Time + Talent Podcast

Leading community volunteers can be challenging, but it's rewarding too! In each season of the T + T Podcast, Tobi Johnson, of VolunteerPro, and Jennifer Bennett of VolunteerMatch, team up to chat with some of the best and brightest in our field. If you are a nonprofit staffer or volunteer leader looking for renewed inspiration and fresh ideas in volunteer engagement, this podcast is for you!

410. Diversifying Your Volunteer Team - It Can Be Done! 12/19/2022

410. Diversifying Your Volunteer Team - It Can Be Done! Show Notes: During the height of COVID, CASA of San Joaquin County faced the fact that over 1500 children from the County were living in foster care. These abused and neglected children had been removed from their families and placed in foster homes, group homes (now called STRTPs), or even at our county's homeless shelter. To address this challenge, CASA connects children and youth living in foster care with a community volunteer who makes an 18-24 month commitment to advocate and mentor them. When Dani started with CASA in October of 2021, she was given a bold goal to recruit 42 community members from diverse walks of life. To follow through on this commitment, she was able to not only reach her goal but surpass it. Through the smart use of social media and focused outreach, she was able to attract a diverse and multi-generational group of volunteers dedicated to helping youth navigate the court system. In this episode, Dani shares her recipe for effective social media and how she overcame her anxiety around making cold calls (don’t we all have that?!). In the end, it’s all about staying true to your mission and communicating your passion for those you serve in a compassionate and accessible way. Dani shows us how it’s done with grace and focus! Learn more about the work of CASA and how you can help at: www.nochildabuse.org/casa https://www.linkedin.com/company/casa-of-san-joaquin-county/ https://www.facebook.com/CASAsanjoaquincounty https://www.instagram.com/casaofsjcounty/ For More: For more on how another organization approached diversifying their volunteer team, check out Time + Talent Podcast and Guest Bio: Dani Daly is the Recruiter/Trainer for CASA of San Joaquin County. As an educator and a mother, Dani noticed the needs of children living in the foster care system. Dani noticed that the students she worked closely with, as well as the friends of her two school-aged children, who resided in foster care, often felt alone having few adults who were in their lives who weren't being paid to be there. After years of working in education, Dani joined CASA of San Joaquin County to make a difference in the lives of children in foster care. Dani works diligently to recruit San Joaquin County citizens to join the CASA organization and is passionate about diversifying the pool of volunteers to more closely represent our county's youth in foster care. You can reach Dani on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-daly-55292198/ And via email at [email protected] /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24910167

409. From AmeriCorps to Her Doctorate: One Leader's Journey 12/12/2022

409. From AmeriCorps to Her Doctorate: One Leader's Journey Courtney Tull joins us to talk about her work with volunteers and her journey - so far! Starting with her work as an AmeriCorps member she found a connection with the work of leading and engaging volunteers in the community. Since that first experience, Courtney has achieved her CVA (), her Masters in Administration of Human Services, and completed her Doctorate in Social Sciences. While working for Habitat for Humanity Sussex County in Delaware, Courtney began the research for her Doctorate - exploring her suspected connections between volunteering, well-being, and quality of life. She was right, and she confirmed that volunteers who understand and follow their motivations reap greater rewards from their service. Courtney shares how this data can provide the grounds to tailor recruitment and marketing strategies to match the work to the motivations of volunteers. View the infographic of Courtney’s research here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Lwafytpve_CezWhgcMmcDfH9QJK46U7f/ You can read Courtney manuscript on her findings here: https://www.proquest.com/openview/a6dda1793a0abc57ba181d8494355324/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y For More: For more research on volunteer engagement check out Season 2, Guest Bio: Courtney Tull, CVA, DSocSci is an experienced leader in nonprofit and human service administration specializing in volunteer management, community engagement, and social science. Courtney earned the Delaware Service Impact Award from the Governor's Commission on Community and Volunteer Service in 2018 as a result of her AmeriCorps service. As a practitioner, Courtney has recruited thousands of volunteers and AmeriCorps members to aid Sussex County Habitat in its mission to build affordable housing and strengthen communities in Delaware. Since 2020, she has designed and presented her doctoral-level research about the relationship between volunteering and well-being to professional audiences locally and nationally, also being recognized as Wilmington University's College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Academic Award Recipient in 2022. Courtney recently relocated to Orlando, Florida where she enjoys getting to know her new community, sitting on her balcony to read and look for new healthy recipes, and caring for her guinea pigs. You can reach Courtney at [email protected] or on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-tull /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24831165

408. Using Volunteer Feedback and Reflection to Boost Engagement 12/05/2022

408. Using Volunteer Feedback and Reflection to Boost Engagement MobileServe helps groups like schools - from elementary to college - and companies connect with nonprofits to access service learning opportunities. They also allow those groups to gather information and feedback from the students and employees participating. Kevin Bauman joins us to talk about what they’ve learned by reviewing the information they’ve collected around impact. For volunteers - whether they’re students or adults - volunteering can offer the opportunity to make an impact, but that message doesn’t always get clearly delivered. MobileServe has found that asking volunteers to reflect on their experience in some way before they return back to their classrooms or offices can make a big impact on the connection a volunteer feels to the work they did. Questions like “How did your service make you feel?” are a good start, but asking additional questions like “What challenged you?” or “What did you learn about the organization?” can invite volunteers to think a little more about their experience. You can read more about this on Mobile Serve’s blog on the insights: https://blog.mobileserve.com/the-science-of-top-reflection-questions While these are best practices for creating a connection with service learning volunteers, Kevin also shares how this type of reflection can be incorporated into working with adult volunteers, as well as a strategy to create a connection and form a stronger relationship with newer volunteers or volunteers that join your organization for single-day events. Even just a few minutes at the end of a shift or event where volunteers can gather to talk about their experiences and the work they’ve done can go a long way toward creating a stronger connection to your organization and its mission. You can learn more about the Service Learning Reflection Toolkit mentioned here: https://www.gtc.edu/sites/default/files/files/documents/Service_Learning_Reflection_Toolkit.pdf To learn more about MobileServe visit https://mobileserve.com/ And you can find MobileServe on social media @MobileServeApp For More: For more on service learning and creating connections with student volunteers check out Season 1, Guest Bio: Kevin Bauman is the Director of Community Development at MobileServe, a firm that helps connect volunteers to service opportunities and report the impact service organizations have in our communities. He brings a passion for community building and 20 years of experience in not-for-profit technology solutions. He holds a conviction that technology can provide the necessary advantages for nonprofits and service organizations to meet aggressive goals with often limited resources. Kevin earned a BS from the University of Texas at Austin and an Executive MBA from the University of Kentucky. You can reach Kevin at [email protected] or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbauman/ /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24831126

407. Evolving Your Model to Empower Women 11/28/2022

407. Evolving Your Model to Empower Women Theresa Goebel-Menting founded and directs the We EmpowHer Women’s Empowerment Series, aimed at helping marginalized women and their families overcome challenges that may be holding them back from their true potential. This program provides mentorship, support, and education for women in the Fond du Lac community. Since its inception, Theresa has provided direct supervision to members of the committee, as well as direct mentorship to participants involved. In this interview, we chat with Theresa about how she made the decision to move a struggling program out of county government and into a private nonprofit. She shares the brave decisions she needed to make and how she has continued to evolve and grow the now 12-week Women’s Empowerment Series each year. Theresa’s enthusiasm and determination are unstoppable and she shares her advice on how to remain resilient and strong, even through times of uncertainty. If you need a dose of inspiration, don’t miss this episode! To learn more about We EmpowHer and make a donation, visit: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-empowher/ https://www.instagram.com/weempowherfdl/ https://www.facebook.com/weempowher Watch “Unlock Your Shackles,” Theresa Menting’s TEDx Talk here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR8jczqsbkQ For More: For more on how one organization transformed its strategy and made bold moves to evolve, check out the Guest Bio: Theresa Goebel-Menting is a lifelong Fond du Lac resident, business owner, executive leader, mentor, educator, life coach, and professional performer. Most of all, throughout her work in Fond du Lac, Theresa has always been an advocate for marginalized populations, and is intentional in leveraging relationships within the community to help others. Theresa founded and directed the Women’s Empowerment Series, a program that started through the Fond du Lac Department of Social Services. This program provides mentorship, support and education for women in the Fond du Lac community. Since its inception, Theresa has provided direct supervision to members of the committee, as well as direct mentorship to participants involved. Since that time, the organization has evolved into WeEmpowHer, offering year-round programming, resources, and opportunities for connection and fellowship. Theresa is also founder and CEO of Sweet ‘N Easy Events, an organization that provides event planning and coordination services throughout the Fox Cities. Her company, Sweet ‘N Easy Events, was also named the 2018 Best Full-Service Wedding Planning & Decorating Company by Global Wedding Awards. In addition to Theresa’s numerous volunteer positions, she was nominated as a Young Professional Future 5 Award Winner, and was named one of Fond du Lac’s 2018 People of the Year. Theresa was also nominated as 2022 Woman of Achievement by Insight Magazine. Theresa is involved with many community organizations, such as serving on the Board of Directors with ASTOP and Life Enforcement. In 2019, Theresa was an esteemed TEDx speaker. Since then, she has joined the TEDx Fond du Lac Team. Theresa’s passion for supporting, mentoring, educating, and advocating for others has been a cornerstone to her success in Fond du Lac and the greater state of Wisconsin. You can reach Theresa on the following social media: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-menting/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theresa_menting/ /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24831048

406. Youth Volunteers as Leaders 11/21/2022

406. Youth Volunteers as Leaders MuslimDepiction is a nonprofit that brings awareness and teaches about the diversity and culture of the Middle East. Through the help of volunteers and their newsletter, they spread the word about the nonprofit throughout America. They are also currently raising funds to build a school in Bali for over 60 students in preschool-kindergarten. In this episode, Zainab shares how she has engaged volunteers to spread the word on their campuses, pass out flyers, print posters, advocate within their social and family circles, and get involved in their GoFundMe project. She discusses how volunteering and charity are vital parts of the Muslim community’s focus on doing good deeds. As a nonprofit founder and leader of volunteers, Zainab has faced many of the same challenges as her older counterparts. In our conversation, she shares how she has engaged a multi-generational group of volunteers - aged 15 to 40 - and how she approaches volunteers who aren’t performing to expectations. If you have doubted the commitment and potential of youth and young adults, think again. Zainab’s story will make you rethink your point of view! For More: For more on how organizations are engaging volunteers to combat bias and racism, check out Guest Bio: Welcome to MuslimDepiction, a nonprofit organization that strives to inform, support, and help Muslims around the world. Anyone is welcome to join and support us regardless of their religion or belief. We teach and inform about Islam and help break stereotypes regarding Muslims. We also bring awareness to multiple issues regarding Islamic nations through our social media and our articles page. Muslims are very underrepresented in many communities, which is why we provide a place for Muslims to help each other, support each other, and communicate. We teach and inform through our Instagram and articles page. We help donate and create projects also through our Instagram and website. As for communication, we provide a social network, discord, where people globally can get together to communicate. You can help support us through many means such as following us on our social platforms or donating towards one of our current ongoing projects. Thank you so much for all of your support and your time. We hope you enjoy your time here as we guide you through our mission! To get in touch, email To learn more and make a donation, check out: muslimdepiction.carrd.co/ https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-us-build-a-school-in-bali?qid=b85e34824c8010da72c9ed57ced8d123 You can also find MulsimDEpiction on social media at: Instagram - muslimdepiction /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24831033

405. Building Flexibility Through Team-Based Direct Service 11/14/2022

404. How One Zoo Reimagined Engagement Through the Pandemic 11/07/2022

404. How One Zoo Reimagined Engagement Through the Pandemic The Chester Zoo introduced a range of micro-volunteering activities alongside our traditional roles to engage the community in conservation action and volunteering in various ways from citizen science projects from home using motion sensor cameras in people's gardens to discover hedgehog habits to digital roles such as writing subtitles, researching and checking data to responding to letters from school children and school groups when they wrote to the zoo. At the same time, the Chester Zoo embarked on attaining their Investing in Volunteers quality standard, which requires documenting and improving practices in volunteer engagement. True to their community roots, they involved volunteers in helping frame their work during their credentialing process. In this conversation, Lindsay shares their philosophy on engaging stakeholders in their process and how they focus on person-centered volunteer engagement. She also described how they maintained connections with volunteers through social events and coffee mornings, which has led to high volunteer re-engagement and retention. Learn more about the Chester Zoo here: C Chester Zoo on LInkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/chester-zoo/mycompany/ Chester Zoo Website - https://www.chesterzoo.org/ For more on the Investing in Volunteers quality standard, visit - https://investinginvolunteers.co.uk/ For More: For more on how organizations were managing during the pandemic in the UK, check out Time + Talent Podcast Guest Bio: Lindsay joined Chester Zoo's Conservation Education and Engagement team in 2019 to manage their award-winning volunteer team. She's worked in the UK charity sector for over 15 years, managing volunteers and working with children and young people. The zoo's volunteer management team successfully engages volunteers in various roles, including visitor engagement, youth volunteering, gardening, archiving, education, community engagement and micro-volunteering. Chester Zoo achieved the Investing in Volunteers quality standard award in 2021; the award highlights their commitment to providing a high-quality volunteering experience. Chester Zoo's Plan for Volunteering highlights how volunteers contribute to key targets in the Conservation Masterplan, which aims to empower 10 million people to live more sustainably before the zoo’s 100th birthday in 2031. You can reach Lindsay on LinkedIn at - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-marston-59804453/ /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24830910

403. Helping Veterans Fight Loneliness through Remote Volunteering 10/31/2022

403. Helping Veterans Fight Loneliness through Remote Volunteering In this episode, Prince Taylor, Deputy Director, VA Center for Development & Civic Engagement at the US Department of Veterans Affairs shares how their organization moved a friendly visitor program online and adapted it for remote volunteers. The Compassionate Contact Corps is a virtual social prescription program where trained volunteers are matched with Veterans that are experiencing loneliness or are socially isolated. The volunteer typically calls the veteran weekly for 15-60 minutes to provide socialization and companionship via phone or video calls. In our chat. Prince shares how the program came about through the enthusiastic advocacy of his local coordinators and how they structured the program for success. The early data on this pilot program shows that these calls improve the mental health and well-being of veterans, who are referred by their providers to the program. We also discuss how staff prepare volunteers to be successful in the program without overextending themself or transgressing professional boundaries and where they find volunteers to help. For more information, visit For more on how to partner or participate, visit For More: For more on how volunteer-involving organizations serve veterans using remote volunteers, check out Time + Talent Podcast Guest Bio: Mr. Prince Taylor has served as Deputy Director for VA Voluntary Service since October 2018. Formerly he was the HR Manager for VA’s Office of Operations, Security, and Preparedness where he managed all human resource activities, advised political and career senior executives. While serving on the VA’s Veterans Month Committee, he started the Department’s TEDxVeteransAffairs program. He was selected by the VA’s Corporate Executive Development Board for the Partnership in Public Service’s Excellence in Government Fellowship, which he completed in 2016 and served as a co-coach in 2018 and 2019. Currently he serves on several advisory boards and committees, including the National VA Voluntary Service Advisory Board and the National Technical Career Field Advisory Board. He has completed VA’s Transformational Coaching (Apprentice) program and began a doctoral program at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College in August 2020 in Leadership in Learning Organizations. Prince served 12 years in the U.S. Navy, serving as a deck seaman, gunner’s mate, yeoman, and intelligence specialist (he couldn’t seem to keep a job). He served in numerous locations around the country and overseas. He has received an M.Ed. in Workforce Education and a Bachelors in Paralegal Studies and Political Science from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale. Today, he will give an overview of a new national program he leads called the Compassionate Contact Corps. You can reach Prince on LinkedIn - /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24830820

401. Welcome to Season 4 10/24/2022

402. Build a Better Volunteer Handbook with a Team Approach 10/24/2022

402. Build a Better Volunteer Handbook with a Team Approach In 2021, during the pandemic, Holden Forests and Gardens began work on the foundation components for their volunteer engagement strategy. One of those efforts was a volunteer-led task force to redevelop their Volunteer Handbook. In this episode, Tracee Patterson Associate Director of Volunteer and Employee Engagement, Sarah Hartley Manager of Volunteer Resources, and Patrick Biliter Volunteer Handbook Review Task Force Team Leader share the work they did to evaluate and redesign their Volunteer Handbook. After reviewing Handbooks from other organizations they created a digital document that focuses on supporting and engaging volunteers in the work of the organization. They wanted it to be useful for new volunteers as well as ongoing volunteers, and that the document would reflect the beauty of their forests and gardens. They also wanted it to foster a shared culture and engage volunteers deeply in the work of the organization. Patrick shares their goals, and the steps they took as a volunteer-led task force including their first step of Appreciative Inquiry and the Group Meeting Rules. You can learn more about that process in their While they had a strong foundation for the work that needed to be done, they did run into some challenges, including the work taking longer than planned. They were able to launch their first, and on time, and follow that up with the full paperless, digital handbook. You are welcome to visit and explore their ! For More: For more information on inviting volunteers to lead changes within your organization check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent Podcast, . Guest Bio: Tracee Patterson Associate Director of Volunteer and Employee Engagement Tracee Patterson is the Associate Director of Volunteer & Employee Engagement at Holden Forests & Gardens. Her prior work in volunteerism involved administrative and teaching positions at John Carroll University and Kent State University, where she coordinated service-learning programming and taught service-based classes for students. Tracee enjoys volunteering for other environmental organizations as well as for social justice causes she is passionate about. Tracee was the recipient of the 2020 Volunteer Administrator of the Year Award, presented annually by the Forum for Volunteer Administrators in Northeast Ohio. She lives in northeast Ohio and enjoys hiking, kayaking, bicycling and yoga. Sarah Hartley, CVA Manager of Volunteer Resources Sarah Hartley is currently the Manager of Volunteer Resources for Holden Forests & Gardens in the Cleveland, OH area, where she has worked since 2015. Before moving to Ohio, she spent eleven years as a volunteer coordinator at The Salvation Army Northern Division in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area spending a lot of time on their bell ringing volunteer program and various volunteer management systems. Sarah received her certification in volunteer administration (CVA) in 2019, and she has been working in the field of volunteer management since 2003 when she earned her Mini-MBA in Volunteer Management from the University of St. Thomas Center of Nonprofit Management. Patrick Biliter Volunteer Handbook Review Task Force Team Leader To avoid becoming a third-generation eastern Kentucky coal miner, Pat Biliter became a geologist instead, pursuing his studies at The Ohio State University, U.C.L.A., and the University of Utah. Most children go through rock and bug collecting phases, but Pat never grew out of his. His great passions in life include books, landforms, wildlife, blue-tick fox hounds, and his wife of 53 years, not necessarily in that order. He spent his career and most of his adult life working in some 34 foreign countries in environmental remediation, disaster relief and military construction. Upon retiring and returning to the United States, Pat began volunteering at Holden Forests & Gardens, the perfect venue for sharing his love of the outdoors and natural history with adults and children of all ages. Contact the Team: [email protected] Contact Tracee at [email protected] Contact Sarah at [email protected]. Contact Patrick at [email protected] Website: /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/24736584

310. The Leadership Path - from Volunteer Services to the C-Suite 03/18/2022

310. The Leadership Path - from Volunteer Services to the C-Suite Kelly Furnas of Operation Kindness shares her professional journey from Director of Volunteer Services to Chief Operating Officer in less than two years and the leadership mindset and actions that made this path possible. Founded in 1976, Operation Kindness is a pioneer in North Texas for providing assistance to animals in need of medical care, companionship, and a home. In addition to pet adoptions, they provide extensive medical care for animals, a foster program, a pet food pantry, a surrender prevention program, education to pet parents and volunteer opportunities. And, the pandemic has not slowed them down. They have engaged over 11,000 volunteers since the start and regularly have about 1,600-1,800 volunteers active. Kelly was initially hired as the director of Volunteer Services in October 2019. But she was quickly promoted to Director of Operations in January 2021, and then Chief Operating Officer in July 2021. It’s been a whirlwind ride, but Kelly is well grounded in what it takes to succeed as a leader. In this episode, she shares how her organization has maintained close connections with volunteers during COVID through a smart communications strategy. She also shares advice for volunteer managers who want to advance their careers and offers practical tips on how to frame the volunteer work so it gets noticed and how to effectively ask for resources and support. For more information, visit . For More: For more info on developing your leadership skills, check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Kelly FurnasChief Operating OfficerOperation Kindness Kelly Furnas became Chief Operating Officer of Operation Kindness in July 2021, following her roles as Director of Operations and Volunteer Services in recent years. She has been involved with OPK since 2015. As COO, her goals include helping Operation Kindness have the largest impact on life saving in North Texas, enhancing her team’s skills, and finding process improvements that allow them to save more lives. Previously, she worked in various senior leadership and operation roles in the financial services industry before finding her dream job with Operation Kindness. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Texas A&M University. At home, Kelly loves spending time with her cat, Smokey (an Operation Kindness alumni),and her dog Quinn. As an A&M grad, you will find her rooting for her Aggies during every game. She also loves to cook and even acted as a judge in a local cooking competition! You can find Kelly and on LinkedIn at . /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22494317

309. Balancing the Needs of Employees and Volunteers 03/11/2022

309. Balancing the Needs of Employees and Volunteers What happens when a volunteer manager needs to balance the needs of volunteers and paid staff? At the Lloyd Moss Free Clinic Andrea SpringerCollins takes a straightforward approach based in clear communication. In this episode she shares her approach and the systems she’s implemented to successfully manage these relationships. Over 25 years ago, the Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic began with medical and non-medical volunteers offering limited services two evenings a week in the Amy Guest Wing of the old Mary Washington Hospital. Over time, the Clinic has evolved into a unique and essential health care provider that is meeting a critical need in our community. As the demand for services ballooned and the number of volunteers has grown, the Clinic has relocated twice and greatly expanded its hours, services, and programs. Today, the Clinic operates five days a week and offers both day and evening appointments in a state-of-the-art facility. In 2018 our team of 560 volunteers, including 175 physicians and dentists, provided over 19,000 hours of care and services such as primary and specialty care, women’s health, dental care, mental health, nutrition education, and physical therapy. Patients have access to free diagnostics and specialized procedures (including surgery and chemotherapy) through Mary Washington Healthcare, Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center, and other essential community partners. Thanks to the volunteerism of local healthcare professionals and donations of in-kind goods and services, the Clinic’s annual budget of $2.2 million leveraged over $30 million of healthcare in 2017. The Clinic receives no federal support and depends on monetary contributions from individuals, organizations, and businesses to serve people in need each year. Andrea shares her approach to balancing the needs of volunteers and the needs of paid staff to effectively deliver health care services to the community. It can be a delicate balance to match the right volunteer to the right role and staff supervisor and Andrea brings an optimistic and straightforward communication style to her work recruiting, screening, and orienting her highly skilled volunteers. And, listen until the end to hear Andrea’s tips for staying centered and finding the necessary energy to continue to work with volunteers in a healthcare setting, during a pandemic. For more information, visit For More: For more information on creating volunteer management systems that work, check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Andrea SpringerCollinsVolunteer CoordinatorLloyd F. Moss Free Clinic Andrea SpringerCollins joined Lloyd F. Moss Free Clinic as Volunteer Coordinator in 2012. During that time she has coordinated monthly information sessions for prospective volunteers, facilitated volunteer staffing with the appropriate department managers. She is responsible for recruiting volunteer providers including MD, DO, PA, NP, M/LCSW, DDS, RDH, and PharmD.She manages all aspects of coordinating medical volunteers including registering volunteer health care professional with the Virginia Division of Risk Management for immunity from liability, maintaining volunteer PII records and data entry, and evaluating volunteer/staff experience. Andrea holds a Master’s of Arts Degree with emphasis in Communication from the University of Oklahoma, and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Minor- Vocal Music from Southern University A&M. You can find Andrea at [email protected]. /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22416881

308. Tapping the Potential of (Career) Volunteers 03/04/2022

308. Tapping the Potential of (Career) Volunteers Kara McLaughlin of Mesa Community Action Network shares how “career volunteers” play a pivotal role in guiding her agency’s program development and how they grow their leadership pipeline by fostering a welcoming culture and by integrating volunteers into operations at every level. A New Leaf is a nonprofit organization, providing a broad spectrum of support services to help individuals & families in need. Whether it be the loss of a job, a medical crisis, domestic violence, homelessness, or another crisis, A New Leaf is here to help households recover and thrive. A New Leaf is a certified Service Enterprise organization, welcoming the presence of community partners in its efforts to deliver on its mission of Helping Families, Changing Lives. As integral members of our team, volunteers experience meaningful work while contributing to enhanced services, renewed energy, and increased community awareness. The volunteer program has been limited to new volunteers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They have limited volunteer involvement to critical need areas, and only where they can operate safely. Existing volunteers working at A New Leaf programs continue to operate under program guidelines. Despite the impact of the pandemic on operations volunteers continue to be involved in pivotal decision-making roles throughout the organization. In this episode, Kara shares how her organization has strategically leveraged volunteers in order to do more with less, not only in direct service roles but also in leadership and program development. Kara discusses the power of the “career volunteer,” or those that contribute significant hours each month to their cause of choice, and notes that they are available to help in every community. Organizations simply need to connect with them to tap this valuable resource. For more information, visit . For More: For more info on growing volunteer leaders, check out Season 1 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Kara McLaughlin, B.A.E.Sr. Volunteer Financial Coach/EducatorMesa Community Action Network Kara McLaughlin, who is a graduate of Arizona State University is an experienced “career volunteer” serving the non-profit industry through budget counseling, education, program development, volunteer community leadership, and emergency financial services since 1988. A long time community servant and an ardent supporter of volunteer service. Born in the Midwest, Kara moved to Arizona with her family in second grade and married her junior high sweetheart Phil McLaughlin in 1986. Together they have three amazing young adult children and two beagles. Kara followed her husband across the globe as a Navy wife for 26 years beginning her volunteer career helping other Navy spouses. After discovering her teaching certification wasn’t valid at new duty stations and working for a non-profit, Kara began taking on numerous volunteer roles for Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Boy Scouts of America, Churches, music groups, and more. Although her intent was to resume her career once Phil left the Navy, Kara discovered upon Phil’s retirement that she did have a career, that of a volunteer. After moving back to Arizona, she joined A New Leaf as a volunteer and has served as an IDA Assistant, Lead Volunteer Financial Coach & Educator, and now serves as their Organization Volunteer Chair. Kara realizes she is blessed to be able to donate her time and talents which fits her family’s priorities best with the Volunteer benefits package of flexibility. You can find Kara at and on LinkedIn at . /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22336583

307. Connecting with Volunteers During Times of Change 02/25/2022

307. Connecting with Volunteers During Times of Change Elena Laguna of Oxfam shares how her organization navigated openings and closings of their retail shops due to COVID, which are the primary source of unrestricted funding for the organization’s work, all while maintaining a sense of community amongst their volunteers. Oxfam is an international non-governmental organization working with others to challenge inequality, overcome poverty and work with people to thrive, not just survive. For over 75 years, Oxfam has led a movement of people dedicated to ending extreme poverty. The organization works with over 18,000 volunteers annually in their network of approximately 600 local charity shops, at festivals and special events, and as part of fundraising campaigns. In March 2020 Oxfam was forced to close its shops In order to keep communities safe from COVID transmission.This meant that thousands of volunteers could not come into work and one of the organization’s main sources of unrestricted funding was virtually eliminated overnight. As a result, Oxfam quickly pivoted to offering online shopping and doubled down on their commitment to and investment in, supporting their volunteers.The COVID pandemic has also accelerated their digital transformation. In this interview, Elena shares the ups and downs of their work, “not for volunteers, but with volunteers.” She shares how they maintained a sense of community amongst their volunteers using a variety of technology tools and how volunteers are the “X-factor” in everything they do. For more information on Oxfam, their key impact areas, their network of shops, and how to get involved visit or follow them on Facebook or Instagram . You can find out more about volunteering, visit - Or, find a local shop here - . For More: For more info on how organizations can build community online, check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Elena LagunaHead of Volunteering, Oxfam Great BritainTrustee, Peer Power Youth Elena is a volunteering and learning specialist and she believes in social action as a powerful tool for civic engagement within society. She has successfully performed various volunteer management roles which have spanned local areas as well as national ones across the UK, allowing her to work with organizations of different sizes and form partnerships across diverse communities and cultures. Elena has an interest in building high-quality volunteering programmes with volunteer impact and engagement at their core. She started in the charity sector as a young volunteer and is now passionate about providing an exceptional volunteer management service to every stakeholder. She is currently Head of Volunteer Engagement at Oxfam Great Britain and a Trustee at Peer Power Youth and has experience in developing new digital models, innovative strategies and approaches to engaging volunteers. /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22257386

306. Quilting for Justice 02/18/2022

306. Quilting for Justice Lauren Black from the Social Justice Sewing Academy talks about the opportunity her organization had to completely rethink the way they engaged volunteers, and to launch an entirely new volunteer engagement strategy during a pandemic. What do you do when a pandemic strikes and your organization’s mission is running workshops for kids and teens? You launch an entirely new strategy engaging individual skills-based volunteers - at least that’s what you do if you’re the Social Justice Sewing Academy! Founded in 2017, the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA) is a non-profit organization that aims to empower individuals to utilize textile art for personal transformation, community cohesion, and to begin the journey toward becoming an agent of social change. Prior to COVID-19, youth workshops and programs were at the core of the organization.Through a series of hands-on workshops in schools, prisons, and community centers across the country, SJSA used social justice and art education to bridge artistic expression with activism. Many of our young artists made art that explored issues such as gender discrimination, mass incarceration, gun violence, and gentrification. The powerful imagery that youth created in cloth demonstrated their critique of issues plaguing their local and larger communities. These quilt blocks are then sent to volunteers around the world to embellish and embroider before being sewn together into quilts to be displayed in museums, galleries, and quilt shows across the country. While youth programming remains at the heart of SJSA, the civil rights movement of 2020 and the concurrent COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted SJSA’s programming. Due to no longer being able to provide in-person programming and limited virtual youth workshops, SJSA launched a series of new initiatives to critically respond to the times, including the Remembrance Project. The Remembrance Project engages remote skills-based volunteers to create a quilt block to remember members of the community lost to violence. Time + Talent co-host Jennifer Bennett is a volunteer with SJSA and she also shares her experience volunteering during the Summer of 2020 with the Remembrance Project. For more information, visit To volunteer with SJSA and the Remembrance Project: To view the Remembrance Project Gallery: To see other SJSA Projects: To see and read about the block Jennifer created: To learn more about the Remembrance Project and the Stitching Stolen Lives book: For More: For more info on engaging skills-based volunteers, check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent Podcast, . Guest Bio: Lauren BlackExecutive DirectorSocial Justice Sewing Academy Lauren Black is the Executive Director of the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA). Lauren currently works as a School Psychologist in the Los Angeles Unified School District. She recently completed her Masters in Educational Psychology and her Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology at Loyola Marymount University. She is passionate about tackling issues that disempower people and erase their voices based on elements of their identity. In working with SJSA, Lauren fights against marginalization, systemic oppression, and underrepresentation through education, outreach, and collaboration. You can find Lauren Black at . /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22185416

305. How Remote Volunteering Gave this Organization an Edge! 02/11/2022

305. How Remote Volunteering Gave this Organization an Edge! Michele Wiesner of Hire Heroes USA shares how her organization was given an “edge” when it comes to engaging volunteers during a pandemic and how they have been growing capacity through remote volunteering since 2005. Hire Heroes USA provides employment assistance services to thousands of transitioning military members each year. Through personalized service and support, they help veterans and military spouses get hired, and they help companies hire and retain them. As the director of capacity building, Michele leads a team of six full-time volunteer program managers who are responsible for engaging and supporting volunteers in their regions. As opposed to many volunteer-driven organizations who’ve had to pivot to online volunteerism, Hire Heroes has always operated this way. Some staff, however, have had to make the transition from working in an office to working from home. Rather than making big changes during COVID, they had to make more subtle adjustments to their mature digital volunteer strategy. And, staff have had to catch up with volunteers. In this episode, Michele shares how her team has made pivots and how they managed their exponential growth (triple the number of volunteer applications during COVID!) by focusing on building relationships, offering meaningful roles to supporters, and remaining flexible in their approach. For more information, visit and all social channels @hireheroesusa. To explore volunteer opportunities with Hire Heroes, visit . For More: For more info on preparing and supporting a fully remote volunteer team, check out Season 1 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Michele WiesnerDirector, Capacity BuildingHire Heroes USA Michele Wiesner, Director of Capacity Building, is responsible for the growth, direction and results of service delivery support programs, including the Volunteer Program, Alumni Program and Referral and Training Partners Program. These support programs serve to increase organizational reach, influence, effectiveness and efficiency through partnerships and supporters. Michele earned a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Georgia, and she also holds a Certification in Volunteer Administration (CVA). Michele joined Hire Heroes USA full time in 2012 as the organization’s first Volunteer Coordinator, responsible for the creation of the Volunteer Program. She was promoted to Manager in 2013 and then to Director of the Volunteer Program in late 2015. In 2019, she took on the responsibility of serving as the Director of Capacity Building to strengthen our mission through productive partnerships. She grew up in Georgia and currently resides just east of Athens with her husband, a veteran of the U.S. Army. You can find Michele at or finer her on LinkedIn at . For more on Michele's local professional association, the Georgia Association for Volunteer Administration, visit . /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22102130

304. Managing Change through Strategic Communications 02/04/2022

304. Managing Change through Strategic Communications Elizabeth Garrabrant from the Mid-Ohio Food Collective shares how she’s engaging new types of volunteers in new ways to meet the needs of her community during the second year of the pandemic. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective serves 20 counties in central and eastern Ohio. They run a foodbank as well as a community kitchen and market. They also operate a farm, and farmacy - providing healthy food options to ensure that community members stay healthy even while facing food insecurity. During the pandemic the Mid-Ohio Food Collective saw the need in the community increase while their volunteers - especially their older adult volunteers - were sheltering in place, and companies were putting their employee volunteering activities on hold. When the National Guard became available to help with essential activities in the community Elizabeth put in a request - without much hope of receiving aid. Instead she found she had 100 dedicated National Guard members ready to help provide food and assistance to the community. She was able to get the Guard members successfully deployed by tapping into the experience and availability of her existing volunteers as trainers and leaders. Throughout the initial transition period and into the ongoing pandemic Elizabeth has been able to safely bring volunteers back as well as stay connected with volunteers who prefer to work remotely by relying on open, honest, and transparent communication practices. She shares her successes as well as her challenges in balancing the needs of her organization and community, and the health and safety of her volunteers. Her organization is back to about two-thirds capacity and is looking forward to the future and continuing to bring back all of the ways volunteers help the meet their mission and the needs of the community. For more information, visit You can find Elizabeth at [email protected] or on LinkedIn at . For More: For more info on supporting and maintaining connections with diverse volunteers, check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Elizabeth Garrabrant Director of Volunteer ServicesMid-Ohio Food Collective Elizabeth Garrabrant has been with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective for 20 years. In her current role, Elizabeth works with leaders throughout the organization to develop volunteerism strategies that will result in both positive and meaningful volunteer opportunities as well as meet the needs of the organization in the most efficient and effective way possible. She collaborates with local partners and events to bring a MOFC presence to the community. Since her first years with MOFC, the volunteer program has grown significantly – from one project in one location- to now having MOFC volunteers assist with 35+ different activities in 15 different locations. /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/22022039

303. Easy Technology Solutions for Older Adult Volunteers 01/28/2022

303. Easy Technology Solutions for Older Adult Volunteers Sara Bumgarner, Volunteer Services Manager and RSVP Director of the Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of the Treasure Coast shares how her organization re-purposed use of a simple online device to help volunteers and patients stay connected during COVID. The VNA of the Treasure Coast was founded over 40 years ago with the distinct mission of fulfilling the need to provide homecare for local residents of Indian River County, Florida.The VNA operates Hospice House, a 12-room state of the art facility privately nestled on hospital grounds, Hidden Treasures Thrift Stores to help fund hospice services, and offers private home care services which include transportation, personal care and clinical care. The organization’s work is carried out by close to 400 clinical and administrative staff. In addition, volunteers are at the heart of the VNA and are a key resource to the agency. More than 400 dedicated individuals generously donate their time and talent to assist in various aspects of the VNA. They interact with patients, help out at VNA Hospice House, provide assistance around the office and thrift stores. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, VNA was forced to discontinue in-person volunteer roles. Instead, they implemented a virtual visit program, where volunteers could keep in touch with their patients using a virtual tablet called a GrandPad (). The tool was initially developed to keep families and seniors connected through a super simple interface. The use was repurposed to connect volunteers and homebound patients. For more information, visit VNA of the Treasure Coast - . You can connect with Sara at . For More: For more info on helping older volunteers adopt new technology, check out Season 2 of the Time + Talent podcast, . Guest Bio: Sara D. Bumgarner, CVAVolunteer Services Manager and RSVP DirectorVisiting Nurse Association of the Treasure Coast Sara has worked in the non-profit field for 28 years, the last 15 years managing volunteers. She earned her certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) credential in October of 2020. She has been working for ten years at current organization, VNA of the Treasure Coast, six of those as the Volunteer Manager and the last two as Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Director. She currently oversees 450 volunteers for VNA, the bulk of whom are hospice volunteers. /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/21935384

302. Why Do Volunteer Managers Adopt New Technology? 01/21/2022

302. Why Do Volunteer Managers Adopt New Technology? Mark Hager shares his exciting research on technology adoption in volunteer management. This research was conducted in conjunction with CCVA and focused on CVAs and how they’ve changed or adopted technology during the pandemic. Mark Hager has been leading the field in research on volunteer management and engagement for years. He has recently released an update on his original Volunteer Management Capacity Study and his new work on Technology Evolution in Volunteer Administration. He joins us to discuss what he learned in this new TEVA study, and what that might mean for the leaders of volunteers and the field of volunteer engagement. He shares how the research was originally designed before March 2020, but that the pandemic has offered a unique opportunity to study the adoption of technology in real time. We talk about what his research has shown about leaders of volunteers and their use of technology compared with other studies of technology adoption - SPOILER - we’re willing to use it even if it isn’t all that intuitive or easy to use! Technology Evolution in Volunteer Administration: · Public brief at https://cvacert.org/teva/ · Blog commentary at https://lodestar.asu.edu/blog/2021/08/how-nonprofits-engaged-volunteers-during-covid-shutdown Volunteer Management Capacity Study: · Original 2003 public brief at http://webarchive.urban.org/publications/410963.html · New 2021 (2019 data) public brief at https://volunteeralive.org/volunteer_management_capacity.php · Summary reflection at https://d8evol.nmsdev2.com/article/july-2021/volunteer-management-capacity-study-update For More: For more info on research in the field of volunteer engagement, check out Season 2 of the . Guest Bio: Mark A. Hager, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Nonprofit Leadership and ManagementArizona State University Mark A. Hager, Ph.D., is associate professor of nonprofit leadership and management at Arizona State University. He is principal investigator of the Volunteer Management Capacity (VMC) II Study and the Technology Evolution in Volunteer Administration Study, both of which officially wrapped in Fall 2021. Both of these projects were funded by AmeriCorps (a U.S. federal government agency), and Hager is hard at work to communicate results from both studies. Hager joined the faculty at ASU in 2008, where he helps anchor the graduate program in nonprofit studies. Before moving to Phoenix, he was a senior research associate in the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Urban Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank, where the first round of the VMC study was conducted. His research includes studies of the scope, dimensions, administration, and financial operations of and reporting by nonprofit organizations. /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/21853703

301. Welcome to Season 3! 01/21/2022

301. Welcome to Season 3! Tobi Johnson, President & Founder of VolunteerPro, and Jennifer Bennett, Director, Education and Training at VolunteerMatch talk about the Season 3 themes and their thoughts on how leaders of volunteers are continuing to adapt and evolve to engaging volunteers during the ongoing pandemic. Season 3 of the Time + Talent Podcast is finally here! Tobi and Jennifer are back to share exciting and inspirational stories from practitioners in the field of volunteer management. We didn’t think we’d still be talking about COVID and a global pandemic in 2022, but we are, and this season highlights the organizations that are not just surviving, but thriving as they learn to engage volunteers in this new environment. We don’t like to say pandemic silver linings - but we are excited to share stories from leaders of volunteers that used the pandemic as an opportunity to get creative, dig deeper into their organization’s mission, and tap into the time and talent of all kinds of volunteers - including the National Guard! This season wouldn’t have been possible without our guests sharing their time and talent and we want to thank each and every one of them for joining us on this journey. We hope you enjoy Season 3 - please take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review. And if you, or someone you know, has an inspirational story about volunteer engagement we want to hear about it! Submit your story on the Be a Guest page on or website - - and we may feature you in Season 4. For More: To see how far we’ve come, check out the , and . Host Bios: Tobi JohnsonPresident and FounderTobi Johnson and Associates | VolunteerPro Time + Talent co-host Tobi Johnson is an internationally sought after expert, consultant, and master trainer in volunteer engagement. She is known for her modern thought leadership, highly practical evidence-based strategies, and innovative, “big hat” thinking around engaging, supporting, and acknowledging the work of volunteers. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Tobi is a graduate of the University of Washington and has a Masters degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She now lives in East Tennessee with her husband and feline office assistant, Bailey. Jennifer Bennett Director, Education and Training VolunteerMatch Time + Talent co-host Jennifer Bennett believes that the most creative volunteer engagement happens on top of a strong foundation, and that all volunteers should be engaged in meaningful work. She relies on her current role leading and engaging volunteers to ensure that the thought-leadership, trainings, and resources she designs meet the needs of today’s volunteer engagement professionals. Jennifer grew up, and still lives, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and she attended Randolph-Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, VA. /episode/index/show/timeandtalentpod/id/21853625