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Foundation Faces – Sam Vallee

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In this week’s edition of Foundation Faces, we have new team member, Sam Vallee. Sam was recently hired as the Individual Gift Officer here at the Foundation. He comes to us from Boston, Massachusetts where he was working as the Campaign and Reporting Specialist at Fransiscan Children’s Hospital. Sam is a graduate from the University of Rhode Island, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree. Along with him, Sam brings a wealth of knowledge from working in the health care setting and fundraising from his time as the Associate of Class Giving at Brown University. We are thrilled to have Sam join us and are excited for our Cooper family to get to know him as well!

Now, let’s hear from Sam as he tells us more about himself!

What drew you to the foundation initially?

“When I was interviewing for my current position, I was struck by how passionate everyone I spoke to was about the impact Cooper has on the South Jersey community. Prior to working here, I had driven through Camden a few times and it’s no secret that the city and its residents are really struggling, so when I heard about Cooper’s plans to expand their programs, and help revitalize the city, I knew I had to be a part of it.”

What is most rewarding about working at the Foundation for you?

“So, I’ve only been with The Cooper Foundation for a few weeks but working for a non-profit allows you to make a positive impact in your community and really on society as a whole. I know Cooper is a world-renowned academic health system and has a huge impact on the people here in South Jersey. The research being done here on drug addiction, cancer, genetics, cardiology, infectious disease, etc. has the potential to be used as a template for hospitals across the country and change the way we look at and treat these issues. I think being a part of something like that is very special.” 

What skills or lessons have you gained since your start at the Foundation that will help you with your job/life going forward?

“Working in philanthropy has taught me to have compassion and empathy for everyone I come across, especially in the healthcare industry. Before joining Cooper, I worked in advancement at a children’s hospital in Boston and while I was there, I met with quite a few patients and patient families and heard stories that were absolutely heartbreaking and triumphant at the same time. The hospital setting can be really scary and stressful for many, but it can also be very joyous. On any given day you can find people having the best day of their life, or the worst day of their life, and that directly translates to people you meet in the real world. As cliche as it sounds, you never know what someone is going through, so I think treating people with empathy and compassion is very important.” 

Who or what inspires you?

“I’ve always been inspired by my family, every one of them has pushed me to become a better person. But I would say my late grandpa had the largest impact on my life. When I was a little kid, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and anyone who has seen a family member go through this knows how awful an experience it is. There is nothing heroic about the disease, there’s no cure, all you can do is watch someone you love wither away. I know it was incredibly painful for my grandpa to go through, but he was there every day taking care of her with so much love, compassion, and patience, and I truly found that admirable. We would visit every Sunday for dinner, and despite what he was going through, he always had a smile on his face, he couldn’t wait to talk to us about his beloved Buffalo Bills, tell us stories from his time in the Navy, or the wild antics him and his drinking buddies got into when they were younger. I could go on for days talking about how great he was, I’ll spare you from that, but, yeah, he is the one who inspired me to get into this industry and help as many people as I can.” 

What do you like to do when you are not working? OR describe your perfect day off?

“Great question, I have a lot of hobbies. I love to eat so trying new restaurants is at the top of my list, I love reading on the beach, live music, going to the movies or a museum, traveling, spending time with friends and family and just having new experiences. So, for me a perfect day would be any combination of those things.”