#121 David Dubinsky, Building Community Through Inclusion, Water Safety, and Everyday Empathy

David Dubinsky leads the Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center in San Francisco, a true community benefit organization open seven days a week, from early morning to late evening. He explains how Pomeroy serves multiple groups in one shared space: around 225 adults with developmental disabilities who come daily for classes, community, and work support; about 85 children, many with autism, who arrive after school for extra learning and behavioral support; and the broader community through a warm, salt based pool and a full size gym. David shares how the center runs like a community college with multiple classes per day, while also offering rehabilitation and swim programs that benefit seniors, families, and infants.A central theme is the value of exposure to risk in a safe way, especially with water. David describes an infant water safety program that teaches even very young children how to get to the pool wall, find an exit, and climb out, building respect for water rather than fear. The warm 92 degree saltwater pool lowers barriers for families and is gentler for skin and eyes, while also supporting seniors recovering from surgery or living with arthritis, many of whom describe feeling relief while in the water.David also explains why Pomeroy can support children that schools often struggle to manage. When kids arrive, they are no longer singled out as special ed. Surrounded by peers with similar challenges, pressure drops, behavior often improves, and respect becomes contagious. Federico connects this to his own experience training karate alongside his son, where kids notice differences but do not judge them, creating a safe space that builds confidence and belonging.The conversation shifts into empathy as a practical leadership skill. David argues everyone has value if you take the time to notice it, sharing stories of an adult participant with an infectious smile who brings joy to everyone, and a homeless man who quietly helped him clean mud off his shoes, changing how David sees and acknowledges people who are often treated as invisible. He emphasizes listening, not just hearing, as the foundation of empathy, trust, and leadership.David describes what motivates nonprofit staff: the personal return of helping others and seeing progress, even when the work is hard and pay is limited. He shares how he builds culture by leading with people, not through them, and by showing respect across roles through small daily actions. Looking ahead, he wants to create a positive snowball effect: change one person or one family at a time, trusting that impact spreads further than you can measure. He closes with advice: assume good intentions, walk in with a clean slate, and practice deep listening to overcome learned biases.If you want, I can also write 3 options for a shorter title that fits better for YouTube or Apple Podcasts, and 2 versions of the description: one more story driven, one more keyword rich.About David Dubinsky:- https://www.prrcsf.org- https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviddubinskyAbout Federico Ramallo ✨👨‍💻🌎🚀 Software Engineering Manager | 🛠 Founder of DensityLabs.io & PreVetted.ai | 🤝 Connecting 🇺🇸 U.S. teams with top nearshore 🌎 LATAM engineers- 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/framallo/- 🌐 https://densitylabs.io- ✅ https://prevetted.ai🎙 PreVetted Podcast 🎧📡- 🎯 https://prevetted.ai/podcast- 🐦 https://x.com/PrevettedPod- 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/prevetted-podcast00:00 Introduction to Pomeroy Center and David Dubinsky03:46 Community Engagement and Inclusivity08:59 The Importance of Early Learning and Development13:05 Empathy and Understanding in Leadership17:24 The Value of Every Individual21:33 Building a Supportive Work Culture25:40 Creating Lasting Impact in the Community29:51 Advice for Living with Empathy41:56 Conclusion and Final Thoughts