W2WFall2021 - 18

WOMAN2KNOW
What has led you to your
current career path?
When I was about eight years-old,
my family visited New York City
for the first time and after taking
the backstage tour of Radio City
Music Hall, I declared my first career
choice: a Radio City Music Hall
Rockette! I had started taking dance
lessons that year so it made total
sense to me.
I confess that I never had a plan
for my professional journey; it's
kind of unfolded as I've gone along.
One thing that I have done is to
keep moving forward, using each
experience as a building block from
which I can take the next step.
What words of wisdom would
you offer to other women?
My Poppa always said, " Question
the answer! " Do not be afraid to
ask. Ask what you may...ask? Ask
questions. Ask for feedback. Ask
for an equitable salary. Ask for the
promotion. Ask for help. Ask, ask,
ASK!
Meet
KIRSTEN HAAS
Executive Director
Girls on the Run of
Berks County
Is there an " aha " moment or experience that defines
who you are?
Seven years ago, I was faced with a professional choice. Short
version: stay or leave. I left.
It was the hardest decision I ever made because I kept thinking of
the implications for my family, my career, everything but myself.
And for months, maybe even a year or so afterwards, I questioned
my decision. But in the end, it was the best thing I've ever done.
It was best for my total health, for my marriage and even my
career. I took ownership of MY skills and MY experience to move
forward to the next adventures!
What is your favorite mantra, favorite saying or
words that keep you grounded?
" There's no " I " in TEAM but there's one in GIN. " Haha! I made
that one up. I'm not one for mantras but when life is seemingly
not going how I think it ought to go, I think of the lines from
The Beatles song, " All You Need is Love " :
There's nothing you can know that isn't known
Nothing you can see that isn't shown
There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're
meant to be
These lines remind me that every action, every person,
everything and every word has a purpose and a consequence
from which I can learn, grow and thrive.
What's your mission?
Depends on the day. In Girl Scouts,
you learn to leave a place in better
shape than you found it. So, yeah. I
want to leave places, relationships,
the world in better shape.
What do you consider
women's main asset?
The ability to take the 30,000 foot
view of situations and then gradually
drill down to the necessary details to
take on issues and solve problems.
What do you consider
women's main threat?
In taking that 30,000 foot view, we
often forget to consider our own
needs and wants. Then when we do,
we think ourselves selfish for doing
so.
What three things do you
recommend that contribute
to your success?
a. Tell truth to power.
b. Be curious.
c. Laugh. A lot.
How do you want to be perceived/remembered?
Well, not for the time I walked into a sliding glass door. Although
it was funny and a lot of people laughed. So, yes. I want to be
remembered for making people laugh (even if it is at me).
Why are you proud to
work at Girls on the
Run Berks?
I am so excited to be in a
position to promote female
empowerment. When we
think of empowerment, we
tend to assume it only begins in
adulthood. WRONG! Girls start
hearing " the voices " at a young age,
telling them what they are bad at, what they can't do, who they
can't be, who they should be. Maybe even younger now than
when I was a kid due to the ever-present social media. These
voices sometimes even come from your own family and friends.
If I let the voices I heard win, I would never have taken dance
(OK, so I didn't make the Rockettes but I can still do a mean
high-kick!) or gone out for swim team. I would never have
gone for my graduate degree in journalism. I would not have
had a 20-year career in metals (NOT at all an area in which I
even dreamed of working). I would not have had the courage
to make a career 180 and enter the non-profit world. I would
18 Women2Women | Fall 2021
W2WFall2021

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