Local Chapter of Net Impact Restarts with New Leadership and Mission

Net Impact is a nonprofit network for professionals interested in driving positive change through their careers and as individuals. There are over 300 volunteer-run chapters around the world.

The Philadelphia chapter, after a year-long hiatus, is reopening with new leadership and a fresh vision for the group’s potential.

The chapter’s new president, Ilana White, explained that professional networks often go through this kind of transition. “It’s almost a phoenix-like life cycle,” she said.

White first decided to reopen a local chapter after moving to the area for a job at Campbell Soup Company and learning that the Philadelphia chapter had recently shut down. She had been involved with other Net Impact chapters as a graduate student and was looking forward to joining one in a major city.

After some initial support from the national organization, the chapter is established and now in the process of creating its own programs suited to Philadelphia. “The national organizations has some great templates and thought-starters for ways to organize your chapter, but ultimately every chapter decides what they want to offer their constituents,” White said.

“Every city and every region has different needs and different levels of people who are involved with social impact organizations,” she added. “Philadelphia just happens to be a hotbed of people and organizations who are dedicated to a social mission.”

For the next year, the chapter will focus on building trust and visibility in the community. A number of networking and educational events are planned, including a tour of Yard’s Brewery in December and talk with Mark Pinsky, CEO of the Opportunity Finance Network.

There are also two major programs in the works. The first program would place professionals on nonprofit boards as non-voting members. The professional would then provide functional support in their area of expertise. “Its sort of a social impact matchmaking service,” White said.

The other is a mentor network that would pair professionals with undergraduate and graduate students, so as to improve the professional’s coaching skills and expose the student to the social impact sector.

For more information, the refurbished website for Net Impact Philadelphia is now live.