Name: Angelica Vannatta
Position: Senior Manager, Volunteer Engagement
Organization: United Way of East Central Iowa
MAVA Member Since: 2021
Please describe your volunteer program:
Signature volunteer events & opportunities: Day of Caring, 9/11 & MLK Days of Service, Board Orientation & Leadership Development program, Civic Circle discussion series, volunteer awards & recognition.
What is your role?
Advance equity through civic engagement and service. Collaborate with companies and individuals to engage in volunteer and advocacy initiatives that address our community’s greatest needs and create sustainable social change. Develop and implement strategies that drive impact and create meaningful and positive experiences for volunteers, donors, community members, and nonprofit organizations.
How did you get involved in Volunteer Management?
I have worked with volunteers in some capacity since I began my career in nonprofit work. And like most nonprofit professionals who have been in the field for 10+ years, there was no education, training, or certificates available, so I sort of fell into it from a sales position. My background includes outreach and fundraising, where I worked closely with skills-based and event volunteers.
What does it mean to you to be a MAVA member?
I am most impressed with MAVA’s commitment to equity & inclusivity in volunteerism and the correlating training & professional development opportunities. In addition, MAVA membership provides access to their robust and comprehensive online information library which quickly became my go-to resource.
Can you recall a time when being a MAVA member directly impacted your work in your organization?
What were the outcomes of MAVA’s impact? Recently our DEI Committee discussed the importance of developing an Indigenous land acknowledgment statement, but we didn’t know where to start. Earlier this summer, I attended a MAVA conference that began with the land acknowledgment, so I reached out for guidance on what to include in the statement and used it as a framework for developing our own.