About Elisa

Elisa M. Ortiz – Creating Social Change, One Career at a Time

 

About me:

I am a career coach, speaker, community organizer, activist, idealist and believer in the world-changing potential of good people doing good things.

I have worked with a variety of social justice-focused nonprofit organizations in and around Washington, DC. I currently work full-time at a nonprofit manages federal advocacy work and helping to implement state and local smart growth, land use and transportation campaigns. In addition to my day job, I also serve as a part-time speaker, blogger and career coach, as a member of the leadership team of YNPNdc, and as a citizen member of the Arlington County Transportation Commission.

My previous experience includes work on nonprofit leadership and organizational effectiveness (including co-authoring Work With Me: Intergenerational Conversations for Nonprofit Leadership, a hands-on workbook designed to help nonprofits identify and leverage the expertise of all generations in the work place), low income housing issues, women’s rights, reproductive justice and other political advocacy work.

I grew up in a very rural area of Upstate New York and graduated from Utica College of Syracuse University with a degree in Political Science in 2002. I have lived in Arlington, VA ever since. In my personal life, I love to read, dance and sing (I am a karaoke fiend!), play softball and cultivate a very small container garden on my balcony.

This Blog:

This blog is about nonprofit leadership, management, career success and about my climb up the experience/knowledge/employment ladder. I hope that by reading it, others will gain insight and ideas into how to advance their own careers and make the nonprofit sector even better. And I hope to make some friends and meet new colleagues along the way.

It is important to note that all opinions expressed and affiliations listed are solely mine.

I love to talk to and meet new people – and I’d be happy to work with you to get your resume and cover letter in order, facilitate some intergenerational dialogue in your organization or help you with your social media strategy. To get in touch, you can email me, add me as a connection on LinkedIn or follow me on Twitter.

Thanks and welcome!

Get a taste of this blog with some of my top posts