Member Spotlight – Christina Patel
Christina Patel
Relationship Manager, Corporate Relations
United Way of Central Ohio
Q: Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?
A: United Way of Central Ohio is dedicated to the singular goal of reducing poverty. We link people to high-quality services that effectively help them emerge from poverty. I really enjoy how the UWCO team is passionate about its work and truly committed to our mission. There are so many people in our community who face several barriers to success and shouldn’t have to choose between paying for rent, quality education programming for their children, proper meals for the entire family, etc. To me, knowing that what I do helps eliminate barriers, like these, is very rewarding.
Q: How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?
A: I joined AFP in 2015 and am a member of the Diversity & Inclusion and Marketing committees. As a member of the Marketing committee, I am working on growing our Twitter presence…. so be sure to follow us @CentralOhioAFP!
Q: What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?
A: Volunteering on one of AFP’s many committees is a great way to do something different from what you normally do at work and with people you don’t normally work with. Personally, I believe that most of our members don’t take advantage of the type of experiential learning and professional development that comes with being an AFP committee member.
Q: How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?
A: Like most development professionals, my fundraising days started as student caller in 2003. I was a student at the University of Pittsburgh and my mom told me I had to get a job to pay for my leisure expenses. That was 13 years ago and I have yet to find myself running away from hearing “No” in this field.
Q: What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite restaurant?
A: The best part about working downtown is the quick and easy access to great restaurants. My favorite lunchtime restaurants are Alchemy, Harvest Pizzeria, and recently, I was introduced to Barcelona, which was delicious!
Q: Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.
A: I take lessons in Kathak, which is a classical Indian dance form. My weekly lessons are a great way to not think about work, learn more about my Indian culture, and challenge myself as I learn something new.
Posted October 2016