Indio resident Paula Simonds describes herself as an “organizational lover.”
“I love to create new programs and implement strategies, and watch nonprofit organizations grow,” she said.
Born and raised in Modesto, Simonds said she learned a lot from her parents.
“I ended up in the world where I am, in nonprofits, because they were so community-minded. They cared about the community and their neighbors, etc.,” Simonds said. “My mom was a teacher, and my dad was an electrical engineer. I ultimately ended up in the world of gymnastics and dance. That was probably my (career) goal back then.”
Simonds was a cheerleader and dance teacher when she met her future husband, Joe, in college. He played collegiate golf, and is now a PGA golf professional. Simonds coached gymnastics in Northern California, and in 1996, shortly after the birth of their second son, the couple moved their family to the Coachella Valley.
“Our family owned the Golf Center at Palm Desert. That’s what brought us here,” she said.
Simonds herself is not a golfer.
“I don’t care for it,” she said. “Hats off to those who love the game. I’m married to it; I enjoy watching others do it, but it’s not for me.”
One of Simonds’ first jobs here in the valley was as a coach at Desert Heat gymnastics. Later, she took over the gymnastics program at the Family YMCA of the Desert. She also headed up the Junior Golf Foundation at the Golf Center at Palm Desert.
“We’d go out to the schools and do on-site golf programs,” she said. “Our program was only one of three in the country that was awarded a Tiger Woods Foundation grant.”
Simonds moved up through the leadership program at the YMCA, and then in 2014, an opportunity arose with the Desert Cancer Foundation.
“They were looking for an executive director,” she said. “Helping those with cancer has been dear to my heart since I lost my aunt to breast cancer years ago, so it seemed like a good fit.”
Simonds said she’s proud that she was instrumental in expanding Paint El Paseo Pink, the yearly walk down El Paseo to raise money for breast cancer research and treatment.
“I see myself as a visionary, but it takes a good team around you, including a board of directors, staff, volunteers and the community,” she said.
Simonds and her husband went back to the Modesto area in 2017 when he was hired as the general manager for a golf club in Turlock. But after 18 months, they made the decision to return to the valley, even though neither one of them had a job lined up at the time. It didn’t take long for Simonds to land her position with the YMCA in 2019. Her husband is a golf instructor at the JW Marriott Desert Springs.
The YMCA started in London in 1844 to provide support for young men during the industrial revolution. It came to the United States several year later.
“This year is the launch of the (United States) Y’s big 175th anniversary, with the tag line, ‘No place like this place,’ Simonds said. “What I can say from my time here is that it’s a very accurate statement. I started at the YMCA right before COVID hit. I remember asking myself, ‘What does our Y mean for this community?’ We offer lots of childcare programs. So when COVID hit, we wanted to make sure we could keep the doors open for our working parents: ‘When COVID is over, we want this community to remember who the Y was in their life.’”
The Family YMCA of the Desert is not a full facility membership Y with a gym, swimming facilities, etc.—but Simonds said that is a goal down the road. Right now, the Family YMCA operates in 10 different locations, offering a variety of services.
“We try to listen to the community, and ask them what they need: Is it financial literacy? Is it yoga? GED support, food supplies, etc.?” Simonds said. “We’ve developed many great partnerships in the valley over the last few years, with places like Hidden Harvest and the Boys and Girls Club.”
Simonds said that with so many worthwhile charities in the desert all needing money, there is a phenomenon that folks in the world of nonprofits call “fundraising fatigue.”
“You’ve got to combine continuing to put on tried-and-true events with also finding something fresh and new,” she said. “Price points are an issue. We have to deal with rising prices for local hotels and conference spaces, which means we have to raise ticket prices. There’s always that conversation.”
“My mom had early onset Parkinsons, and I’ve had other family members with dementia. I’m at a point, both personally and professionally, where this feels like an exciting move.”
Paula Simonds, on her new role as executive director of Alzheimers Coachella Valley
Talking about her work with the YMCA is bittersweet, since she is about to move into a new position as the executive director of Alzheimers Coachella Valley.
Simonds’ connection with Alzheimers Coachella Valley began when she was at the Desert Cancer Foundation. The founders of ACV came to her to talk through the ins and outs of starting a nonprofit. The organization has grown a great deal since it started in 2017, and its board recently decided it was time to hire an executive director. Simonds said it was serendipity.
“My mom had early onset Parkinsons, and I’ve had other family members with dementia,” she said. “I’m at a point, both personally and professionally, where this feels like an exciting move.”
In her spare time, Simonds enjoys spending time with her family, including her brand-new granddaughter, and her dogs.
When asked about a philosophy of life, she quotes something a pastor said recently: “How do you live your dash? You can’t say when you’re going to arrive, and you can’t say when you’re going to leave. But how are you living in that brief time in-between?”
She adds: “Life is not always easy. Challenges come and go. Like my mom always used to say: ‘Don’t let others change who you are.’ Helping others—that’s who I am.”
Bonnie Gilgallon has written theater reviews for the Independent since 2013. She hosts a digital interview show, The Desert Scene, which can be heard on www.thedesertscene.com and viewed on Mutual Broadcasting’s YouTube channel. Learn more at bonnie-g.com.