Arika Sanchez
Title - Project Specialist
Organization/Agency – Center for Nonprofit Excellence, United Way of Central New Mexico
Hometown- Albuquerque, NM
Education- JD, New York Law School; MPA, University of New Mexico, expected May 2012; BBA in Accounting, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Why did you choose to work in the non-profit field?
It was somewhat of a journey. My undergraduate degree is in accounting because I enjoy working with numbers, but by my final semester, the business school’s emphasis on the bottom line was wearing on me. I began to realize that working in such an environment wouldn’t make me happy and that I wanted to focus my time on helping people and making a difference in the community. After graduation I began volunteering for various nonprofits to see what was out there.
Why did you pick the cause you are currently a part of? When did you know you wanted to do this work?
There are so many issues and organizations that are incredibly important and that I’m interested in. The more I learn, the broader my interests grow. I was in the process of trying to hone in my interests when I found the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. The great thing about working for the Center is I don’t have to choose one cause – the Center aims to provide support to all nonprofits in central New Mexico. I feel by building the capacity of these organizations, we are having an impact on a wide range of issue areas.
What inspires you about your work?
I’ve begun to realize that one of the most inspiring things about the nonprofit sector is the people who work in it. I’ve worked and volunteered for at least ten nonprofits and have recently gone on tours of a number of agencies funded by the United Way of Central New Mexico, and I’m constantly amazed and inspired by the staff and volunteers’ commitment to and enthusiasm for their causes and organizations.
What impact does your non-profit have in the community?
The Center doesn’t work directly with the community, but we work to build the capacity and strengthen the effectiveness of other organizations that directly impact the community. We are currently in the process of determining ways that the Center can have a deeper impact on the organizations it serves, and by extension, on the communities they serve.
Why are you a member of YNPN?
I only recently joined YNPN so I haven’t yet had an opportunity to take advantage of all it has to offer. I particularly look forward to the professional development trainings and learning from current nonprofit leaders. However, my initial reason for becoming a member was to get more familiar with the local nonprofit community and to meet like-minded people. I recently returned to New Mexico after being gone since I graduated from high school and I felt I didn’t have any connection to the professional community, and more importantly to the nonprofit community.
How do you fit the definition of a Young Nonprofit Professional?
If you asked my family, they would say because I only care about doing good in the world without regard to how much money I make.
Why do your feel it’s important for young people to work in social profit professions?
Young people should work for, or at least volunteer for, a nonprofit at some point so that they can build awareness about and gain compassion for other people within their community that they might not encounter in their daily lives. Often the focus of the for-profit sector can leave someone disconnected from the social and economic issues that are prevalent in the community.
How do you avoid burn-out and where do you get support?
This question makes me realize I don’t consciously do anything to avoid burnout. I tend to take on a lot of responsibilities aside from my job – attending school, volunteering, and sitting on boards of directors. I think that having this range of commitments and knowing that I’m helping others keeps me going. I don’t have time to get burnt out, but more importantly I always feel like I’m working to better myself and my community. And going home to my kids at the end of the day helps me forget about any stress I might be feeling.
