As we mark the 150th anniversary of confederation, The Philanthropist is profiling Canadians from across the non-profit sector and putting a face to 150 individuals who work or volunteer in Canada’s social sector.
Name: Tanya Hannah Rumble
Role in the Sector: Senior Manager, Run for the Cure Fundraising, Canadian Cancer Society
Years working and/or volunteering in the nonprofit sector: 15 Years +
What was your first job in the sector or a defining moment?
My first job in the sector was working as a program staff for youth with developmental and physical disabilities at the YMCA in my hometown of Oakville, Ontario.
My first professional role upon completion of my undergraduate degree, was as a Health Promoter at Halton Region, Public Health. Getting the role in the first place was a feat. I was completing my undergraduate degree in political science with a focus on public policy at McMaster University. As a student I was very active in student life, particularly with student health and wellness. One of my supervisors at the Campus Health and Wellness Centre suggested I continue my work in health promotion as a Health Promoter in Public Health. I had no idea a career in Public Health without being a registered health professional was even possible. Being open minded has been a trait that has served me well in my career. A propensity and receptivity to new opportunities also fuelled my transition into fundraising in the health charity sector.
Describe your desk/workspace.
I work in an open concept workplace and have the great fortune of being seated with my staff–a great barometer for employee morale, issues of the day, keeping abreast of what is keeping them up at night and what motivates them. My desk space is an amalgam of my values and ethos. It is very tidy, and organized with lots of personally selected stationary and folders. I have an old school tray for my staff to leave me letters to sign, etc. I have a large selection of pens, and recently got into the lost art of calligraphy–so have pots of ink and a glass pen for signing special documents, handwriting thank you cards, etc. I have a few calendars and key documents posted to keep me on task, as well as a water bottle, ginger candies, hand sanitizer, lotion, lip balm and visuals of my physio exercises to keep me hydrated, balanced and well taken care of. Finally I have a lot of owls, they are not the smartest raptors, but a particularly wise and efficient bird of prey, they are scattered across my desk in the form of a globe, figurines etc.
What are you reading or following that has expanded your understanding of the non‐profit sector?
I subscribe to and regularly read the weekly newsletters and ad hoc publications from popular nonprofit and fundraising authorities, for example: Association of Fundraising Professionals, Charity Village, Stanford Social Innovation Review, The Chronicle of Philanthropy. I recently listened to a 3-part podcast by Malcolm Gladwell on education philanthropy in the US–very thought provoking and I suggest listening: http://revisionisthistory.com/episodes/06-my-little-hundred-million. I also try to consume lot of news from multiple sources, it keeps me abreast of current affairs, trends, and attitudes. It is important to be well rounded in your perspective of what is happening in the world and what is top of mind for the stakeholders you interface with–that and I am inherently intellectually curious.
What matters to you or what are the questions you feel the sector needs to be thinking about?
We need to think more about inclusive leadership, building a pipeline of diverse leaders from undergraduate and post-graduate programs, onwards. We also need to think about how to reframe fundraising, donating and creating a shared vocabulary that speaks more about outcomes vs. input.
Do you know someone we should profile as part of this series? Email us at philanthropistprofiles@gmail.com
