In the Spotlight: Arash Bayatmakou
Welcome to our brand-new "In the Spotlight" series! Our community is packed with incredible people, each with a unique story, tons of resilience, and powerful experiences to share. We want to bring everyone closer together by highlighting the diverse faces and journeys that make NorCal SCI so special. To kick things off, it only felt right to feature Arash Bayatmakou. While Arash is technically our Executive Director, he cannot stand being called the "boss." Instead, he views himself strictly as a teammate and a colleague, working right alongside the rest of us on a level playing field. It was such a pleasure to spend some time getting to know more about him, and I feel incredibly lucky to have him leading our team.
Arash’s world changed in 2012 when he suffered a cervical spinal cord injury. Faced with a healthcare system that offered very little support, he decided to ignore the negative medical outlook and pave his own path to recovery. His determination eventually led to a TEDx talk, a published memoir, and a standup comedy fundraiser. He joined the NorCal SCI Board in 2019 and became Executive Director in 2023. Today, this Bay Area native and busy dad of two balances his collaborative leadership style with a passion for family, cooking, and the great outdoors. I sat down with Arash to look past the official resume and find out what truly keeps him motivated every single day.
What inspired you to get involved with this organization, and what keeps you motivated every day?
Arash: My own experience post SCI and how frustrating, insufficient, and difficult it was to put the pieces of my life back together. I dealt with so many challenges and found that the healthcare system was woefully inadequate and inhumane when it came to how I was treated. I was not given the tools or opportunities to maximize my recovery post SCI and when I realized that my story was pretty much universal to everyone living and dealing with SCI, I knew I wanted to do something about it.
I stay motivated knowing that my work might be able to do something to help others who are living through this extraordinary, life-changing event and give them some of the support they need.
What is your favorite part of your job as Executive Director?
Arash: Knowing that the work I do is having a notable impact on people's lives. I can sleep well at night.
Looking ahead, what is one big goal or vision you have for our community that you are most excited about?
Arash: I want to continue to build and expand our community as much as possible and I want to do that through organizing more events and ways to bring people together, and in-person as much as possible. Covid really changed our collective experience and it saddens me to know how so many people "think" they're more connected than ever (because of social media, technology, apps, phones, etc.) but that loneliness is worse than ever and people are struggling to have substantive social connections.
What does a typical day look like for you in your role?
Arash: BUSY. I have 2 young kids (5 and 7) so I never need an alarm. I'm up by 6:30, usually catching up with emails—and whatever I didn't finish the day before—by 7:30 and then my day really starts. Throughout the day, I'm juggling a bunch of different tasks, everything from interviewing grant applicants to coordinating our programs to tracking our finances to donor management and fundraising.
If you could solve one major challenge for our community overnight, what would it be?
Arash: Providing several months of high-quality, outpatient rehabilitation for the newly injured and giving people an honest chance to maximize their recovery in the early months.
What is a valuable lesson you have learned from working closely with our community members?
Arash: That people are so incredibly creative and resilient. I've seen so many impressive solutions found to the many problems that those of us with disabilities face everyday.
When you are not working, how do you like to spend your free time?
Arash: Swimming, gardening, cooking, and most of all spending time with my wife and kids. Family is number one always.
What is a book, movie, or piece of advice that has had a lasting impact on your life?
Arash: The movie Boyhood. It really inspired me to write my memoir the way I did. The fact that life (and the way we remember it) isn't in a linear flow but as a collection of key moments, interactions, conversations and incidents.
If you could travel anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would you go and why?
Arash: Vietnam. I LOVE the food and want to eat everything in sight and I've always been fascinated by the people, history, and culture.
What is one thing about you—a hidden talent, a hobby, or a fun fact—that most people in the community might not know?
Arash: I speak 5 languages (on a good day).
Arash is a true servant leader who puts our community first in absolutely everything he does. His passion for bringing people together and making a real impact is what makes him such a special part of NorCal SCI. Oh, and if you're wondering which five languages he speaks, you'll just have to reach out and ask him yourself!
