A Friend for All Friendship Center’s New Executive Director
Kathryn Westland is the new executive director for the Friendship Center Adult Day Services (FC) in Montecito. This is the first appointment to the position since Heidi Holly, who held the position for 38 years and retired earlier this year. Westland worked at the FC as program manager from fall 2017 through January 2021, and at the Alzheimer’s Association Central Coast Chapter as the director of programs (February 2021 to June 2023).
When we sat down at the FC to talk about her return as executive director, its programs, and her background, she shared that caring for people with dementia was something she experienced first-hand living 13 years with her grandfather, who had Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
Westland holds a Master of Arts with Honours in Sustainable Development from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, and a Master of International Public Health and Master of Public Health from the University of Sydney School of Medicine, Australia, with a focus on Ethnogerontology – how culture impacts our views on aging and dementia care models.
Q.Pleaseshare how you found the Friendship Center.
A. I visited my mom, who had relocated to Santa Barbara, for Christmas in 2016, finished my degree early, and in April of 2017 decided to move here. I found the FC in October, it was kismet, it was perfect! I joined the Friendship Center as the program manager and in my cover letter when I applied, I wrote it was my dream to operate my own adult day program for dependent adults. I wasn’t just saying that to get the job, it was true! As the program manager, I had the absolute time of my life. Every morning I would come to work and give 30 hugs and kisses to people who were genuinely happy to see me, and I them… what could be better than that!? Some of the highlights of my time in this role were the many celebrations, such as our Halloween, Oktoberfest, Senior Prom, and other parties (we had a lot of parties), tapped into the local community as much as possible to do talks and presentations, Richie’s Barbershop set up shop for the men, had live music, a petting zoo, and outings. During the pandemic I led us to a virtual model, Zoom, and the average age of our members was 88. We secured grants to get everyone an iPad and we started April 2020, Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm, doing activities, we partnered with Bucket Brigade, and more.
The most meaningful part of this job was learning from the members. They taught me lessons on respect that can only be learned from the personal interactions with decades of wisdom.
How did your appointment as executive director come about?
Leaving FC in 2021 was very hard, and I always stayed very close with the Executive Director Heidi Holly. When the position announcement came, I went for it. I had a lot of confidence in expressing my visions for FC’s future in a way that was realistic yet innovative. This is my first ED role and I have a long road ahead of me but couldn’t be luckier to have a strong board of directors, led by one of our community’s most impactful leaders, Cynder Sinclair. She and Heidi have welcomed me with open arms and have been the ‘wind beneath my wings’ from the start. I am so incredibly grateful for these two women and their belief in me!
What programs would you like to initiate at the FC?
We are the only nonprofit organization in this area providing day support specifically for adults living with dementia since 1976, and uniquely offer a sliding scale, no one is turned away, we will make sure they are able to come here. We have people from Carpinteria, Ventura, the Gaviota area, the 154, and the Santa Barbara area.
I look forward to offering new programs that branch off of our traditional day program model, which has been very successful, so adding older adults who are simply looking for structure and socialization. I envision programs that focus on cognitive and physical fitness, partnering with the community agencies, special interest groups for retirees, volunteer groups for the adults to connect with local needs, and a Spanish language program designed specifically for the cultural and linguistic diversity of our Latino community. The mission of Friendship Center is to provide a safe, beautiful place where dignity, purpose, and joy are at the forefront.
What does the FC provide?
Peace of mind for families and friends who bring their loved one here. And giving purpose for our members.
What is the coolest thing about your position?
I get to be around hundreds of years of wisdom and life lessons here in our members. If I have a stain on my clothes that I can’t get out, if my dog is sick and I don’t know what to feed her, if I need advice on birthday gifts for my in-laws, or if I’m just having a hard day and need a warm hug, they are all here for that. Friendship Center is a community of individuals who have lived full, meaningful lives and to be able to receive their wisdoms and watch their face light up as they go into ‘grandma mode’ again is a gift for which I cannot begin to express my gratitude. Also, this group has the best banter in the world so I’m always laughing or cracking jokes with them.
What do you do to unwind and for fun that helps you perform best in your position?
I am very energetic and like to be doing 200 things at a time so having structure helps me be present for my role and my team. In spring I started a routine of going to the gym every morning before work. I’ve found a few other strategies to introduce structure into my days, such as having a collection of photos with different outfit combinations and removing the snooze feature from my alarm. To unwind I like to nap with my dog, go for walks down State Street with my husband, or watch silly reality tv shows with my mom and sister, who live in Montana, on Facetime.
Anything else you would like the readers to know?
Though I might not look like the obvious service population, I want people to know that this is what the next generation of caregivers look like: we are working full-time jobs (living costs have gone up), living in smaller spaces, growing our families, pursuing more leisure activities, and trying to figure out how to make mom thrive in her golden years while also climbing my own ladder. I lost my dad while I was in graduate school and carried a weight that I wasn’t around to help him find his joy at the end of his life. That weight, however, has propelled me in my career and personal life to make sure, as much as I possibly can, that everyone gets to live out their final chapter doing whatever they want to be happy and take any of that weight off their loved ones’ shoulders.
Bringing someone to Friendship Center is not selfish; it’s a gift to give your loved one as a reminder that they deserve more.
