WHOISSHE? SHEGIVES FOUNDING MEMBER HEIDI BROOKS

STAT BOX

Climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro for her 40th birthday and is planning to hike to Everest Base Camp for her 50th

Married with two daughters

Enjoys cooking ethnic food, reading suspenseful novels, and watching art house films

Loves travel and adventure: Has been to 79 countries and has her sights set on 100

Has leadership roles on the boards of several nonprofits, including Crittenton Women’s Union, Associated Grantmakers, and My Sister’s Keeper

Is an experienced corporate philanthropy leader, with senior-level roles in the insurance and banking industries.

Q: WHO OR WHAT INSPIRES YOU?

A: After nearly eight years in corporate philanthropy, it’s not hard to get cynical. People are always pitching you to fund their nonprofit, and you have to say no a lot. That said, I am regularly inspired by the amazing women and men who are on the ground doing great work to change people’s lives. While it has been nice to meet so many new (and familiar) nonprofit executive directors, one of the really fun parts of SheGives has been meeting other members who are just blown away by many of these leaders. I feel like my sense of amazement has been refreshed through SheGives.

Q: WOW, BETWEEN SHEGIVES AND YOUR FULL-TIME JOB, YOU DO QUITE A LOT OF PHILANTHROPIC ACTIVITY! HOW ELSE DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR TIME?

A: I am a huge fan of Boston, and I enjoy telling people about all of the exciting cultural events in the city. From Restaurant Week to the Roxbury Film Festival, I try to support a variety of fun stuff in the city I call home. I enjoy taking my husband and daughters out for random adventures like ice skating, puppet shows and camping. I particularly love theater and serve on the advisory board of Company One, an award-winning theater company known for diverse and innovative productions.

Q: AWESOME. WHAT’S A GREAT PRODUCTION YOU’VE SEEN RECENTLY OR ONE THAT YOU’RE LOOKING FORWARD TO ATTENDING?

A: I took some friends to see Lydia Diamond’s new play Smart People at the Huntington recently. It was very thought-provoking.

Q: TO CLOSE, WHO BROUGHT YOU INTO SHEGIVES? WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT HER?

A: Laura Gassner Otting brought me into SheGives, and I was flattered to be asked. I love Laura’s energy, and I figured it would give me an opportunity to get to know her better and to meet some new and interesting women.

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SheGives connects committed, inquisitive, engaged donors with a slate of diligenced nonprofits in the Greater Boston area. We provide members with relevant data about the nonprofits in our portfolio and an opportunity to meet directly with our nonprofits’ Executive Directors and senior staff in small settings that promote in-depth q&a’s and, ultimately, informed giving. Giving is personally driven, but because we give side-by-side our collective impact is greater. See a list of the vetted nonprofits selected for our slate here.

WhoIsShe is a regular column featuring an appreciative but sometimes irreverent conversation with a SheGives Member.

Posted in WhoIsShe?.

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