Linda Moll is the Business and Grants Manager at the Rosenberg Foundation and a member of the Mad Hatter's Network. As a part of our Member Spotlight Series, Linda told us a little about herself and asks you to join her our upcoming Mad Hatter's Network program To Tweet or Not to Tweet: Communications Strategies When You Wear All The Hats on October 6th.
How’d I get started in this work?
My first job straight out of college was a rather bleak year spent working at a container-manufacturing firm. After some soul searching, I landed my first job in a nonprofit where I could align my values with my livelihood, and I’ve worked in nonprofits and philanthropy ever since. I cut my nonprofit teeth at the Randall Museum, where I worked for the board of directors at a children’s museum on a hilltop in San Francisco. I did a little of everything, from bookkeeping and financial reports, to jumping out of a coffin at the annual Halloween festival, to showing school kids desert tortoises and snakes during their field trips.
What’s kept me doing this work?
A core value of working to better the world—for over a decade, I’ve managed the day-to-day grants and business administration for the Rosenberg Foundation. I deeply respect this 80-year-old foundation, its long history of leadership, its willingness to take on unpopular causes and make path-breaking grants, and its commitment to justice for all Californians.
And, the joy of working within a small organization -- I have a variety of work tasks and roles and no two days are exactly the same. Which brings me to the topic of the Mad Hatter’s Network…
Tells us about the Mad Hatter’s Network…
Lisa Kawahara from Friedman Family Fund and I were commiserating one day about our various foundation operational questions, when we realized there must be other staff juggling a variety of foundation roles with similar questions (and perhaps solutions). We ran our idea to start a group by NCG and the Mad Hatter Network was born. We envisioned a group to share best practices, connect and have fun together. At our last gathering, “W(h)ine about Tech”, mad hatters sipped wine, discussed technology questions, successes and failures. The next gathering will happen this fall, and all self-identified mad hatters are welcome, and ice cream may be included.
Where are you on the introvert/extrovert scale?
Definitely an introvert. Which is why the Mad Hatter’s Network can be a terrific resource for all of us working to help foundations run smoothly from the back office. We sometimes may need that little nudge to get out and meet our fellow colleagues and mad hatters.
Where am I happiest?
In our backyard—either puttering around as a new gardener or reclining with a book in one hand, a cup of tea in the other, and with our four (yes four) rescue kitties lounging nearby.
What would that book in hand be?
Historical fiction or adventure travel—where I can journey through time and place to glimpse other lives, cultures and lands.
Contact
Do you have questions for Linda or ideas for collaboration? You can contact her at:
Organization Website: http://www.rosenbergfound.org/about/staff
Facebook: Rosenberg Foundation
Twitter: @RosenbergFound
YouTube: Rosenberg Foundation