Philanthropy New York Welcomes Donita Volkwijn as Senior Director of Member Engagement
Philanthropy New York is thrilled to announce that Donita Volkwijn will be joining PNY as Senior Director of Member Engagement.
Donita will play a key leadership role in our work to champion effective grantmaking by building a vibrant philanthropic ecosystem that strives to advance meaningful social change. Donita will lead member engagement and recruitment, understand member goals and learning priorities, and facilitate several of PNY's signature networks and leadership development programs. Donita brings to this role great skills in facilitation, an orientation toward relationship building, and experience supporting organizations in their racial equity practices.
Donita is an active member and leader within the Philanthropy New York community. She serves on PNY’s Committee for Equitable and Inclusive Philanthropy, serves as a mentor for PNY’s Young Leaders Breakfast Club, has been a frequent contributor to the Insights column, and will be moderating the PNY program, Can Knowledge Management Support the Path to Racial Equity, on July 20.
Donita began her career in philanthropy in 2012 at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA), where she currently serves as Manager, Knowledge Management. At RPA, she leads work to leverage knowledge management tools and methodologies to ensure that access and information (and, as a result, power) are distributed fairly and equitably across organizations to drive engagement and performance. Through previous roles at RPA, Donita has advised individual donors and family foundations on grantmaking strategies. Donita holds extensive experience in the performing arts as an opera singer and has sung in such varied places as London, Paris, Harare, San Francisco, and Tulsa.
Donita is a board member at the Loveland Foundation, an organization committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. She is also the co-founder of Circle of Change, an informal, and increasingly strong network that supports the BIPOC community in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.
Donita attended Oberlin College for her undergraduate studies and The Cleveland Institute of Music for her graduate work, studied German literature and holds a B.M. and M.M in vocal performance. She was born in South Africa and has lived there as well as in Germany, Belgium, and the United States.
Donita will join the Philanthropy New York team on August 24!