Meet Danny Romero | Nonprofit Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danny Romero and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danny, what principle do you value most?
You know, for a while I went back and forth on this question as for my nonprofit career 2 major principles have really guided my trajectory, so I’ll share both. So, growing up in a Mexican household, I learned to understand the importance of working hard and doing it the “right way.” My mother would always say, “El flojo trabaja doble,” which roughly translates that someone who is lazy will often find themselves doing double the work (often to correct their own mistakes). So, I was taught that if you were to do something, to do it the right way and with your best efforts. This manifested itself in school, sports, relationships, and more, but only as an adult did I find that this saying really created the two core principles that can be found in my approach and delivery as a nonprofit professional: “Integrity and Intention.”

While it may seem a bit cliche or overly utilized, “Integrity,” or doing the right thing regardless of who is watching, has been woven into who I am as a person and professional. With integrity, I look at people for face value and try to see them for who they are and not judge their background as we’re not all perfect nor do we know everyone’s circumstances. I strive to be honest and transparent in my working relationships with participants and service providers and be counted on or consistent in my work so that others can depend on me. I have found over the years that this principle helps shape my relationships with those I serve and collaborate with as I try to provide others with more than they “came in the door with,” whether that’s knowledge, insights, contacts, goods, and more. Integrity isn’t always easy as it often requires extra hours, extra stress, and over time comes with a few more white hairs, but I pride myself in giving my best effort and being a man of my word.

Later in my career, I found my other “I” principle…. “Intention,” which has also been a prime motivator of my work. For my early years in nonprofits, I often looked to others and wondered, “I wish I could do more,” or “How did they accomplish that,” feeling like some of the work others accomplished seemed insurmountable and that I could never accomplish something as immense, but in time, instead of feeling distraught, I began looking at work as a trade that you continue to chip away at gaining knowledge to help push you to new endeavors. This prospective only was realized once I found that change does not happen unless you worked with “Intention” to see out new ways of accomplishing tasks as opportunities typically aren’t handed out…you have to earn them. So working with intention remains a prime motivator in my work and both of these principles have helped propel me to where I am today.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
So I’ve been fortunate to be interviewed to share my story of who I am and how I found my path. So when folks ask, I share that I’m a nonprofit professional, I’m sure that something pops into your head as to someone who works for pennies on the dime for a charity. And while that may be true for some, I’d argue I’ve been fortunate to take on so many different and diverse roles within this sector. I’ve been an unconventional educator, a community connector, a leader, a learner, a listener, and a part of great teams at various organizations making a huge impact on others. This is been my charge to lead with intention to help change lives for the better. I now serve as a Sr. Program Director at SAY San Diego overseeing their military programs, but have had jobs that showed me the importance of “cutting my teeth,” on every rung of the later from entry-level coordinator, to a program manager, and finally to director roles. But what I have learned is that if I didn’t put the time and work in early in my career that I wouldn’t have the same connection and appreciation to the work I accomplish daily and that has now fueled a 15+ year career.

I do pride myself in sharing that my first job out of college was as a LISC AmeriCorps member working at poverty levels in the communities you serve by receiving a monthly stipend to keep you afloat, but I’ll share that in San Diego that’s easier said than done and I was fortunate to have family and friends to help me see that year through. It’s quality work that I learned more about different communities across San Diego and where I first learned that driving 15-20 minutes one way in San Diego can put you into a really different part in town, but that’s what I love about this work and San Diego in a nutshell.

Nonprofit work is relational. It’s often about people and really leading with servant leadership. My job may not carry as many zeros as others, but at the end of the day those I support often fuel my desire to get back into the trenches the next day. In my roles, I’ve created community councils, taught financial literacy, helped students with college applications, supported job seekers with resumes, and developed and overseen curricula to teach unique populations computers and in my current role at SAY San Diego I’ve led a county-wide community collaborative called the San Diego Military Family Collaborative, responsible for helping to asset mapped San Diego County for the military-connected audience, and have also helped launch a newly designated federal fatherhood initiative called, “Dads Corps.” But these programs and causes really were not possible without the support of those I work on behalf of daily including refugee/immigrant populations, Latino/Hispanic and Black/African-American communities, and most recently military populations. For someone seeking to get involved, I often share that it is vital to not only offer your help/support, but to also take time to be a learner of these communities and their cultural ties. So my advice for other nonprofit professionals is to gain experience, advance by asking questions and providing solutions, and being ok with making and learning from mistakes. My career route wasn’t linear, but was built on my experiences, integrity, and intentions to desire change my local communities for the better by better addressing the needs of others and supporting them to strive for more. There’s a lot of need out there. You don’t have to be a nonprofit professional to make a difference, but I LOVE when folks ask how to get started to go down a similar path as I smile and say, “Are you sure?”

So I’ll l finish by saying, “You can’t get in the game if you sit on the bench,” so try new things and grow to be comfortable with working in discomfort or in situations without directions because that’s when your creativity comes out. If your heart is in the game and your mind is open to new opportunities that this field has something to offer you so decide how you’d like to leave your mark!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love do love exploring San Diego…this is true, but now having two little ones makes some of my lifestyle a little less adventurous as it was in the past, but if someone was coming from out of town, I’d suggest spending some time at the beach or going on one of the many beautiful hikes/trails that can be found all over town. I personally love to hike Torrey Pines and then pop over to La Jolla for a bite to eat at many of the restaurants that can be found around time.

As a parent now, we do more family-friendly places like One Paseo in the Del Mar area, which still has some great bites and Harland Brewery Tasting room. San Diego is great because it has something for everyone so if working in different areas like City Heights or South Bay or North Park, I would just say to try to stumble into places you hadn’t tried before whether that’s for Pho, Rame, Tj style tacos, or a good ole California Burrito…the food is good all over this city and when in doubt ask someone or use your nose like Tucan Sam used to say. And finally, sometimes it’s nice to be a tourist in your own town so visit Coronado or get lost in the history of Old Town and perhaps grab a margarita and handmade tortilla while you’re there.

San Diego is such a large and diverse area that it takes time to explore all parts of town and get a good sense of each area so just pace yourself as there are ample good bites and good times to be had!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been a lot of great teachers to push me on my path. First and foremost, my family, my parents, my sister, and my wife have all been extremely supportive and helped push me when I needed a push. I’ve had great teachers in the workplace, some positive mentors like Louis Nava, Kelly Henwood, Maarla Milligan, and John Funk who never questioned my intention or commitment to supporting others often opening up doors I didn’t even know existed. But I’ll also give a shout-out to those teachers, colleagues, and supervisors that I couldn’t see eye to eye with or who may have doubted me as you also helped fuel me to work with integrity despite the lack of support or connections.

Sometimes, the biggest teachers in life are your own experiences, but you’ve got to learn from past mistakes or the mistakes of others to push you into the next step of your career. This quote has always stuck with me, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” by George Santayana so while I continue to make mistakes today, I make it a point to learn from these encounters, which have forged who I am today.

Now, as a father, my final shoutout goes to my kids who continue to push me to be the best dad I can possibly be and be accountable for working towards that often elusive concept of work-life balance!!!

Website: https://www.saysandiego.org/ and https://sdmilitaryfamily.org/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-romero-66aa734/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAYSanDiego and https://www.facebook.com/sdmilfam