Meet RESPECT Program & Development Manager Cara Neufeld

What is your favorite RESPECT educational play?
You’d think that would be a tough question, because RESPECT has so many amazing plays, but it’s not hard for me; Puppy Pals, hands down, is my favorite show. I’ve seen this play several times, and each time, I’m suddenly 5 again, shouting out answers when prompted, clapping gleefully when Snuggles raps about how to make a friend, and I still play along each time we all do the Stop & Think routine. It’s wonderful to have a valid excuse to let your inner child out! And the best part is watching the little, little ones have so much fun seeing the show.

What is the best part of your job?
As RESPECT’s Program and Development Manager, there are many, MANY different parts of my job. Scheduling, managing the calendar, sorting mail, collecting and analyzing data, organizing rehearsals, answering phones and emails, making meeting agendas, contacting sites, helping on committees, and basically just trying to keep everything organized and running smoothly. It’s SUCH an awesome job, and I love how it keeps me on my toes! But at the end of the day, my favorite part of the job is how it offers so many opportunities to develop relationships with other staff, board members, and community contacts. This position enables me to interact with dozens of amazing, brilliant, kind people every day. I feel very lucky!

What is something that you’ve learned by being part of RESPECT?
What HAVEN’T I learned by being a part of RESPECT!? There’s SO much! But ultimately, I have learned that I’m capable of more than I thought. And that’s all because Dr. Patricia Newman had faith in me, and Paige Brenneman trained me so very well. I’m forever grateful.