“I knew from a really young age that whatever work I did, I wanted to have a positive impact on people,” says Patti Micklin, Executive Director of the Imagine! Foundation, who moved to Boulder County from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
“I have a daughter [Emily] with intellectual disabilities,” continues Patti. “I looked around the country for services that would best serve her and I found Imagine!. Personally and professionally, it’s a perfect fit.
“At the same time – having worked in the nonprofit sector for so long and having collaborated with consultants who bring so much knowledge – I love the SVP model, where nonprofits can tap into community knowledge, even when resources are tight.”
Continues Patti, “I’m a connector by nature, so I love the concept of getting involved with SVP as a Partner, and helping people figure out good fits for their skills and strengths. And in a way, I’m doing the same thing for myself – engaging with and learning from nonprofits that I haven’t had exposure to.
“I’ve been mostly involved in fundraising and communications, so I’m also looking forward to learning from other Partners with diverse experiences, which will help me be a better Executive Director for my organization.
“Through the force of community, I’m so excited about collaborating around helping nonprofits achieve their goals.”
Concludes Patti, “I grew up going to a Jewish summer camp in Mississippi. One of the things I remember from an early age is from the Talmud – ‘Whosoever preserves a single soul […] preserves a complete world.’
“That’s always been my guidepost for how to conduct my own life and measure my impact. For me, that’s a message of hope, even as there’s a tremendous amount of work to do.”
