MEMBER PERSPECTIVE: Volunteering on the Board of Greenlights

In 2006, the Chapter established a relationship with Greenlights, a nonprofit organization serving fellow nonprofits in the Austin area. We sponsored a booth at their annual Crossroads conference, and Chapter member Kristen Wicke was among the volunteers. Kirsten enjoyed herself so much that she decided to become more involved in Greenlights, and now she's their boards' Treasurer.

My abuelita (grandmother) taught me the importance of doing things for others. She never told me to do that in words. Rather I learned from watching the way she conducted her life. She volunteered at her church teaching Sunday school and traveling with her choir, among other activities. She volunteered to encourage and assist Spanish-speaking people to register to vote. She did things for her neighbors from mowing their lawns to sewing baby blankets for their newborns. Helping others was a way of life for her.

As a young adult, I began to look for ways I could give to my community. I have helped people learn English as a second language, tutored people studying for the GED exam and served as a CASA (court appointed special advocate). More recently I have learned that one of the most beneficial gifts I have to give to the community is my professional skills as a CPA. Many nonprofits are in need of financial and accounting expertise to help them succeed in their missions. Our expertise as CPAs can assist nonprofits in obtaining a clear picture of their financial situations, meeting their financial reporting requirements and establishing internal controls that will help them prevent and detect errors on their financial statements.

I currently serve as the Treasurer for Greenlights for Nonprofit Success. I am also the Treasurer for another nonprofit and serve on the finance committee of two other nonprofits. I am particularly proud of the services that Greenlights offers because their mission is to be a catalyst for extraordinary nonprofit performance. The work that I do for Greenlights has a much bigger impact because, as Greenlights is strengthened, they are better able to support fellow Central Texas nonprofits in achieving their numerous missions. This helps me continue the service my abuelita demonstrated since nonprofits are “doing things for others” just like she showed me.

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