A message from Layla, our new Executive Director
Layla enjoying the snow on-mountain
It is a rare thing that creates lasting and beneficial change in the lives of so many that it touches. the Service Board has always been an example of this for me, and it remains a reminder that mentorship is so critical to our continuing development. Whether we are fortunate enough to receive guidance in our youth, or dedicate our time and energy in adulthood to providing that same guidance to others, these are the relationships that nurture and enrich us and contribute to our collective liberation as a society. Now, after more than a decade of working and growing with this amazing organization, as an alum, mentor, snowboard instructor, and staff member, I am stoked for the opportunity to serve as the next Executive Director of tSB and continue the cycle of community mentorship!
The impact of this organization and the support of the tSB community has reached nearly every part of my life. My love of the mountains and the outdoors was born here. Many of my longstanding and most impactful relationships were developed within this community. Here I faced just as many challenges and low points as I did joyful highs, but with so many mentors and supporters cheering me on and uplifting me every step of the way.
Peer Leaders from 2006, Layla Anane (second from the left)
As I look back on all the experiences that have led me to this point, I have so much appreciation for the people and partners that have been instrumental in keeping our doors open for each new generation. Those who were and are willing to do the work in community, not because it is ever easy or popular, but because every young person deserves the opportunity to imagine themselves as capable of creating a brighter future for themselves and others. Their work continually inspires me to step up and lead.
I transition into this new position with a strong network of mentors and community, a graduate degree in international politics with a focus on nonprofit and NGO accountability, and significant experience in programming, fundraising, communications, nonprofit administration and project management. I retain a wealth of experience working in diverse communities both in the United States and abroad. I have also been fortunate to develop multiple competencies in the outdoors – snowboarding, splitboarding, mountaineering – and am passionate about facilitating culturally relevant access, engagement, and healing for communities working to undo the damaging effects of systemic oppression. As a result, the foundations of this organization – social justice, mentorship, service, outdoor engagement – are values that deeply resonate with me personally and professionally. With this combination of skills and experience, I hope not only to strengthen these foundations and deepen our commitment to uplifting youth voice, but also to serve the ever evolving needs of this community.
I can’t think of a better place to step into a leadership position. After everything this community has given me, I am grateful for the opportunity to give some of that energy back. In a rapidly changing and (at times) disappointing social, political, economic and environmental landscape, our mission to uplift and center youth voice across sectors to create change seems even more important. Every young person, especially those from communities that bear the brunt of consequences from policy changes, deserve the same opportunity that I had: to be rooted in their own power, to deepen their relationship to the land and each other, and to know that a whole community is behind them as the advocate for change.
I look forward to leading tSB into the next phase of its development and I hope you will join me in investing in future opportunities for aspiring young mentors, advocates, snowboarders, and leaders.
In community,
Layla Anane
2006 tSB youth and mentors on mountain, Layla pictured in the center
About Layla Anane
Layla has a B.A. in Anthropology and M.A. in International Affairs, both from the University of Washington. Prior to working at the Service Board, she worked as a grant writer with an international NGO and most recently as a litigation paralegal, using her skills in both English and Spanish to support individuals in the community through the legal process. These experiences have equipped her to take on leadership roles where she is responsible for advancing initiatives for youth across all walks of life. She is also a certified snowboard instructor, registered yoga
instructor, avid climber, mountaineer, and runner, with a deep commitment to lifelong learning, social and environmental justice, and public service.
