Carrie, our new Chinese-speaking Family Success Coach, hails from Taiwan where she worked alternately as a civil engineer and congressional aide. After studying ESL in the States, she met and married her architect husband––a native of San Francisco––and began raising a family.
Classroom Support and Translation Services
Aware of the resources and connections that made her immigration to the states possible, Carrie felt compelled to give back and began to wonder, “What can I do to help the community?” While raising her three children, she worked as a Chinese teacher at Fullerton Christian Preschool and later volunteered at Lawton Alternative School as a room parent, recess supervisor, and lunchroom attendant––building community among Mandarin-speaking families and providing translation services for the school.
She and her husband Nathan first learned about Sunset Youth Services from friends and board members, Alex and Michael Costanzo, attending our annual fundraising gala as their guests. When Carrie heard about the job opening for a Chinese-speaking Family Success Coach in our Family Support program from board member Alex, she applied, interviewed, and was hired within the week!
Supporting Families in Transition
“I wanted to be a positive force for good. I understand how hard it is to immigrate to another country. I want to help people through transitions to ease their fear.”
Most of the families Carrie works with as a Family Success Coach are Chinese-speaking immigrants with young children. They seek her help (and translation services) for everything from getting a driver’s license and taking ESL classes to parenting and help managing a family crisis. Carrie sees herself as a community-builder, introducing families, and encouraging them to go out together, make friends, build their network, and access community resources.
Want to learn more about our Family Support Services? Read more here.