Favorite Parts of Working in the Nonprofit Industry as a Director of Communications and Outreach
Clementine, Director of Communications and Outreach at Lumina Alliance, most enjoys bridging communication gaps between researchers, advocates, and lawmakers in the intimate partner violence field, stating that "all of these people just aren't talking to each other". This allows for the sharing of crucial research findings and real-world experiences to create more effective policies and support for survivors.
Communication, Advocacy, Nonprofit, Policy, Research
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Clementine Ellis
Director of Communications and Outreach
Lumina Alliance
Agnes Scott College
University of Florida, MA, Sociology
Anthropology, Sociology
Nonprofit, Foundations & Grantmaking
Communication and Marketing
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. Bridging communication gaps between researchers, advocates, and policymakers to improve outcomes for survivors.
2. Translating research findings into actionable strategies for advocates and policymakers.
3. Facilitating collaboration and communication among diverse stakeholders to address critical social issues.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
I enjoy that I get to promote communication among people that usually don't talk to each other. I talked a little bit about my background in academia and research.
One of the things that I think is lacking in academia right now is the ability to talk about relevant and important research and findings to the people who it matters most to. For example, how do people who are studying intimate partner violence take that research and give it to people working directly with survivors? Or how does someone working with survivors every day take that knowledge and give it to legislators to make policies that protect survivors?
I find oftentimes all of these people just aren't talking to each other, leading to miscommunication. We're not doing everything for survivors that we could be on any of these levels. So, what I like about my job is that I get to bridge those gaps.
I get to say, "This study just came out from this reputable organization that says X, Y, Z is the best practice," and tell our advocates about it. Advocates, in turn, tell me what they're observing with their clients or a trend they're seeing.
Then I get to tell politicians. I get to say, "Hey, Mr. Lawmaker or Mrs. Lawmaker, this is what we're observing in our county. This is what's happening in the real lives of survivors. Can you do something about that?"
I'm always surprised at people's willingness to hear from these other groups. You would think there'd be some rivalry or disconnect, but advocates want to know what the most recent research is saying, and lawmakers want to know what real people are experiencing. I love getting to bridge those communication gaps between people.