February 2021 – Spotlight on StrongHER TogetHER Board Member, Quinn Novels
Our organization feels so fortunate to have such a high caliber of leaders on our team, committed to our mission. StrongHER TogetHER welcomes one of our newest board members, Quinn Novels.
Quinn has a BS from the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at the University of Delaware, an MS in International Development from Tulane University Law School, and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. Her background includes working at nonprofits at the regional, state, and international levels.
She now utilizes her economic and community development background at WRAL Digital Solutions by working with companies and municipalities across the state of North Carolina as they share their thought leadership on how they are creating a more connected, collaborative, and innovative North Carolina.
Quinn is a two-time Leadership Triangle Goodmon Fellow, serves on the Dogwood State Bank Triangle Advisory Board, and is active in the regional nonprofit community. In her free time, Quinn enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her pup Pedro, cooking, immersing herself in the local food scene, traveling, and doing HGTV-style projects around her home in Durham.
When asked what drew her to serve she shared that being an adolescent girl is hard enough, but being a young lady of color adds an additional layer of challenges. She believes the support and guidance ST provides the girls in their program during this important time will have a lasting and powerful impact. “I grew up in a small, rural town that didn’t have a lot of people who looked like me. It wasn’t until I went away to college that I started seeing women of color in leadership positions.
Fortunately, I had very supportive parents who encouraged me to dream big, try new things, and take advantage of new experiences. Many girls of color don’t have this support system, unfortunately, so extra support is needed, along with physically seeing successful women of color in action.” Quinn enthuses, “I’m excited about engaging on a more personal level with young ladies in my community and helping to support and empower them to dream big.
Community leadership and the ability to network and make connections are paramount in this world, and serving on the ST board to help advance the mission of helping girls to grow up to be women who understand the power of their collective strength in the fight for equity is a life-giving opportunity.”
Says ST’s founder Stacey Donoghue, “Quinn is a triple threat if there ever was one (though we’re suspicious her talents far exceed THREE!) Whether we’re in need of expertise in marketing, fundraising, or grant work, Quinn offers solid direction with an eye toward impact and success. When she first joined us, Quinn shared in passing how she kept checking her emails the day our board was voting on new membership. ‘I was so hoping to be a part of this thing!’ she said.
Although the words came and went in seconds, they will stay with me personally for a long time. You see, in these earliest of years, Quinn is that someone you dream of connecting with for the sake of the program. Any non-profit team would be blown away to work alongside her. Knowing that this amazing lady was as excited about us as we were about her meant everything. I am so grateful for Quinn – her skills, her energy, and the joy she brings to the journey!
