Stamford, CT – Building One Community staff, board members, local officials, and partners gathered at the center in Stamford to celebrate Catalina Horak, outgoing Executive Director, and welcome Anka Badurina, Ph.D., incoming Executive Director.
Over the past decade, Horak has been the driver behind Building One Community and the passionate voice behind an expanding and thriving center for immigrant opportunity. She has played a pivotal role in guiding Building One Community from a start-up to an established and impactful organization in Connecticut.
This week Catalina Horak steps down after ten incredible years and officially passes the baton to Anka Badurina, PhD.
Since 2015, Anka has been an integral part of Building One Community working side by side with Catalina and the organization’s staff, board, partners, and volunteers. Anka has strived to cultivate a unique and productive culture at B1C and has contributed significantly to achieving the vision and mission.
From leading research initiatives to understand the needs of the immigrant community better and giving a voice to immigrants, to developing and implementing impactful programs and initiatives, fostering valuable partnerships, and expanding immigrant outreach, Anka comes with an impressive track record of experience, commitment, and success.
Anka said, “It is an honor and privilege to lead Building One Community into its next chapter. Working collectively with a dedicated team, supportive board members, and valuable partners, I look forward to achieving our goals. 2020 will continue to be a challenging year, but we’re ready to adapt and change to the times.”
Representative Jim Himes and Mayor Martin were on hand to mark this special occasion. Mayor Martin thanked Building One Community and especially Catalina, for being a community to immigrants and recognized B1C as an essential partner to the city. Representative Jim Himes spoke and gave Catalina an official proclamation. “I am proud of the fourth congressional district in partnership with organizations like Building One Community for continuing to serve as an example of the important contributions that immigrants make across our country,” said Himes. He also thanked Building One Community for always making him feel uplifted and energized by the incredible work the organization does to support immigrants.
Finally, Anne Downey, B1C Board Chair, surprised outgoing Horak with an announcement that 75 Selleck Street has been formally renamed to the Catalina Samper Horak Center. “We want to make sure everyone remembers Catalina’s incredible contributions to the Stamford community forever. The plaque is a wonderful reminder to continue to lead with heart, passion, and dedication to support the immigrant community. We are incredibly fortunate to have Anka, take the helm to continue B1C’s mission,” said Downey.
As B1C welcomes a new leader, the organization encourages everyone to follow social media and sign up for their newsletter to learn more about Building One Community’s goals and vision. Anka will also hold several Q&A sessions in the upcoming months to give everyone a chance to meet and greet the new leader of B1C!
