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Investing in Communities

Christine Pannell is a seasoned community engagement and marketing professional with 10+ years of experience in the nonprofit and education sectors. She currently serves as the Community Engagement Director at Reading Partners Baltimore. She previously supported publicity efforts at Pearson and began her career as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Baltimore City Office of the Mayor's StepUP volunteerism initiative. She holds a bachelor's degree from La Salle University and a master's degree in communication management from Towson University.



This month's theme is all about betting on your community in the new year. Tell us how dedicating yourself to your community has played a role in your personal or professional life.


Reading Partners simply wouldn't exist without the selfless dedication of hundreds of volunteers. As a volunteer-powered organization, I'm honored to work with partners and people everyday that see the power of volunteering and are so giving of their time and capacity to support our mission. Personally, through volunteering, I've learned new skills, met life-long friends, and found a deeper connection to my immediate community. Volunteering has always been a part of my life, and looking back I think it's fascinating to see how that concept has morphed from childhood through school and now as a working professional. As my interests, time commitments, level of independence, etc. have evolved, volunteering has always found a way into my life and supported aspects of my physical and mental health.



At OutGrowth, we believe in designing the space and time to reimagine the path forward. How do you think that investing in our communities can impact our lives?


Investing in communities allows you to connect to something bigger than yourself and directly impact a place near and dear to your heart. It's a win-win for everyone — the community and mission you're serving, and also yourself (socially, emotionally, culturally, etc.). Investing in your community is a public declaration -- you are choosing to use your time, talents, and/or treasure to impact a cause, and this action has tentacles well beyond your initial investment.



What is one hard lesson you learned in this past year that contributed to your growth? 


I've learned that you can give something your all - passion, hard work, time - and still fail. It was a sobering but eye-opening lesson while working in the nonprofit space, and really continues to push me to lean on my colleagues and tackle challenges in new ways.



What is one competency or skill you hope to develop in 2025?


I hope to continue developing my interpersonal communication skills. As a nonprofit professional, connecting to all different groups of people is essential, yet all conversations are nuanced. Being able to adapt to the conversation at hand while staying true to my goals and personal values is a skill I'm continuing to refine.



What inspires you?


My friends, family, and colleagues who are embracing their full, authentic selves inspire me daily. As a recovering perfectionist, I aspire to get to their level, where I'm showing up each and every day unapologetically myself.

At OutGrowth, we believe in preparing the next generation of leaders.



What is one resource you'd recommend to those looking to carve out the time for growth in the next year?


Though not new, I learned a lot from "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni. It was incredibly helpful to read at a time when our organization was experiencing a lot of change, and helped me better understand the nuances of team dynamics as a new manager. Locally, I've gleaned so many helpful management lessons from events at Towson University's Dr. Nancy Grasmick Leadership Institute. I'd recommend them to anyone new to management or looking to level up their approach to management in a changing world.



What's next? What are you excited about in the coming year?


Professionally, I'm incredibly optimistic about Maryland's shift to using science of reading-backed literacy instruction in all schools. Reading Partners has been aligned to this body of research for years, and it's heartening to see that all children will soon be getting systematic instruction grounded in research. Personally, I'm excited about some upcoming backpacking trips that will slowly get me closer to my long-term goal of section hiking the entire Appalachian Trail!



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ANNA FITZGIBBON
Founder + Owner

Anna is an experiential education expert and die-hard advocate for immersive programming.

 

With experience traveling and working in over 25 countries, she earned her MBA from The Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, and has a professional background in human-centered design, higher education, program/curriculum development, community development, adventure tourism, voluntourism, corporate wellness and outdoor education.

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