Home: San Carlos, CA. Age: Older than I look, 52. Birthplace: Summit, NJ. Profession: Nearly thirty years in the nonprofit sector in service to philanthropy. Organization: Salesforce.org. Title: Senior Director, Nonprofit Industry Expert. Pronouns: She/Her/Hers. Significant other: Currently single. Alma mater: California State University, Chico; Harvard Kennedy School.
Current project: Working with the extraordinary team at Salesforce.org to support the global nonprofit community with innovation and digital transformation strategies to capture the explosive growth in philanthropic giving around the world. Recent professional development: Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School; became a True North Leadership Fellow in October 2021; past member of the Advisory Council of Rogare, a UK fundraising think tank at the University of Plymouth. Latest accomplishment: I am, every day, proud of my two children, Thomas and Mary. Latest contribution to others: Board member at One Life Counseling; past board member of the Young Men’s Service League; past chair of the St. Charles School Advisory Board. Hobbies: Live music, so happy it is back! I also love great food and collect California wine. Recent travel or adventure: Three weeks traveling alone through Italy, just before the pandemic. Last book read: Greenlights, by Matthew McConaughey. Recently viewed and recommended: Inventing Anna and We Crashed. Interesting, sad, but true commentaries on greed and what we choose to see and believe in the name of getting ahead. Recent unique acquisition: Another new baseball hat (#312) for my collection, from a Tedeschi Trucks Band show at the Ryman Auditorium.
Personality profile: Hardworking, authentic, persuasive; compassionate, conscious, inclusive. What one word would your closest friend use to describe you? Fun. Moral compass: I trust my gut. How do you define a perfect friendship? Reciprocal, trusting and open. I need people to hold me accountable and I promise to do the same. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Trust, candor and a willingness to admit when you don’t know, aren’t sure, but want to work together to solve a problem. What is your greatest joy? My kids, hands down. What is your greatest fear? Not finding the true love and partnership that I have dreamed of since I was a little girl. What natural talent have you neglected? Story telling. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? Physicians. They are angels on earth, especially in underserved communities. Also, musicians, who bring joy, emotion, dance and life to our world through sound. What is at the top of your bucket list? Moving back to New York City. I’d walk and walk and walk every day. How do you relieve stress? Exercise and music. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? My kids, family and friends. What is your go-to workout? Peloton.
What book have you repeatedly read? Into the Magic Shop, by James Doty. What movie have you repeatedly watched? August Rush. What’s featured prominently on your home or office wall? My personal Hippocratic Oath (code of ethics) and pictures of my kids. Who has had the greatest influence on your life? My cousin Mary. She has been like a big sister to me, a mom, a best friend and my only family. What is the best advice you received growing up? If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room. What is the best advice you received in your career? Know your value and do not compromise in service of anything that isn’t aligned with your purpose.
What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? Cell phones, not merely for communicating but for capturing beautiful images and memories. What is your favorite app? Pray As You Go. What is your go-to source of news and information? The New York Times and The Economist. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Cuisine at Home magazine and The Food Network. What world event has had the greatest influence on your life? 9/11. I was working at the American Red Cross and spent three weeks in a respite center in downtown Manhattan. I came to realize that, in every station in life, we are all capable of offering support and compassion. What company or organization do you most admire? Feeding America. THE safety net for food insecurity. What media personality do you admire right now? Jose Andres and his work at World Central Kitchen.
What is your big idea?
If nonprofits and private sector companies worked together on social issues and had enough shared resources to handle things like supply chain, volunteer management and engagement, NGOs could innovate and get more people involved in working towards change without the fear of failure.
What change are you working on to effect in your profession or field? Nonprofit leaders becoming more curious and more courageous about modernizing their operations. What change would you like to see in the world? Equitable access to housing, food, healthcare and education. What message do you want to send out into the world? Do the best you can, every day. Show up, work hard, make a difference. The little things add up and bring joy. What widely held belief do you reject? That the events of January 6th were not orchestrated at the highest levels of our government. What mega-trend most excites you? The use of crypto currencies in poor countries and in the global south to bolster those economies. What mega-trend most concerns you? Social media and the outright nonsense that affects the self-esteem and mental health of so many children.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Active Bird Scene. What actor would you choose to play you in the movie about your life? Julia Ormond. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? Mary Oliver. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? A lawyer. What object would you first save from your burning home? The old Irish novel The Big Wind, by Beatrice Coogan. My mom bought it on her honeymoon and that’s where my name comes from. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With my kids, my cousin Mary and my brother, hiking, sailing, enjoying a big Thanksgiving dinner. What advice would you give your younger self? It’s going to be okay. What day in your life would you like to re-live? College graduation. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? The end of my marriage. I could have been more honest with myself and with my ex.
Personal motto: I will never give up. Favorite quote: “Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right” (Jerry Garcia). Desired legacy: I want my children to understand the truth of my lived experiences and I want to help them live their truth and tell their stories so that they can live in a place of gratitude, connection and in community with others. Desired epitaph: “Always dance your way out of the party and no one will know you’re leaving.”
