AFP-NYC Mentoring: New Year, New Program
Mentorship Committee Re-Launches with a New Cohort
by David McGoy, AFP-NYC Mentorship Committee
The new year is a great time for a restart. Whether it’s setting goals for one’s health, personal life or profession, this is the time of year when we refresh and recommit to our goals and start anew. It is only fitting, then, that the chapter’s Mentorship Committee seized the moment to launch its program with a new design and a fresh cohort of mentors and mentees.
“After a year of information gathering, program design, and intensive planning, the committee is proud to launch a program that we think will be meaningful and enriching for all of the mentors and mentees,” said Committee Chair and NYC AFP Board Member, Juliana Weissbein CFRE. ”Many thanks to the committee members, and especially to the mentors and mentees, who are showing a great deal of commitment and dedication to advancing our profession.”
The chapter made a complete overhaul of the program, formalizing its structure through an application process for both mentors and mentees and by utilizing a cohort model that is designed to select the candidates who could most benefit from the program, as well as ensure high-quality matches.
The committee also set, and then exceeded, ambitious goals for diversity, aiming for at least 75% representation from members of an historically underrepresented demographic within our profession (POC, LGBTQ, women, and staff of small organizations), and 40% percent representation in at least two of these groups. At 93% and 62%, respectively, the cohort blew past these milestones.
“We felt that it was very important to have a cohort that was representative of the very rich range of professionals who do this work,” said Symone New, committee member and a member of the chapter’s IDEA committee. “The 26 mentors and mentees in this program represent a cross section of mission areas, professional experience, and personal identity. We are extremely proud of that.”
The mentors were recruited, selected, and matched based on their potential to benefit from the program through clearly articulated professional goals, interests, and experience. In another win for the chapter, nine of the mentors are members of the chapter’s board. Additionally, the chapter awarded scholarships to mentors and mentees who needed assistance in securing AFP memberships. Other features of the program include a private LinkedIn discussion group, and a series of events throughout the year, and opportunities to share their knowledge and experience through micro-learning videos and commentary in Fundraising Matters. So you can look forward to meeting them and hearing more about their journey in the months to come.
We are very proud to introduce our 2021 Mentorship Program Cohort. For more information on our mentors, mentees and committee members, please visit our lookbook.
Mentors
Veronica R. Bainbridge
Chantal Bonnitto
Gregory Boroff
Joy Cooper
Adam Doyno, MPA, CFRE
Pedro Govantes
Steve Jacobson
Vikki Jones, CFRE
Thomas Moore, III
Susan Shapiro
Pinky Vincent
Kerry Pereira Watterson, CFRE
Ron Wegsman, CFRE
Mentees
Elandria Jackson Charles
Grace Chung
Renee DaCruz
Madeleine Durante
Danielle Felico
Mack Graham
Nichole Guerra
Isatou Bittaye-Jobe
Martha Lauria
Santana Moreno
Erica Sandoval
David Tomczak
Rebecca Wisotsky