Her Story
About Molly
Molly Smith serves as Communications Manager at a small nonprofit organization in Rhode Island. In this role, which she has held for three months, she handles design work, writing, monthly newsletters, video editing for events and promotional materials, and organizes people and scripts for projects. Prior to this, she spent nearly 10 years in development, including four years as a stewardship officer at Brown University and earlier positions as a volunteer coordinator and office administrator at a local nonprofit, all involving significant donor relations work. Molly earned her BA in International Relations and French from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia. She attributes her drive and purpose to her personal journey with alcoholism and recovery, which aligns with her work in a mission-based organization creating resources for those in need. She values leading with kindness in both professional and personal interactions and advises others to find their own voice amid AI-generated media while making mistakes and discovering what brings joy to their work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Molly
01What do you attribute your success to?
I have found great purpose and drive through my own journey with alcoholism and my recovery, and now working in a mission-based organization that is also creating resources for people who need them is so important and it feels so satisfying.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received from my father is if you don't ask for it, the answer's no.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to find your own voice as a writer, as a designer, as a creator, in the world of AI and generated media. What we need is genuine creativity and genuine expression to connect back to each other. And make mistakes, make messes, and figure out what brings you joy in the work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
In communications and donor relations, especially in Rhode Island, the market is flooded and saturated with nonprofits vying for attention. The biggest challenge is how to find the right audience who wants to engage, where to find them, and how to keep them engaged in this world of short attention spans and TikTok trends.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Leading with kindness is one of the most important things we can do as human beings, professionally and personally, in every avenue, greeting people with the kind of energy and attitude that we would want to be greeted with.
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