20 under 40: Kate Trompetter

Favorite quote or saying, why?

“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as you ever can.” – John Wesley

Someone sent this quote into The Bee after Bette Belle Smith passed away because it reminded them of what the Smith family stood for in our community. I’d never heard it before. It resonates with me because it so closely aligns with my own values. It speaks to how I choose to move through life.

Community or professional highlights:

Being a senior leader at Center for Human Services is a professional highlight. My work here has been one of the great accomplishments of my life, personally and professionally. They’ve raised me. Recent projects and associations I’m most proud to highlight would include coordinating Music in the Plaza, being one-third of the organizing team for Mod Shop, sitting on the Leadership Modesto steering committee and most recently participating as a visiting editor with The Modesto Bee. There are many things about my community and professional life that make me proud. Ultimately, though, connecting the right people to ideas and projects that have big impact is one of the greatest joys of my life.

Your life changed when:

I know many people probably say this, but it changed when I met my husband. Truly, my life has had several really pivotal moments, but when I think about big impact, I think about being 25. I was beginning my career at Center for Human Services and starting a master’s degree program. I was unsure of what came next for me. I wanted a partner and eventually a family and to be engaged in my community in a way that mattered, but I was skeptical that I was capable of doing it all.

Then, there was Dave. Dave showed me love in an unconditional, you-can-do-anything-you-want, we’re-best-friends kind of way. He brought two amazing kids into my life. We learned to co-parent together – truly the hardest and potentially most rewarding kind of teamwork. But more than anything, he just wanted, and continues to want, for me to feed my soul. With his steadfast support, I don’t feel like I had to give up anything to have everything I wanted. I’ve had several life-changing moments since we met – our marriage, our daughter – but it starts with him.

What do you want people to know most about you?

I just want people to be kind. I don’t need people to know anything else. Upon the recent passing of an old teacher, I was reflecting on my Jewish upbringing and the act of Tzedakah. Tzedakah is the Hebrew word associated with what many would call charity. Some carry the story that charity is an act that can only be performed by the influential or the rich; however, for Jews, and for me, Tzedakah is about doing what is just and what is fair. So, I try to be kind and give back because it’s part of the fabric of who I am, what I expect of myself, and what I hope people feel compelled to do around me.

What do you like most about living here?

The proximity to things that matter to me. I can get almost anything I want or need by walking or driving no more than 20 minutes. I’m talking about a great cup of coffee, fresh produce, a car wash, art, theater, groceries, a hug, a good conversation, a cherished friend or family member. There is a closeness to what matters here.

Why is community involvement important?

Simply put, when your community is doing well, the members of that community are better off. And, just like our bodies cannot be well without an intentional investment of time and energy, our community cannot be well without our giving back to it. I know firsthand the challenge of working, raising a family and trying to live a life of service. I also know the satisfaction and pride that comes from investing in the wellness of your community. If you desire for things to be different, get engaged. Believe you can make a difference, and you will.

This story was originally published August 21, 2016 at 6:18 AM with the headline "20 under 40: Kate Trompetter."