For more than a decade, Yasmeen Rolland enjoyed her job working in education and student recruitment, but something was missing. She felt a growing desire to make a greater impact in people’s lives. “I wanted to see how people can become empowered when they receive what they need, especially if they’re underprivileged or experience a crisis or disaster,” Yasmeen recalls.
After searching online for a place to learn from and connect with nonprofit leaders, Yasmeen found the Nonprofit Leadership Center (NLC). She immediately bought a ticket to the Nonprofit Leadership Conference and said that was when her nonprofit career took off.
“From the moment I attended my first Nonprofit Leadership Conference, I knew I would have a long-term relationship with the Nonprofit Leadership Center. From the very minute I came to my first NLC event, I was taking steps to advance my career.”
Since 2022, Yasmeen has attended 12 events at the Nonprofit Leadership Center. In addition to three consecutive Nonprofit Leadership Conferences and numerous nonprofit training classes, she has received her Certificate in Fund Development Fundamentals and Board Governance Rock Star Certificate.
More Knowledge + More Confidence = Greater Impact
Like more than 9 in 10 nonprofit professionals who attend classes at the Nonprofit Leadership Center, Yasmeen says her experiences at NLC have expanded her knowledge and increased her confidence.
“My experiences at the Nonprofit Leadership Center have advanced my knowledge in different areas of the nonprofit sector. The education, certificates, and professional development offered have completely taken my career to a new level.”
Yasmeen has been able to apply what she has learned in her daily work. After learning how to write better grant proposals, she wrote a proposal for an expansion project that was critical to her organization. She also says understanding how to work with and manage people across generations has been one of the most helpful things she has learned at NLC.
“The most interesting class I’ve taken at the Nonprofit Leadership Center is Managing Across Generations. With today’s diverse workforce, understanding how to effectively manage people of all generations is so important. We have so many Millennials and members of Gen Z joining our teams. It would be very difficult to manage a team without understanding how they think and what motivates them. This course gave me the tools I needed to do that.”
Not only has Yasmeen experienced personal growth, but her supervisors have taken notice. Yasmeen recalls the gratifying moment when one of the leaders in her organization told her, “I’m seeing you fly.” Indeed, Yasmeen’s commitment to her learning and development is helping her soar.
A Place Where Everyone is Welcome & Belongs
In addition to the knowledge, confidence, and tools Yasmeen has gained to be more effective in her job, the learning environment is what she appreciates most about NLC.
“Sometimes a learning facility will teach you all sorts of things about diversity, equity, inclusion and professionalism, but you don’t always see those lessons embodied in the center itself,” Yasmeen shared. “That is not the case with the Nonprofit Leadership Center. I’ve always felt respected. There are many diverse people all gathered together with one common goal — to educate themselves and better serve humanity in the nonprofit sector. I feel so empowered and happy every single time I am there.”
It Starts With Us
Yasmeen recently returned to where her learning journey all started with NLC at the 2024 Nonprofit Leadership Conference, which she says continues to be the highlight of her year.
“I love to come to the Nonprofit Leadership Conference each year to see all the beautiful faces and connect with people I’ve met in previous years. I appreciate the networking opportunities and potential to find partners for projects and sponsorships. Because you’ve got the top people in the nonprofit sector there, it’s the mecca of the nonprofit world. Plus, the sessions and keynotes are always phenomenal. I consistently come back from the annual conference revived, refreshed, motivated, and energized to push on with all of the work I have in a very positive way.”
The 2024 conference theme was “It Starts with Us.” Yasmeen believes that lifelong learning is a significant part of what it means to start within to create positive change.
“If we as nonprofit leaders want to see change and make the maximum impact, then that change has to start with ourselves. That means we have to empower ourselves with education, professional development, and training from a trusted resource that will give us the key skills we need to be the best leaders we can. I’ve found that at the Nonprofit Leadership Center.”
Support More Nonprofit Professionals Like Yasmeen
As community needs continue to outpace nonprofits’ capacity to meet them, nonprofit professionals like Yasmeen face increasing challenges, including lower wages, a hiring crisis and burnout. You can make a difference for the difference-makers in our community with a gift to the Nonprofit Leadership Center to support them. Your contribution ensures more deserving nonprofit professionals and organizations will have the training and support necessary to increase their skills, fundraise more effectively, and be the leaders our community needs.