Meet Ryan from the Pause Board!
Family voice. It is essential to the mission, vision and values of Pause. The needs of families drive the program forward, continually shift with culture and are current with family needs. Family voice shows up when we ask for family feedback after events, when we capture what families need on the Family Journey Map assessment upon enrollment and even at our monthly Board meetings where families with lived experience make up 60% of our Board of Directors.
We’d love to introduce you to the Secretary of our Pause Board and Pause caregiver, Ryan Buckingham!
Ryan lives with his wife, Sarah, and their two amazing kids, Gavin and Henry. The Buckingham’s were introduced to Pause as a family first as their two children are neurodivergent. Gavin is gifted and has a diagnosis of ADHD and Henry has been diagnosed with Autism, ADHD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder and language delays. These diagnoses help others understand their joys and struggles, but we celebrate loudly that they don’t define them. Ryan says, “This makes life pretty tough at times, but I also believe my experience in understanding, raising and supporting Henry has made me a wiser, kinder and more patient and empathetic person. At least I hope so!”
In his free time, Ryan is an investing/stock market junkie with subscriptions to Barron’s and the Wall Street Journal. He’s also just a really cool and funny guy - check out his #FunFacts:
“I like coin collecting, though I don’t have the time or money to spend on it. I’m a big fan of wine and spirits, interesting food from all over the world, and of course, travel (when we can get away). I also enjoy following our local sports teams – especially the Bengals. I love history and enjoy watching documentaries on Netflix and the half dozen other streaming services that we've forgotten we signed up for. I grew up living in two different cemeteries, so I have stories that entertain and petrify unwitting audiences. I passed on a job with the CIA after college when I heard the words “hardship post,” and I’m still debating whether that made me smart, cowardly, or both. Instead, I took a job as a data analyst about a decade before it was trendy, and today I’m Sr. Manager of Business Analytics at EyeMed Vision Care, a subsidiary of EssilorLuxottica. I use advanced analytics to uncover fraud, waste, abuse and erroneous payments on insurance claims.”
Pause holds a high value of honoring personal gifts. We asked Ryan why serving as Secretary on the Board was important to him. “...It provides a way for me to use my knowledge and skills to help advance the mission and vision of Pause, and to give back to an organization that’s been instrumental in providing our family the community and support we desperately lacked at a time when we needed it most. Our family knows firsthand how isolating a special needs condition can be, and how few resources and avenues are available in our area when families and caregivers need a little help, a break, or even someone who truly understands to lend an ear. Pause is changing lives for the better by offering families a place where they belong, a bit of rest and connection, and honestly, hope. As a special needs parent and a tireless advocate, it’s an honor to represent the voices of others in similar circumstances as Pause continues to evolve and grow, striving to be more and do more, touching the lives and hearts of more people every day.
I feel called to help make a positive impact on families in our community. Sarah and I are founding members of the Lakota CARES district support group for families of children with disabilities, which arose out of a passion to fill some of the same gaps as Pause but with specific focus on, and working relationships with, our school district. I’m also a member of the diversity, equity and inclusion task force at my company and among the first to bring perspectives on disabilities – and autism in particular. I hauled my tools as often as I could to help with assembly and setup of Pause’s new space at Center Pointe. The new space marked a new era at Pause, and I’m excited for what’s next. I’m so appreciative of the staff and volunteers who make every impact not just possible, but amazing!”
Ryan - thank you for being such a fierce advocate for your own family and for ALL Pause families! We are lucky to call you a leader of our program!
This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.
