The Dodge Q&A series is designed to introduce you to Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation staff as they share what they’re learning and thinking about as they visit with nonprofits around the state. They’ll also reveal a few things about themselves you might not have known.
Today, meet Naeema Campbell, our new environment and media program associate who joined the staff in September.
Before coming to the Dodge Foundation, you worked at Partners in Health, a foundation dedicated to making the greater Montclair area a healthier place to live. What did you do there?
At Partners for Health I had a variety of responsibilities related to the foundation’s grantmaking functions.
Primarily, I managed their online grants management software and provided programmatic support to the program officer. Throughout the grantmaking cycle, that meant each week could be different. Sometimes it meant making edits to online application forms, running reports about historic grant making or troubleshooting grant applicant or grantee questions. Other times I could be found arranging details for site visits or grantee meetings. In addition to those responsibilities, I worked on special projects such as the development Eat. Play. Live….Better initiative and the creation of the Community Garden Fund.
What kind of stuff do you do at the Dodge Foundation?
I’ll be working with Margaret Waldock and Molly de Aguiar in the Environment and Media programs. More specifically, that means assisting with grant proposal reviews, grantee site visits and impact measurement. I will also contribute to some external communications such as grant write ups, award letters, and social media posts. So you might be hearing from me over the next few weeks or even meet me on an upcoming site visit!
How do you nurture creativity in your job and in your life?
Back in January, I challenged myself to take one photograph a day. Personally, it has been a great exercise in creativity since I am able to share my love of photography with others on Instagram and Flickr. But, also it requires me to stay curious and look around each environment I go into. Professionally, I read from sources outside of my field of interest. Doing so gives me another perspective or even challenges my assumptions. Honestly, I think each person has an infinite amount of curiosity so it simply a challenge of connecting to it and channeling it into a positive activity or creation.
I noticed you’re also on Twitter — @naeemac. How do you use social media?
Social media is my lifeline since I don’t watch much television. So, instead of watching the morning news, I’ll hop onto my Feedly and check the latest headlines from a variety of media local, national and international outlets. I use Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to get in touch with friends and family and to stay up to date with the latest bit of pop culture. However, I use the weekend to catch up on reading my favorite online news magazines or longer articles that I couldn’t read during the week. I also use these tools to do research on health and environment topics. By following researches, reporters and relevant organizations, I feel that I’m able to get a broader understanding of issues such as climate change and community development. It’s a way to get a quick snapshot of what is going on outside the four walls of my office. Currently, I use Feedly, Google alerts, Tweetdeck and Buffer App to manage my profiles and sharing.
What’s your favorite fruit and your favorite way to prepare it?
Apples! Recently I found an abandoned apple tree, so I’ve been making apple tarts on the weekend. And, for lunch I’ll sauté spicy sausage and peppers and add a chopped apples for sweetness.