William “Bill” Rauh Searched for a Meaningful Retirement and Found TFCNJ
Nearing retirement from a successful 29-year career at Johnson & Johnson, William Rauh was looking to join the board of a nonprofit organization whose mission aligned with his interests and skills. He quickly discovered many excellent organizations supporting great causes, and decided to narrow his search to organizations devoted to men and boys. Bill, who has served on the TFCNJ Board since 2020, has many responsibilities, most notably serving on the Finance Committee and chairing the recent Strategic Planning Committee.
What inspired you to join the Board of The Father Center of New Jersey?
Rauh: During my search (for a nonprofit), I came across a YouTube video showing TFCNJ’s forklift training. The amount of interest in training was incredible. I wanted to help such an organization.
Describe the impact of TFCNJ as you have seen it, since joining the Board, and what it has meant to you.
Rauh: It’s easy to understate the breadth of the programs offered by The Father Center of New Jersey—from certificate training, such as welding, to aiding in clients’ job searches, to personal growth such as financial literacy and anger management. TFCNJ’s broad impact is specific and tailored to each individual’s interests. I enjoy bringing my career knowledge and talent to those organizations that can benefit from my experience. Given the nature of my career work, I was unable to spend time volunteering. I am now able to adopt a lifetime approach of one-third learning, one-third earning, and one-third giving back. I am proud to volunteer at this point in my life.
What has been the most rewarding aspect of serving on the Board so far?
Rauh: It has been really rewarding to watch the organization grow to meet the almost limitless demand for their talents and programs. TFCNJ is held in high regard throughout New Jersey. Its positive impact on individuals and their families is significant.
Bill and his wife, Pam, are proud parents of two daughters and have three grandchildren. They reside in Solebury Township, PA.
Faces of Leadership Board Member Spotlight
The Father Center of New Jersey is fortunate to be governed by a highly qualified, respected and dynamic group of Board members who are committed to moving our mission forward. Join us in recognizing the significant contribution each of them makes to our organization and community. This month we are spotlighting Nathalie S. Nelson, CEO and President of Womanspace, who is an active member of TFCNJ’s Board.
Q. What inspired you to join the Board of The Father Center of New Jersey, and
what keeps you motivated to serve?
Nathalie: I have known and respected CEO Emeritus Karen Andrade-Mims and the impactful work of The Father Center of New Jersey for many years. Our missions are closely aligned, as both agencies are dedicated to supporting families, often during times of crisis. The Father Center has made significant contributions to the community, and I am grateful that Womanspace has the opportunity to collaborate with them.
Q. What accomplishment as a Board member of TFCNJ makes you feel especially proud?
Nathalie: I was and continue to be actively involved in the transition from Karen Andrade-Mims to Bryan Evans as CEO. Karen built this organization, back when it was UIH. She is an absolute powerhouse. It was important that we get someone who could continue to lead the organization forward. I was fortunate to be involved in the process of selecting Karen’s replacement. It was crucial to ensure that our next CEO would continue to advance the agency’s mission. As a Board, we knew Bryan was the perfect fit, and in just a few short months, he has already made significant strides in driving the agency forward.
Q. Looking ahead, what do you see as an opportunity for the organization?
Nathalie: Expanding the reach of the organization presents numerous opportunities. The Father Center continues to be in more places in New Jersey. Our goal is to be statewide. The need for our services expands beyond our current geography.
Q. How do you see your skills and experiences contributing to the work of the
Board and toward meeting The Father Center of New Jersey’s mission?
Nathalie: With my experience in the nonprofit sector, I bring valuable knowledge of funding and fundraising to the Board. I am deeply committed to and passionate about the mission, and I am ready to do whatever it takes to support Bryan and help the agency thrive.
Q. You are clearly passionate about nonprofit work. What drives your passion?
Nathalie: My father comes from Haiti, a country that has seen much turmoil. My father felt fortunate to have come to the United States, where he met a lot of wonderful people. My mom and my dad were very active with their church and helped out at the local soup kitchens, and we saw this as kids. It’s how I started to get involved in nonprofit work. I was a CCD teacher for many years, a minister and a lecturer. Even now, with three kids, I am on the PTO Board and involved in my town. If you want to see a difference in the world, you have to get involved.
Q. What do you think makes an effective Board member?
Nathalie: You have to be committed and engaged and, above all else, do the work!
A Father’s Presence is Not a Question – But a Necessity, Written by Ryan Fulwood, Data Technology Coordinator
There have been many discussions across this country about whether or not a father is necessary to the wellbeing of a family. Mainstream media and popular belief could even have us start believing that the father is only there to be comic relief and is otherwise incompetent. One study, highlighted in an article published in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media has shown that fathers have been taken less and less seriously in sitcoms and have been used more for the punchline, whether making fun of others or making fun of themselves. Even more alarming, Erica Scharrer who co-authored that study stated that “fathers were shown in fewer parenting situations in more recent sitcoms. And when fathers were parenting, it was depicted as humorously foolish in just over 50% of the relevant scenes in the 2000s and 2010s, compared with 18% in the 1980s and 31% in the 1990s sitcoms.”
But does this reflect reality? Is the father’s purpose only to make jokes? While some may argue this, the data says no. The Pew Research Center has done multiple studies on the challenges that fathers face in today’s climate and there were some interesting findings. More dads than ever are staying home to take care of their children. In 2016, dads made up 17% of all stay-at-home parents, up from 10% in 1989. Interestingly, 24% of stay-at-home dads in 2016 stated that caring for their family was the main reason they were at home. The same data shows that in 2016, dads were spending more than triple the amount of time with their children and over double the time on household chores than they were in 1965. Clearly, fathers have been demonstrating by their actions that they are taking their job seriously and making the necessary adjustments as world and economic conditions change.
Even putting the efforts of fathers aside, some may even question if fathers are having a positive effect overall in their children’s lives. With this in mind, the National Fatherhood Initiative has compiled over 200
studies on the topic, and it was decisively concluded that children with involved fathers are at a lower risk for many poor childhood outcomes.
When the father is around, they have less risk of:
• Infant mortality
• Low birth weight
• Emotional and behavioral problems
• Neglect and abuse
• Injury
• Obesity
• Poor school performance
• Teen pregnancy
• Incarceration as juveniles
• Alcohol and substance abuse
• Criminal activity
• Suicide
All of these outcomes are important factors in the quality of life that these same children will go on to experience as adults. There is no doubt that fathers are a necessity to the family unit. Their unique perspectives help shape their children’s minds to reason on their actions and become more responsible and accountable. They provide the safety and security that helps children thrive and develop their own potential. Perhaps it is time to change the narrative that we have been getting spoon-fed for decades. If we agree that raising children is not a joke, then perhaps it is time to take fatherhood involvement seriously.
Photo Credit: Ryan and his father with their family, circa 1999
