Transcript
Episode 25. Dona Ponapinto
00:00.00
gcwpodcast
Welcome Donna. Thank you so much for joining us today. Would you go ahead and start off with telling us a little bit about yourself.
00:01.32
Dona Ponepinto
Good afternoon, Good to be here.
00:13.28
Dona Ponepinto
I'm Donna Ponna pento and I'm the president and Ceo of United Wave Piarce County in Tacoma washington I've been here 10 years it was 10 years as of January and. Just you know as as someone who you know came into this community really interested in. You know how do you How do you work with others within the ah community to make change happen and that's always something that I've been committed to in all. 4 of the united ways that I've worked in you know for the last thirty six years is improving lives mobilizing bringing people together to really tackle issues that we all care about and I think united ways role is that convener that catalyst. Makes really helps to drive so many things that happen in communities. So that's you know my work life and then my volunteer life very much aligns with a lot of the work that I have done over the years with united way and I consider myself a community volunteer. I've been volunteering since I was probably in elementary school doing all sorts of things and I've just always felt that it's important to give back and you know between volunteering and working for you united away. That's about all the time. I.
01:41.57
Dona Ponepinto
All the time I have and did get some sleep in between.
01:44.42
gcwpodcast
Well congratulations on 10 years That's incredible and thank you for all the work that you do in the community service and that's something that's really important to me as well and I see a lot of value in that. So I'm excited to kind of talk about that more with you and do you want to go ahead and give us a rundown on what United Way does
02:05.66
Dona Ponepinto
So united way I mean and you know what's interesting about just that question is that there's so many people that don't know what we do? Yeah they they've recognized the logo. They know that you know in the past we had commercials with the Nfl ah, but.
02:10.90
gcwpodcast
Um, yeah.
02:22.89
Dona Ponepinto
We obviously do so much more than that our united way has been around um over a hundred years. The pierce county united way over 100 years and you know as I mentioned our mission is really about mobilizing and uniting the community. The power that's in community. Ah, to to bring that power together in order to tackle and address those issues that are critical within our respective communities and do that in measurable and lasting ways and so our main role as a united way is not necessarily about direct service.
03:02.35
Dona Ponepinto
Yeah, um, ah one of the things that that we do is convene bringing people together that it it gives us a platform where people can share ideas come up with solutions and then execute on those solutions.
03:21.10
Dona Ponepinto
So that's ah, that's a big part of what we do. We also put a lot of investments so we raise money right? United way we were but we're more than just a funder fundraiser traditionally years and years ago United Way raised money they put money back out into the community. You know. We raise money now focus on very specific areas. So our united way has a goal of lifting 15000 households out of poverty by 2028 and as of today with all the investments that we have put out into the community since 2016 2017 that 7800 individuals and families have moved from a place of crisis to self-sufficiency. So we're very much about poverty reduction at our united way and and ensuring that people are moving from this place of crisis to not just. Self sufficiency but beyond because we know if you're self-uffici that's not enough and are united way as as many united ways now across the country are focused on a population called alice asset limited. Income constrained employee folks that are getting up every single day many times working more than 1 job and still can't make ends me and our united way is saying how do we ensure that those Alice families.
04:53.80
Dona Ponepinto
Don't go. Don't fall into that safety net that that they are stable that they stay in their housing they have access to supports in order to be able to take care of themselves in the and their families now Alice families are between one hundred and two hundred percent of poverty level. If you are if you're one hundred and one percent of but ah of the federal poverty level. You're still struggling. You know for a family of four here in Pierce County that is 200% of poverty level is around 56 $60000 a year $60000 a year. Ah, when you think about it is not a lot of money if you're a family of 4 trying to take care of child care put food on the table pay your bills. You are one emergency away of being in a major crisis. So so we pull together partners.
05:40.97
gcwpodcast
Um, yeah, yeah, right.
05:51.26
Dona Ponepinto
To try to figure out all right? So how do we tackle some of these issues so that those families are stable.
06:02.60
gcwpodcast
Can you give us some examples of um programs or things that you do with families that help them get get to above that poverty level and and out of the Alice area.
06:12.48
Dona Ponepinto
So we we help Alice families in three ways. Basic needs. We have some resources that we put that we're funding right now 21 agencies and they are committed to tracking information that. Helps them and their clients be able to say all right? Where are you on this continuum of moving towards self-sufficiency so those basic need agencies are really committed to not just providing 1 service to those families. But how. We really helping this family get on a path so that's 1 thing and then our 2 1 1 our call center. It's a free call line and individuals can call and get information. We get about 80000 contacts a year into our call center. But what is unique about our call center is that we have what's called navigators and these navigators are are going to spend more time with a family or an individual calling if they need help with job seekers for instance, then our 2 one 1 is ah is the common referral. In partnership with workforce central and all of their partners and a job seeker will call into united way our could navigator will help make sure that they get connected to the right agency that's work that's partnering with workforce central.
07:44.67
Dona Ponepinto
And vice Versa. So Once that person is working with that particular agency they stay in Touch. They're making sure that those those clients are getting the supports that they need to be successful. Um, and we have Workforce. We have transportation navigators. Ah, we have behavioral Behavioral Health navigators as well as the we have navigators that help with housing working with all of the housing agencies. The challenge is is that as more we do navigation it becomes less of a.
08:20.50
gcwpodcast
2
08:21.10
Dona Ponepinto
2 minute phone call and more of a 30 minute minute phone call which you know has its has its challenges as well. So working on all of that. But I would say that we're different in many respects because we are. Putting more time into talking to 1 person and making sure that they ah feel like at the end of that call that they're getting connected to the right kind of support and they know that they're gonna get some follow up as well. So you've got 2 1 1 then you have our centers for strong families. And our centers for strong families started in 2017 2016 the first two we have 7 now and hopefully going on eight cent 8 centers and these it's a network united way is the intermediary. And those 7 organizations are providing 3 different kinds of supports employment coaching and training income support. So are people leaving resources on the table are they not accessing public benefits or private ah benefits. And then the employment coaching and counseling because we know that having a job is not enough. Yeah, you could have a job and not have all of these other supports and you're still gonna be struggling so the idea with this is just this integrated and bundled approach to.
09:48.80
gcwpodcast
Um.
09:53.52
Dona Ponepinto
Helping individuals increase their income decrease debt and improve their credit scores and it's a national model so we are part of a national network of five of a hundred I should say fat financial opportunity centers and our role is to not only just. Provide some funding but our role is provide technical assistance. It is to provide the data um mechanism for them to collect all of this data and to provide other kinds of supports that they would need as well as we. Provide a vehicle to bring additional dollars into the county for for this work and we're seeing great progress to date over 3500 centers for strong families clients have been seen. You have you know, average monthly wages around $21 an hour. Average monthly increase in income on average right now is about $1200 a month and if you're a family of 4 5 or yeah and you are challenged with you know, not being able to save you've got all these other things going on making really tough decisions for your family.
10:55.31
gcwpodcast
You.
11:07.78
Dona Ponepinto
Once you've managed your debt increased your income having that extra resource is is amazingly helpful. So so those are 3 pieces but we also have now imagination library. So Dolly Parton's imagination. Library. We are an affiliate and we jumped into that arena because looking at intergenerational poverty. It's you know you look at the the children in the home are they getting what they need to be successful. And we know books in the home. There's lots of research to show that that provides a more positive pathway for a child to do well in school and if they're doing well in school they're going to have better outcomes in the hopes of breaking energy. That that intergenerational cycle of poverty and that involves children 0 to 5 getting a book a month up until their fifth birthday. We've got about 9000 families that have signed up for that and and so that's another program. Our grit program. Ah, it's our growing resilience in Tacoma. It's a guaranteed income ah, which at times for some for some out in the community is controversial. Um, but for united way one of the ways to help move people out of poverty.
12:26.73
gcwpodcast
This.
12:35.79
Dona Ponepinto
Is to have them take some control of their resources and this is a cash a cash gift that families receive $500 a month for twelve months that was the demonstration we did in partnership with the city of Tacoma and. Ah, hundred and ten families $500 a month and what we heard from the storytellers is that this gave them room to breathe. You know it allowed them to say and allowed them to take care of things that you know before they just didn't have the resources to take. To take care of them and we're going to have the final report in I think march or april that will tell us overall how those 110 families fared we are fortunate enough to get another an appropriation. There was an ah ah pro. Appropriation in the state budget for one point nine million dollars to do to continue guaranteed income united way was awarded that and we're going to be starting our second round. It's going to be 175 individuals single head of households. With children and ah, still $500 a month for twelve months and we'll be collecting data working with doing collecting research evaluation because all in all, this is part of a huge research project even though personally and.
14:06.20
gcwpodcast
Right.
14:10.30
Dona Ponepinto
And anyone who's in this work. You know we should be done researching it. You know it's proven to work. It's been happening in Alaska for desk decades other countries have universal income. We're talking about guaranteed income which focuses on populations that. Um, in many instances have been disproportionately impacted by a lot of things have not been able to have the opportunities that yeah some populations have so that's that's another piece of that's within this.
14:33.84
gcwpodcast
The.
14:48.81
Dona Ponepinto
Not the centers for strong families. But it's kind of under that financial stability um arm We advocate all the time I mean it's yeah, we're not going to social service our way out of any of out of poverty so we need to be intentional about advocating. We need to be intentional about.
14:51.65
gcwpodcast
And then.
15:08.51
Dona Ponepinto
Um, ensuring things are equitable. You know we put on our websites in our materials and we talk about it is that we're committed to be in an anti-racist Organization We Want people to be treated with dignity and respect. And access to Justice as well. So It's yeah, we're we're we're doing a we're doing a lot but it's all with keeping in mind that those fifteen Thousand Households and moving them out of poverty.
15:38.89
gcwpodcast
That is a lot but it's that's I I love it and I'm really excited to see what happens with the data in April with those families and hopefully some like here's some stories about how that's helped i.
15:41.32
Dona Ponepinto
Um, yeah.
15:53.32
Dona Ponepinto
Um, yes.
15:57.40
gcwpodcast
You know I finances I I remember growing up in it. People would always say oh money isn't everything money isn't everything but money's really important right? Like you know it's It's important for us to be able to feed ourselves feed our family feed our loved ones. Um, get medical treatment and.
16:06.90
Dona Ponepinto
Okay. You.
16:17.14
gcwpodcast
You know, get transportation and education and access to those things and then also once you're able to start building wealth being able to enjoy some things in life like you know, go on vacations focus on your mental health like those are things that.
16:26.60
Dona Ponepinto
No, right.
16:33.92
gcwpodcast
You know we love everyone to be able to enjoy but not everyone gets those luxuries because like you said they're working 2 or 3 jobs they can barely make ends meet and they have children to look after and that's the priority. So I think that's really important work and.
16:49.56
Dona Ponepinto
And and people are penalized for being poor. Yeah it it is it is wrong on all fronts. Um we there is and I not we I shouldn't say we.
16:52.20
gcwpodcast
Yeah.
17:03.59
Dona Ponepinto
But there's ah you know that's this thinking of you know, pull yourself up by your bootstraps and I constantly say there's a lot of families out there that don't have the boots. Um, they don't even have those boots and and if they had the boots. Yeah, they don't They're not able to pull them up because you know what they don't have the support systems.
17:12.31
gcwpodcast
You and.
17:23.14
gcwpodcast
Yes.
17:23.29
Dona Ponepinto
You know that so many people have that can get them to those those particular connections to to make those kinds of connections. So it's you know we have and and there's also a lot of folks that feel you know what. Taking your kids to go roller skating or going to a movie. You know what? if you are struggling. You know why are you spending money on that. Um, you know, no 1 questions. Um, you know how I spend my money or how you spend your money.
17:52.43
gcwpodcast
Right.
17:56.86
Dona Ponepinto
But if you're in poverty or if you're a struggling family looking for a hand up. Um, then all of your spending is questioned which is it is really an unfortunate narrative that United way and so many others are trying to change.
18:04.98
gcwpodcast
Right? right.
18:13.25
gcwpodcast
Yeah, that makes sense you know, even if it's just like the 1 time they want to do something with their kids to feel somewhat normal right? and then they feel like oh I shouldn't and even to have that stress like.
18:20.57
Dona Ponepinto
Yeah.
18:27.58
gcwpodcast
As a parent that kind of mom guilt you know of like ok I can't take my kids to go roller skating or I'm going to take them to go roller skating. But now I can't afford to buy them a winter jacket or whatever that situation is.
18:38.53
Dona Ponepinto
In Red we have.
18:43.31
gcwpodcast
And it can be very taxing on people's emotional and mental. Well-being as well. So like when you talk about 2 1 1 as the resources you know now we have 9 8 8 and it's like it's like they are symbiotic in a way because financial strain can lead to mental strain.
18:45.46
Dona Ponepinto
Right.
18:51.55
Dona Ponepinto
See yeah is when right and here.
19:00.76
gcwpodcast
And sometimes mental issues can lead to financial strain if they don't get addressed and they become you know a significant crisis that impacts someone's life. So I think it's really, you know we all have to like come together through these different avenues to really empower our communities.
19:09.91
Dona Ponepinto
Um, so um.
19:18.95
gcwpodcast
And all levels and like this holistic perspective to just help them be successful in life. Yeah well awesome I Appreciate you sharing all of that.
19:22.12
Dona Ponepinto
Um, with you right right? exactly.
19:31.88
gcwpodcast
Wonderful information and work that you're doing so I do have a question and it's going to sound kind of silly. But so you're the Ceo and I'm going to be honest I don't really know what a Ceo does can you kind of tell me what the day to day like what you know.
19:45.19
Dona Ponepinto
Um, and.
19:47.60
gcwpodcast
Like how did you get to become a Ceo and what is your day to day what kind of decisions like what are your responsibilities look like tell us a little bit about that.
19:57.19
Dona Ponepinto
Yeah,, That's an excellent question I mean I'm responsible for the organization I'm responsible at the end of the day I'm the chief fundraiser while I have a team of fundraisers I am the Chief. Um. You know Rah Rah person champion for the organization and ah relationship builder in the community I Am you know I'm constantly looking at um how how do we do? things Better. You know I think.
20:11.23
gcwpodcast
Okay.
20:29.84
Dona Ponepinto
As a Ceo um I believe you can never become too comfortable when you're in this type of a sea when you become comfortable. Then yeah I think I'm not doing enough. You know there's an urgency to the work that the united way does when we talk about poverty. Reduction in Alice families and and wanting to make sure that we're in a community where everyone is thriving. So my days are really spent many times you know who are the partners I need to talk to today. Who are the ceos and companies that I need to to meet with you know, making sure that I'm storting and cultivating new relationships with with my organization. Those are all you know, kind of my priorities. Is ah as a relationship builder because everything we do and the change that that we are able to to see happen in community is because of the relationships that we have and so much of my role. Is making sure that I am storting those those relationships and usually it's the you know the larger donors but not always um, you know we're right now I'm lots of.
21:53.74
Dona Ponepinto
Organizations ask me for letters of support. You know today was my turn you know to ask organizations I need a letter support because we're trying to do this for so that in turn it will help the community and our hope is to just strengthen the work that's done in communities. So it's it's all of all of that you know looking at the the numbers. Yeah, what are the challenges that we're facing you know strategizing with my leadership team strategizing with the other members in the organization I'm constantly you know looking at um. You know the the stability of the organization. So. There's all this kind of organizational. We call our organizational excellence and how are we managing our resources. Yeah, are we you know, financially stable. You know is always because we know the world of nonprofit is can be very volatile and paying attention to all the funding sources. So those are it. It can sometimes be a busy day I mean I'm I'm looking at today trying to finish up something to to get all these.
22:53.64
gcwpodcast
Um, right.
23:05.84
Dona Ponepinto
Support letters out. Yeah so that you know we'll be able to ultimately help the community more I hope that helps. Ah.
23:12.56
gcwpodcast
Yeah, it does you know and it's funny because I guess when I've always heard the title. You know you you hear the title and you kind of I'm just like Wow that's amazing. But I just don't know exactly what it does or what they do and and it's for.
23:28.61
Dona Ponepinto
Um, respect that.
23:30.93
gcwpodcast
Women and people in general that are just trying to like maybe move up the ladder or their career I think it's important that you have an idea of what those positions do so we can start working on those skill sets. So I heard a lot of relationship building I heard a lot of organizational knowledge. So those things are it's like. Like that because that sounds actually really fun to me. Um, and I would think oh that might not be as fun Ceo like maybe I'm just signing papers all day I don't know but um, sounds like fun to me connecting with partners I love that kind of stuff so that's really cool I appreciate you sharing that.
23:59.97
Dona Ponepinto
And you and you work you know I forgot you work with your board your volunteers. So you know I have you know campaign Volunteers I have a board of directors that I report to that I work with my board. So it's.
24:08.48
gcwpodcast
Then.
24:19.52
Dona Ponepinto
Um, you know and every organization is different. My I have a fabulous board of directors. You know, not all nonprofits you know are always that lucky but I have a great board of directors. A great board chair. You know I have a strong you know staff team and leadership team. So all of those things.
24:19.65
gcwpodcast
Movement.
24:26.44
gcwpodcast
Um, yeah.
24:38.40
Dona Ponepinto
Make it. Um you know easier for me now when I have empty positions like I'm just hiring on a chief development officer. She starts on Monday but um I had a gap of about what five months where not only was I as the Ceo but I had a chief development officer hat on you know? Um, so you know those things I'm managing now a department. Yeah, getting into the details and that and so you do what you have to do to make sure your organization.
24:54.29
gcwpodcast
1
25:02.19
gcwpodcast
Right.
25:11.35
gcwpodcast
Who.
25:12.26
Dona Ponepinto
Stays on mission. Yeah, and and realizes the urgency of of get of doing what we need to do to make sure that there are no alice families in our community. That's my goal you know I I Alice shouldn't live in Pierce County
25:27.31
gcwpodcast
Right.
25:30.21
Dona Ponepinto
We should have families that are thriving that have housing affordable housing that have food on the table that have safe child care safe and quality childcare. You know all those things that you know I'll be honest I probably take for granted yeah know mean I I don't think about it.
25:45.00
gcwpodcast
Right.
25:49.98
Dona Ponepinto
Yeah, and and so at least not all the time. My husband you know when I'm spending money makes me think about it. But you know other but you know, but even then you know it's just like you know you want a point in time where you know I need groceries and I'm gonna go get groceries.
25:58.36
gcwpodcast
Right.
26:04.56
gcwpodcast
And.
26:06.95
Dona Ponepinto
And I don't have to you know, be embarrassed that I can't afford it right? So it's you know everyone should be able to to to do that. So anyway I'm getting like my bully pulpit.
26:15.29
gcwpodcast
Yeah, yeah, no, it's a good point. You know if it's you're at if you're at a place where you don't have to worry about groceries. You don't have to really budget I mean.
26:22.28
Dona Ponepinto
Get out.
26:32.72
gcwpodcast
You probably should. Everyone should probably budget right to like? yeah everybody have some sort of budget or have a partner that might be a little more frugal than you are that keeps you in check right? It's kind of like me and my husband back and forth. But um.
26:33.62
Dona Ponepinto
Immediate Budget I'm I'm telling everyone to budget I budget to I do budget right? right? yeah.
26:51.27
gcwpodcast
You know it's I feel like with the cost of housing. It's just become so astronomical right? to like be able to get that leg up and I just.
26:58.13
Dona Ponepinto
In the night
27:04.78
gcwpodcast
You know we got really lucky I got lucky that I was able to get a job and save save save and buy a house for really good price that had abandoned for a couple years and or in hilltop and then when the market hit. You know I took advantage of that market and. It paid off for my husband and I and it's kind of like we were able to get to that place but we still feel so lucky that we even had that opportunity because I mean had I not bought that house like you know how? how would I even have gotten to where I am if I didn't have that.
27:31.66
Dona Ponepinto
Is there anything.
27:39.19
Dona Ponepinto
So.
27:40.71
gcwpodcast
Happened to me because I was still I wasn't making enough for a long time to really even get that leg up. You know, like if something happens and then yeah, so it's kind of interesting and I appreciate that that perspective of a reality check that.
27:48.27
Dona Ponepinto
Um, company.
27:55.87
Dona Ponepinto
Moving.
27:58.36
gcwpodcast
And everybody has that privilege. Um, so I want to jump back. You mentioned something about serving on boards and like how your volunteer work aligns with the community and you serve on several boards and I just want to ask you Know. What made you decide to serve on these boards and like how has that helped your development as a leader or were you already a leader before that or you know what does that experience brought you personally and professionally.
28:30.80
Dona Ponepinto
Yeah I um yeah I'm a community volunteer and I love doing I love figuring out ways to give back and and the boards I sit on now. Um I enjoy strategic thinking and planning. And I feel like that is a strength I can bring to the boards that I sit on and that's what I enjoy the the most doing that when I first I've always been on some type of a board and like with junior league I've been on. You know local junior league boards and so forth but I know that the when I first when I first arrived here at Tacoma I was on a couple of boards. It's like I probably had to if I had it to do over again. I wouldn't have jumped on the board. So soon I think. Understanding the community getting to know people getting comfortable in your skin to where you you feel like you're contributing to a board I think is really important and so now that I've been here 10 years I feel you know, very comfortable and confident. And what I can bring to a board and so it's it's that I'm not really I don't feel like I'm it's not necessarily a learning opportunity for me. But I think for a lot of people. Um.
29:58.76
gcwpodcast
Right.
29:58.79
Dona Ponepinto
You know you need to get a start somewhere you want to get a start and if you're passionate about an organization and you feel like you have something to contribute time you know resources most sports you need to you know provide. Some type of a contribution I don't think people should be on a board and not give ah to that entity. So you know, being able to give some kind of token I think of token gift is is important but being passionate about it. Not just signing up.
30:33.80
gcwpodcast
And.
30:35.33
Dona Ponepinto
You know or something. Yeah I I sit on you know my there's quite a few boards and I'm not going to start listing. Ah um I don't really, but um, you know I do I would encourage people not to join too many some of them are more work related for me.
30:40.66
gcwpodcast
Will be here all day.
30:52.15
gcwpodcast
Right.
30:55.20
Dona Ponepinto
And but most of them are personal. It's like these are things I care about and and they're important to me and I want to be a part of this entity. But yeah, it's a balance. Yeah, because I you know find that I'm doing sometimes equal amount of volunteer work as I'm doing right away work I Hope my my board shares not listening but anyway, but you know the thing about it is is my That's the other thing. My my board is very Supportive. Um.
31:19.70
gcwpodcast
Yeah.
31:25.46
gcwpodcast
Right.
31:28.41
Dona Ponepinto
I've ah I've always made it really clear in all my united ways that volunteering is important and that if they don't think that they can support me in doing these outside volunteer. Opportunities then I you know need to think seriously about whether or not this is a good place for me and the united way board has always been really supportive I mean I'm president of the association of junior leagues international. You you know I can do that with full confidence that my board supports my professional growth and personal growth as well. So that's that's important to me you know I'm going to be chair I'm gonna be chair of the Tacoma Community Tacoma Community College Board later on this year you know again, another group that yeah is doing great things for college students and high school students and so knowing that I have the support to be able to do that and.
32:33.72
gcwpodcast
In her.
32:37.58
Dona Ponepinto
To be able to to get you know do still manage an organization I think is kind of what keeps me going but it's that professional development that personal development that you know you never stop learning.
32:39.42
gcwpodcast
Okay.
32:51.33
gcwpodcast
Yeah.
32:53.68
Dona Ponepinto
So I'm I'm always you know, learning something you know every time I sit on a board. You know I sit on some health type of healthcare types of boards and you know the learning much more about the health care industry and health insurance and the.
32:57.77
gcwpodcast
If any.
33:12.78
Dona Ponepinto
You know all of those things are are fascinating to me. Yeah, because I'm like I knew nothing about this stuff and now I'm I'm learning.
33:19.31
gcwpodcast
Right? And I bet that probably more than you realize those experiences make you better at your job like you probably have ah ah like with the health care stuff. You probably now have.
33:28.82
Dona Ponepinto
Um, and yeah, and.
33:33.86
gcwpodcast
Um, other insight onto maybe some of the struggles that some of your communities work with in the health care system right? So like I I've done a lot of volunteering in college and I feel like that it just showed me a lot of insight into different things that are out there working with different people.
33:35.51
Dona Ponepinto
Um, right? yeah.
33:51.36
Dona Ponepinto
Um, for me.
33:53.30
gcwpodcast
And really gave me experiences that profoundly impacted me in the direction that I'm that I'm going with my life and the things that I'm passionate about so I I Absolutely agree that volunteer work is really important and beneficial in so many ways.
34:06.64
Dona Ponepinto
And.
34:09.59
gcwpodcast
Um, and you mentioned that you were on the board of the Junior League Can you tell us about the Junior league and what it does.
34:17.20
Dona Ponepinto
Yeah, so the the junior league first of all, there's two hundred and ninety six junior leagues in 5 countries and I've been a member of um, three junior leagues three junior leagues and I'm currently a member of the junior league of Tacoma.
34:21.42
gcwpodcast
Wow.
34:34.30
Dona Ponepinto
And I am the president of the association of junior leagues international so I sit on sit on the board there at the national level and the junior league is a. I consider it a premier women's leadership work organization and we've updated our mission in the last couple of years so I haven't memorized it yet. But I have it in front of me which is it's dedicated to advancing women's leadership by meaningful community impact through volunteer action collaboration and training. And so our mission really is all about empowering women to become effective ah leaders and agents of change in their communities. So we we had a tagline at 1 point of women building better communities and so the junior leagues across you know across the country. You know, have opportunities for training for their members have usually different types of projects many of them advocate on particular women's and girls issues. But we've been around as an association since 1919 ah 1.
35:42.71
gcwpodcast
File.
35:45.50
Dona Ponepinto
We've been around been around for a long time and very similar to I feel Junior League has been very parallel to United way because United way sometimes well not sometimes. At times you worry about the relevancy of an organization like the United way because people can't always get their arms around it. It's like guys. Oh you know we're not a food Bank. You know we're not a counseling agency or you serving agency. You know we are that you know agency that is the connector.
36:06.86
gcwpodcast
Right? right.
36:18.92
gcwpodcast
Right? yeah.
36:20.89
Dona Ponepinto
Right? up all a lot of those things and so the you know junior leagueaks as well. Really ensuring. You know what' you know we've been around one hundred years how do we ensure our relevance for the future. You know what do we want to be and what do we want to look like yeah we want to focus on impact in our communities. Well what does that look like. And it is so it's been this very interesting journey that my professional life and my one of the things that's nearest and dearest to me in my um volunteer life have such similar pass in terms of you know, just you know.
36:52.72
gcwpodcast
Right.
36:58.67
Dona Ponepinto
Really from time to time pausing and figuring who do who are we and who do we want to be and what do we need to do to get there.
37:05.96
gcwpodcast
Yes I I didn't know that the junior league had been around for so long and you know I appreciate you sharing that I was lucky enough last year twenty twenty three to be 1 of the honorees for the junior league women in leadership award is so grateful for that opportunity.
37:20.56
Dona Ponepinto
Um, yes.
37:24.92
gcwpodcast
And you know I I follow. Ah the junior league of Tacoma a lot and I love the work that's going on there. Obviously it aligns with some of the vision of grit city women. So I'm super excited to just be able to really be in a community. That's so supportive and then that has. A lot of these opportunities for women because they just feel like I feel like it's really important and I think women have a lot of barriers and I think most of them. Ah really come with some of it having families right? like the the burden of having families and um tend to face. Some of the more ah challenges when it comes to like raising children. You know they get the more of the burden on that and then obviously in the workplace some of the other challenges and you know I have actually had to experience some of that throughout my career and just realizing that. At one point I went to a place where I wasn't confident and I was like this is this is where I'm going to be at this level and I'm not happy here because I get walked on I get talked down to like how am I going to. You know progress my life to get to where I want to be and you know eventually be able to have a family and support a family and all of that and I you know I started doing coaching or have you know getting a coach for my professional career and that.
38:46.60
gcwpodcast
Significantly changed my trajectory and my confidence level and helped me navigate some of the office politics and some of the things that a lot of women. Um don't have experience especially women of color and Hispanic women struggle with navigating office politics. Um, and they don't often get that mentorship that other other workers might get through that stuff and um, you know I've I've been in it now I've seen it and that's why I think it's so important with groups like these to have those relationships so we can. Help each other when they're going through some of those transitions or help them get to that next level and help them. You know, really realize that there's more potential for them and that is always a journey.
39:33.28
Dona Ponepinto
Yes, totally agree. Yeah, it's ah because there's not enough of that and I think you know what's so important is that women um, support each other and that's you know I do I have former employees that I still.
39:41.61
gcwpodcast
In here.
39:49.48
Dona Ponepinto
You know will coach time to time you know women in the community I Just think it's important and I seek out you know women to you know as to as sounding boards All of those those things are are so critically important and they're important in the workplace.
40:00.50
gcwpodcast
Yeah.
40:09.80
Dona Ponepinto
They're in all settings they're important. But I think in the workplace. Especially so I know that you know as someone who's you know, been with the United a system for as long as I have that support isn't always there and most.
40:24.86
gcwpodcast
Right.
40:27.74
Dona Ponepinto
Ah, support that I've had have been um, my mentors have been in the United Ways Network men and they are very you know I still keep in touch with with most of them. Um on ah you know at least a yearly basis. But.
40:33.27
gcwpodcast
And.
40:46.60
Dona Ponepinto
Because of them because of them they helped me in my journey because of Junior league and other opportunities that gave could help to build the confidence and being able to be in safe spaces where you could learn and grow like.
40:57.58
gcwpodcast
Yeah.
41:06.64
Dona Ponepinto
Ah, junior league also helped and and so between what I learned in the junior league. What I've learned in the united way has really kind of helped me to be in this place right now I would not be a Ceo had it not been. The wonderful mentors I had that guided me or the the learnings and the things that I was able to do as part of the junior league and other boards. But I credit the junior league.
41:35.15
gcwpodcast
Yeah, Wow. Well very very well put I agree I think I've had a lot of men mentors as Well. I mean that was really all that there was in my industrial environment that I used to work in and it wasn't until I had women mentors That. Saw my potential that really pushed me you know and said you can do this, You can do that you need to apply for this and it's just a different kind of dynamic are.
41:55.42
Dona Ponepinto
Um, yeah, yes, it certainly is yeah and and now I have some wonderful women. Yeah, that I can I can pick up the phone get advice it it just? um, yeah it it makes a huge difference that I can have that kind of a support system.
42:24.00
gcwpodcast
I my dogs are going nuts. So I'm gonna pause for just a second. Oh neighbor just came over I wonder what he's doing.
42:28.13
Dona Ponepinto
Um, I said Okay, okay.
42:46.20
gcwpodcast
Okay, I'll go check in with him later. Um, okay so great I What is your last piece of advice or biggest piece of advice for women.
43:00.38
Dona Ponepinto
Um, but let's see. Um, yeah I I think I would just reiterate um, supporting each other ah finding that. Yeah finding someone. Who you can bounce things off of you know is there a woman in your world that you respect you respect you admire that you feel like you can learn and grow from no matter what age because I don't I think ah, we're on this lifelong. Journey of learning I don't think there's ever a time where you should stop learning and and so finding those connections in in the community I belong to a Ceo group of women that meet regularly you know in. And not all of us meet every single time but it's nice to know that I can go once a month and connect with women or I can pick up the phone. So I I think that would be my my main piece of advice and not um. Not be afraid to use your voice right? I think um, that's important and it's a hard thing to do I mean as an introvert that's a hard I'm an introvert that has to be an extrovert and and so it's taken many years for me to go. Okay, you know what? hey.
44:26.10
Dona Ponepinto
I Know what I'm talking about you know I can I can do this I can share my thoughts um about a particular situation. So I think using your voice is is really important and you know taking um taking chances. Taking you know you don't always have to know everything you know you can you can there have been times where I've said yes to stuff and I was like I had no clue but I was gonna find out really fast because I wanted the opportunity.
44:56.23
gcwpodcast
And right.
45:01.14
Dona Ponepinto
You know, don't Pass. Don't pass up an opportunity because you don't feel like you would do it? Well you know take on it. Take it on as a challenge and then you know for me I'm a learner So I'm always all right if I'm gonna do this I need to understand every single thing about it and I just. You know jump ride In. So don't say yes your stick you know don't Ah, don't say no just because you're so not certain you can do it you you can do it can do it.
45:31.40
gcwpodcast
Yeah, great. Well thank you so much for your time today and your wonderful advice. Really appreciate the work that you're doing and excited to share it with their grit city women community.
45:43.41
Dona Ponepinto
Well, you're welcome. It was good to be with you. Thank you again for asking me. It's always. It's always fun.
45:47.50
gcwpodcast
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thanks so much.