about

Welcome! A Guide for New Readers

I’m Rosetta Thurman and this is my story. I grew up in the public housing projects of Cleveland, Ohio, and if it weren’t for the nonprofits in my community who helped my family in times of need, I don’t know where I would be today. I was raised by a teen mom and a very protective grandmother. My father was a drug dealer. He was killed before he had the chance to teach me how to ride a bike. My family was so poor that every year, a woman from a local nonprofit would come and take me shopping for school clothes because my mother could not afford to.

I was fortunate in that I was able to attend good schools and benefit from many kind teachers, special enrichment programs, and the Girl Scouts (I was a Brownie!). As a result, I became the first person in my family to graduate from college. Yet, I always knew that I needed to do something to help people who were not so lucky. Otherwise, what the hell was I here for? That feeling is what led me to volunteer at local afterschool programs as a reading tutor for black kids living in poor neighborhoods during all four years of college. It was philanthropy that had provided me an enhanced education as a child. It was nonprofits that had come to our aid when we couldn’t make ends meet. Somebody did it for me, and I wanted to help someone else. That’s how I got introduced to the nonprofit world and have known that’s where I am called to do my life’s work ever since.

I’ve been working in the nonprofit community for eight years, and I’m proud to be a young nonprofit leader of color. My mission is to engage the next generation in creating the world as it should be and I’m passionate about sharing resources, advice and fresh ideas to inspire young people in doing the work of social change.

I’m a writer, speaker, professor and consultant who has been featured in articles about the nonprofit sector in the Washington Post, Nonprofit Quarterly, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. I’m the President of Thurman Consulting, providing speaking, training, consulting and writing services to organizations working for social change. My areas of specialty include social media, leadership development and diversity and inclusion.

I enjoy teaching nonprofit management and leadership as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Professional Studies at Trinity University in DC. In 2008, I was named a “New Leader in Philanthropy” by Greater DC Cares. In my free time, I write poetry, cook fancy food and listen to old school jams.

Work Experience

I’ve been working in the nonprofit community for eight years with experience and expertise in fundraising, human resources, financial management, communications, and training for nonprofit staff. I’ve worked in nonprofits within the fields of historic preservation, youth development, capacity building and membership associations.

Education

I hold a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Trinity University and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. I’ve also completed advanced training programs at The Fundraising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Institute for Nonprofit Management at Columbia Business School.

Professional Associations & Board Membership

I’m an active member of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, and the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA).

Hire Me

I provide speaking, training, consulting, writing, and social media services to organizations working for social change. View my portfolio for samples of recent work. To hire me, please contact me at rosetta (at) rosettathurman (dot) com. You can also connect with me by Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn!