It was a transformative experience when Kimberly Sama moved into a rural village in a small West African country. Her job with the Peace Corps in Burkina Faso was the start of a decade of living and working in African countries.
She worked on issues ranging from girls’ education, women’s empowerment, gender-based violence recovery and prevention and community health work.
After decades in business, Cory McRae never thought he’d be leading an arts organization. But his business experience has helped the Alamo City Performing Arts Association (known as Alamo City Arts) grow into a multi-faceted performing arts powerhouse. What started as a volunteer position became an obsession, McRae said. Today his work with the arts association is full-time.
“I saw there was a lot of potential with this organization,” he said. “I wanted to see what its true potential would allow it to become.”
In Judaism there is a tenet called repairing the world. That principle has been a guiding force in the life of Barbie Scharf-Zeldes, a Bexar County associate judge and SVP Partner.
“That’s something I carry with me, that I’m repairing the world in little bits and pieces wherever I go,” she said.
Scharf-Zeldes’ life is a testament to that goal. It not only drives her professionally, but also fuels her commitment to community service. She’s served on nonprofit boards, provided leadership in her faith community and has served as an SVP Partner for the last four years.
Military service sometimes comes at a personal cost for service members and their families. That’s why Endeavors, a San Antonio-based nonprofit organization, is dedicated to helping veterans and their families with personalized, comprehensive care. Hear from one of the SVPSA Fellows on their mission to support military and their families.
The most important (leadership trait) of all, Shoemaker said, “is a generosity mindset, which looks for ways to connect people and is based on the belief that bringing people together makes the whole greater than the sum of its parts.”
“It’s insanely important in the world today. It’s not about being nicey nice and polite. Having a generosity mindset is a truly strategic way you approach your work. When you walk into the room, are you looking to see who should be connected?” he said.
The Dee Howard Foundation, which focuses on preparing youth for careers in the aerospace industry, is soaring to new heights. The foundation has its first-ever executive director, an impressive board with some of the region’s top leaders in aerospace and aviation, and just launched a new initiative to introduce local students to drone technology. Training from Social Venture Partners San … Read More
Chris Carmona has built his business on helping nonprofit organizations with their accounting needs. Along the way, he’s developed a passion for serving San Antonio nonprofits as a board member and is now giving back as an SVPSA partner. Carmona is a CPA and the co-owner of Schriver Carmona, an accounting and advisory firm. He and his partner Derek Schriver … Read More
A car wash does not seem to be a very big deal. However, when a fledgling organization gets an unexpected communication offering the proceeds of a Haunted Car Wash to be held the weekend prior to Halloween, the wheels start to turn.
SVPSA Partner Leslie Palmer knows the nonprofit world from every possible angle. In a career spanning more than 30 years, she’s volunteered in just about every position on various boards and served in virtually every role as a nonprofit staff member. “I’ve been CEO, program and operations person, chief development officer and emptied the trash if you needed it,” … Read More
Nineteen nonprofit leaders began a journey with SVPSA on September 14th to strengthen their skills, learn from each other and build a community of support. The SVPSA Fellowship, under Lead Partner, Jennifer Moriarty, started with each Fellow telling their own story of how they began their nonprofit journey.