Elaine Morgado is a member of the BOSS Board of Directors who was first introduced to the organization over thirty years ago when she served as staff (Job Developer) at BOSS’s Hayward shelter, South County Homeless Project (SCHP). Most recently, Elaine returned to that program as a multi-talented volunteer, leading residents in healing, social, and skill-building activities. She recently sat down with BOSS Chief Development Officer to discuss her many roles in BOSS, her experiences and life lessons.
How did you first hear about BOSS?
I was actually working for another shelter program, also in Hayward. And we would partner with BOSS. And one of our Board Members where I worked was also a Board Member of BOSS – she was very active between the different shelters and would donate to both FESCO and BOSS.
I was doing case management at FESCO, hearing good things about BOSS, and at one point they posted for a job development position, so I applied.
What was your background before joining social services?
I graduated from Cal State. My undergrad was psychology, and I was intent on going to go into social work. I did counseling at a group home first, for a few years. Then I was a job developer and a case manager. I was at BOSS maybe a year and a half? I was running workshops and doing one-on-one case management for clients. I was helping them with their resumes, mock interviews, how to do job search, all that kind of stuff.
Around that time is when Silicon Valley really started to boom. And by then I had I remarried and had two kids. So I left BOSS to go to Silicon Valley. I worked for semiconductor industry and then I worked for a dot com. This is pre-Google. And it’s interesting because looking back, honestly, BOSS was very pivotal in my being able to make that switch. Because what I learned as a job developer, I applied into my own life, so I could earn more money to raise my family. And it allowed us to purchase tour first piece of property - our first home. It became our forever home.
What was it like working for tech way back then?
Man, the stories. It was so fun. It was interesting because I parlayed social work, case management, job development and all that into for-profit HR recruitment. Because I still wanted to work with people, help them. One of the buildings I used to work at was a dot-com. And a lot of times when a company folded, ex-employees went to Google. I remember they called me. Guess what employee number I am? I'm number something – small numbers. Our building was famous because we had slides, my kids used to come out and play when they didn't have school. It was a playground, but you never left - that's how they get you to work.
I parlayed that into different gigs in Silicon Valley, and then the tech bubble burst. From there, I went to healthcare. At that time, nobody wanted to go into healthcare, because they just loved Silicon Valley. But as a recruiter, I was like, you see how it goes up and down.
Like, every six months. Y'all are going to get laid off. But so many of them maybe didn't have families at that time, whereas I was like, I can't risk getting laid off every six months.
A colleague I had met from previous gigs said there’s a job at Kaiser, you want it? I took it, and the opportunity was to make it permanent, and I thought, should I look for another temporary gig or make it permanent? I converted over to permanent and stayed for 22 years.
While you were working, why you start thinking about volunteering?
In Kaiser, I worked on the hospital plan side and on the physician side too, supporting in admin HR support. When I transferred to downtown Oakland, I worked at 1800 Harrison and loved it – the lake, Snow Park, Wellness events, the Warriors parades right downtown. Those were good times. And when your organization is supporting health and wellness, it gives you opportunities for community benefit activities, so I started volunteering. Our HR department was very supportive, so instead of switching job to job all the time, I stayed at one job that had the community benefit opportunities that I missed - so I could feel more full, more right.
I also did ergonomics when it was new. I wasn't a clinician, I wasn't a nurse, but I became
certified to be an ergonomic evaluator, to help with injury prevention and healthy workplaces. And it was a whole new way to help people. Then I also did like stuff for the social committee. Oh, and I started singing. And I’m doing that at the shelter too.
What kind of stuff are you singing at the shelter for them?
Sometimes I take requests. Last night I sang Prince, Purple Rain. I’ve got to get them to video tape. And I asked Jayde (Jayde Woolery, SCHP Program Manager), what about some outdoor games? Because they just cleared out that back area, the volunteer group. So, we’re going to do more outside. Basically, I started volunteering when I was having more time when my kids were older, just more time on my hands or more availability. Then that's when I was like, okay, then I can probably start volunteering outside of the company.
And you thought of BOSS?
I did. I always remembered there were particular things about BOSS that made it special. I remember one time there was a talent show and one of the residents, or maybe it was one of the staff, got up and did spoken word. And I loved that. I write poetry. I, I used to draw, I studied fashion. And the BOSS talent show, it was so poignant, the residents felt comfortable in that space. Being so vulnerable and expressing their art.
How did you first connect as a Board Member? I went on volunteer match, and the rest is history.
I always wanted to go back and do volunteer work on site in the community, person to person. Because everything in life is give and take. That's always how we were raised. I get as much back as I give. I brought the equipment into SCHP, but I was like, okay you guys, I don't know how to set this up. But I knew someone would know how to do it. And they did.
Because someone will always know, and now they get up and they enjoy singing. There’s also a library there, and I brought books in.
I got to talking with a resident, and he’s writing a book. Oh my god, like the hidden talents. We don't even know. It's all tied into my life experience from just growing up in the Bay Area in a big family, the things I've seen, things we've gone through, our community and stuff like that. My family's been in Hayward since 1976. We came from San Francisco, and before that the Philippines. My parents still live at the same house that I grew up in. And my brother’s nearby, and my nephews, and my daughters are in San Leandro, Castro Valley.
My dad used to have his own business, he used to have a store. And there's benefits to having a business when you're raising a family – we always have food, right? And my mom worked at the bank, so she had benefits. For forty years. My dad at some point had three jobs. I was like, oh, could you not? Could you not? But now it's like my youngest grandson just had his first birthday, and I get it. I can’t retire. Too much to do still.
Join Our Board of Directors
The Board governs BOSS' award-winning work across Alameda County. While the BOSS Chief Executive Officer(CEO)leads day-to-day operations, Board Members provide mission-based leadership and strategic governance. This is an extraordinary opportunity for an individual who is passionate about BOSS’s mission and has a track record of executive leadership. BOSS actively seeks individuals who reflect our community, including lived experience.
To apply, send your cover letter and resume to:
Donald Frazier (Chief Executive Officer): dfrazier@self-sufficiency.org
Hamilton Hunt (Board President): hamilton.hunt@gmail.com
For a full description click here.✦
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