Meet Our New Associate Vice President of Government Relations and Become a Mosaic Allied Voices Volunteer
This week, we share a guest blog post from Cheryl Wicks, who’s been promoted to Mosaic’s Associate Vice President of Government Relations. In this new role, Cheryl will lead Mosaic’s national network advocacy efforts.
Through her work with Colorado’s Alliance, Cheryl has been meeting with elected officials and regulators since 2016 and has extensive experience testifying before health and human services and joint budget committees. Cheryl currently serves on the Alliance Executive Committee as the Board Treasurer and has served in other roles, including two years as the Board President.
After nearly 19 years of working at Mosaic, both in Western Colorado and, most recently, as the Executive Director in Colorado Springs, I have transitioned into my new role supporting advocacy efforts for all of Mosaic’s 13 states.
We–including our wonderful Mosaic Allied Voices volunteers–will focus on grassroots efforts with our local communities to help us build and enhance partnerships with members of Congress and regulatory state partners. I believe in the power of relationships that will help elevate our legislative priorities.
As we look to the future, we will be strategic in our advocacy approach to ensure people we serve lead a full life that is supported by our mission-driven and values-led workforce of Mosaic employees and independent residential providers.
To do this, we will embrace a variety of strategies that include:
- Enhance our grassroots efforts in the more than 750 communities that Mosaic serves
- Build and maintain partnerships with state partners, elected officials and other external stakeholders
- Prioritize initiatives that embody personalized services for people with diverse needs
We will continue sending action alerts and adding messages on social media platforms to meet people where they are. We will get creative to grow our base of advocates.
It’s extremely easy to become a Mosaic Allied Voices advocate–and we make it easy for you by sending action alerts to you that include:
- A pre-written email that you can send to your legislator with a click of a button (it takes less than 45 seconds!)
- A short, pre-written script to call your legislator’s office
- Advocacy messages to share on your social media to encourage your network to advocate
If you’d like to become a Mosaic Allied Voices volunteer, register here.
While we are focused on the future of services for people with diverse needs, the time to start building relationships is now. What we do today and in the days to come will have a direct and positive impact on those we serve and our workforce.
About the Author
Cheryl leads Mosaic’s advocacy efforts and issues advocacy updates for Mosaic Allied Voices volunteers. She came to Mosaic in 2003 as a direct support professional at Mosaic in Western Colorado. Over the years, she has worked in a variety of roles within the organization, including program manager, community relations manager and, most recently, executive director of Mosaic in Colorado Springs. Cheryl’s operational knowledge, along with her demonstrated talent for advocacy, creates positive outcomes for the people Mosaic serves and our workforce.