Kathy Doan

I wouldn't be where I am today without my team. No matter what role I’ve held, for every success I’ve had, it can be traced back to having a strong and dedicated team. I am fortunate to be surrounded by talented people and that drives me to bring my best self to everything I do.

When you climb a tree, reach your hand down to help another person move up to the next branch to pay it forward. This could be through mentoring, referrals, or giving them an opportunity to take on high visibility projects. I believe that when one person is lifted up, then we are all lifted up.

When going into a career in the nonprofit world, the most important thing is to follow your passion. If you don’t believe in the mission, then you’ll burn out quickly. Nonprofit work is a labor of love. If you’re enthusiastic about the mission, then you’ll have more energy to tackle anything that gets thrown your way. It’s all worth it when you start seeing the positive benefits to the communities your nonprofit serves.

Funding is always an obstacle for most nonprofits. Multiple NGOs are competing for the same dollars, which can be more challenging during times when there are fewer funding sources. When this happens, this gives nonprofits a chance be creative and look for ways to diversify their funding streams. It also presents an opportunity to build partnerships with similar nonprofits and leverage each other’s resources to accomplish our respective goals. At the end of the day, it’s a win-win since we’re serving the same communities.

My Mom has taught me the importance of giving back to the community. As an immigrant, she benefited from generous people who helped her get settled into a new country. When she had the means to do so, she returned the kindness to help others. I learned through example because I had a great role model. I still live by those values and will give back, either through time (volunteering hours), treasure (giving donations), or talent (providing pro bono consulting).