WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY
Female Leaders In Philanthropic Consulting: A Conversation with NCFP’s COO
Diana Tyler Heath
We’re recognizing Women’s History Month throughout March to spotlight the female leaders who are paving the way for philanthropy, wealth management and technology. From their points of inspiration to the advice they’d give to support other women leaders, you’ll discover how their unique perspectives are forging a new path for our collective futures.
In our first interview in this series, we wanted to focus on the women leaders in philanthropic consulting. Check out our inspiring conversation with the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP)’s Chief Operating Officer Diana Tyler Heath to find out what advice she’d give to the next generation of women leaders—and how she believes they can support each other along the way.
How long have you worked in the philanthropic and/or PhilTech sector? What drew you to it?
I have worked in the philanthropy sector for 15 years, with more than a decade in philanthropy consulting and operations prior to coming to NCFP. I started my career in nonprofit fundraising working with individual donors, followed by a stint in government consulting, and was curious to use both those skillsets, which led me to philanthropic consulting.
What does it mean to you to be a female in a leadership role?
The nonprofit and philanthropy space has many women leaders, and I’m fortunate to be in a field where there have always been women to learn from and who have demonstrated a wide variety of leadership styles and skills. I am grateful to have always seen being in a leadership role as a possibility for me, and that I don’t have to tie myself in knots to conform to a specific leadership style. Being a female in a leadership role means being me throughout the many stages of my life. My professional self perhaps is a little more buttoned up than personal me, but other than that, I don’t think people would be surprised by who I am in a personal setting, and I think that’s an important example to set.
What’s the most meaningful experience you’ve had working with a donor, lean funder, philanthropic family, or nonprofit?
The most meaningful experiences that I have had come from building relationships and working alongside people over a period of time. During my early career in fundraising, I loved connecting donors to the impact of the work and seeing their joy at being a part of what we did. While I was in philanthropic consulting, I had some longtime clients, and it was meaningful to work alongside them and help them realize their vision.
What advice would you give to the next generation of women in philanthropy and/or PhilTech?
A former colleague once shared a metaphor about juggling balls throughout a day. The balls are a mix of personal and professional responsibilities. Some are glass and some are rubber; know which are the glass balls and focus on keeping those in the air so they don’t break. If the rubber ones drop, don’t worry about them. They’ll bounce back to you to manage on another day.
How can women support other women in their organizations?
We can be sure we’re making the ladder easier to climb rather than pulling it up behind us. When we’re in positions of power, we can ensure the many different ways that people work are respected and encouraged rather than expecting people to conform to a traditional stereotype of someone in power. You don’t have to be hard and seemingly unfeeling to lead and be good at your job. And just because you’re a woman, that doesn’t mean you should be the emotional one or the nurturer. There is room for all types if we accept them.
What is your favorite book, podcast or product from women creators?
I listen to podcasts for lots of reasons, and the one that helps me the most is Nothing Much Happens by Kathryn Nicolai. Sometimes, my brain is just too busy for sleep (or my sleep gets interrupted by my kids) and her podcast settles me down so fast. Without quality sleep, I’m not at my best, and her podcast has helped increase the number of restful nights!
Have you had any female role models that have inspired you throughout your career?
I have had the good fortune of having many great women as my supervisors and mentors throughout my career. It’s those who I have worked closest with who have had the greatest influence on me in both big ways and small. They were different from one another and showed me that there are many ways to be a leader. What they all have in common is their support of their team members’ growth and the balance they showed between being strong leaders who are also vulnerable. I never felt the need to be perfect when working for any of these women; when I faltered, they gave me valuable feedback and never lost faith in me. They made it okay to make mistakes and to learn from them.
We’d like to thank Diana for sharing her story with us! Be sure to keep an eye out for more inspiring interviews with other women leaders throughout this month.
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