Community Ties

by Joel Bahr, M.F.A. ’13 | February 24, 2016

SEBA student Lisa Dyas worked to provide shelter and job skills to the homeless at the Alameda Point Collaborative, her latest role in eight years of nonprofit work. In the late 1990s, the Alameda Point Collaborative (APC) transformed the vacated barracks of the defunct Alameda Naval Air Station into a solution for homelessness. The 200 empty units now house more than 500 residents—over 300 of whom are children—who also have access to job training, counseling, and youth programs.

“I saw a lot of potential and room for growth here,” said Dyas, former director of fund development and community relations. “It wasn’t a situation where I was stepping into a machine, and I was just going to be another cog. There was a lot of opportunity to be creative and have an impact.”

Transitioning into a leadership role after seven years interacting directly with people served by nonprofits, Dyas sought out Saint Mary’s Trans-Global M.B.A. Program to learn how to bridge the gap between operations and administration.

“In the past I’ve worked directly with the population, so I understand when case workers are protective of the people they’re working with,” said Dyas. “One of the things I’m trying to do is demonstrate how important it is that our members share their stories because I know the impact that they can have.”

Dyas found her work at APC, which she joined in 2012 after moving to Alameda, particularly rewarding because of its connection to her immediate community.

“My daughter goes to the same school that our residents go to, so not only do I feel very close to the mission here, but I can see the impact we’re having firsthand,” Dyas said. “If our kids at APC succeed, then my own children are also succeeding. I’ve never been so deeply tied to one community like this.”

Additional ties bind Dyas, Saint Mary’s, and the collaborative. For the last several years, SMC undergraduates have volunteered at APC.

“There’s a real commitment from Saint Mary’s,” said Dyas. “The mission of the College and that of APC are closely aligned. It’s not lip service.”