Philanthropy New York’s Young Leaders Breakfast Club is a peer-to-peer networking and group-based mentoring program designed to support younger professionals in the philanthropic sector. The program fosters participants' professional development and builds a sense of community that supports young professionals as emerging leaders. YLBC is designed for PNY members in their twenties and thirties and focuses equally on peer relationship building and mentorship to help participants develop a professional support system beyond their organization.
Register for an information session on March 6 or March 11 to learn more. To register yourself and/or a colleague at your organization, log in and click the Register Now button.
Please email Kristen Ruff with questions about YLBC and register@philanthropynewyork.org with registration-specific questions.
About the Young Leaders Breakfast Club
Program Structure
- We will accept 60 PNY members into the program and organize 20 “breakfast clubs,” each comprised of three young leaders and an experienced leader in the field who serves as the group’s mentor.
- All participants and mentors meet as a large group for a kick-off session on April 30th and in January 2016 for a closing session.
- For the eight months in between (May – December 2015), each breakfast club meets monthly – alternating between meeting with their mentor and meeting as a peer group without their mentor.
- Participants meet one-on-one with their mentor twice (near the start and end of the program).
- Participants contribute to YLBC programming by partnering with PNY staff to develop and plan educational and networking activities for the entire YLBC cohort.
Each breakfast club develops their own meeting agendas. Participants used their time together to strategize about short-term and long-term professional goals, gain support and advice for navigating professional challenges, learn from one another about the sector, and build relationships with colleagues across the field.
Participants identify at least one professional goal they want to work on with the support of their group. The breakfast clubs provide a confidential space to get support and objective feedback from your peer group and mentor, and a helpful structure for holding yourself accountable to your goal.
Mentors
YLBC mentors are seasoned professionals who are actively engaged in the sector and bring a generous spirit to their work. Mentors serve as facilitators, resources, and coaches for their group. They help to create a safe space for confidential conversation and offer personal reflection and constructive feedback.
2015 YLBC Mentors (list in formation)
- Richard Brown, Vice President, American Express
- Deborah Collins, Director, Strategic Initiatives, Ford Foundation
- Patricia Eng, Vice President of Programs, The New York Women's Foundation
- Andrea Landes, Vice President, Grants Management, The Commonwealth Fund
- Phil Li, Chief Administrative Officer, The Century Foundation
- Dara Major, Principal, Dara Major Philanthropy Consulting
- KC Maurer, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts
- Jason McGill, Vice President, Social Justice Programs, Arcus Foundation
- Wilma Montañez, Program Director, Reproductive Rights, Jessie Smith Noyes Foundation
- Pat Nicholas, Program Officer, Global Dynamics, Carnegie Corporation of New York
- Cheryl Green Rosario, Executive Director, The ZAC Foundation
- Jim O'Sullivan, Program Director & Senior Advisor, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust
- Andrea Sholler, Associate Director, The Tow Foundation
- Hildy Simmons, Philanthropic Advisor, Hildy J. Simmons - Philanthropic Advisory Services
- Ralph Stefano, VP, Chief Financial & Administrative Officer, The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation
- Sunita Subramanian, General Counsel, United Way of New York City
- Marlyn Torres, Corporate VP, Senior Program Officer, New York Life Foundation
- Rik Treiber, Director, Grants, Peter G. Peterson Foundation
- Vivian Tseng, Vice President, Program, William T. Grant Foundation
It is important to note that breakfast clubs will be assigned randomly. Participants do not select a mentor.
Time Commitment & Program Dates
Participation in the program requires a significant time commitment between April 2015 and January 2016. Applicants must be able to commit to the following:
- Kick-off program: April 30th, 2 – 5 PM
- Monthly group meetings (1.5 hours each): May through December 2015
- Two one-on-one meetings with mentor (1 hour each): dates TBD with mentor
- Closing session (3 hours): January 2016, date TBD
- Contribute to planning one program or event for the full YLBC cohort.
Breakfast club meetings often take place during regular business hours.
Designed for
The Young Leaders Breakfast Club is designed for Philanthropy New York members in their twenties and thirties.
We encourage professionals across the organization to apply (i.e., program, communications, grants management, finance, administration, executive support, research, etc).
Eligibility
YLBC is open to staff and trustees of PNY member organizations. (For corporate members, you must work for the company’s corporate giving program or corporate foundation.) In keeping with PNY’s membership policies, YLBC is not open to fundraising and development professionals.
Participants must be affiliated with a PNY member organization for the entirety of the program. Please do not apply if you are seeking employment elsewhere. You will not be able to continue in the program if you are no longer affiliated with a PNY member organization.
Application Process
- Applications will be accepted from March 13 to March 31, 2015.
- In order to apply, you must meet all eligibility requirements and attend an information session.
- Additionally, to be considered for the program your supervisor must submit a brief statement of support. Instructions for submitting a statement of support will be included in the application.
- Applications and statements of support must be received no later than 5pm on Tuesday, March 31, 2015.
- We will follow-up with all applicants regarding participation in the program by Friday, April 10, 2015.
Supported by
The 2015 cycle of the Young Leaders Breakfast Club is generously supported by the Taconic Foundation, in honor of foundation’s former Executive Director Jane Lee Eddy.
Our thanks as well to American Express for their leadership support for the development of the program.