Recruiting, Hiring and Retaining Staff in Unprecedented Times” will offer perspectives and advice from a seasoned recruiter, HR leader, and recent job seeker on an issue that is top of mind for development leaders today. From creating a sense of belonging for diverse teams to managing requests for remote or hybrid working environments, panelists will provide strategic and tactical guidance, and facilitate conversations that enable President’s Council members to share and learn from each other. Importantly, we’ll address how the recruitment process can yield a diverse pool of candidates, equitable hiring practices, and how to create an inclusive team culture for Black, LatinX and Asian staff. In addition to leaving with new ideas and fresh strategies, members will have ample opportunity to network and connect. Join the WID President’s Council to explore the best strategies to build and manage a diverse team in what the Chronicle of Philanthropy recently called the “Fundraiser Hiring Crisis”.
Featured Guests
Kathleen Burke is a development professional in the New York Arts Sector with over six years of experience in fundraising, development operations, and special events. She has a deep admiration for the performing arts which were rooted in her career beginnings at Park Avenue Armory. Following her tenure at the Armory, Kathleen joined the Development team at Pioneer Works where she led the discovery phase of the Salesforce NPSP implementation project and worked closely with the Board of Directors. While at Pioneer Works, Kathleen discovered her knack for developing and maintaining systems, which led her to her role as the Associate Director of Development Operations at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).
Outside of work, Kathleen spends her time cooking, working out, and spending time with her dog, Leo. She currently volunteers at WID on the membership committee and the Young Professionals Taskforce, a group that seeks to raise issues of importance to Young Professionals, empower the next generation of fundraisers, and foster an environment of intergenerational exchange and future-facing conversation to spark new connections and ideas within the WID community.
Nakia James-Jenkins has spent her career in leadership positions at organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, driving the development of their people and cultures. At On-Ramps, Nakia works with social sector organizations focused on changing the world, leading searches and advising leaders on best practices in recruitment and hiring. In addition to her work with clients, Nakia supports On-Ramps' internal talent/HR and operations work, as well as its work on diversity, equity and inclusion.
Prior to joining On-Ramps, Nakia was Vice President, People & Culture at Girls Who Code. In this role, she was responsible for establishing its people and culture philosophy by revamping recruitment strategies, developing initiatives to support both inclusion and diversity, and providing in-house leadership coaching.
Before joining Girls Who Code, Nakia worked at KIPP NYC as its Managing Director, People. By working closely with senior leaders and becoming the internal Human Resources consultant for the thirteen school and program leaders and regional directors, she transformed the Human Resources function from one managing only transactional interactions to one focused on strategic partnerships and led their diversity, equity and inclusion initiative. Prior to joining KIPP NYC, Nakia was the Director of Operations and Human Resources for the Manhattan Borough President's Office – Scott M. Stringer. Under her leadership, the operational and human resources functions of the two borough president's office locations and the twelve (12) Manhattan Community board offices were streamlined and strategically enhanced.
Nakia holds an M.P.A. from CUNY Baruch College, Marxe School of Public, and International Affairs, an M.S. in Organizational Leadership from Mercy College and a B.S. in Organizational Management from Nyack College. Nakia sits on the Board of Directors of STEM From Dance, a nonprofit organization focused on preparing Black and Latina girls for STEM education and careers through dance, holds the Lead Coach role with the Represented Foundation supporting their V.E.R. Social impact Incubator fellows, facilitates equity training with MFEE (Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence), and continues to provide executive coaching and organizational development consultancy to nonprofit and for-profit leaders and organizations. Originally from Harlem, NY, Nakia lives in Montclair, NJ with her husband and two sons.
Melissa Madzel (she/her) serves as the Managing Partner for Axis Talent Partners, a boutique executive search and people strategy firm, led by women and founded by women of color. In this role, Melissa provides strategic leadership to client partnerships, works to deepen the Axis community, and contributes to the growth of the firm. She and the whole Axis team apply practices that aim to push the social sector further toward inclusion and equity for those whose voices have been historically excluded.
Melissa has a varied professional background that links executive search, social work, and fundraising. Most recently, Melissa served as Managing Director for Koya Partners|Diversified Search Group, where she held multiple roles during her tenure, including oversight of the Nonprofit Practice’s equity initiatives and leadership of numerous executive searches in the social justice space. Earlier work includes roles with UNICEF USA, Safe Horizon, and City Year New York. Melissa proudly sits on the Board of Directors for Stonewall Community Foundation.
Melissa holds a Masters in Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Human Services and Theater Performance from Northeastern University. She lives in Brooklyn, NY with her wife and young children.
Janine Triano is responsible for leading CCS’ overall people strategy, talent acquisition and management; employee professional development from onboarding to leadership development; and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She also oversees organizational design and cultural development, compensation, and benefits. “Recruitment and retention are essential for CCS because our people are our business. We are only as good as our people, and we are fortunate to have amazing, smart people as our colleagues,” says Janine. She works with leaders across the firm and regional locations to maintain and build a dynamic organization that reflects and supports the firm’s values, mission, and purpose.
During her tenure with the firm, Janine has overseen efforts that have resulted in numerous accomplishments: a tripling the firm’s personnel, more effective and streamlined companywide talent acquisition practices in partnership with regional offices, a companywide diversity and inclusion strategy, a fair and equitable compensation structure and practice with salary bands, and the launch of several employee resource groups and social groups to foster connections and support across the firm. Janine is passionate about coaching and fosters an open-door policy for all colleagues, mentoring many leaders at CCS.
Janine’s passion for human resources and the nonprofit world extends beyond CCS, serving in leadership roles in numerous organizations including Women of Color, Women in Development, and Allies in Action. She played an integral role in the establishment of Women of Color’s Radiant Leadership group. In all her work in the human resources space, Janine fosters values of inclusion and respect. Her membership in Chief allows her to connect and learn with fellow women executive leaders and help peers work through leadership challenges. Janine attended Rider University and majored in Public Relations with a minor in Journalism.