Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandi Vidal.
Hi Sandi, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I am just a girl trying to change the world one day at a time and one act at a time. Growing up in Miami, I started a long journey of volunteering that would eventually lead to my current career. When I was 16, I had the opportunity to volunteer in my dad’s clinic at the VA hospital. I learned quite a bit about veterans and about PTSD.
I went into college with the idea I wanted to be an epidemiologist, but somewhere along the way, I ended up with a business degree and no real idea what I wanted to do with it; I thought I would give events planning a try, but ended up working in a hotel office instead. I was terrible at the job and eventually left for a retail management position. After 8 years and 2 kids, I was tired of the crazy schedules and at the suggestion of my sister decided to go for a job in recruiting. I spent the next 10 years of my career in recruiting and Human Resources. Along the way, I started volunteering again and became the board chair of Christian HELP employment and resource center. I was asked to apply for the Executive Director position and spent the next 8 years in that role. As the recession came to an end and things were slowing down, I left to join a collective impact organization and was soon recruited into the role I currently hold at the Central Florida Foundation. This has given me a wonderful opportunity to work in a space where I can work on solving complex social issues and invest in the community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Throughout my career, I have had some great mentors and managers along the way, but I have also had some less-than-stellar managers as well. It was during these times I learned how to think about what was important to me. I observed how not to manage people and situations by watching the managers who made it difficult for me to stay at jobs I liked due to a lack of support and leadership. I have had supervisors take credit for my work, lie and cheat, and hold me back. Through those times, I endured and grew stronger. I work best when I have the freedom to grow, learn, and create. I am very fortunate to have that in my current position.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
A little about where I work:
Central Florida Foundation stewards philanthropic dollars on behalf of individuals, families, and nonprofits. We partner with people who are determined to make a difference in their community. Knowing that true change demands more than dollars and cents, we foster collaboration, fuel ideas, and spearhead the innovation that will transform our region for good. It all began in 1994 as a dream around a table of local, passionate people and has grown to be one of the community’s most trusted resources. Learn more at http://cffound.org.
My role as the Vice President of Community Strategies and initiatives allows me to work with other community leaders on issues in our area such as economic stability, healthcare, education, community and social connections, and livability. The combination of these issues is the framework for Thrive, a community-wide initiative to drill deeper into data, accountability, and measurable outcomes.
I am proud of the support of the Foundation to let me grow and lead in this space. With the team at Central Florida Foundation and many partners in the community, I was able to publish the Guide to Thrive which is focused on moving the needle locally toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). I lead a national peer cohort of community foundations that are incorporating the SDGs into their work.
I am an ideas person. I love researching, brainstorming, and problem-solving. Having the opportunity to work with nonprofits and leaders in Central Florida and beyond makes me passionate about the work we do and the role I get to play.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
In the world of philanthropy, we are seeing more and more movement towards values and trust-based philanthropy, participatory grant-making, and increasing equity. I see this trend continuing. Additionally, there is a huge transfer of wealth to the next generations that has started. If just 5% of this transfer is given to charity, we have a good chance of solving some of the problems in our communities.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://cffound.org
- Other: https://upstreamswimmer.com/
Image Credits
Emily Wray
Carol Wonsavage
