Carie Fanning To Retire As FSN Executive Director

Family Strengths Network Executive Director Carie Fanning works with a young artist on an art project. Fanning will retire June 30. Courtesy/FSN

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

It’s an often told story in Los Alamos that a husband or a wife will “trail” their spouse to town after receiving a job at the laboratory. Once here, they wonder what they will do, how they will meet people and what is available for their children.

That was Carie Fanning’s story when she first moved to town in the early 90s. In an interview with the Los Alamos Daily Post Monday, she recalled feeling isolated with one young child and another on its way.

“I feel passionate about other mothers and parents not having to go through that,” Fanning said.

As Executive Director of Family Strengths Network (FSN) for eight years, Fanning and the whole FSN team have worked to ensure that parents and children who come to Los Alamos feel they belong in the community and are aware that help is available.

Now it is time to pass the torch to someone else. Fanning is retiring from FSN June 30. The hope, she said, is that her replacement will be hired by April so there will be a good transition period.

Looking back on her time at FSN, Fanning said there have been a lot of high points.

“First off, moving to this beautiful space on Orange Street … we have made this space look beautiful,” she said. “We have increased our funding to more than double, which has allowed us to have more programs and be more connected to the community.”

FSN’s presence in the community also has grown; Fanning said more people are aware that it exists. This is important, she explained, because FSN can be invaluable to newcomers.

“We have so many families that come here from around the world and from around the country and we have mothers who are trailing spouses or a partner who doesn’t know where to meet people and … I think we are a sanity point for young families,” Fanning said.

She added that “we offer resources and connect people to help that they need for little ones, big ones and moments of crisis. So, they can get their footing.”

FSN Board Member Kate Cleveland added that FSN also reaches out to those who are often under-served such as grandparents who are raising grandchildren or transgendered and non-binary individuals.

She explained that at FSN, “not only are we connecting (families) with those resources, but we are providing parental support through the space and reassuring parents that we can all share our stories in a safe space.”

The right candidate for the executive director, Cleveland said, is someone who continues FSN’s successes: staying financially strong, cultivating an atmosphere that makes the community more aware of FSN and the work it does.

“I think the board is really happy with the direction we are going but is open to fantastic new ideas,” she said. “There’s definitely an openness to see where (FSN) can grow and how to foster that growth. Also to continue the servant leadership and the collaboration with the community and how those can be taken to the next level.”

Fanning added the right person is someone who works with a team. FSN has enjoyed having a group of women who get along well and value everyone’s thought processes, she said.

This sense of teamwork extends beyond FSN, Fanning said FSN networks with many other organizations in the community including Las Cumbres, First Born and the Teen Center.

It’s a tall order but a worthwhile one. Fanning said she has gained a lot as executive director.

She said she has had the chance to meet a lot of people and refine her public speaking skills.

“I have a lot of opportunities to learn about peer mentorship,” Fanning added. Plus, she said she learned things she never wanted to learn about like technology and the budgeting process.

“I learned how to stretch myself and to take things in bite size pieces,” she said. “I think I really learned that most good things don’t happen in a moment, they happened in several moments or maybe years.”

It is work she said she will miss.

“I’m going to miss a lot of it at some level,” Fanning said. “I’m going to miss our staff. They are friends and my people.”

Cleveland said Fanning also will be sorely missed.

“I think she is such a bright personality,” Cleveland said. “I’ve enjoyed working with her even when I didn’t know her that well – I just love her warm, caring nature as we worked together … I know how hard she works and how passionately she cares. She is just a really, really nice person.”

Fanning said she doesn’t have any big plans for when she retires. Her husband also is retiring and she said they figure retirement is a big decision and they would like to make one big decision at a time. They do plan to stay in town for the time being and Fanning said she is considering doing some freelance grant writing.

FSN, 3540 Orange St., has a staff of four and one contractor. Additionally, there are between 40-50 volunteers throughout a given year. Popular programming includes toddler crafts, STEM activities and Fourth Friday Play Dates. FSN offers support groups and parenting classes as well as a resource library and a toy lending library.

With everything they offer, Fanning emphasized FSN fills a big need in the community.

“We’re this transient community, we have new people coming all the time … I feel we help … we create a space where people want to stay,” she said.

People need support systems, Fanning said and FSN offers that support. For more information, visit https://www.lafsn.org/

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