Introducing 2011 ProInspire Fellow: Katie Perri
Name: Katie Perri
Hometown: Gainesville, FL most recently Los Angeles, CA
Organization: National 4-H Council
Previous Employer: Mercer Consulting
What inspired you to make the switch into the nonprofit sector?
As an undergraduate at the University of Southern California, I worked as a volunteer for Troy Camp, an organization that arranged for college students to serve as mentors for disadvantaged inner-city school children. After graduating from USC, I served on Troy Camp's Executive Board as the Director of Finance. It was an invaluable learning experience that exposed me to the inner workings of a non-profit organization. Based on my Troy camp experiences, I realized that I wanted to work in the non-profit sector in either an operations or development position.
What is your current position, and a typical day like?
I currently work as an Operations Analyst at the National 4-H Council. Coming from a consulting background, I often describe my previous corporate job as an external consulting analyst and my new job at 4-H as an internal operations consultant.
I typically spend the first hour of my day reviewing emails, voicemails, and completing any finishing touches for my morning meetings. At 10am, I usually have my first internal meeting. It is often a diagnostic informational interview or progress update with a finance or technology director. These meetings are used to asses a challenge facing the organization or to begin development of a growth strategy for 4-H. Lunch at the campus cafeteria provides me with a chance for me to catch up with colleagues I do not have an opportunity to work with on a daily basis. In the afternoon, I spend my time researching potential solutions or industry best practices related to the issues I am trying to resolve or the plans that I am working to develop. This usually involves extensive reading, contacting potential 3rd party vendors/consultants, collecting and analyzing data, and meeting with senior leaders to leverage their expertise as well as gain solution buy-in. I also check in with the Director of Business Intelligence daily to review the projects I am working on and to gain feedback and advice.
Every Wednesday, I meet with the Vice President of Operations (my supervisor) and present a summary of my research, including the progress I have made and any challenges I might be facing. As a senior leader, he has a bird's eye view of the organization and provides valuable support for establishing priorities, evaluating potential solutions, and providing a historical context for issues that I am addressing.
Where did you work prior to making the switch?
I worked for Mercer Consulting in the Health and Benefits division (my paid job). I was also the Director of Finance for USC Troy Camp (my unpaid job and true passion).
What is your professional background and areas of expertise?
I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration and three years of professional experience as a financial analyst in the area of health care consulting. My volunteer experiences include seven years as a mentor for at-risk kids from economically disadvantaged backgrounds as well as four years in pro-bono finance and development activities for a non-profit organization.
What are you involved in outside of work?
I am an External Advisory Board Member for USC Troy Camp, a member of the Junior League of Washington D.C., and a member of the USC Alumni Association.
Who do you look to as a leader in your respective field, and why?
Deborah Bial, CEO and founder of the Posse Foundation is someone who I admire greatly. Posse is a youth development non-profit thatorganizes groups of less advantaged high school students from urban environments to form multicultural teams known as posses. Each group consists of 10 to 12 students known as Posse Scholars. Bial believes that by organizing high school students with similar backgrounds into "posses" and then sending them to college together, they will develop the peer support system needed to overcome obstacles to success in college. Posse has grown from a grassroots organization to a name-brand national nonprofit in just over 20 years. Bial's model is innovative and effective, and I am truly amazed at the success she has achieved in scaling her program nationally. Bial’s ability to attract talent and resources is a true testament to the power of her mission and the innovation of her business plan.
If you won $20 million dollars in the lottery and had to donate it to a social organization – which one would it be, and why?
I was actually asked this very question in an interview for a non-profit job two years ago, and it sparked an idea for starting my own non-profit organization. USC Troy Camp is an organization that sets up undergraduate students as mentors for inner-city elementary school children. The program's mission is two-fold. It provides inner city children with exposure to the real possibility of achieving a higher education, and it offers college students a unique opportunity for leadership development. I would love to take the Troy Camp model to a national level and start chapters at other universities. I have been working on a business plan over the last few months and would use the $20 million as the capital required to start this national program.
Where else have you lived?
New York City, Oakland, NJ, Gainesville, FL, Los Angeles, CA, Dublin, Ireland and Singapore, Singapore