What was your experience working on a Taproot Foundation project?

I have been involved in six service grants, two currently. Everyone, both on the service grant team and at the nonprofit, has been very professional and extremely dedicated to their work. It's nice to see.

How have you grown from your pro bono experience?

I find it to be more rewarding doing a pro bono project. The business part is removed and there is an appreciation from the grantee that one rarely gets from paying clients. That said, some people I've met via Taproot projects have become paying clients, and they remain great, great clients. So — paradoxically, I guess — I've grown financially from the pro bono experience!

What were the biggest challenges in your projects?

Time and schedules are always issues. You have to coordinate with many schedules and work conflicts. I have been surprised at how long some of the projects last.

How do you think the business community and nonprofit sector can strengthen one another?

Businesses, like my former company for instance, with billions in assets can and should be dedicating what they can — maybe not funds, but technical support or computer training and equipment — to the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits, in turn, can profit from successful business models and learn smarter ways of running their organizations.

What community issues are most important to you and what did you learn from the project?

Education, education, and education. This is an issue that needs addressing not just in my community but in the entire country. It's great to see how many people are doing just that. I'd also love to see (and work on!) grants awarded to some animal organizations. Society is measured by how they treat their animals, and we're not there yet.

Other than volunteering with the Taproot Foundation, what do you like to do in your free time?

I have two dogs, and we spend a lot of time with them, hiking, in the park, going to the beach. I like to cook and am absolutely addicted to crossword puzzles - I do them everyday.