Margo Wolanin and Chad Warren hold newly created leadership positions at 黑料网. Wolanin heads the team of fundraising professionals and Warren directs the alumni engagement, regional development, and annual giving teams, two units that were recently united to create the Division of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement.
What inspired you to get into your field?
Wolanin: The opportunity to make philanthropic dreams come true. It鈥檚 such a privilege to work with folks who have earned enough that they can give some of it away to make a really good impact on society.
Warren: You get to make the impossible possible. And although there is a stereotype in philanthropy that it鈥檚 not tangible, it actually is. Getting a donor to meet with a student or with a faculty member who is working to cure a disease, or (getting to show the donor) a new building and say, 鈥楾his is because of you.鈥 Seeing that for the first time is Disneyesque 鈥 it鈥檚 like a 5-year-old seeing Cinderella鈥檚 castle.
Why 黑料网?
Wolanin: I feel like 黑料网鈥檚 time is now, and I feel like the university is ready to allow me to actually put into place the things that I have the ability to do 鈥 my ability to make something actually happen. At some places you can鈥檛 put anything into play. Here, now, we can take action.
Warren: Yes. Opportunity. The opportunity to be a catalyst for positive change under (黑料网) President (Len) Jessup and (Foundation President) Scott Roberts.
What makes 黑料网 different from other universities?
Wolanin: I think people realize the incredible importance that 黑料网 has in the future of Las Vegas and the region. There鈥檚 a sense of, as 黑料网 goes, so goes Las Vegas.
Warren: In many industries, 60 years would be considered old. But among universities, we鈥檙e considered a young university. It鈥檚 exciting to capitalize on that momentum. There鈥檚 energy in the air here, you can feel and see the good that is happening.
What are your first impressions of living in Las Vegas?
Wolanin: It鈥檚 beautiful. The mountains all around, the sun 鈥 it鈥檚 a happy place.
Warren: The diversity at 黑料网 stretches into the community. It鈥檚 a melting pot. I love it.
Finish this sentence: 鈥淚f I couldn鈥檛 work in my current field, I would like to 鈥︹
Wolanin: 鈥 be in geriatric fitness, or any kind of personal coach who can help people realize they are good.
Warren: 鈥 be a presidential campaign manager.
What鈥檚 the most important quality of a good leader?
Wolanin: Loyalty. Your team has to know that you鈥檙e loyal.
Warren: Integrity. Being honest and having strong moral principles is critical.
What do you do in your time off?
Wolanin: I like to work out. I go to the gym. I do spin, bodyflow, boxing. When it鈥檚 a little cooler, I鈥檒l do a little climbing. And I like to watch sports, and hang out with friends and family.
Warren: You wouldn鈥檛 know it from this body, but I like to run [laughs]. I just signed up for a 10k and I used to run marathons. So I鈥檓 getting back into that, it clears my head. Also, I like to go to concerts. I鈥檝e already been to five concerts since I got here.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Wolanin: That I have a softer side. I have a real soft spot for stray animals. I鈥檓 a sucker for all of that.
Warren: To my core, I鈥檓 a Christian, and so when someone takes the Lord鈥檚 name in vain, if someone says God this or Jesus that, under my breath I鈥檓 so conditioned to finish the sentence for them. So if someone says, 鈥淛esus Christ get out of the way!鈥 I鈥檒l say under my breath, 鈥淸Jesus Christ] saves, or loves you, or was born on Dec 25th.鈥 I鈥檒l complete the sentence that way. I was just brought up to not take the Lord鈥檚 name in vain.
Tell us about a time you did something daring.
Wolanin: I witnessed a bad car accident and the driver didn鈥檛 have her seatbelt on. I was the first one there so I ran in and got her out of the car, got her onto the ground and assessed her vital signs. The impact had really sliced her head open. She was going into shock. I stayed with her鈥 In an emergency I鈥檓 pretty quick on my feet. I鈥檓 the chick you want in the emergency exit seat in an airplane because I will rip that door open so fast you won鈥檛 know what hit you [laughs]. I鈥檓 good in an emergency.
Warren: Early on in my professional career, I hired someone for a position that was radically different than the norm. Against the recommendation of 12 others, including my supervisor, I followed my intuition. Very quickly, it was confirmed that I made the right decision, as the employee was a true value-add to the organization. Within a year of this employee鈥檚 tenure, I was approached by everyone who was initially against my hiring decision, recognizing that the perceived risk paid off.
Tell us about someone you admire and why.
Wolanin: My grandmother. She emigrated from Ireland at 18 with $10 and an extra dress and a clean pair of underwear and that鈥檚 it. She worked at Standard Register (document and business services company in Dayton, Ohio), she had four kids, and she was a hard-working woman who did a ton with an 8th grade education. She just followed her gut.
Warren: My adopted mother, who also was my paternal grandmother. I have learned that anyone can make a baby. But it takes a special woman to raise a child 鈥 to love him, nurture him, and guide him. My beautiful mother raised me since I was 2 鈥 grandmother by chance, but mother by choice.
Tells us about an object in your office that is significant to you.
Wolanin: It鈥檚 a framed poem called 鈥淚t鈥檚 in Your Eyes鈥. It was given to me by special donors who were thanking me for helping them make a gift that impacted their entire lives. It reminds me that in this field you have to have fire in your belly, and you also have to be driven by warmth and integrity and want to make people feel good. It鈥檚 a very sincere poem and it means a lot to me.
Warren: A picture I took from an iPhone in 2009, which is now on canvas. I took the picture in Glencoe, Scotland, which is a place I had always wanted to go because it鈥檚 where my ancestors are from. It was a bucket-list trip 鈥 It was beautiful in every direction 鈥 mountains, a village, river, it had so many different scenes.
