We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephanie Rampone and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephanie, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
As my family has grown, I have had to reevaluate my work/life balance. In the early days of my career, before having a family, the balance basically did not exist. Work was everything to me! But as I have gained experience and taken on more responsibilities in my home life (plus had my son 4 years ago), I have sought a more balanced approach. I try to set clearer boundaries, negotiating flexible work arrangements, and find ways to integrate work with personal life. I also focus on personal interests and family time. I am really trying to make adjustments to improve well-being – evaluating my personal goals and self-care (something everyone should prioritize, in my opinion).

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our non-profit organization, DFW Angels, wraps around children, youth and families experiencing foster care. Our programs are unique in that we serve not only the children and youth, but also their caregivers and the biological children in the home. By getting into the trenches with the caregivers, they feel seen and empowered to continue providing integral support to children and youth! This in turn, provides placement stability for the children in the home and helps them heal from trauma.

We are working daily to change the statistics surrounding foster care, and our programs are proven to make a huge difference in the lives of those we serve. We connect families experiencing foster care with committed, passionate volunteers who provide stable relationships that help them to flourish.

The biggest challenge in our business is finding the right volunteers, as they are the heartbeat of our programs. We are constantly receiving referrals of families in need, and those families need everyday people to step up and step into their lives in a genuine, consistent way. We are so encouraged to see that the number of families and volunteers in our programs this year are higher than they have ever been! The more our DFW Angels name and mission are spread to the community, the more people sign up (and follow through) to help. When all of these things work together, we make a greater the impact on the foster care system!

Diving into the issues surrounding foster care is not easy. The majority of the kids we serve come from hard places; however, we are driven by the positive impact stories we have seen through our programs. We have witnessed youth who never considered college as an option, accepted to universities and pursue higher education with the help of their mentors. One youth is attending university in London to study physics! Younger kids in our program who had fallen behind years in school due to multiple foster placements have worked with their volunteers and mentors to excel in school and meet educational requirements. The relationships we are building are more than just a quick fix. The positive results last a lifetime for those involved.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Frisco, TX, and there are so many fun things to do here! If a friend was visiting (and hopefully if the weather was nice), I would take them to the PGA headquarters to play golf on the huge putting green, to hit some golf balls at their driving range, and have lunch or dinner at the Ice House.

Our family also enjoys Grandscape in the Colony, which has a lot of options for fun outings. A few options are Fireside Surf for actual surfing waves (or a bar to sit and watch the “real” surfers do their thing), Andretti’s arcade and go-carts, Scheels massive sports store, The Puttery adult mini golf, and a “luxury” Ferris wheel. The Star in Frisco has multiple restaurants to try (Lombardi’s and Mi Cocina are my favorite), the Omni Hotel for cocktails, and a large football field where kids can run and play. Frisco Rough Riders Minor League baseball games have been a favorite event for us to take guests, and the stadium has a great playground for when the kids need a break from sitting.

If we had time to head to Fort Worth, we would definitely hit the Drover Hotel, walk around the Stock Yards and visit the Rodeo. Joe T. Garcia’s for food and margaritas are always a hit!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to give a shoutout to my husband, Chris, who has fully supported me in my career shift. I went from working almost 20 years in the fashion industry in New York City, to working for a nonprofit in Frisco, TX! It hasn’t always been easy, but having his encouragement is so important. About a year ago, we were taking a walk and he stopped me and said “I think you should look at a career change. Your focus on helping kids in need is so apparent and I think it would be really good for you.” At the time I was so busy and overwhelmed by my current job, I couldn’t really see it any other way. His comment was the push I needed to start researching a new position at DFW Angels (where I am currently working).

Website: https://www.dfwangels.org

Instagram: @dfwangels

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hunt-a2b38423/?trk=opento_sprofile_topcard

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