TI employee Rob Shaw is dedicated to helping people who have faced a crisis in his New Hampshire community return to a life of self sufficiency.

Shaw, a TI platform roadmap manager in Manchester, News Hampshire, has been a member of the Board of Directors for the Front Door Agency (formerly the Nashua Pastoral Care Center in nearby Nashua, NH) since 2006.

Already a long-time supporter who had contributed thousands of dollars, along with hundreds of hours to the agency, he felt it was time to take his volunteer support to the next level. After serving on the board for four years, Shaw stepped into the leadership path and became board president in 2010.

"Leading the board of directors as president was an honor," said Shaw. "One of the highlights for me was the strategic planning process that we went through, which ultimately led to the decision to change the name of the agency to better reflect who we are in the community."

According to Shaw, there were many parallels between the agency's name change process and the problem-solving challenges that he faces at TI on a regular basis.

"Being willing to embrace change to improve, even when an organization has been very successful, is not always easy," he explained. "As a board, we strived to stay true to our mission, but also remained open to creative ideas and ambitious goals."

A balanced approach
The Front Door Agency's mission is to offer support and provide services that assist individuals and families as they transition from crisis to self-sufficiency. The agency offers services through four core programs: Transitional Housing, Prevention & Intervention of Homelessness, Crisis Advocacy & Resource Education (CARE) and Financial Literacy.

"The mission of this organization is one that is truly special, and the work they have done in the community through the years is really exemplary," Shaw said.

"They have multiple programs, but perhaps the most noteworthy is the transitional housing program for single moms with kids. This program has an educational component, which means it's a requirement for the women to return to school to finish their high school education or go to community college or a local university. We've had a lot of great successes."

"Rob has been an excellent member of our board of directors, and the Front Door Agency had a very good year under the leadership of Rob as president," said Maryse Wirbal, CEO of the Front Door Agency.

"Not only does he fulfill the requirements, but Rob quite often goes above and beyond both with his time and resources."