| << Back |  |
Meet Your Neighbor: Meet The Neighbor – Daniele Dreitzer
By Callie Thomas
How many times have we used the words “if only”? If only I had chosen a different road, taken a friend’s advice, remembered someone’s birthday, paid more attention to my children, made someone else’s life a little easier… if only. We’ve all thought it at some point or another, but we would do well to take a page from 89012 resident Daniele Dreitzer, who strives to make every moment count. It’s not easy, but Dreitzer is willing to look at things from a different perspective, forge new territory and take risks to make a difference every day.
Truth be told, what Dreitzer does every day would be considered difficult by any circumstance. In her role as Executive Director for the Rape Crisis Center in Las Vegas, maintaining a positive, motivational outlook would be considered a gift. Each day she and the many volunteers and staff of the organization reach out to people who are at one of the lowest, most challenging points in their lives. Dreitzer is no stranger to nonprofit work. Her entire career has been spent in the field, starting back in high school when she volunteered at a soup kitchen in her hometown of Chicago. Since then, she has honed her talents working with other charitable organizations and has been recognized for bringing people and organizations together to make a difference.
When she’s away from the office, Dreitzer is a proud mom of thirteen year old daughter Julia, in whom she hopes she has instilled her sense of community and “do it now” attitude. We had an opportunity to talk to Dreitzer about her work with the Crisis Center, her influence on those in the community (including her daughter) and about her unique way of unwinding after a busy day.
What drew you to pursuing a career in the nonprofit sector?
“When I was volunteering at a soup kitchen just before going away to college, I realized that for what it was going to cost for me to go to school for one year, several of the people in that soup kitchen could have a place to live, food, etc. In that moment, I realized how fortunate I was and decided that I would use my education to try and make the world a better place, and that’s what I’ve continued to want to do every day.”
Tell us about your experiences with the Rape Crisis Center.
“We are there to offer hope and support. Every single person that I’ve had contact with touches my heart. Whether it’s a victim who calls on the hotline because it’s the first time since the assault that they’ve been alone and need a friendly voice on the other end of the line, or a parent who has just learned that a child was sexually abused and is trying to get them help, or an older victim who just didn’t think things like this could happen to someone their age, each story is uniquely impactful.”
What do you think makes you successful?
“I am not usually daunted by the fact that something has never been done before. I love to problem solve and believe in bringing people and organizations together.”
How have your philosophies influenced your daughter?
“I am so proud of my daughter. The amount of confidence she has as a thirteen year old girl is amazing. I hope I’ve had something to do with that. She hates injustice and unfairness of any sort because she has grown up seeing a lot in the community and helping at different organizations.”
We understand you have a unique way of unwinding?
“I don’t think of myself as a violent person at all but I take body combat at the gym once a week. I think of some of the perpetrators I hear about at the Center and when we’re punching and kicking during the class I visualize them and it releases a lot of stress!”
Why is it important for you to give back?
“In the end, I never want to look back and say if only I had done that it would have made such an impact. I just want to do it!”
