Pros
Making Waves is an organization constantly evolving to meet the needs of those it serves, and to respond to changing educational and non-profit sector landscapes. I worked under the supervision of Melissa Fries for eight years in various capacities. Melissa Fries was an exceptional leader and mentor who took on tough challenges by remaining consistent and focused, and keeping very high standards for herself and her staff. I had many opportunities for project management and professional development. If I had an idea, I had to justify it, plan it, and assure it was executed responsibly. Some of my best professional development experiences came via colleagues who were entrusted with sharing their expertise with the rest of us. As I advance my career, I look back at Making Waves as a place where I was allowed to do my best work and I was recognized and appreciated for it. That Making Waves continues to expand its services speaks to the collective efforts all of the families and staff that have been a part of it.
Cons
Making Waves is a very much driven by a vision and mission. This means not everyone will agree at all times about how those are achieved, and what approaches are more suitable. While I was there, the organization had a (necessary) tension between developing programmatic structure and bureaucracy, particularly to ensure sustainability, and nurturing autonomy in order to let the best ideas flow. This means anyone who works there needs to be comfortable in this environment.