Learning Across Lines: Sarah Pita on Curiosity, Complexity, and Staying Open in Nonprofit Work
Key Takeaways
- Nonprofit work often asks more than it gives, especially when you are carrying the work alone or with limited support.
- Curiosity is what allows nonprofit professionals to learn, adapt, and build meaningful connections across unfamiliar spaces.
- Peer conversations, especially outside your organization, can be a quiet but powerful source of support.
There is a certain kind of nonprofit professional who does not follow a straight path into the work. They follow questions instead.
For Sarah Pita, that path has meant moving across roles, countries, and causes. It has been shaped less by a fixed plan and more by a steady belief that if you have had the chance to learn, you have a responsibility to use it in service of something beyond yourself.
Transcript
Nicole: [00:00:00] Hi, Sarah. Thank you so much for joining. I’m so excited to have this conversation with you today, and I’d love if you could take a minute to introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your nonprofit journey and what led you into this work, and what keeps you inspired today.
Sarah: Yeah, I’m Sarah Pita. Um, I am current, I currently live outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, um, and I currently am the director of development at CIDNY, which is the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York.
Uh, but I, my nonprofit journey has wandered all over the map. Um, so I’ve been in this role for about the last year. Before that, I was a consultant for a couple years before that, I was. Development director for a international nonprofit that does, uh, humanitarian work in Albania. It was founded by German missionaries right after the fall of communism.
[00:01:00] And so I was in charge of fundraising for the US office. Um, and I also, you know, did a bunch of grant writing. Um, kind of fell into that, you know, I’m working backwards in time here, but fell into that work when my kids were little and, um, kind of grew with that. Um, so, and I’ve, and I’ve worked in, in, uh, nonprofits pretty consistently, even since I graduated from college.
Um, I guess I just feel like, um, I’m, I’m really an incredibly fortunate person in terms of the opportunities that I’ve had in my life and the education and, you know, just the, the chances I’ve had to kind of learn and, and kind of. See different experiences and the way different people live their lives and, uh, you know, how incredibly complex this planet we live on is.
And so I guess I’ve just always felt a calling not to hoard that knowledge. Um, and [00:02:00] to me that has meant trying to be part of the solution because there are certainly enough problems to go around. So, you know, I, I guess my journey has been about learning about those things and trying to. Bring all the, you know, all the, all the knowledge I’ve had the good fortune to, uh, to garner, to bear, to try to be part of the solution.
Um, so that, that’s kind of, that’s kind of my, uh, overarching why.
Nicole: You’ve definitely done a lot. You have worn many hats from the sounds of it, which is amazing. And being able to share that knowledge based off all of those learnings and experiences is huge. So thank you so much for doing that. I think oftentimes we.
Tend to like, keep a lot of those things to ourself or like our natural instinct is to keep that to ourselves and when we can really share and, you know, do that more of that peer learning, it just makes everything better. So I, I love that that’s, uh, kind of a framework of what you live by and, uh, something definitely that’s really inspiring.
So thank [00:03:00] you.
Sarah: Oh, thanks.
Nicole: So what’s what, sorry? What part of the work lights you up the most? If there’s like a story or a project, um, that kind of reminds you why you do what you do.
Sarah: Um, I mean, I guess there are a couple of things. I mean, I, I alluded that to this in my first thing. I’m, I’m a very, I feel the, like the word curious has gotten, um, overused to the point of meaninglessness, but I, I.
Do really like learning new things. So, you know, I talked about how I, you know, I, I didn’t know anything about Albania when I went, went to work, um, for that organization and had never been to Germany, didn’t speak German. So, you know, just being able to like, have that beginner mindset going into this job.
Um, really helpful as a fundraiser because you’re not always preaching to the choir. So being able to go in as a beginner and be like, wait, why is this this way? And, you know, so, and that’s definitely been the case, you know, in [00:04:00] my current role as well. I’m not an, like, I’m not of the disability community particularly, like I don’t have.
You know, I don’t identify as a person with disabilities and I don’t have people close to me that do, which is, you know, a, a little bit unusual in that space. But it, you know, it does mean that I’ve had to learn and go and seek out information to try to, you know, understand the language and. Then to be able to communicate that to others, you know, in order to be an effective fundraiser so that globally that’s, you know, I love that feeling.
Um, I guess in that, for that reason, consulting feels natural to me as well, because then you can do that for a bunch of different topic. At a time. But just that, that learning and, you know, then being kind of a bridge to potential funders, potential supporters, potential volunteers, but having to, to go out and start by questioning the assumptions and finding out what the assumptions are [00:05:00] and asking more questions and reading books.
Um, so that’s, that’s like the first part of my answer. And then the other thing that, you know, I. This is the first time we’ve met, but just about anybody that I’ve met in the last few years knows I love talking about working with ai. So, um, that’s, you know, I’m a department of one at CIDNY, and so I’ve been on this very, uh.
Interesting solitary journey of figuring out how to multiply myself every single day in order to get, get the job done. Um, and, you know, I experience it not as a productivity tool, but more as a broadening and deepening tool. Um, so I’ve been really enjoying, I guess, for the same reason that I, you know, I, I enjoy nonprofit work and getting out and learning new things.
There isn’t a rule book yet, you know, so. Figuring out where the, where the walls are has been, you know, really, really [00:06:00] fun and energizing. So, um, so those are, those are the, the, the things I guess that come to mind.
Nicole: That’s awesome. The curious nature, I’m sure feeds in beautifully into that AI kind of learning, expanding scene, whats possible.
Um, I also love that when you, when you come into an organization and you don’t necessarily know the.
Sarah: So
Nicole: subject matter, structure, whatever it is, it does allow you to continue to stay curious or really push the boundaries. I think our sector needs that as a whole. I feel like we’re pretty, um, old guard in a lot of ways.
Mm-hmm. And I think asking questions and questioning the status quo and kind of pushing the innovative mindset, um, is really something the sector needs in its totality. But also when you go out and actually. Don’t know everything. You get to ask the community and then you get to really hear and understand the nuance that they see and feel within your organization.
So I think it’s actually just a [00:07:00] really beautiful place to start when you enter any organization.
Sarah: Yeah, it’s true. I mean, the one thing I will add to it is that you can’t be too worried about making a fool out of yourself. Um, you know, and I, it’s easy to say that, but in reality, sometimes, like asking the dumb question, you legitimately are asking a dumb question, you know, at least to the person that you’re asking.
And you know, you gotta be willing to just go with that. You know, know that your sincere intention is, you know, makes, it, makes it worth that moment of discomfort that, you know, sometimes results. You know, ’cause if you don’t, if you, if none of us ever try, then you know, we’re all just kind of stuck in our little boxes, right.
Nicole: And I think it’s important to remind ourselves, like we could give each other grace in that space too. Yeah. Like when you get a question even asked that you’re like, why are you what? Like, you should know this, but maybe there’s another reason why they’re asking. Or just being kind enough and being gracious enough to.
Have the [00:08:00] conversation with them I think is so useful.
Sarah: Yeah,
Nicole: I like that. So what’s one challenge or shift you’re currently navigating in the, in your organization or the sector? I know we talked about a few different things, um, and I’m just wondering how you, you approach it or what kind of support do you think would be helpful in those spaces?
Sarah: It’s definitely a challenging climate here in the us Um, right now.
Um, I would also say globally, um. The pace of growth of technology. You know, again, the second part of my answer, just like the last question, is it, it poses challenges as well as opportunities. Um, particularly with a technology that’s. Fast growing and readily available, but then you know who’s actually directing and managing that, you know, who’s setting the guidelines and you know, I think it’s honestly like knowing the nonprofit sector, being like, well, [00:09:00] you should all have this policy or whatever in place.
It’s like, it’s been less than three, it’s like been three years. You know, and it’s changed a lot in those three years. So like pushing that off on nonprofits is uncool and being like, so pay me and I’ll fix it for you, is also kinda like, you know, did you not hear the first part about our grants? You know, um.
So I, I would say that that’s definitely a challenge. And then like at, you know, on another level, that’s kind of the opportunity side of, you know, the challenges of the opportunity side of this, uh, new technology. But then I see all the time. That there are like security risks that nonprofits face all the time.
I would say that that’s a challenge too, is just keeping. You know, and they’re, they’re really connected, like this tremendous growth and what the technology’s capable of.
And the, the scale of the threat is also also real, both through positive actions that aren’t being managed [00:10:00] correctly. And also, you know, things that are being done by, you know, less than virtuous actors that, you know. We work for a nonprofit. We’re not, you know, we’re not a tech company. So, so I would say that that’s also kind of a challenge.
And then of course, you know, there are nonprofits like everywhere else, there are the challenges of, I mean, geez, I can’t believe I’m, I’m on this. And number three is burnout. But, you know, I did tell you I’m an office of one person. Um. And we’re not a small organization. So, um, so that has its own, own difficulties.
Um, so, um, yeah, no, there, there are a lot of challenges for sure.
Nicole: Yeah. I, I feel the burnout one. Um, I’ve left I hear that a lot because of it. Yeah. I do find the nonprofit hi has supported in that space quite a bit. Um, just being able to talk to people in a fairly safe environment that you don’t have to feel like.[00:11:00]
You can vent in a way that doesn’t feel like your boss or somebody will hear it, and it’s yeah. To somebody who also might really well, they understand the sector. Like when I talk to my partner, he doesn’t necessarily understand the nuance of nonprofit, but when I talk to a stranger in the nonprofit sector and I’m having a hard day, they, they get it and it’s not, and, and it’s just that ear to listen to or talk to that, um, I have found really helpful and supportive and.
Um, but burnout’s real, it’s, it’s not getting any better. And with some of the challenges that you’ve mentioned, the reality that funding’s getting cut, staff positions are getting cut, people are assuming that the nonprofit sector’s going to rely on AI even more. But where’s the human behind it operating it?
Where’s the safeguards? Like, it’s, it’s, uh, when you over, when you think about it, it becomes so overwhelming and then like, yeah. Just feeds into the burnout. Mm-hmm. So I [00:12:00] think you’ve. You’ve highlighted some really big challenges. I’m hoping that we can figure out as a sector, like together how to create those safeguards specifically in ai.
Like I think there’s a lot of really amazing people doing great work in the space that really get excited about it. So if we can think about it together and do more like the. Co-op building in that space. Mm-hmm. I think would be really useful. And to your point earlier, like sharing information, knowledge is power and sharing that power is so yeah.
So fundamental in these specific topics. So, um, yeah, we have to keep talking about it ’cause it’s not going away.
Sarah: Yeah. That’s for sure. Yeah.
Nicole: So as we, um, you’ve had a number of conversations in the nonprofit hive, and I’m curious, have there been any that helped shape your work or perspective? This could be a person you met, an idea that’s stuck or simply a feeling that you’re not doing it alone.
Sarah: Um, I mean, I would say just in general, I mean, you [00:13:00] already said it beautifully, um, that that opportunity to talk to somebody that is in the sector but not in your workplace is, um, tremendously valuable. Just as a kind of one-on-one support. Um, honestly, I’ve appreciated, you know. Some, some calls are definitely like, you know, you end up staying in touch with that person for, you know, the next year or, you know, however long it’s, it’s been and, you know, start to really think of ’em as your online friends.
Mm-hmm. Which is, which is wonderful. Um, you know, there are really some, some lovely people that I’ve gotten to talk to. Um, and I will say also that, you know, for me another. Another aspect of that, I mean, there’s the, there’s the meeting peers, which is wonderful, um, and meeting peers that have a different expertise.
But then the thing that surprised [00:14:00] me and kind of delighted me is a couple of like the younger folk that I have spoken with who have come back asking for advice and guidance on dealing with this or that, or, you know, I’ve ended up being able to help them a little bit. And that’s. Actually been at least as wonderful as the other stuff.
Um, because I think that one aspect of being at the stage in your career that I am is that, you know, you are overwhelmed and you know, in the thick of it all the time, and it can be very. Affirming to, to realize that you’ve learned some stuff along the way, because sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, you know, when you’re in the thick of it and you know, the problems are so hard that, you know, you realize that some of the stuff that you learned earlier, you know, everybody doesn’t know that yet.
And being able to share that is a, that’s a great feeling. So I would [00:15:00] recommend also the nonprofit hive. Experience as a way to be able to like help people, but then without getting into this like long-term committed relationship either, because, you know, there are those structured like mentorship programs where it’s like you get into, like, get really deep in with somebody, but sometimes it’s just like having that conversation and being able to help somebody else.
And that’s, that’s pretty great.
Nicole: Yeah. And I find that there’s always so many different, um, skillsets and I’m always surprised about the, the different roles within nonprofit.
Sarah: Yeah.
Nicole: Um, that’s, that’s one of my highlights too, is just hearing what, what they’re actually working on and what kind of their background is.
And I find I’m always a little surprised, but, oh, I didn’t know that was a thing. Oh, I didn’t know that was a different, that would’ve cool charity. I had no idea that existed.
Sarah: Yeah.
Nicole: Um, so yeah, I could, I totally relate to what you’re saying there. I think, um. Those small moments of it, it’s almost like I, I often have imposter syndrome.
So like it’s that piece of, oh yeah, I did [00:16:00] know that.
Sarah: Yeah.
Or have you tried this? And they’re like, oh,
Nicole: tell me more. Yeah, I like that. Um, so what’s one insight, resource or mindset that’s helped you recently and might help others in the community too?
Sarah: Well, I, again, I’m not sure if this fits quite into the box that you’re offering, but the thing that I’ve been thinking about lately is, um, and I actually, um, texted Natasha about this a couple weeks ago, is that I. I am a lifelong believer, if you haven’t gotten this from my other answers, and people just talking to each other and talking to each other, across borders, across boundaries, um, across all the lines that we tend to put between ourselves.
Um, you know, back in the nineties I actually ran a program in the former Soviet Union that gave scholarships to kids from there to come to the United States. So that. You know, they could start to understand more about us and we could start to [00:17:00] understand more about them after, you know, decades of the Iron Curtain.
Mm-hmm. Um, you know, my parents met because they were both in the same exchange program as high school students from rural New Hampshire. Um, so I really believe in that like dialogue. Across borders, across cultures, across lines. Um, I think it’s particularly important in today’s world. And I do believe that opportunities to talk to people that are not in the same place that you are, I feel like it’s kind of covert diplomacy a little bit.
It’s kind of, uh, peace building in a very small way that, you know, leverages the power of, you know, again, we’re back to technology, but that, that it’s possible to have a video call with somebody that’s. You know, not in your reality. I think that that’s an incredibly important thing about what the nonprofit Hive does.
Mm-hmm. And, um, you know, [00:18:00] it’s, it’s a way to maybe, you know, I see people that can’t get away from the doom scrolling, but I think that if there is a way to get away from the doom, scrolling and feeling like, you know, terrible things are inevitable, it’s. You know, talking to other people in other places and, you know, affirming once again in the face of, you know, kind of some of the dark narratives that are out there being said by people being amplified, by people being amplified by technology.
That in reality, you know, there, there are a lot of us worldwide that are just trying to make things better for all of us. Mm-hmm. Um. So I, it’s really important. Um, and that’s, I guess, that’s, that’s my big, that’s my big thing that I’ve been thinking lately about why, you know, another reason why what you guys do is so important.
It’s not just because it helps nonprofits to support each other, but it also supports a, a global community and a [00:19:00] global community of, um. People that are trying to make things better, because that’s what nonprofit people are. You know, we’re, we’re not people that are motivated by money or power necessarily.
Um, so I think it’s a good community to, to build up.
Nicole: Yeah, I think with, um, the like breaking down the silos and the walls and actually like listening to people for their perspective, and I feel like it breaks down biases. It gives you different perspective. The one-to-one conversations always allow you to be more human and like have like honest.
Opportunities to listen. Um, and I think we often forget to listen, so we, like a lot of us are talkers and then we don’t actually take the time to actually absorb what others are saying. So, um, I fully agree. I, I’m a huge advocate of community and connection and just taking the time to actually talk to strangers if [00:20:00] whoever it’s right.
And I think that as a. World so connected. We’ve never been further connected like we. Connecting community conversation even. It’s like the art is, we’re losing it. And, um, yeah, I have hope for the next generation for sure. Watching my littles.
Sarah: Mm-hmm.
Nicole: Seeing them grow, it’s definitely top of mind for me on how to create those type of opportunities for them.
Um, but it’s, it’s something we have to work on. ’cause it’s not, it’s easy to let go of. Um mm-hmm. We don’t work towards it.
Sarah: Yeah, yeah. No, my, my kids are 21 and 18 and you know, one of the things that’s, um, sobering about their perspective is that they’re, especially my daughter who’s 21, is kind of fatalistic at times about what kind of wor world they’re inheriting.
And I’m like, well, you know, you have a choice about whether to just be like, [00:21:00] well, or, you know, whether, whether you get to work, um. So,
Nicole: yeah, you can definitely just complain or find solutions or work towards solutions. I’m very much, and I feel a lot of people in nonprofit are actually that way. Like they trust Oh
yeah,
Sarah: no, for sure.
That’s, that’s why we’ve chosen this career, even though it has some, even though it has some challenges.
Nicole: Yeah. Yeah. Agreed. Okay. So to wrap up, any place that people can find you is there. If someone wants to connect with you, what’s the best place to connect with you?
Sarah: Uh, probably LinkedIn is the best. Uh, yeah.
Now I, I answer my messages. Um. And I post about, um, I post about my discoveries working with AI pretty much every week because, you know, I’m not, I’m not a consultant. I’m, but I am a person that’s doing it every day as a practitioner, as a development director. So I figure, you know, there are a lot of us that haven’t had the benefit of being able to, you know, obsess about this stuff full [00:22:00] time.
So I just kind of try to share what I know. Um. So that’s, that’s a place to find me. And yeah, that’s, that’s probably the best place to find me. Um, and oh yeah. And then the other thing is, um, I do contribute a, like a more substantive article to Mike Esposito’s fundraising Success Newsletter, which goes out every two weeks.
Um, it’s a great newsletter. We, you know, I’m the editor and co-creator of it, um, fully, like, really proud of how good it is. Um, so I strongly encourage anybody that’s interested to sign up for that newsletter because it is, um, you know, all written, all written by not, not by hand. I mean I type, but it’s written by, written by people, four people.
Um, and there’s always a lot of great stuff in there. So, so that’s the other thing. Um, and you can sign up for that on Mike’s website.
Nicole: Thank you Sarah. This was a lovely conversation and I just look forward to learning more from you.
Sarah: Yeah, no, thank you so much Nicole. It’s nice to finally meet you and [00:23:00] you know, since we didn’t manage the first time and yeah.
Nicole: Amazing. Thank
Sarah: you. Alright, thanks. Bye.
A Nonprofit Journey Built on Curiosity
Sarah did not arrive in nonprofit work through a single defining moment. Instead, her career has unfolded gradually through fundraising roles, consulting, and international work. Each step has been shaped by a willingness to learn something new and to step into unfamiliar environments.
She describes her path as “wandering all over the map,” moving from humanitarian work connected to Albania to her current role as Director of Development at the Center for Independence of the Disabled in New York.
What holds that path together is a sense of responsibility.
She is deeply aware of the opportunities she has had. Education, exposure to different ways of living, and the chance to understand complexity are not things she takes lightly. Rather than holding onto that knowledge, she has chosen to use it as a way to contribute.
“I’ve just always felt a calling not to hoard that knowledge… to try to be part of the solution.”
That perspective does not come across as grand or performative. It shows up quietly in how she approaches her work. Learning is not an end point for her. It is something to be shared, applied, and continuously expanded.
Bridging Gaps Through Learning
What stands out most about Sarah’s approach is not expertise. It is curiosity.
She regularly steps into spaces where she does not have all the answers. Whether that is working internationally or entering a sector she has not personally experienced, she begins by listening and learning. In her current role, she works in the disability space without identifying as part of that community. That reality has required her to seek out understanding directly from the people closest to the work.
That process is not always comfortable.
It means asking questions that may feel obvious to others. It means risking moments where you do not get it right the first time. But for Sarah, that discomfort is part of doing the work well.
“You can’t be too worried about making a fool out of yourself… asking the dumb question, you legitimately are asking a dumb question.”
There is a humility in that approach. It also reflects something deeper about fundraising as she sees it.
For Sarah, fundraising is not only about communicating impact. It is about understanding it well enough to translate it. It is about acting as a bridge between communities, supporters, and systems that do not always naturally connect.
And that bridge is built by asking better questions.
The Weight of the Work Right Now
Like many nonprofit professionals, Sarah is navigating a landscape that feels increasingly complex.
Funding uncertainty is a constant reality. Government contracts shift, priorities change, and grantmakers are overwhelmed. There is rarely a single, clear problem to solve. Instead, there are overlapping pressures that require ongoing adjustment.
At the same time, technology is evolving faster than most organizations can realistically keep up with.
Sarah is actively exploring how tools like AI can deepen and expand her work. She does not see it simply as a productivity tool, but as something that can broaden and deepen what is possible. At the same time, she is clear-eyed about the risks. Questions around security, responsibility, and capacity are very real for organizations that were never designed to operate like tech companies.
And underneath all of it is something many in the sector will recognize immediately.
As she puts it, she is often operating as “a department of one.” The expectations of the work do not shrink simply because resources are limited.
“I’m a department of one… and we’re not a small organization.”
The work continues. The pressure builds. And for many, the weight accumulates over time.
Why Peer Support Still Matters
In the middle of all of this, what stands out to Sarah is not a tool or a framework. It is people.
Through conversations in The Nonprofit Hive, she has found something simple but deeply needed. It is the ability to talk to someone who understands the sector, but is not inside your organization. It is a space to process, to reflect, and to say things out loud without needing to filter every word.
Some of those conversations turn into lasting relationships.
Others remain as single conversations that still leave an impact.
Both matter.
What surprised Sarah, though, was another side of that connection. It was the opportunity to offer support.
As someone further along in her career, she has found meaning in sharing what she has learned with others. Not through formal mentorship structures, but through small, real moments of exchange.
“It can be very affirming to realize that you’ve learned some stuff along the way… and being able to share that is a great feeling.”
Those moments do more than help others. They also remind her that experience has value, even when the day-to-day work feels overwhelming.
Connection as a Form of Quiet Resistance
Lately, Sarah has been thinking about connection in a broader sense.
Not just within organizations or even within the sector, but across borders, perspectives, and lived experiences.
Earlier in her career, she helped run programs that brought young people from the former Soviet Union to the United States. The goal was simple but meaningful. It was about creating space for mutual understanding after years of separation.
That belief has stayed with her.
In today’s world, where it can feel easy to retreat into silos or be pulled into constant cycles of negative news, she sees conversation as something more intentional.
“I really believe in people just talking to each other… across borders, across boundaries.”
For Sarah, these moments of connection are not just helpful. They are a way of countering isolation and division. They are small acts that contribute to something larger.
A reminder that there are people, across the world, trying to make things better.
Staying in It, Together
Sarah does not offer a polished framework for navigating nonprofit work.
What she offers instead is something steadier and more human.
A way of moving through complexity with curiosity.
A willingness to ask questions, even when it feels uncomfortable.
A belief that learning only matters if it is shared.
And a reminder that connection is not an extra part of this work.
It is one of the things that helps sustain it.
If this resonates, it is likely because you have felt some version of it too.
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If this feels familiar, you are not alone in it. That is part of what makes spaces like The Nonprofit Hive matter. They reflect back what many are already carrying and create space for people to move through it together.