WSFN Steering Committee
Mike Etzell - My wife and I have four kids and we happily reside in the sticks of Whidbey Island. I joined another dad (to support him, right?) to a Fathers Network meeting back in 1998 which was early in our parenting journey. Men of the Network have been part of our lives ever since.
Through the years I have found that often men go about parenting in different ways than women. Go figure. It is in connecting with other guys about highs/lows/challenges/triumphs of all of our children and a great deal more that I find the power of each of us multiplied. I discovered that connecting with other guys who share realities of parenting in general, and special needs in particular, to be both a wealth of knowledge and rich potential for depth of friendship and connection. The stories, friendships, and dark humor are backbones in my three decades of parenting thus far.
Cliff Gillett - Hi. My name is Cliff Gillett. About 11 years ago, I found myself struggling as a full-time single dad raising 2 autistic children. I attended a conference where one of the speakers was James May, who is one of the founders and driving forces of the Fathers Network. I was captivated by his story of a group of dads who get together and share stories and hints for navigating the world of raising special needs children. When I spoke with him afterwards and he told me about the annual Campout in Anacortes, I was hooked.
I live in Maple Valley and attend the groups whenever I have the opportunity. I have been overwhelmed by the amount of knowledge available from the other Dads. Whatever I am dealing with at the time, be it schools, insurance, doctors, personal relationships or family members, etc., somebody will invariably offer up how they dealt with the same issue when it happened to them. Suddenly, I am reaffirmed that I’m not alone navigating the world of special needs, but I have a group of close friends who have been, or are still going through the same process as me.
Eddie Sanchez - I live in Everett, WA. My wife and I have 4 boys, 2 on the autism spectrum. We received our diagnosis 6 years ago and I have been with the Network for 4 years. Until joining the Network, I had never found a group of guys that allowed me to share my life’s frustrations without judgement. The funny thing is that I didn’t realize I needed the network until I was part of it. One of the things I’ve really enjoyed is that I have been able to connect with fathers of different cultures and life experiences. In the end, I am thankful for all the help and advice the network has given me and I will do all I can to return the favor.
Receiving a diagnosis was an unexpected detour. Luckily with the Fathers Network, I can stop and ask for directions.
Jeremy Kredlo -
I’m Jeremy Kredlo, a grandfather, writer, speaker, and fierce advocate. In 2008, my granddaughter Kylee was born with severe brain damage and wasn’t expected to survive her first day. Eight months later, she came to live with me, and I suddenly found myself learning a world I knew absolutely nothing about; doctors, therapists, homecare nurses, IEPs, insurance companies, government programs, and all the systems families like ours somehow have to learn to navigate.
Kylee taught me how to be an advocate. Other parents and caregivers taught me that I didn’t have to figure it all out alone.
That’s what drew me to the Washington State Fathers Network. There is something powerful about sitting with other dads and grandfathers who understand that this life can be heartbreaking, hilarious, exhausting, beautiful; and sometimes all four before breakfast.
Today, I write, speak, and teach about advocacy, connection, and the lessons Kylee has taught me. I believe advocacy is really two things: love and action. And I believe we become better at both when we have people beside us who understand the journey.
If you are interested in learning more about joining the steering committee contact the Program Coordinator at fathersnetwork@sherwoodcs.org.