Committee Connection is a series of blog posts from our members about why we are volunteering and helping Nonprofit Dreamin become a reality.
Skye is a Senior Consultant at Exponent Partners. She is passionate about the role that nonprofit organizations play in our society and believes that they should have access to the best technology to better meet their missions. She also volunteers with Salesforce Military (formerly Vetforce) and Merivis to mentor veterans and military spouses seeking careers in Salesforce. Skye is the personification of Nonprofit Dreamin- a nonprofit advocate, team leader of the Fun Committee, and presenter at the conference.
I love good food.
Power breakfasts. Savory brunches. Fun fusion and comfort foods. (And don’t get me started on desserts!) I love to try new restaurants and relish great conversation over a shared meal. But, pandemic aside, dining out with friends and family has been a bit of a challenge for me the last 15 years since I stopped eating meat. Which means that I often sacrifice food options to dine with companions- my friends with food allergies can relate with me on this issue, I’m sure.
I can’t count the times that I’ve negotiated with a waiter over how an entree could be adapted: pasta dishes with the chicken excluded (but still the same price); portobello mushroom in place of a burger. The endless questions about ingredients and food preparation process is tiring for everyone involved, like “are the soups/beans/sauces cooked with meat stock?” or “is your cornbread made with lard?” Then there’s the sad look from the waiter when I end up ordering several side dishes to try and create something that passes for a meal. And let’s be honest, if I wanted a salad for dinner I’d make one at home!
All of these struggles just make it that much more enjoyable when I dine at a vegetarian or vegan restaurant. I know with certainty that I can eat anything I want, and I can choose from the ENTIRE menu. Any substitutions are because of preference, not necessity. And my omnivorous friends are none the worse for trying something new and plant-based. We’re so much more likely to leave the table satisfied, grateful for both the company and the meal.
For nonprofit professionals, attending most Salesforce events is a lot like a vegetarian eating at a standard, meat-centric restaurant. Sure, you can find something there to consume, but it’s not exactly geared to your preferences. You have to work a lot harder to find something that fits your needs, and there’s usually some translation work on your part to make it relevant.
That’s why I’m so excited to be on the planning committee for Nonprofit Dreamin. We’re the first Dreamin event that is created by and for nonprofit professionals. I wanted to help build a conference where nonprofit users, admins and executives could attend any session on the agenda and know that it would be relevant to their work. A place where any other attendee you talk to is also going to have a mission-first priority. Sessions where content is directly applicable to the issues facing nonprofits, and presented by folks who know the ins and outs of nonprofit organizations.
So pull up a chair at Nonprofit Dreamin, where we are catering to nonprofits!
