Get to know Laura Pilati, Programs and Operations Coordinator with Nonprofit Learning Point.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your work. 

Nonprofit Learning Point (NLP) believes that there is no shortage of diverse talent in the nonprofit sector and that all levels of staff, volunteers, and board members deserve to continuously grow through meaningful learning opportunities. Our priority is not only to address the barriers to professional and leadership development that we in the nonprofit sector face (budget, time, lack of opportunities specifically for nonprofit professionals), but to offer high quality programs taught by subject matter experts and vetted by our team. The very nature of our work is to give our community the opportunity, as well as the tools, to grow from the inside out.

In my role as Programs and Operations Coordinator, I am always thrilled to hear about how our students are developing. From networking that turned into a city-wide collaboration to staff members who are better connected with their constituents to an organization that is preparing its first strategic plan, NLP is often the community garden in which new ideas are nurtured and harvested — and I find it so exciting to watch!

Q What’s a lesson you’ve learned?

I’ve learned the importance of finding and helping maintain a balance of voices. When you have a program that involves a lot of collaboration, you have to be able to listen to the concerns and needs of all parties involved and distill their ideas into something that works for everyone. In my position, I try to always keep a finger on the pulse of our student and instructor stakeholders to make sure that we are representing their voices when making decisions. 

Q: What’s got you excited?

At the end of 2013, NLP unveiled a freshly redesigned classroom program. This project was an incredible opportunity for us to take the feedback we’ve been receiving for years and (not to be too cheesy) make dreams a reality. We have such a diverse and talented team to work with — it has been a real honor for me to be a part of it and I’m so proud of the role that I helped to play. 

As well, 2014 is a really big year for us. Our first class of the redesigned classroom program under the “new” model starts in just a few weeks. I’m excited to hear the feedback from students and hope that folks will take advantage of the new and integrated array of classes that we are now offering.