Creating Connections and Fostering Change
As Development Director at Between Friends, a domestic violence nonprofit in Chicago, Chicago Women in Philanthropy member Amanda Espitia is no stranger to solving the challenges that arise in her day-to-day work.
“My first line of defense in solving problems is taking a moment to think about similar issues I’ve had and how I have solved them,” Espitia said. “In fundraising, and especially event planning, you problem solve all the time; and experience really helps in dealing with challenges.”
Through the course of her four years at Between Friends, CWIP has helped Espitia improve her problem-solving skills by giving her a network of support and suggestions. “It’s great talking to other women who are in development, because you can brainstorm (with) the other members,” she said. “It’s nice to go over problems and get different ideas from people.”
Espitia emphasized that the variety of trainings offered by CWIP has been especially beneficial to her. The focused programming with seminar leaders has helped her keep her skills sharp. “I make it a point to go to the trainings, and I have learned a ton that I can realistically apply to my day-to-day life as a woman working in philanthropy,” she said. “They’re more big-picture as opposed to small-scale, so I’ve really learned a lot about how to structure our fundraising strategy.”
Espitia has also gained invaluable networking skills and learned how valuable authentic relationships are in her industry. “The CWIP events have made me much more comfortable in a networking setting,” Espitia said. “I go in with the mindset of, ‘This is who I am and this is what I can offer,’ as opposed to trying to be someone I’m not, and I find that the relationships are much more meaningful and long-lasting.”
Bernie Ryan, Director of Development for Harborquest, a nonprofit employment organization, has her hands full every day, as she is both the fundraising and the communications department for the organization. Similar to Espitia, she has found that CWIP has helped her stay on top of the networking game. “The value of CWIP for me is keeping me connected with people in the fundraising world,” Ryan said. “I’ve never been good at the networking thing because it always seemed false. But the people in this organization are very genuine and really want to get to know you as a person as much as they want to know your professional status.”
As well as making networking seem effortless, Ryan stressed how getting to know other members helps her remain an authority in her field. “In my organization, I’m expected to know what the trends are and to know people involved in nonprofits and foundations,” she said. “CWIP’s networking benefits give me a better idea of what’s going on in the foundation world, and what people are looking for. As the face of the company, it also enables me to keep up-to-date on what people in other philanthropic circles are doing.”
Ryan, has become committed to the organization as a result of her experiences. “I thought CWIP was for women who worked in specific aspects of philanthropy, but my friend told me it was for all women working in philanthropy and dragged me to a meeting. After that first meeting, I was hooked. I’m very female-oriented. I attended all-girls schools most of my life, and I really wanted to get involved in something that would help me professionally and positively affect women’s lives.”
Ryan joined CWIP's Communications Committee, which she said has been an incredible experience. “The people I work with are smart, and we’ve accomplished some great things,” she said. “It feels great to be a part of something significant.”
-- by Sarah Blau, a sophomore at Northwestern University pursuing a double major of journalism and sociology. In her spare time, Sarah edits the campus newspaper, The Daily Northwestern, and is a Public Relations intern at the Evanston Art Center, a nonprofit organization and one of the largest community art centers in Illinois.