Life Before Alzheimer’s San Diego
Growing up, Daniel moved around a fair amount – he was born in the midwestern US and moved to South Korea soon afterwards. When he came back to the US, he resided in the southern region of the country before coming to San Diego in 2021, and says “I love the laid-back attitude and friendliness of San Diegans.” Daniel has a degree in Psychology with a minor in Public Health, and while in college he also helped manage student organization events, which helps him in his current role as Development Coordinator. Other experiences include volunteering at senior living communities and a geriatric psychiatric ward. He has worked with people living with dementia and understands the challenges they and their care partners face on a daily basis. Daniel’s grandmother is living with Alzheimer’s disease and his mother is a nursing professor with an emphasis in dementia, so he felt that working for an organization like Alzheimer’s San Diego was his “calling.”
Planning Events
In Daniel’s role as our Development Coordinator, his main responsibilities include providing customer support for donors and clients in general and for our annual fundraising events, as well as helping plan these events alongside our Director of Development, Michelle Van Hoff. This event planning also involves coordinating with the marketing department to promote them through social media, emails, and more. Daniel also keeps track of general fundraising and event data throughout the year.
Alzheimer’s San Diego has three main annual fundraising events, the Visionary Luncheon & Auction, Rides4ALZ, and Walk4ALZ. Daniel appreciates the different aspects of each event, like seeing the countless number of people walking through Balboa Park during Walk4ALZ, being able to dress up for the Visionary Luncheon, and hearing the “roar from all of those engines and the line of motorcycles ready to take off” at Rides4ALZ. Daniel also adds, “I have even considered purchasing a motorcycle/moped after Rides!”
Daniel’s Perspective
Daniel believes that the strong relationships built within the community is “one of the most distinct aspects of our organization.” When he first joined the team in 2022 right before that year’s Walk4ALZ, his initial interactions with clients showed him how connected they are to the organization and how much the events mean to the community. “Our events bring visibility to dementia and above all else, provide a friendly environment for those living with dementia and their care partners to enjoy.”
Having a mother that worked with people living with dementia, he grew up listening to stories of her experiences caregiving and doing research into Alzheimer’s disease. He knows it can be daunting for care partners to ask for help, but he encourages them to reach out to us to help create a plan for the future.
Call us at 858.492.4400 to talk with a dementia expert and learn about our FREE services. You can also check out the dates for our 2024 fundraising events that Daniel helps coordinate, as well as recaps of our 2023 events!
By Braulio Ambriz
