Mastering the Art of Community Building

Under the harsh glare of stadium lights, hundreds gathered in the quiet hours of the night for Relay for Life—an overnight, volunteer-led event that unites communities and raises funds to improve the lives of people with cancer and their families. Among them was Leilani Pecher-Reyes, who could have easily blended into the crowd, done her part and gone home. Instead, the experience sparked a passion for community building, volunteering and leadership that would shape her career and impact countless others along the way. 

Pecher-Reyes, a student in the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program at CU Boulder, first learned the art of community building at an early age, despite moving frequently as the child of a military family.

“I moved about every two years. When you're young, you want to grow up with your friends and stay in a community, but I learned to float around and connect with people from all different backgrounds, which was a blessing,” said Pecher-Reyes. “It was tough, but now as an adult, I realize it molded me into who I have become.”

While movement was the norm, Pecher-Reyes’ family was able to settle in Lakewood, Washington long enough for her to attend Clover Park High School. There, a Relay for Life representative encouraged Pecher-Reyes to volunteer as a youth representative after learning about her passion for community building and belief in the mission of the organization. 

“At first I was hesitant. It was exciting, but also a lot of responsibility,” said Pecher-Reyes. “I think anyone who is going into a form of leadership for the first time is nervous about it. But being able to connect with a mission and bring everybody together for a bigger cause was definitely something that made an impact on me. I also had some family members who had passed away from cancer, so that made me especially passionate.”

Through her work with Relay for Life, Pecher-Reyes gained an understanding of the personal and community-wide impact of volunteer work.

“Even if I was busy juggling everything, it didn’t feel like work,” said Pecher-Reyes. “Hearing people's stories about how this organization impacted their lives and their families’ lives was so meaningful.”

After two years of volunteering with Relay for Life, Pecher-Reyes was ready to pursue leadership and community building as a career, landing at Illinois College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and rhetorical studies.

“I was always aiming for education on how to grow as a person and as a leader,” said Pecher-Reyes. “I loved building community. I was that student involved in multiple clubs and extracurriculars. I ended up graduating and knowing a majority of the student body.”

While passionate about continuing her education, Pecher-Reyes made the difficult decision to delay pursuing a master’s degree for financial concerns. However, she found herself at Stanford University as a scheduling specialist, managing classroom and event space scheduling and coordinating logistics for Stanford’s Big 5 events. 

Over the course of four years, Pecher-Reyes advanced to several more positions at Stanford, eventually becoming an assistant director in the Office of Development. In her role, she worked to support operations for the fundraising team of IDEAL (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access in a Learning Environment) Initiatives and Programs which aimed to promote diversity and belonging initiatives on campus.

In addition to her official position, Pecher-Reyes took on numerous volunteer positions, reconnecting with her passion for volunteering and community building. 

“Stanford had what's called a Fun Committee that put on events to connect staff with each other, because it's such a large institution but you're all working towards the same purpose and supporting students and the campus,” said Pecher-Reyes. “So I was so excited about this opportunity to connect staff together, because volunteering is feeling like you're in this together, you're working together side by side toward this bigger cause.”

Wanting to take the reins on a project of her own, Pecher-Reyes proposed and executed two successful events where staff came together to assemble fleece blankets for people experiencing homelessness.

“I just loved seeing people who were mission-driven,” said Pecher-Reyes. “Even though we had our day-to-day jobs and responsibilities, we found ways to connect and build community within and outside of the organization.”

Though she was thoroughly entrenched in her Stanford community, Pecher-Reyes never forgot her desire to earn her master’s degree. 

After years of research, Pecher-Reyes discovered the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership program at CU Boulder—a program that combined the affordability, flexibility and subject matter that aligned with her career goals. 

“I was working as an academic committee coordinator and communications specialist and learning a lot, but I wanted to be challenged even more,” said Pecher-Reyes. “When I came across the Organizational Leadership program, it fit my criteria. It had what I wanted to learn about organizations and applying theory to practice. With the Organizational Leadership program, I can be flexible with how many classes I take, make the most out of my tuition benefit and also balance that with my full-time workload.”

Now in her third year of the master’s program and in a new role as Redwood City campus administrator and communications manager for WestGate Church, Pecher-Reyes is once again finding community—this time in a virtual setting.

“I love how the courses are structured—you're learning a lot of content from the professors, but also getting to interact and engage with other students virtually,” said Pecher-Reyes. “Sometimes I even message former Organizational Leadership classmates on LinkedIn, so that's been a blessing.”

Though Pecher-Reyes has one more year to go before she graduates, she is already looking ahead to what might be next, with an eye toward where she might make the biggest impact. 

“I envision pursuing higher education again, earning my PhD and becoming either an instructor or a professor of communication or organizational studies,” said Pecher-Reyes. “I believe that the work experience I have will equip me to help young leaders step into the workforce and working professionals to navigate a similar path as mine.”

As she continues her journey in higher education and leadership, Pecher-Reyes remains focused on building the kinds of community that first inspired her years ago. 

While the stadium lights in her past may have dimmed, Pecher-Reyes’ future remains bright, with her passion and dedication to her community continuing to drive real change.