Championing Change and Connection: The Nonprofit Journey of Christina Martin Kenny

Tasha: Christina, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about your nonprofit origin story?
Christina: Yeah. So I’m Christina. I, I don’t want to say I fell into the nonprofit space because I think I always knew I wanted to work in an industry that. Um, I studied international development in college. And when I was doing, you know, looking for internships immediately, nonprofits were where I was finding the most alignment.
Christina: Um, so my first nonprofit role was an unpaid internship in London, um, with a women’s rights organization.
Christina: I’ve worked as a consultant for a firm. I’ve worked in house. Um, my passion is organizations that are working on gender equity, gender equality, social justice, girls education, um, really all of those areas. And I have really just worn every hat as a fundraiser. Um, I’ve been a T a development team of one.
Christina: Many times as so many people I think can relate to. And I really, um, I love this work and I think every organization has such unique challenges that I find it exciting to try to come in and work with them. And that’s one of the reasons why I liked working with this consulting firm so much. It was so fast paced.
Christina: Um, it was primarily grant writing. But I remember one of my clients at one point said, you should be charging for your fundraising therapy because that’s what this feels like, right? Cause they’d come to us and they’re like, we haven’t won a grant. We were behind on our fiscal year. And I really liked just giving the pep talk.
Christina: So here’s what we’re seeing. Let’s put our energy here to try to solve this problem. Um, so I really like doing that kind of work. I like. Meeting organizations where they are and helping them find strategic ways to grow. And so I’ve been working in house as a fundraiser, um, since about 2019, uh, after I left my consulting role.
Christina: And I am also a mom to two. I have two girls. They’re five and one coming, coming up on two. Um, but they keep me busy and I love talking to them about my work. You know, my five year old, I love the way she describes the work I do right now.
Christina: She’s she tells people that, um, mommy helps people vote. I work for a voting rights organization full time and I like hearing her describe that.
Christina: And the biggest thing is that I think so many parents come back to work from parental leave and they want to feel like their work matters. And I’m grateful that being in this sector, I’ve never questioned that. I’ve always known that my work matters.
Christina: I really was able to, to feel like I was doing something meaningful. Um, and so that’s, that’s me. That’s why I like this work and keep doing what I’m doing.
Tasha: I love that. And I, I do think I’m seeing among, you know, close friends, among people who I know in the sector, the people in for profit are really starting To actually consider what does it look like to move into nonprofit work because they want meaning in their, in their roles, like we’ve put such an emphasis, particularly in North America on work and like, this is where you find meaning, but for so many people, they look at their jobs and go, well, what’s the meaning of what I’m doing here?
Tasha: Right? So it’s kind of interesting to see both people going. Nonprofit work is insane. Why are we all doing this? And also people going, okay, but it’s also just nuts over here, right? Like for profit has its own problems. You’re not necessarily just walking away from it at the end of the day. And you don’t have that feeling like you’re maybe making an impact on the world at large.
Tasha: Like it’s kind of interesting to see the conversations changing. Yeah. Yeah, for sure.
So what’s your favorite part about working in the nonprofit space?
Christina: You know, I always say that nonprofit work is about connecting people with passion to missions that move them. And whether that’s donors, foundations, corporate entities, it really is finding people who have a passion for solving a problem or doing good work.
Christina: And connecting them with the right organization. I mean, I am that person in my friend group that when something happens globally, people send me a message and say, Who do I donate to? How do I help? And I always have the answer, right? Um, you know, or people who are saying like, I’m really concerned about this issue.
Christina: I want to do more about climate. And I’m like, Oh, you should be donating to this organization. Or I know somebody who works here and they’re looking for volunteers. Um, because I think We inherently want to give back. I think it’s just part of our DNA. And when people are feeling really hopeless about the state of the world, I think being able to feel like, well, this is, this is how I can fix it with my limited scope of power.
Christina: This is what I can do. And I think that’s what the nonprofit industry is doing, right? So many global issues, I don’t want to say have been solved, but have been. significantly improved because of the work of nonprofits. And especially when you think about policy change, um, so much of the, you know, of the needle is moving because of the advocacy of nonprofits.
Christina: And sometimes it isn’t even physical advocacy of people like marching down, you know, Capitol Hill. Um, sometimes it’s really just existing and bringing awareness. You think about in the eighties, right? There was mothers against drunk driving and yes, it still happens, but people really started to think about, Oh, drunk driving can kill people.
Christina: And I think it set people in this mind. And now having a designated driver is just such a normal part of, of culture. Right. And you have bars and pubs that will post like. Here’s a resource if you need somebody to get home and then there’s Uber and things like that. And that was largely the advocacy of one organization.
Christina: And there’s so many organizations like that, that are shifting community change, behavior change, they’re changing mindsets, and it’s creating really valuable. Change in our society. And there’s still so many issues and so many, so much work that needs to be done. But when I start to lose hope at the state of the world, I think about the organizations I know and the work that they’re doing.
Christina: And, you know, one of my favorite organizations is world central kitchen because they just feed people in times of need. It’s so simple. Right. And. They are just, that’s all they do. And it’s funny because I think so many organizations fall into the trap of overplanning and we’re going to spend six to eight months hiring a firm to do a strategic plan and.
Christina: When World Central Kitchen, when a crisis or a conflict breaks out, I mean, World Central Kitchen is there within 48 hours. And I’m constantly impressed. I don’t know anything about the behind the scenes, but I’m so impressed at their ability to just execute. And I think so many organizations could learn from that ability to just make a decision fast.
Tasha: Yeah, I mean, organizations that provide emergency relief, it’s wild what they managed to do, right? It’s crazy. And one of the things you had said about, uh, you know, nonprofits providing that connecting point. I think what’s so cool about people who work in nonprofits is. You know, we’re not talking about, uh, Bill Gates talking about nonprofit work or Kim Kardashian or all of these people who they feel like other, right?
Tasha: Like, the average person, how do you connect with that human? Like, you really, like, it’s like their life is so different that it’s hard to connect with them. Whereas people who work in nonprofit. You know, I think they’re rock stars, but they’re also just kind of like, just like, like any other person, but they’ve decided that this is what’s important to them.
Tasha: So when they share the message of their mission of the work of how we can change the world, I think it connects because you can directly go, Oh, here’s another mama. I know Christina, who does this amazing advocacy work. And I’m a mama as well. And like, look at what she’s doing. Look at the message that she’s putting out there.
Tasha: And so it’s easier to connect with somebody. Who you can actually see yourself in their shoes and you can, what’s their reasons for it. Oh, I have some reasons of why I believe in these things. And I think it’s just so much easier to connect to the mission when the person is. It’s could be you, right? You could see yourself doing it.
Christina: Yeah. I think, you know, we talk about influencing and I read some influencers and social media, and I read something recently about how everybody’s an influencer, right? Like I have these sandals because my friend recommended them, or I bought this swimsuit because my friend recommended like influencing is how.
Christina: It’s just how things work, right? You go to this restaurant because somebody recommended it. And modern day influencing is just that. And I think, I wish that there was more of a culture around influencing for good around social media, right? All of these, it doesn’t matter what your niche is. You know, if you’re a gardening influencer, there are ways that you can talk about.
Christina: growing food for community gardens and supplying food pantries with your own homegrown food. I mean, there’s so many different ways to do it. And I think, I think the reason why influencing kind of gets scoffed at is because There’s just, it just, it does seem so selfish, right? It’s everybody. And I don’t think it is selfish.
Christina: You have influencers who are just, that’s their business and they’ve created this business for themselves. But I think it would be more respected if there was an element of good towards it. Right? Like I follow this influencer who’s really passionate about this organization. And that might not even be.
Christina: An organization that you feel compelled to support, but knowing that they’re doing something to support their community, I think goes a long way in getting people to have more respect for an industry or a sector.
Tasha: Absolutely. Yeah. Awareness is a powerful tool and too often, I think money does talk obviously, otherwise, you know, it is, it is a big deal, but there’s a lot Influence and that kind of comes from awareness in the first place.
Tasha: That is not often how nonprofits. Or, you know, they’re not functioning that way. Maybe more advocacy based organizations kind of have that down because that is a critical part of it. But, uh, you know, I think everybody could probably, uh, look at influencing and the influence of their own staff. Right?
Tasha: Because I think staff has huge influence and they get the mission in a way that is really hard to describe or have. An outside marketing firm get across to the general public. Um, so my next question was challenges. We talked about your favorite part of the work. What kind of challenges. In all your different roles and nonprofits, um, do you find is kind of prevalent there?
Christina: There are so many. I mean, I think when you and I 1st connected, I said something about, you know, a role that was almost like a recipe for how to burn out a nonprofit staffer. When you talk about staff and their influence, I think is your staff going to meet up with their friends at the end of the day and meeting someone who says, what do you do?
Christina: Are they saying, I work for this amazing nonprofit that is solving this problem? Or are they saying, Oh, I work for a non profit. Yeah. And that’s, A really important distinction that has nothing to do with personality, right? Somebody who is respected and, you know, is thanked for doing their work and feels like a valued, supported employee is going to go to that friend and say, I work for this amazing organization.
Christina: You should check us out. Right. I mean, nobody talks to people on planes anymore, but I always say when you get that chatty person on the plane, um, who says, what do you do for a living? What’s your answer? Right. Are you excited to talk about the work you’re doing? And I’ll be honest, I don’t know many people right now who are so excited to talk about the work they’re doing.
Christina: I think burnout is absolutely just at an all time high. And, you know, Evan Wildstein and I are connecting about this separately, you know, that he’s done this research with, um, Michelle Flores, I think about. How three quarters of nonprofit staff are considering leaving their roles. And I’m sitting here and I’m so excited about this conversation you’re doing on LinkedIn later this month, because I reached out to him and said, do we think that’s because of the demands of the nonprofit sector and do we also think it’s because 70 percent of nonprofits are run by women and one in five people in the workforce are caregiving.
Christina: Is it just that nonprofits are demanding and it’s demanding to be a parent or a caregiver of elderly loved ones or loved ones with medical needs? And is it all just compacting? Like is, is work just becoming too much? You know, I think, um, I, I will never forget having an annual gala and being onsite until two in the morning and then getting back to the place I was staying and having to crunch the numbers of how much we actually raised to present to the board at 9am the next morning.
Christina: And I missed the board meeting because I slept in. I slept right through my alarm. Well, that’s insane, right? But that’s such, I have told that story and had so many people say, oh yeah, nonprofits love to have their board meeting the morning after the gala because they can present this big win. And it’s, it is insane, right?
Christina: I completely missed the meeting. I mean, I woke up at 10 o’clock, completely missed the meeting. And I was like, you know what? I’m sorry. I was up until three in the morning.
Tasha: Well, and I think the, the incentives are a little. Misaligned or, or, or I think nonprofit, there’s been some sort of like, uh, body snatching or something that kind of happens because.
Tasha: You know, I used to be a young, you know, early twenties and I was working at a bar and if I worked till two in the morning and then turned around and did the breakfast shift the next morning, I made a lot of money that that was, the incentive was, well, I’m going to get compensated really well to make this decision.
Tasha: And, you know, I do think obviously nonprofit attracts a People of just like the most passionate, caring, giving individuals that are not looking out for themselves that often, but that, that those feelings can only last for so long before it feels like you’re being taken advantage of. And, you know, is it reasonable to have someone stay up until two in the morning dealing with a gala and then turn around, like this isn’t, you know, you’re not working, uh, in, like, I just don’t think, I think the disconnect is so.
Tasha: Like, prevalent in nonprofit to go like, I’m taking care of others, but who is taking care of me? Right? Like, you know, and I think that sense, especially post COVID teams got smaller, but the expectations of what was going to be accomplished never changed vacancy rates increased by how much or just the position disappeared.
Tasha: And somehow people were expecting. A team could do the exact same amount of work with infinitely less support and staff. And we’re paying up. I think the whole sector is paying a cost for that because people are so burnt out, so burnt out.
Christina: Oh, absolutely. And you know, I posted something on LinkedIn last week about a job description that I found for a director of development and it had 22 bullet points.
Christina: That ranged everything from planning events and managing vendors to running a lapsed donor campaign to maintain like building a stewardship plan to engaging with major. I mean, it was it was. a director of development role, but they were looking for it to fit an entire department. This person was also going to manage the database.
Christina: I mean, really it was, let’s, let’s put an entire department into one person. And that, you know, it’s funny, cause I got a few comments from people that are like, this organization needs to be called out. And I was like, no, they don’t because this is so many organizations and you can have a team of one.
Christina: That’s fine. But they can only be focused on certain things. If they need a database, then you need to determine, are they building a major gifts program? Are they writing grants? What is the scope? And I mean, I can really, I think I can speak to the, you know, to how nonprofits run as a whole, but because I’ve been a fundraiser for so long, That’s that’s my bread and butter.
Christina: And I think when you have the average director of development spends 18 months in a role. I mean, that that information is that’s a that’s appalling. Yeah. And it’s because of organizations like this that have 22 bullet points and expect to be to get everything out of that. And there’s always this question of, is my director of development going to fundraise their salary back?
Christina: And I’m like, did, did you fundraise your salary back? Did anybody else on staff raise their salary? Why is it that directors of development have to raise their salary? Right. Um, and you cannot have An entire organizational budget be the responsibility of one person. You just can’t, not only is it a recipe for burnout, it’s a recipe for failure and it doesn’t give anybody any opportunity to do anything else.
Christina: You know, one of the, one of the points on this job description was building a culture of philanthropy.
Tasha: Oh, I read that and the comments, people were like, what does that mean? Right? Like, yes.
Christina: Yes, and you know, to me, that’s important, but a culture of philanthropy means everybody on staff has a hand. In fundraising, right?
Christina: And instead of having one person do all of this, Hey, we’re, you know, I think back to when I was doing intern work or when I was just a development associate or coordinator and I was responsible for everything. I think that’s okay. It’s okay. If your programs, people are responsible for sending out two emails a month, it’s okay to spread the work a little bit and give everybody a feel for.
Christina: Doing that work. I mean, how amazing would it be if you had, okay, we send out a fundraising appeal that segmented once a week. How amazing would it be if every different department in an organization took ownership over that and then got the feel of saying, Hey, I sent out that email and it raised X amount of money.
Christina: And that feels really good. Right. And just spreading the work a little bit and giving everybody an opportunity to really. Understand the work because I mean, I’ll tell you when you are responsible for raising an entire budget, it is it’s honestly demoralizing, right? Especially when that grant that you’ve gotten every year for 10 years, but wouldn’t commit to multi year funding finally decided that they were done.
Christina: Or, you know, your, um, largest donor passed away and left nothing to the organization. I mean, I’ve been there and it’s, then it’s, okay, well now I have to find this gap. And so many job descriptions for development staff are, you have to raise X amount of money. I found one reason this is like, I don’t know why I do this, but sometimes I just like to look at these job descriptions just to see how ridiculous they are, you know, and I found one that said this position is responsible for raising 3 million and I looked at their 990 and their budget was 900, 000.
Christina: And I’m like, do you have a pipeline to support this over 2 million that you expect this person to raise? Or do you think that we have a director of development now so we can raise our budget? Because I have been that director of development and it has not gone well.
Tasha: Or even I just know so many fundraisers right now who are like, by some miracle, everyone else out there is saying they’re not hitting their targets, not even close.
By some miracle, we hit ours. And so the board raised our goal of 50 percent for next year and they’re like, we have no idea how we managed to do this. It was like the so intense this past 6 months. We can’t believe we hit your end and we managed to. To reach the goal, and then the goal post is just thrown.
Tasha: Further out, right? And I think that that can be really demoralizing, right? To constantly go, well, I have to somehow make more and heaven forbid, we did amazing. And I asked for a raise and it’s, that’s not a thing, right? Like absolutely this extra work to get this, you know, that’s never going to come back to me, the person who helped.
Tasha: Potentially make it happen. So I think it’s, uh, definitely 1 of the bigger challenges. And I think, you know, given the fact that nonprofit, a lot of people are involved in some sort of fundraising role or fundraising is such a big thing. Um, it is something that needs to get figured out side note. Uh, I’m actually going to have Evan and Michelle do a part two of the conversation we did earlier this year with a recommend, like we talked about the report, but what’s the recommendation about it?
Tasha: Yeah. So we’re going to do that. I think I’m trying to get them to do it in August. So amazing. Oh, I can’t wait to hear that. Yeah. Um, so my next question is, you know, how does peer support factor into your ongoing success in the nonprofit space?
Christina: You know, it’s so funny you said that because I was at an event a couple weeks ago and a friend introduced me to somebody who said, Oh, you both work in development.
Christina: You should chat. And she was probably 10 years younger than I was, than I am. And she said, Oh, you know, she just, you know, Unloaded, right? She said, our director of development left. Um, I’ve been interim DoD for nine months without a raise. I don’t really know what I’m doing. This is my first job in development and exactly like you said, by some miracle, we hit our goal and now the board increased the budget because they think I’m doing so great, but I’m not getting, and she just, and I sat there and I’m like, Oh.
Christina: And I told her about the hive because I said, you need to know that you were, uh, you know, she’s like, are other nonprofits functioning like this? I said, yes, all of them, all of them, whether they have a 75 million budget and 200 staff or five staff and a 500, 000 budget, I mean, as a consultant, I’ve worked with organizations that’s that with that whole spread.
Christina: And I think building community and really understanding I’m not alone here. Is so critical in it’s not going to solve the burnout, but I do think it helps to know that this is just a dysfunction. And I think it’s important, you know, for people to feel empowered to go to their boards and leadership and say, this is happening across nonprofits.
Christina: I think this research that Evan and Michelle have done, bringing that to your board and saying, Hey, are you aware that this is? happening within the industry. Like we need to make sure that we’re retaining our staff. We need to make sure we’re retaining our people. Um, I think for me, just being able to connect with people around the world, I don’t think I’ve ever actually spoken to another American fundraiser or Hiver, which I love because I’ve talked to people in Uganda and Canada and the UK and the Netherlands, and it’s so cool to really, um, meet people from around the world.
Christina: Learn about the work they’re doing and also like the really different level, like layers of complexities and differences that are happening within organizations, but also to know that it doesn’t matter where in the world you are. This is just a little bit of a dysfunctional sector. And I would love to see sort of a like collective movement to what do we do about this?
Christina: Right. I think this research is a really critical first step. Um, yeah. But I, unfortunately, I think one of the downsides is the people who are looking at the research are the ones saying, yeah, that’s me and not. Oh, the leaders and board members who are saying, this is a problem and we should talk to our staff to find out.
Christina: where they are and do a pulse check of how they’re feeling.
Tasha: Yeah, I, totally agree. I think we have actually had some board members, people who that’s their only role, um, in the social impact sector signing up. And actually what’s been really interesting is some of the feedback from them has been, I’m so interested to hear outside of my board, what people have to say, because sometimes it’s so loaded.
Tasha: The conversations are so loaded internally. To for everyone to be honest for everyone to be able to ask the questions. And so I think sometimes there’s just peer support when you’re distance far enough from each other to have that psychological safety to really go. Okay, so, you know, as a board member, I don’t really understand X.
Tasha: Why is this happening? And for someone in nonprofit to go, okay, this is what you don’t get about it. They have the opportunity because it doesn’t matter what they say to this board member. It’s never going to influence them in any way, but it really could help this fellow nonprofit here who this board member is involved with understand and they can’t they can’t have that conversation yet, which is too bad.
Tasha: But I think it’s important. It comes from a place where it is passionate people all in organizations and passion can also be really hard to not get emotionally, uh, riled up when you’re talking about hard things.
Christina: Yeah. Yeah. I also think there’s a really interesting power dynamic within the sector that I don’t think should exist.
Christina: I see why power dynamics exist in corporate America. I don’t think they should exist in the nonprofit space. Um, Staff should be comfortable saying to leadership, you can’t raise our budget 50%. We can’t do that. You are setting us up for failure and that’s not happening. I’ve been in the, in their shoes and I’ve tried to say, this isn’t happening.
Christina: You’re setting us up for failure. And it’s. Gone really, really poorly, you know, um, I, I think boards are interesting too, because I said something one time about how I have been wanting to serve on a nonprofit board for a really long time. And every time I’ve had a conversation with an org that’s looking for new board members, they’re not interested because they’re looking for somebody with substantial means or substantial connections, AKA not somebody who works in the nonprofit space.
Christina: And to me, I’m saying, but I have over a decade of nonprofit fundraising experience and every organization I have ever worked with, I want somebody like me to sit on the board who can keep the rest of the board in check to make sure that these kinds of goals and aren’t being set, that we are supporting the organization in retaining staff, in being realistic about budgets, pushing them, you know, in realistic ways.
Christina: But I think there is. So many people want to serve on a board, but I don’t really think they have an understanding of what that actually means. And it creates this power dynamic where even founding executive directors feel like they can’t speak back to their boards. I mean, I spoke with somebody who’s starting a nonprofit right now.
Christina: I mean, brand new, they’re less than a year old. And they said to me, I don’t want a board. I am founding this organization. I’m starting it. I want to make my own decisions about growth. And I think, and I said, you know what? I think that’s fair. I think you should have an advisory board of people you can lean on, but a governing board, I said, I think it’s really fair for you as a founding ED to not want to give up that ownership.
Christina: Right. And I mean, they have two full time staff. I think when you’ve got 20 staff or, you know, even more than just two, it does get a little bit more complex. I’m not saying orgs shouldn’t have boards at all, but I really do understand it.
Tasha: Yeah. Well, even, you know, when I was first starting the nonprofit, Evan was 1 of my, like, huge sounding boards when I was getting going and he’s like, would you consider starting it as a nonprofit?
Tasha: And I said, I would love for there to be a nonprofit arm of this, or at some point, like, that would be amazing. That would be like, my ideal goal. I mean, I, all these missions and these people I’m talking to, and I just, like, I would love to find a way. To make it work, to support them more. I also know that I am able to do things that I could not do if I had to answer to a board right now.
Tasha: And that’s the reality. I can make decisions that feel, you know, I have had a few people go, it’s so cool how you’re talking about this. Well, I know if I had a board sitting behind me, I wouldn’t be able to have this, like, I wouldn’t be able to say what I feel like saying, because it’s my decisions and, you know, I.
Tasha: So I feel for people who want to start nonprofits and, you know, because your mission and your vision can be X. But once you have these other voices involved, um, and it is good to have people on some guardrails on on things. And I do use people in my life to go with I’m thinking about this crazy idea.
Tasha: What do you think? But I do know I have more flexibility to make some pretty big moves by not being a non profit, which is unfortunate.
Christina: And if you were a non profit and you had a board, you would have this milestone of 1, 000 followers, and it would immediately, probably without any congratulations, it would be, Great, how do we get to 5, 000?
Christina: Can we get to 5, 000 by December? Right.
Tasha: And I’d be all even toastier than I am now. So last question. Um, been amazing to have you as a Hive member. I mean, I always get feedback about how lovely you are after your falls, um, from your, your chat mates. Uh, what do you feel like you’ve gotten out of being a member of the Hive?
Christina: You know, like I said, connecting with people all over the world. I think even though I’ve worked, um, internationally, I it’s always been really a niche, um, and connecting with people that are just doing really amazing, cool things that are supporting the sector. It’s also, I think, I can’t even remember, I think I joined, I think I had my first Hive chat maybe six months ago, um, and right around that time, I had just started a new role with a very clear understanding to myself that I communicated to my family and friends that this is my last role in the nonprofit sector.
Christina: After this, I’m done. And I don’t feel that way anymore. And it’s not because of the work I’m doing. It’s because I’ve built a community of people who are not just really phenomenal non profiteers, um, but people who were really motivated to move this sector into the right direction. And that excites me, um, because this work is all I’ve ever done.
Christina: I can’t imagine just leaving non profit work and just. Going to work for I don’t even know what I would do. Um, but excuse me, I was so clearly ready to get out. Because I was burnt out. Um, And I enjoy the work I’m doing now. Right. I’m I have a full time role. I’m consulting for two organizations. Um, and I’m really glad and proud that being able to connect with people has made me really motivated to stay.
Christina: And I’ve never said in a hive chat, like, yeah, I want to be done with this work. It hasn’t been that I’ve had these conversations and people have said, no, we need you, you need to stay. It’s really just been having that community and camaraderie. Um, Um, and connecting with people has really made me realize like, no, I’m good.
Christina: I should stay here. I think that I have a lot more that I can give to the nonprofit space. Um, and what I’d really like to do is find ways to connect, um, younger nonprofit staff. with more seasoned professionals in a mentorship capacity or even just not even mentorship, but maybe just do we do like targeted ads for like 25 year old nonprofit, you know, nonprofit to say, You might be struggling in your role right now, and this industry has a lot of struggles, but here’s a great community where you can find ways to make it better for yourself.
Tasha:I think that’s actually been one of the things that really surprised me when The Hive started was I kind of thought the community that would jump on this. What’s going to be because they didn’t know anyone and it’s post COVID and they all started remote work versus in person for so many of them. And they would see, Oh, this is a cool way to meet new people in the industry.
Tasha: And if anything, the, you know, I would say at least 50 percent of our members have over 15 years of experience in nonprofit, which is crazy. And some of them. This is their, they’re in their last role because they’re kind of moving out of the sector. Um, you know, starting to retire and they see this as an opportunity to mentor the next generation and they have wisdom to impart and they feel like they have this.
Tasha: All this knowledge that they would like to share and support and do that and. So it’s been kind of interesting at the same time. They’ve enjoyed meeting other people who’ve had the same experience because they don’t get to talk that often, uh, just about and shoot the shit about what nonprofit has been like for them.
Tasha: And, but they’re also more than happy to take on more of a mentoring role. And it’s been kind of funny that it’s just. The younger crowd, I don’t know if they just don’t see the value of networking yet, whether they are more prepared to move from role to role. And that just feels natural to them. So they’re like, I’m not planning on staying here that long, but I do agree.
Tasha: I’d love to. I’d love to get younger. The younger generation, because I think they also have. a lot to say about the state of this work. And if they start saying it to leaders, maybe it would actually influence, uh, some leadership to think differently as well.
Christina: Yeah, I have so much hope for Gen Z. I think I don’t play into these generational politics of how each generation picks on the other.
Christina: I have a lot of hope for Gen Z in the way that they’re advocating and am really interested in work that gives back, but also in ways that Support their mental health and well being.
Tasha: I love that. I love that. Um, so just to finalize, how can people, uh, you know, follow up if they would love to chat with you or connect with you? What’s the,
Christina: yeah, I’m on LinkedIn. I think I’ve, um, I’ve been more active on LinkedIn, so that’s the best place to find me and connect. And I love connecting with people through LinkedIn and getting on a chat and, um, you know, talking to people.
Christina: I think. After I wrote that post about directors of development, I have so many people who want to talk about how do I fix this? I need to hire a director of development or I am a director of development. And that’s a space where in my consulting, I’m really excited about trying to help organizations solve right now.
Christina: Um, so yeah, LinkedIn is the best way to reach me about all of your fundraising woes and concerns and needs.
Tasha: I love that. Well, thank you so much, Christina. This was an absolute pleasure.
Christina: Thanks, Tasha.