Pro Bono Consultant Profile
Lucy Castillo
Performance Management Analyst in New York City
Background
Lucy is currently a Mgr. of Organizational Development & Training with the MTA. She specializes in performance management, leadership development and strategic planning. Previously Lucy spent a decade working in education.
Pro Bono Client & Project
City Year New York, Performance Management
What was your Taproot Foundation project?
City Year has been a growing force in the lives of service-minded young people, NYC schools, and New York City overall. As the City Year New York team was evolving, a new and more robust, yet streamlined performance management system really made good business sense. Having had prior professional interactions with City Year, I was thrilled to be able to work with them as a client.
What was your team experience?
Our team was incredibly talented, motivated and enthusiastic. I learned so much from my four team members; they were all at various stages of their careers and had a wide range of experiences quite different from my own. Despite our diversity, our common goal allowed us to quickly come together and put all of our skills to use. To this day are all still in touch with each other.
What were the biggest challenges?
The biggest challenge our team faced was managing the organization’s capacity for change. A formal process like a performance management system is rote for most organizations. However, in a nonprofit where the work is often a personal passion, a more robust and formal system can be seen as becoming ‘too corporate.’ We had to carefully navigate that issue and provide advice around communication and implementation to minimize resistance.
How can the business community and nonprofit sector strengthen one another?
I have witnessed the benefit of public-private partnerships in many situations. My work with the Taproot Foundation reminded me of the value gained by each when both groups truly engage with a willingness to learn from one another. In addition to being inspired by the mission and work of nonprofits, we can also be reminded of the power that an engaged, focused, and passionate staff can have. And because so many nonprofits do so much with so little, they stand to gain a lot from the tools and experience of those in the private sector.”
What impact did your work have on the nonprofit?
While the deliverable was a new performance management system, City Year got much more. The dialogue we began between the Board and management team helped to increase alignment and manage expectations across the organization. The questions we asked, the stakeholders we engaged, and the concrete tools we delivered will have a lasting impact on City Year.
How have you grown from your pro bono work?
I was able to learn from my team. It was quite rewarding to be able to blend my skills and experiences with those of the team in service of such a deserving organization. The energy and passion of the group gave me a real charge and I am excited about continuing to work with the Taproot Foundation.
What do you do when you’re not doing pro bono?
I love eating my way around NYC. The city has so many great culinary experiences to offer. Work and volunteering keep me busy and I don’t get to cook as often as I’d like, but this fact also functions as an awesome excuse to dine out practically every night.
