Sara Maldonado
Here’s the latest installment in our series on the “Day in the Life” of nonprofit communicators, where we ask you to describe your day in your own words.
We want more stories! Don’t be shy – tell us what you do in a typical day as a nonprofit communications pro.
Sara Maldonado specializes in digital communications and client relations. At Center for Powerful Public Schools, she oversees the organization’s communication strategies and digital channels. Ms. Maldonado has also worked for national event firms and international NGOs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from The New School and is currently pursuing a Master in Communication Management at the University of Southern California.
And this is her typical day:
Before 8:00 a.m. – I get up at 7 am and immediately check all social media channels and inboxes.
After 15 minutes or so of news and scanning, I blend my smoothie, pack my lunch, and head out the door to beat Los Angeles morning traffic.
8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m – I arrive at the office around 8:30 am and sit down to check my email. From there, I spend about 30 minutes posting content on Facebook and Twitter and scanning each channel’s analytics.
Then I spend 45 minutes scanning national and local education news.
After finishing my morning smoothie, I grab a cup of coffee with hazelnut to caffeinate me for the day.
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. – While sipping on my coffee, I scan through LinkedIn to see if there are any new or former connections I should be meeting up with in the following weeks. I’m new to Los Angeles so I’m working on connecting the dots between people and finding out what relationships I can leverage for the organization.
After 20 minutes or so, I get started on our monthly newsletter. We’re sending our first-ever monthly newsletter and I want to make sure I get the look just right.
At about 11 am, I head over to the conference room to learn more about Office 365. We recently made the switch and I’m working with the finance and operations team to see how we can better train our co-workers on the new platforms.
At noon, I head over to the kitchen and grab my lunch. It’s lunch at my desk today.
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. – As I eat my sandwich, I send follow-up emails to people who owe me outstanding items.
Then I check the website to make sure all is well and up-to-date. I go through and add a blog post and see if there are any broken links being picked up.
By 1:30 pm, I’m ready for a second cup of coffee.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. – I’m attending a charity event tonight so I do some research on the people who are hosting the event as well as the host committee and potential partners that may be present.
Then I quickly scan the annual communications plan to see if I’m on track with the proposed goals.
I get started on an outline for our first-ever annual report.
After 4:00 p.m. – At 3:45 pm, I head over to the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce New Member Orientation to learn more about the organization. Center for Powerful Public Schools’ office is located within the Chamber so it’s one of the easiest commutes in the city.
From there, I have to head over to the JW Marriott at LA Live for a 6 pm charity event so I run into the bathroom to change into evening attire.
Upon my arrival, I mingle with other LA nonprofit workers and philanthropists at a silent auction and then head into the ballroom for dinner.
After a lovely dinner and ceremony, I head home to give my fiancé a drive-by hello and head to bed to get some rest.
Thanks for sharing your day, Sara!
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