Mad Minute with Raysha Simon

Tell us a little about your background…What brought you to MCIRCC?

I worked for more than four years as the Development and Donor Relations Assistant at St. Louis Center, a nonprofit and residential home for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities in rural Chelsea. While my position was in fundraising, my strengths have always been in communications, specifically creative storytelling and design. I strove to be the voice for the residents, many of whom couldn’t speak or express themselves. I was fortunate to be able to work on behalf of such amazing people because they provided me with a whole new outlook of what it means to be considerate and accepting of others.

MCIRCC sparked my interest because of the energy, big ideas and forward thinking perspective. The opportunity to be a part of showcasing groundbreaking solutions with the ultimate goal of jumpstarting their implementation in the field (and saving lives!) was something I had to be a part of. I’ve always wanted to help people using the skill set I have and MCIRCC delivered a fresh opportunity for me to do exactly that.

Are there any projects you’re particularly excited about working on?

I look forward to meeting the MCIRCC members and creating compelling pieces that help move their work forward.  In doing this, I hope to learn about not just their own research and work interests but especially what it is that motivates them. There’s something that ignited their initial interest in their work and it’s important not to lose sight of it. Learning something along the way is a bonus! 

As the marketing and communications specialist, what is your best advice to members looking to promote their work?

My advice is to be concise and always remember that those who will be reading information about your work (very likely) know nothing about it. To be intriguing and informing while making no assumptions about the audience’s prior knowledge on the topic is my goal, so anything that can aid in my doing that will cut down on the questions I have for you - helping us both!

Summer is here! Do you have any big plans?

I have a few long weekend trips planned with my husband, Matt and daughter, Nora. She will be turning two this summer so a birthday party and lots of new experiences are in store for her.