10 questions with Chris LeBeau
1. Tell us about your job.
I’m a planning associate in the strategic planning department at BJC Health Care. Basically, we’re consultants and advisors to all 13 BJC hospitals. We help them do research on capital purchases, facilitate strategic planning for the future, determine physician market demand and handle a million other unique requests. I get to research some really cutting-edge projects and bounce ideas off administrators. No day is like the day before, and one phone call can change my entire day.
2. How long have you lived in St. Louis? If you grew up here, where did you go to high school?
I was born and raised here. I went to Parkway North. I took a four-year hiatus to go to Truman State. My perception of St. Louis really changed when I went away to college. I grew up in West County - it was my life and it was all I really did. When I left, I gained an appreciation for what was going on and developing. I’m excited by the concept of being involved with the rebirth of the city.
3. How and when did you get involved with GenNext?
I came across GenNext in July 2006 at the Downtown is Alive event. A woman on the panel recommended GenNext. As soon as I got involved, I was addicted.
4. Do you have a favorite GenNext memory?
Last year, we were doing a clean up project for a church on North Grand. At the end the event, Paulette Crowley, a woman who worked at the church, came up to me and put her arms around me and said, “You can’t know the difference you’ve made up here today.”
5. What do you think is unique about GenNext?
I like how you can get to know people while doing a greater good for the community. Usually networking or social events don’t always cater to everyone. But with GenNext, you already have something in common. You get to know new people over the course of a couple hours while you’re helping your community.
6. What do you see as the value of GenNext or United Way?
It gives me the chance to reconnect in the community and learn about all the different ways I can get involved. You get to feel like what you’re doing is making some small difference. I like the chance to be exposed to various nonprofits, and enjoy expanding my horizons through that. It helps ground us and remind us how much we have to be grateful for.]
7. Where would you like to see GenNext in five years?
You know, I have such tremendous respect for the organization and I believe it has the ability to make an even larger impact. Some projects need more assistance than we can offer them over the course of two to four hours. I would enjoy GenNext occasionally either tackling bigger projects that we complete over the course of several monthly meetings, or seeing the group better promote how to get more involved with each organization we assist. I think it could encourage members to be even more proactive and create independent projects of their own or volunteer more often.
8. OK, now the easy questions. What was your favorite TV show as a kid?
Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers!
9. Are a morning person or a night person?
I’m pretty energetic all the time, but in college, I could never do homework late into the evening. I’ve got more energy in the morning than most people do, so I guess a morning person.
10. What are you reading right now?
Co-opetition. It’s a book I’m reading for work. It’s about economic game theory.