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Hildy learned business and photography working in her
father's camera store from the age of 5. By age 11, her social awareness was
evident, taking the part of Hubert Humphrey in her school's 1968 mock
presidential elections. Hildy's first "writing" check came from Seventeen
Magazine at age 15. These passions laid the foundation for her future.
Hildy received a
degree in Retail Merchandising from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology
and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Arizona.
Hildy spent 4
years as legislative aide to Tucson City Councilman Tom Volgy, leaving that
position disappointed in the slow pace of creating social change within the
political process.
Hildy has owned
a number of businesses - real estate, contracting, a plant nursery - always
ensuring those businesses benefitted the community. (From her plant nursery,
Hildy taught low income families to grow their own produce.) In 1989, she
joined Palo Seco Corporation, where she combined forces with Dimitri
Petropolis, establishing a reputation for business turn-around and
problem-solving.
In 1993, Hildy
and Dimitri formed Help 4 NonProfits & Tribes, dedicating their talents and
skills to make the world a better place.
By 1998, though,
they faced frustration: Whether or not their nonprofit clients implemented the
plans they created, little (if anything) changed in the communities those
organizations served. That revelation led to developing approaches that go
counter to conventional nonprofit wisdom. Inverting the classic "internally
focused" functions - governance, resource development, planning, etc. - they
instead refocused those functions outward, towards making communities better
places to live.
And the
Community-Driven Institute was born.
Hildy and
Dimitri are also co-founders of the nation's first Diaper Bank¤ , providing this critical commodity to those in
need while working to create a community that doesn't need a Diaper Bank. Using
Community-Driven approaches to build the organization, they replicated the
model, building a 2nd Diaper Bank in Phoenix. From this hands-on experience,
they directly understand the realities facing Social Sector leaders.
Hildy is the
author of numerous books, including manuals on Board Recruitment and
Orientation, and on using Public Speaking to gain support. Her latest is
"FriendRaising: Community Engagement Strategies for Boards Who Hate Fundraising
But Love Making Friends."
Among her many
awards, Hildy and Dimitri received the inaugural Charity Channel Founder's
Award in 2003, for "Contributions to the professional excellence of their
colleagues, and the philanthropic example they set." In 1998, President Bill
Clinton awarded the pair the Presidential Points of Light Citation.
Outside her work
life, Hildy is the single mother of a daughter in college, who continues to be
her inspiration. Hildy credits her abilities as a speaker to years of teaching
Spanish and creative writing in her daughter's grade school classes. |
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