What does generosity look like inside your business?
From donating dollars and supplies to sharing time, talent, and connections, businesses have many ways to support their communities. How can we make those efforts more meaningful, involve our employees, and build partnerships that last?
Join us for our December Lakeside Chat as we bring together nonprofit voices to explore corporate giving and social responsibility, including:
- The evolution of corporate giving: Expanding how businesses contribute through time, talent, resources, and ongoing community partnerships.
- Compounding impact: How small, consistent contributions and collaboration can create a greater impact over time.
- Making generosity part of the culture: Connecting giving to company values, engaging employees, and carrying that commitment beyond the holiday season.
Whether your business has a longstanding giving program or is wondering where to start, join us for a conversation about putting generosity into practice.
Our Guest Panelists
Sarah Waite, CHRO, Chief People Officer at Second Harvest Heartland
Sarah Waite’s 30 plus year career as a human resources leader has centered on curiosity and connection. She is naturally curious and wants to understand what matters to teams. Sarah also excels at connecting ideas and initiatives across organizations to create alignment.
During her career Sarah has had senior HR roles, including roles at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, ABRA Auto Body, Target and Medtronic. She leverages her broad HR experience across multiple industries to build inclusive cultures that drive business results.
Sarah is currently the Chief People Officer at Second Harvest Heartland, leading HR, Talent and Culture, and Volunteer Engagement. She is passionate about Second Harvest’s mission to End Hunger Together and building a team with the skills and passion to address food insecurity for all Minnesotans.
When she’s not at work, Sarah loves to read and travel with her family. When she is working from home, she tries valiantly to keep her fur babies, Monty and Theo, from crashing her virtual meetings.
Tami Hedrick, President at Matter
Currently serving as President and Chief Engagement Officer at MATTER. Former Director of Women’s Initiatives and Strategic Development for the Minnesota Vikings. Resides in Lakeville with her husband Matt and they have 7 children (and a Yorki-poo).
Nonprofit past involvement: Susan G. Koman Twin Cities Board of Directors, Past President of Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Twin Cities, Volunteer of the Year for the American Heart Association, Healing Haiti mission trip
Noteable: Mpls./St. Paul Business Journal Women in Business Honoree, Women of Inspiration award recipient for WISE Twin Cities, MVC Alumni Hall of Fame inductee.
Former ShopNBC, ShopHQ, EVINE Live television host
Anushka Gole, VP of Strategy and Communication at Project Scientist
Anushka Gole is a nonprofit leader with over a decade of experience driving audience growth, shaping narratives, and building community engagement at nonprofit organizations across India and the United States. Her work sits at the intersection of storytelling, strategy, and fundraising, with a focus on building visibility and impact for organizations serving underrepresented communities.
She currently serves as Vice President of Strategy and Communications at Project Scientist, where she leads strategic communications, drives donor and volunteer engagement, and guides organizational strategy as a member of the Executive Leadership Team. Previously, she worked with organizations advancing gender and racial equity, reproductive health access, and education, reflecting her commitment to building a more just and equitable world.
Originally from Mumbai and now based in Chicago, Anushka brings a global perspective to her work. Outside of her professional role, she enjoys watercolor painting, reading historical fiction, running 5Ks, and tending to her plants.
Marika Taylor, Grants and Program Innovation Manager at HIRED
Marika Taylor is the Senior Manager of Grants and Program Innovation at Hired, a Twin Cities workforce development non-profit. In this role, she works with corporate, government, and philanthropic funders and co-leads the strategic efforts to better incorporate corporate volunteers in Hired’s work. She has a BA in Journalism and Mass Communication from Drake University and a Graduate Certificate in Non-Profit Management from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. She is a member of the Grant Professionals Association and prior to joining Hired, worked for 18 years at Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities in a variety of roles including quality assurance, program coordination, data management, volunteer recruitment, and grants management.
What Participants are Saying
About Lakeside HR Group
We are a premier Recruiting and HR Consulting firm connecting people and businesses through personalized, full-service solutions. As a boutique firm of seasoned HR professionals, we specialize in providing customized HR services for small to midsize businesses. With expertise across diverse industries, positions, and states throughout the U.S., we partner with our clients to discover top talent and deliver the support needed to help their businesses thrive.
