From The Suggestion Box with Nicole Smith – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast Episode Description: 

Anshul, Blood Bank of Delmarva Volunteer, joins Angela Williamson, CVA and I to share how his views on volunteerism have drastically changed after volunteering. He discusses how he didn’t truly understand the value of volunteers and was skeptical that they could be reliable or dedicated, and had doubts that a team of volunteers could actually make an impact. 
He has seen the light and drops incredible gems such as, “just because I am a volunteer doesn’t mean I can’t be excellent and what I do”, and has sage advice for leaders of volunteers regarding obtaining buy-in at your organization. I promise, we did not pay him to say all that he did! Take a listen and you’ll understand what I mean! 

Connect with Angela: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilliamsoncva/ 

https://www.angelawilliamsoncva.com 

Bio: 

Angela Williamson, CVA, appreciates the many people who have shared information, wisdom, and encouragement with her and loves to pay it forward to others.  She is the Volunteer and Community Relations Specialist at the Blood Bank of Delmarva where she’s increased volunteer engagement from around 70 volunteers to over 300 in four years expanding the variety of roles and departments with volunteer engagement.  She uses her decade of experience as well as her 2022 AL!VE Impact Award to springboard her Volunteer Engagement Acceleration Consulting Business. She wants you to know you too are amazing and we are all in a journey together making the world a better place.  

Connect with Anshul: 

YouTube   TikTok, Facebook 

 Bio: 

Anshul Gupta worked at Fortune 500 companies in various roles delivering customer service, technology program management, Agile transformation, and product coaching for 36 years, working with global teams, most recently at Comcast, Guardian Life Insurance Company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, and S&P Global. In addition to his career, he has two children, is married and lives with his spouse Sajani, and enjoys hobbies such as investment planning, weight training, cooking, swimming, traveling, and learning to play the dhol (Indian drum). 

After leaving the professional life, Anshul decided to become a social media influencer in health and fitness; he has a presence on YouTube and TikTok, and moderates a Facebook group with 300K members on the subject of physical fitness and nutrition. 

Anshul recently became a volunteer for Blood Bank of Delmarva; he decided to do so after donating blood at the Newark Center where he savored the user experience and learned more about the invaluable contributions to public health that BBD represents in saving lives. 

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

Title: Let Go of Perfection: How to Be an Accessibility Asset

Description: In this episode, Alec Lawson and I are talking about all things accessibility and acknowledging the fact that if you aren’t talking about accessibility you aren’t doing DEAI at all. Alec discusses how working with people with disabilities has enhanced his programs, what audio description is, and why cost isn’t a viable excuse to not implement better accessibility practices in your organization. He offers, “if you want to learn, come to me; say the wrong thing, ask the uncomfortable question, I am here to help.”

Connect with Alec

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alec-lawson-3a464680/ 

Email: volunteerinclusionaccess@gmail.com

Resources from Session

LEAD Conference:

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Crip Camp on Netflix

Atomic Habits

James Clear

I’m Glad My Mom Died

Jennette McCurdy

Demystifying Disability

Emily Ladau

More About Alec

Alec Lawson is a professional consultant in volunteerism, accessibility, front-of-house operations, and inclusivity.  With more than a decade of experience guiding and mentoring non-profit and volunteer professionals into a more human-centered, inclusive, accessible mindset, Alec continues to work with non-profits, private, and corporate businesses to strengthen engagement with all people.  He offers coaching, and access services including Audio Description, developing branding, and storytelling for access programs. and writing handbooks and policies. He works with a close team of access champions with a combined experience of over 50 years.  He is very passionate about creating welcoming environments and a sense of belonging for all. Need help with volunteerism, accessibility, or anything customer/audience-facing? Find Alec on LinkedIn or email VolunteersInclusionAccess@gmail.com.

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

When someone asks you to interview you on your podcast, what do you say? No! Well, I didn’t and so here we are. Angela Williamson, CVA, and Carrie Hart, CVA interview me for my own podcast. It was weird. They asked hard questions and I edited those answers out, but what was left was really good too! I mean it was over an hour and who wants to hear all of that? Carrie said there were multiple truth bombs lol. Listen in to how your No’s make way for your Yes’s, why boundaries are so important, self-care vs selfishness…and watch me squirm to answer their questions. It was a good time! Thank you, ladies! Let’s do it again sometime, but not on camera lolol! Oh yes, and here is the lyric I couldn't remember: "Sometimes the thrill of soaring had to begin with the fear of falling."

Info from the episode: 

TuPractice: https://youtu.be/Yv8AmiIF4C4 

Crystal Lewis Song: 

For Such A Time of This 

https://youtu.be/ODmY96Pd3P4 

Sometimes the thrill of soaring had to begin with the fear of falling 

My hype songs:

Anything 90’s hip hop and R&B

Expect to Win – Carla Harris

https://www.amazon.com/Expect-Win-Strategies-Thriving-Workplace/dp/B09XWSWK7P/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=580696542421&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9053023&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=13960303653595213705&hvtargid=kwd-12442739609&hydadcr=22566_13493360&keywords=carla+harris+expect+to+win&qid=1679488028&sr=8-1 

Selfishness is Not Self-Care

https://medium.com/@nicolersmith/selfishness-is-not-self-care-ad9431397302 

Bio:

Angela Williamson, CVA, appreciates the many people who have shared information, wisdom, and encouragement with her and loves to pay it forward to others.  She is the Volunteer and Community Relations Specialist at the Blood Bank of Delmarva where she’s redeveloped the volunteer engagement from around 70 volunteers to over 300 in four years increasing the variety of roles and departments with volunteer engagement.   As a 2022 Al!ve Impact Award Recipient, she battles the “imposter” syndrome and wants you to know you too are amazing and we are all in a journey together to make the world a better place.  

Connect with Angela

https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelawilliamsoncva/ 
 
 
 
 
Carrie Hart, CVA, FPCC has 20 years in Volunteer Administration.  She found her passion for helping others as the Educator for the Biggs Museum and then the State Office of Volunteerism.  Now as the Manager of Volunteer Services at Bayhealth Medical Center, she leads more than 500 volunteers alongside her amazing staff.  Carrie received her Certification in Volunteer Administration in 2015, her Fellow in Patient-Centered Care in 2020, and was a 2021 Al!ve Impact Award Recipient.  A firm believer in giving back, she is also an active member of the Downtown Dover Partnership and the Board of the Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators, of which she is a past president.

Connect with me at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriehart/

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

Description: Erin shares her thoughts (in a very HILARIOUS way) on the difference between management and leadership, screening in vs screening out, the fact that YOU MATTER, why you should speak up (especially when you don’t think you should) and being a contributor to the textbook that is shaping so many CVA’s. Oh! She talks about her New E-Book New Voices and Perspectives and what inspired her to create it too!  Don’t miss it!

A little more about Erin: 

Erin Spink, MA (Leadership)
Founder
spinktank – www.spinktank.ca 

Erin Spink’s interest in volunteers started at the age of six when she pronounced that while it was wrong to eat animals, hamburgers at McDonald’s came from “volunteer cows” and therefore an exception could be made. She completed a Certificate with Distinction in Volunteer Program Management, followed by an M.A. (Leadership) where she submitted the first-ever academic research quantifying the concept of “volunteer engagement”. Spink’s thought-leadership work has been published around the world, including the CCVA accreditation textbook.  She continues to author informative, cutting-edge research that advances the profession through her consulting firm - spinktank-  which offers workshops, free resources, and online courses, and its research arm CARVE (Centre for Advanced Research in Volunteer Engagement). Erin had the honor of serving on the PAVRO Board for five years, including two as President.  For the last several years, Erin has volunteered as a member of the Engage (formerly e-Volunteerism) Journal, leading the Training Designs section and now co-editor for the Ethics column.  She has also co-authored the Points of View articles with Rob Jackson. Erin was recognized in 2017 with the Linda Buchanan Outstanding Leader of Volunteers award and in 2020 with the VMPC Exemplary Leader Award (First Place) for her contributions to the profession. After 20 years working in Volunteer Engagement, she has changed her mind and no longer believes in eating volunteers.

Connect with Erin:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinrebeccaspink/ 

Engage Journal: https://engagejournal.org 

New E-Book: New Voices and Perspectives  in Volunteer Engagement in 2023

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

Description: Monica talks about taking risks, the rewards it can lead to and the importance of speaking truth to power. She shares her thoughts about why it is just as important to follow as lead and encourages listeners to “lead from their chair.”

A little more about Monica: 

Monica Jasso is the Director of Engagement for Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest encompassing West Texas and Southern New Mexico, for over 10 years. A proud Fronteriza, born in El Paso, Texas, she attended Texas A&M University, and finds purpose in advancing the mission of volunteerism to positively impact individuals and communities. Passionate about the art and science that create genuine volunteer experiences she is committed to viewing her personal and professional life through a lens of diversity, equity, inclusion and racial justice. A single mother of two bi-racial children, in her down time, she enjoys nature, hiking, reading, photography, traveling and Yelping about new foodie spots.

She has earned a Certification in Volunteer Administration, which serves as evidence of experience and leadership in the field of volunteer management and is a 2022 recipient of the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE) award that recognizes excellence in the profession of volunteer engagement.  

Connect with Monica:

Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/monicajasso915

Resources:

The book referred to in the podcast: “See No Stranger, A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love” by Valarie Kaur. Fabulous read.

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

Description: Traci and Nicole discuss different ways to monetize your volunteer program. Shares her challenges and hilarious stories regarding corporate volunteering events that brought in over one million dollars for her organization and Nicole shares about being awarded a grant for her volunteer program.

A little more about Traci: Traci Blue is a Community Relations Management professional with a passion for working within the Central Florida community and 20+ years of experience in the fields of community relations, public relations, training, coaching, and management. She has spent her career serving in the fields of corporate sports management, government, and non-profit management.  She also serves on several non-profit Boards of Directors in the Central Florida community, including Orlando/Orange County COMPACT, Athlete Connections, Parramore Community Engagement Council, and OCPS ACE School Community Leadership Council.

Ms. Blue currently serves as the Director of Strategic Community Initiatives for Bright Community Trust. She manages community outreach programs in Central Florida, including food delivery programs, teen summits, COVID testing, financial literacy, emergency rental assistance application navigation, etc.

She has earned a Certification in Volunteer Administration, which serves as evidence of experience and leadership in the field of volunteer management. She is also a Certified Practitioner of Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), in order to facilitate the MBTI as a resource for individuals, groups, and organizations.

Connect with Traci:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/traciblue-cva/ 

E-Mail – Traci@thebrightway.org

CCVA website www.cvacert.org 

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

I sit down with three incredible ladies who talk about their experience winning the AL!VE impact awards and they share why you should nominate someone......including yourself. Sit back, listen and laugh with Brenda, Morgan, Andrea, and I. Be inspired.

 Morgan's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mgreengriffin/ 

Andrea's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrea-hill-mpa-cnp-cva-cfre-28285818/

Brenda's Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendamhaggard/  

Nicole's Linkedin - www.linkedin.com/in/nicolersmithnet

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

I had a chance to sit with past AL!VE Impact Award winners regarding their experience and what it meant to them. See below to learn more about each winner! 

Susan began working for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education in 1996. She manages an over 1200 volunteer base for the Foundation’s statewide programs. She is a graduate of the ASU Lodestar Non-Profit Administration program and has earned her National Certification as a Volunteer Administrator. She was the lead in the Foundation receiving certification by Points of Light as a Service Enterprise which states the Foundation strategically leverages volunteers to achieve operational efficiency and greater social impact. Her background covers over 35 years of working with non-profit organizations, including volunteer administration, training, victim assistance, and serving on various boards of directors, both locally and nationally. She served as President of the Association of Volunteer Administrators of Central Arizona and currently serves as Treasurer. She is also a member of AL!VE. Connect her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-nusall-8643641a/ 

Carrie Hart has been in the field of Volunteer Management for 20 years. Starting at a local museum as the Educator, she quickly discovered her love of working with volunteers. From there, she served with the State Office of Volunteerism, overseeing the annual Delaware Week of Service, managing volunteers at the 2012 Governor’s Ball, and the annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards. In 2015, she moved to Bayhealth to lead the volunteer services department. Ms. Hart has her Certification in Volunteer Management, is a Fellow in Patient-Centered Care, and serves on the board of the Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators. Connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriehart/ 

Marcia Hale, CIG, CVA is currently providing leadership for the Volunteer Engagement efforts of the Hillsboro Public Library in Hillsboro, OR (just west of Portland). She has been involved in the non-profit world for over 20 years most of the time spent developing and managing volunteer programs in science museums, a brief stint in social service, managing a volunteer center, and an RSVP program before joining a city government department with the library. She loves designing and facilitating training having provided a variety of workshops on volunteer management for the Association of Science and Technology Centers, Association of Volunteer Administrators, Washington State Parks and Recreation Association, and for the University of Oregon Festival and Events Management certificate program among others. She is the incoming board co-chair of education for the National Association of Volunteer Program Leaders in Government (NAVPLG), a member of the Northwest Oregon Volunteer Administration Association, and AL!VE. When not designing elaborate Christmas trees for auction for Providence Hospital Festival of the Trees, she and wonder dog Murphy love exploring the beauty of the Northwest on hikes and hanging out at a beach or waterfall. When she retires in a few years she hopes to put her Certified Interpretive Guide skills to use at a state park somewhere on the west coast inspiring others to love the natural wonders of the region. Award-winning Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) with over ten years of experience in the non-profit and local government sectors serving vulnerable populations and engaging citizens in service. With my strengths of empowering others, implementing efficient systems, and working well in high-pressure, complex situations, she recognizes the gifts of others and connects

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

I had a chance to sit with past AL!VE Impact Award winners regarding their experience and what it meant to them. See below to learn more about each winner! 

Susan began working for the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education in 1996. She manages an over 1200 volunteer base for the Foundation’s statewide programs. She is a graduate of the ASU Lodestar Non-Profit Administration program and has earned her National Certification as a Volunteer Administrator. She was the lead in the Foundation receiving certification by Points of Light as a Service Enterprise which states the Foundation strategically leverages volunteers to achieve operational efficiency and greater social impact. Her background covers over 35 years of working with non-profit organizations, including volunteer administration, training, victim assistance, and serving on various boards of directors, both locally and nationally. She served as President of the Association of Volunteer Administrators of Central Arizona and currently serves as Treasurer. She is also a member of AL!VE. Connect her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-nusall-8643641a/ 

Carrie Hart has been in the field of Volunteer Management for 20 years. Starting at a local museum as the Educator, she quickly discovered her love of working with volunteers. From there, she served with the State Office of Volunteerism, overseeing the annual Delaware Week of Service, managing volunteers at the 2012 Governor’s Ball, and the annual Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards. In 2015, she moved to Bayhealth to lead the volunteer services department. Ms. Hart has her Certification in Volunteer Management, is a Fellow in Patient-Centered Care, and serves on the board of the Delaware Association of Volunteer Administrators. Connect with her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriehart/ 

Marcia Hale, CIG, CVA is currently providing leadership for the Volunteer Engagement efforts of the Hillsboro Public Library in Hillsboro, OR (just west of Portland). She has been involved in the non-profit world for over 20 years most of the time spent developing and managing volunteer programs in science museums, a brief stint in social service, managing a volunteer center, and an RSVP program before joining a city government department with the library. She loves designing and facilitating training having provided a variety of workshops on volunteer management for the Association of Science and Technology Centers, Association of Volunteer Administrators, Washington State Parks and Recreation Association, and for the University of Oregon Festival and Events Management certificate program among others. She is the incoming board co-chair of education for the National Association of Volunteer Program Leaders in Government (NAVPLG), a member of the Northwest Oregon Volunteer Administration Association, and AL!VE. When not designing elaborate Christmas trees for auction for Providence Hospital Festival of the Trees, she and wonder dog Murphy love exploring the beauty of the Northwest on hikes and hanging out at a beach or waterfall. When she retires in a few years she hopes to put her Certified Interpretive Guide skills to use at a state park somewhere on the west coast inspiring others to love the natural wonders of the region. Award-winning Certified Volunteer Administrator (CVA) with over ten years of experience in the non-profit and local government sectors serving vulnerable populations and engaging citizens in service. With my strengths of empowering others, implementing efficient systems, and working well in high-pressure, complex situations, she recognizes the gifts of others and connects

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com

Tim Suda shares his experiences of leading 1000+ volunteers across multiple markets and the organization's focus is to meet volunteers where. He shares how to overcome the uncomfortable feeling with empowering volunteers to run EVERYTHING or at least more than we currently do, and the phenomenal impact it has had on his organization. He discusses how trust plays a major role in the success of the volunteer leader / volunteer relationship, how his extensive experience in the field of IT suprisingly helped him in his transition to to the field of volunteer engagement, and that factor being the key to him understanding that volunteers can do more if we believe in them and simply give them the chance; like someone did for him. We chat about who mentored him, who he mentors and one of the most impactful leadership books he has ever read. Lastly, tips regarding training volunteers and what it was like to win an AL!VE Emerging Leader award. 

Contact: Tim Suda Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/timsuda/ 

Resources 

Magician for Volunteers: 

5 Sworn Principles of Leadership - https://npli.sph.harvard.edu/meta-leadership/swarm-intelligence/ 

We Will Rise Together Song - https://youtu.be/lR1Hk0FVi_k 

Book Recommendation: Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My - https://www.amazon.com/Lions-Tigers-Bears-Diversity-Inclusion/dp/1410736644 

Biography: Tim Suda is the Disaster Workforce Engagement Manager for The American Red Cross of Georgia and focuses on the engagement, empowerment, and support of more than 1000 volunteers across the state. Additionally, he is the Vice President of the Georgia Association for Volunteer Administration which advocates, networks, and develops volunteer administration professionals across the state. Tim was a 2021 Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement (AL!VE) Impact Award recipient for the Emerging Leader Award. Tim has presented for multiple organizations and conferences, developed training for both volunteers and for leaders of volunteers, and has been interviewed and featured in trade magazines including The Volunteer Management Report. When he is not working or volunteering, Tim can be found in his amateur wood shop where he builds trinkets and ornaments as fundraisers.

Learn more about how Nicole can help your volunteer program grow and flourish when you visit
www.nicolersmith.com