Describe your role at Perigee Fund.
In my role, I am responsible for the grants management process, which includes developing and implementing our new grants management system to support both program staff and grantees.
What are you passionate about and/or what is the philosophy you bring to the organization?
I am passionate about building organizational capacity and making systems work for people, rather than the other way around. I think it’s important to recognize the operational challenges nonprofits and community-based organizations face, and to take the steps necessary to mitigate these burdens to move the needle in vulnerable communities. I am excited to be implementing these practices at Perigee and supporting the communities it serves.
Tell us a little bit about your professional background.
Over the last 10 years, I have had the privilege of working with many nonprofit organizations addressing a wide range of social justice and public health issues. Before Perigee, I worked for HomeSight in a variety of roles, managing community-based programs and grant contracts. Before that, I served as the executive director at the Ethiopian Community in Seattle (ECS), where I discovered my passion for capacity building for community-based organizations.
What excites you about working with Perigee Fund?
There are many things that excite me about working with the Perigee Fund, but what excites me the most is being a part of a dynamic team that supports innovative strategies led by communities of color, doing the real work, on the ground.
What is your favorite way to develop early connections with the babies and young children in your life?
As a child, I deeply enjoyed learning new things and testing my own made-up hypotheses about the things I saw and knew. Now as an adult, I love encouraging children to do the same. I love exploring their world with them with silly questions and learning games.