Michele Soli
Welcome to the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators! This series lets you describe your workday in your own words.
We’d love to feature YOU in this series! Don’t be shy – tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
Michele Soli is the Manager of Communications as part of the Development team at Mi Casa Resource Center, a Denver-based nonprofit focused on advancing the economic success of families with limited opportunities. She oversees organizational marketing efforts, including donor communications, media relations, and digital marketing. She also leads Mi Casa’s Advocacy Committee. Michele received her MA in International Human Rights and is passionate about social justice and protecting the rights of immigrants and low-income families.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – My day starts at 5:15 am. I spend a few minutes upon waking up to check social media and email and look at my schedule for the day.
I go to a group fitness class at the gym from 6:00-7:00 am. I love starting my day at the gym because I’m usually too tired to go after work and this way, even if I end up staying late at the office, I already did my workout for the day.
When I get home from the gym I shower, get ready, eat breakfast, and pack my lunch. I usually listen to The New York Times “The Daily” podcast while getting ready and NPR on my drive to work to get my daily dose of the news.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – I usually get to work at 8:30am. I start my day by watering my office plants (I’ve got quite a collection!), getting a cup of green tea, and socializing with my teammates.
Then I check email and look at my calendar to set my priorities for the day.
Every Tuesday at 9:00 am we have an Outreach Check-In with myself (Manager of Communications), Outreach Coordinator, and a representative from each of our three program areas.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – I like to focus my mornings on more strategic projects. Right now my main project is writing content for and coordinating the design of our new organizational website.
I used to always eat lunch at my desk, but since we moved into our new building with a beautiful staff kitchen, I try to eat in there. It’s an excuse to get me out from behind a computer screen and socialize with my coworkers.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – Every Tuesday at 1pm I have a check-in with my boss, the VP of Development & Communications. We check-in on my current projects and I get updates from the Leadership Team.
Right now the Leadership Team is in the midst of a strategic planning process, so it’s always great to hear where that process is at and give my feedback for my boss to pass along.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – My afternoons are spent on more miscellaneous, less brain-intensive tasks. This might include editing a program flyer from our Outreach Coordinator, responding to emails, and scheduling meetings.
After 4:00 p.m. – My day usually wraps up around 6:00 pm. I usually go home to cook dinner, watch something on TV (my most recent obsession is Handmaid’s Tale), and unwind. I try not to check email at night or on the weekends, but I inevitably check it at least once and respond to any emergencies.
I try to go to bed by 10pm so I am well-rested for the next day to wake up and start it all over again!
Thanks for sharing your day, Michele!
Want to be featured in this series? Tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
