnerability to homelessness. Under my leadership, COI evolved to being at the table for all conversations and developing partnerships with other providers.
I was also the Executive Director for COI during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization had a wide variety of programs, all of which were impacted by the pandemic’s new health and safety concerns, the community’s response to the pandemic, and the loss of other services.
When the world shut down, flexibility and innovation were key to providing services. Our pre-school became an emergency child care center, our behavioral health services shifted to tele-health, our housing units implemented isolation and other safety measures, and our medical clinics continued to operate with new healthcare procedures in effect.
When not working, while I would never define myself as an adrenaline junkie, I have a strong sense of adventure. I love to be in situations that may not be entirely comfortable to see how my body and mind react. My hobbies include backpacking, hiking, motorcycling, and international travel in places far off the beaten tourist path. With all that said, bungee jumping, sky diving and mountain climbing are not my idea of fun.