Ten Things to Know about Ericka

In October 2022, Ericka Ayala Ronson assumed the role of Executive Director at Mission Services of London. Working previously as Director for Development and Communications, she hopes to create meaningful impact leading the organization and expand its reach in helping our neighbours in the community.

We had the opportunity to get to know Ericka with an exclusive interview for this issue. We asked her about her overall journey working at Mission Services of London, and how it shaped her as a leader for the organization:

  1. Joining the nonprofit sector is a calling. Prior to joining the Mission Services of London in 2012, Ericka has always had a special place for volunteering. When she was 14 years old, she volunteered to organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society. However, her love for business and marketing has always been there. “I had to see the intersection between business and the nonprofit sector to make an impact and gear towards that motion of changing the community,” Ericka said. When asked why she chose to work at Mission Services of London, she said, “The services that Mission Services provides are all about basic needs: food, safe shelter, safety and security and have that opportunity for a better future.”
  2. Saying YES to ED was a long journey. Before saying yes to the challenge, Ericka pondered hard enough if she would take on the Executive Director role at Mission Services of London. “It wasn’t an immediate answer; aside from assessing my skills and experience, I spent time in prayer,” Ericka shared. “I have always enjoyed my first role as Director for Development for over five years and I wanted to take on the next challenge,” she added. For Ericka, she sees the Executive Director role as an opportunity to shape the future of Mission Services of London, and empower others on how that goal can be achieved.
  3. She is a versatile leader. “Personally, I feel that as you mature in your leadership journey, you tend to develop a certain versatility to your leadership style,” Ericka said. “I tend to go for mentorship or coaching style and will adapt to the needs of the people around me. However, my leadership philosophy is one of service to the people I work with and the style I use depends on the people involved, the situation at hand, and what outcomes we’re looking for,” she added.
  4. She fills her inspiration tank from visiting different Mission Services sites. In the interview, Ericka said she goes to different sites without any set agenda. She regularly checks in with different colleagues to get to know the work they do in action, and apply those to her work. When asked about her unforgettable memory, she recalls, “I remember going to Rotholme Family Shelter and in their living room, there were an unusual number of strollers. That may not seem like unusual to others, but in that moment, I realized that these families, including children as young as babies or toddlers, are struggling. If it weren’t for Rotholme, where would these families be?” Ericka said. In that five minutes, she realized the impact the organization is doing, which gave her more motivation to strive harder and never give up even when the day is tough.
  5. Forming connections make a difference. For Ericka, the greatest fulfillment she gets from working at Mission Services of London is building connections with neighbours in the community. “Working with colleagues at Quintin Warner House, a former director once said, “the opposite of addiction is connection,” and it makes so much sense to me,” she said. Ericka shared she learns mostly from colleagues who interact with clients every day who often “find home or a community of belonging.” According to Ericka, sharing these inspiring stories of hope will give our community a chance to work together to collectively address homelessness, addiction and hurt.
  6. Selfcare is very important. Working at a nonprofit can definitely be challenging! As connections are important, it is vital to build rapport, trust, time and energy to help others. According to Ericka, “I would say the challenges we see at Mission Services of London is the same with other nonprofits. For one, the world is still in recovery mode [from the pandemic] and we need to adapt and be flexible,” she shared. “We also take a closer look on what staff encounter from a day-to-day basis. Working at a social service agency, we see ourselves helping others but we oftentimes forget to take care of ourselves. There are circumstances where sometimes interactions can inflict trauma, so we need to have mechanisms for self-care,” she added.
  7. She’s always on the go! As the Executive Director, her schedule is not the usual 9-5pm and things can change very quickly. Ericka starts her day by checking through her schedule and messages. “I have yet to master the skill of not looking at my phone at a certain time of the day, but it’s something I’m working on,” Ericka shared. She likes to be organized and know what’s to come if there are other matters she should attend to first. At the end of her work day, she reviews her schedule for the next day and adjust if needed.
  8. However, work-life balance is still a priority. As Ericka values relationships, she ensures that her time with her family is not sacrificed. “I highly value family time, and I try not to disrupt that by turning the notifications off [my phone]. Though I’m not perfect and periodically check my emails, they tend to call me out if they know it’s their time,” Ericka shared. “I have set some boundaries because apart from being an Executive Director, I am also a wife, sister and daughter to my family, and it’s the most important relationship God has given to all of us.” she added.
  9. Prayers, positive mindset and meditation gets her going. Ericka juggles a lot of things as executive director. “When I feel like I’m close to burnout, I take a step back and have some time for myself,” Ericka shared. “I have a devotional book every year, and it amazes me how what’s written in the book resonates with what I’m feeling at that moment!” she added. While she does these to relieve stress, eating Timbits and other desserts from time to time wouldn’t hurt!
  10. Her advice to those who want to pursue a career in nonprofit: “As what my professor at Ivey Business School said: define what success means to you. Success, to me, is not linear, but if it’s still taking you towards that, then do it. I encourage people to persevere, learn the role and learn from it.” Ericka said. “If you also find that there’s a compromise in conscience, don’t dismiss and speak to someone about it.” She added.

 

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