Marketing professional described as ‘champion’ board member
by Annie Lewis, Family & Children’s Service
Growing up in India, Denise D’Rozario was drawn to volunteering with children from an early age. Witnessing families in poverty with many hardships and few opportunities impacted her tremendously. “Even when the situation seems overwhelming, it is possible to make a difference just by reaching out,” she says. “It starts with one child; and once you experience the gift of helping make someone’s life a tiny bit easier, there’s no turning back.”
In 2002, when D’Rozario moved to Minneapolis from New York with her husband, Stuart, and son, Julian, she wanted to get involved with the community. She was invited to join a board placement program for women and persons of color, and it was there that she heard about Family & Children’s Service, Minneapolis, a member of both the Alliance for Children and Families and United Neighborhood Centers of America (UNCA).
D’Rozario has served on the Family & Children’s Service board for four years and has quickly become a “champion” board member, according to Molly Greenman, president and CEO. Greenman adds that D’Rozario is a perfect example of why people should serve on boards: because they take the organization’s mission to heart.
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Denise D’Rozario
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“Denise understands the challenges facing families, as well as Family & Children’s Service staff, and she works tirelessly to give support to the entire organization,” Greenman says. “Her passion for the organization inspires other board members.”
In addition to traditional ideas about the roles of board members, including responsibility for forwarding the agency’s mission and developing the strategic plan, D’Rozario views volunteering extra time as a core responsibility. She spends much of this time interacting with program staff and clients in order to get a better feel for the agency’s operations.
As a former marketing executive, D’Rozario immediately began using her skills on the board’s giving and awareness committee. She has led the organization’s branding efforts and recruited other professionals to serve as volunteer consultants.
She also volunteered to be part of the fundraising team and began encouraging friends, family, church members, and business associates to get involved. As a result, D’Rozario has brought in more than 20 new donors and countless more friends to Family & Children’s Service.
“Our fundraising system has worked well in guiding our board members to engage friends and colleagues,” D’Rozario says. “My personal experience has been that, because I feel connected to the mission of Family & Children’s Service and passionate about the work that is being done, I am always excited to talk about the organization to others who have an interest in similar issues.”
D’Rozario’s husband, Stuart, and his advertising firm were also inspired to get involved. Last year, instead of sending holiday gifts to clients, the agency, Barrie D’Rozario Murphy, donated the money saved to Family & Children’s Service. As an accomplished musician, Stuart also donated proceeds from his CD sales and performed pro bono at the organization’s annual fundraising event.
“What makes Denise special is the total package that she brings to Family & Children’s Service—a creative and inquisitive mind, specific marketing and communications expertise, and a passion for helping children and families,” Greenman says. “She offers these gifts, along with her time, with a remarkable generosity of spirit to the board and senior staff.”
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Annie Lewis is director of marketing and communications for Family & Children’s Service, Minneapolis, a member of both the Alliance and UNCA. She has more than 25 years of experience in nonprofits, higher education, public relations, and radio. She holds a bachelor’s in mass communications from Winona State University and a master’s in recreation/marketing from Virginia Commonwealth University. At the beginning of her career, Lewis was a radio talk show host and news reporter. She moved into public relations and education and served as a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University. For the past 11 years, she has worked in the nonprofit sector in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, with the last four years at Family & Children’s Service. |
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