Women's Foundation of Boston 2020 Annual Report

MICHELLE SAMU Michelle Samu ( Operations Manager ) earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in Economics and International Relations, has an IB Diploma from UWC Atlantic College, and holds a master’s degree in Financial Law from the University of London’s School of African and Oriental Studies SOAS. A former operations manager and admin in real estate and finance, she currently manages the Gordon Family Office and Foundation. Michelle is a member of Womenade Boston, a collective giving organization dedicated to empowering teen girls and women. She also sits on the board of ZimCouncil Inc., a nonprofit that leverages the skills and capital of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to support Zimbabwe’s development. You have been a part of WFBoston since the inception, why did you begin volunteering? What drew you to get involved? My mum and dad had three sisters each, my siblings are also three women, and marrying my husband gave me an additional four mothers-in-law/love. So I come from a strongly matriarchal background; women constantly working to build families, communities, companies, and I understand the ROI of investing in a woman and how she impacts her family and community. WFBoston supports women like the women who support me, and that’s why I wanted to get involved. What projects have you worked on during your tenure? Which was your favorite and why? Currently I manage operations, the office, and our GSuite/Google Workspace. Managing the GSuite is a fascinating tech learning curve. That and managing organizational operations enable me to interact with many of the volunteers in some capacity regularly. I enjoy those roles the most. Since the founding of WFBoston, I’ve held various roles as needed; admin, finance, non-profit partner liaison, research, WIN Network, event planning/marketing. I’m WFBoston’s girl friday. What sparked your passion for helping women and the non-profit space? The diverse WSO/GSO nonprofits we partner with and the incredible work they do, with so little funding. What is your favorite thing about the Women’s Foundation of Boston? The startled looks, in our info sessions, when attendees learn that only 1.6% of U.S. charitable giving goes to women and girls. And what that realization can spur them to do to change that number. What are you most proud of in the Foundation? WFBoston was able to launch a COVID response fund quickly enough to help other organizations pivot to virtual. What are you looking forward to at WFBoston? A more digitally nimble organization, post pandemic. I think we have all learned that a hybrid online/in-person existence sometimes facilitates more people, more inclusion. VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT