We recently connected with Kris Friedman and have shared our conversation below.

Kris, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?

When I was in college, I worked in the Career Planning and Placement Department at my school. My father had been the head of the department when he was alive, and after he died suddenly, the counselors took me under their wing as I was a young adult just trying to figure out what I was going to be when I grew up. :) At that time, I was looking into starting a career in marketing and PR.

An opportunity came through our office for an internship with The Illinois Department of Alcohol and Substance Abuse working closely with the Chicago Bears, particularly Dave Duerson (who has since passed away from mental health trauma). He started an organization called DAMCOII, a drug and alcohol camp for kiddos. It was the best experience ever!! We would invite kids who were leaders in their community to the camps. While at the camps, they met several football players, ran football drills, learned about different careers, and listened to inspirational stories from their idols. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-12-01-8703300448-story.html. Ahhhhh, my first experience making a difference in the community and nonprofit work. I loved it!!

I learned so much and was able to work closely with DAMCO, the Bears, and the Chicago media and have “real world” experiences. I helped organize the camps, work with the kiddos, the media, the players, and all of the prep beforehand.

My father had died a couple of years previously, and he was a huge Bears fan! To walk onto Soldier Field during my internship and feel its vastness was surreal. To see my name on the jumbotron and be in the locker room where Walter Payton frequented was a dream. I was treated with respect by everyone I worked with and was able to experience so many different levels of responsibility. I knew my dad would be proud.

One of my funniest memories was when I was in charge of making media calls to the local tv stations and newspapers to follow up on press releases and invite them to DAMCOII camps. The camps featured many of the 1986 Super Bowl Bears, so each station I called listened, took notes, and showed up. It was quite a media frenzy. After college, I worked at a shopping center in Chicago in the marketing department and thought media calls were a piece of cake. All you had to do was call, and they would show up at your event…. boy was I wrong! What the heck, why does nobody seem interested in our Arts and Crafts Show next weekend? 😁 It took me a bit to figure out that it was not as exciting as a super bowl team doing good work in the community. PR was not as exciting for me moving forward!!

I am a HUGE advocate of internships due to my own. When we have an intern start at Billy’s Place, I feel that it is not all about us. It is an opportunity to expose each one to many different angles of our day-to-day work and allow them to explore and try out many responsibilities. My hope is throughout their time with us, they come out of it with a better direction and passion for their future.

I love what I do, and I think it is because of the early days of trying many things and deciding which ones are in my “wheelhouse” and which ones are not. I am one of the lucky ones!

Do what you love and you’ll never work another day in your life. – Confucius

Kris, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Kris is the Executive Director of Billy’s Place. Billy’s Place is a safe community for grieving kids and their families.

Through her own experiences encountering her father’s death as a teenager and watching a dear friend’s child deal with the loss of his father at an early age, she is passionate about helping children as they walk along their grief journey.

Kris has been a business owner with an extensive marketing and fund-development background. She attended numerous seminars, including the yearly National Alliance for Grieving Children and continuing education from Dr. Alan Wolfelt.

Kris began Billy’s Place with the founder, Juli Schragel, in 2012. Grieving teens hold a special place in her heart, and she continues to help when she can with the Teens and Young Adults.

Kris manages the day-to-day operations of Billy’s Place, fund development, grant writing, outreach, and overseeing the staff. She grew up in the Chicago area, is an avid Bears fan, and enjoys the heck out of her husband, four kids, three grandkids, and three fur babies!!

To say she loves helping others is an understatement as her heart is with each and every family that walks through Billy’s Place door. There is really something special about Billy’s Place!!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was 18, my dad died in a small plane accident. My 8-year-old brother and I were with him at the time, and he drowned. I tried to save him and did not succeed because the water was too choppy. I spent very little time second-guessing my decisions that day. I tried to the best of my ability and did not live in the past rethinking my actions. I have been able to move past that trauma and continue to do my best and forgive myself. I think this is what has enabled me to have a fulfilled life. I know that is EXACTLY what my father would have wanted from me.

You never know what you are capable of in your life. I never woke up thinking we would have this horrible thing happen to us, walk away with minor hypothermia, and have my father lose his life. After that experience, I chose to live in the moment, not sweat the small stuff and never take tomorrow for granted.

One of my favorite sayings from when I was younger is “You only live once, and if you live right, once is enough.”

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

I would say passion. I am passionate about helping others, passionate about making a difference, and passionate about leaving the world a bit better after I am gone.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.billysplace.me
• Instagram: billysplaceaz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billysplaceme/
• Linkedin: Billy’s Place

Image Credits
http://www.capturedbytraceycota.com/