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Katrina's
Story
Katrina
currently is a Business Banking Relationship
Manager for PNC Bank. In this role she is responsible for developing, servicing, and growing a portfolio of business clients. She provides financial management consulting and other services to her entrepreneurial clientele.
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Before
beginning this role, Katrina earned her MBA from Pennsylvania
State University.
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Katrina
Learns about the Corps
While
browsing Craig's List to look for volunteer opportunities in her
area, Katrina came across a
posting for the Corps program. She was immediately interested. "I was very excited to learn about the Corps. I had been looking for a way to help a non-profit using my education and work experience."
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Falls
Church-McLean
Children's
Center (Virginia)
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Katrina
Applies to the Corps
"After I received an introductory email to the Corps, I immediately realized how challenging the program was," Katrina remarked. "I could also see how this experience would make me more competitive in my career."
Katrina
soon read a 100-page online booklet about the Corps and its consulting approach. Then she had to pass a phone interview with a Corps project coach. "The interview process was very demanding. The Corps has extremely high standards... Thankfully, my coach was very patient and helped me to improve both my presentation and listening skills."
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Katrina's
Client
After
completing the interview process, Katrina was matched with a local
non-profit, Falls Church-McLean Children's
Center
(FCMLCC). FCMLCC provides high-quality early childhood services to approximately 70 children from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds. Sixty percent of the Center's children come from working families that receive tuition assistance. .
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The Executive Director was facing a serious management challenge: one of their primary funding sources was
recently cut and she and her Board of Directors did not have a detailed strategy regarding their
future fundraising and revenue-generation efforts. Therefore, they were very excited about the idea of working with a consultant who could help them strengthen their
approach.
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"I
could definitely see how this experience would make me more competitive
in my career." |
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Katrina's
Success
Katrina soon
led weekly one-on-one meetings with the Executive Director in order to understand and enhance their fundraising strategy.
"We discussed every revenue and funding source from top to bottom... Finally we focused on a few key areas to improve upon."
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After documenting a revised fundraising plan, Katrina and the Director developed
new strategies to improve the overall operational effectiveness of
organization - which included defining and assigning key responsibilities
to the Board, Executive Director, and staff.
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By
the conclusion of the project, Katrina thought, "I found the entire Corps experience
to be very rewarding. The Corps’ framework
provided an effective approach for analyzing and improving an
organization. I can easily envision using this model with my clients in my own career...
Further, it's a great feeling knowing that I was able help a nonprofit in my
community with
their business strategy."
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Not
only was Katrina pleased with the results, the Executive Director also had positive
feedback to share. "I was very impressed with both Katrina and the structure
of the Corps program," commented the Director. "The process
she used was very organized and effective... I would recommend this
service to any nonprofit. Having such ambitious and talented professionals working
intensely with your team is a tremendous benefit."
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"It's
a great feeling knowing that I was able help a nonprofit in my community
with their business strategy." |
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