Rachel Garbow Monroe
President and CEO of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
“Unbeknownst to many, one of our secret sauces of success, which now your listeners will know, is when someone comes to interview at Weinberg, and I am meeting with them, they sit in our very small reception area for 10 or so minutes, whether they're early on time or late doesn't matter. And when I'm done interviewing that person, the first call I make is to the person sitting at the desk. The first person I did this with was a woman named Shakira, so I call it the Shakira factor […] And I will share with you there are I believe the number is 11 people today, who did not get offers because of the Shakira factor. A large number of people of those 11 have called me and said, you know, what the heck, I have a PhD in this. And I have 10 years at this foundation. And I have this knowledge of this. And I said, what's the name of the woman at our front desk? Not one was able to say Shakira, or whoever it's been since Shakira. And I said, look, at Weinberg, every single person has a vote, and you did not behave that way here. And your resume is amazing, your skills are amazing, but you would not fit in the culture that we have here. This is a culture of equality and a culture of kindness. And you didn't get everyone's vote.”
Summary
In this episode of Leadership Matters, Alan and his good friend Rachel Garbow Monroe discuss what makes someone a successful leader, including creating a culture of equality and kindness, not being afraid to let the wrong person go, and acting with humility.
They discuss how Rachel grew up with a family of activists, including a mother who volunteered in every way imaginable and a brother who is an environmental lawyer. Rachel explains that the diversity of her neighborhood growing up paired with her parents’ commitment to justice pushed her to pursue similar causes throughout her life. Her Jewish heritage and many trips to Israel, starting at the age of five, inspired her to get involved in Jewish philanthropy. Since 2010, Rachel has served as the president and CEO of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Rachel and Alan discuss her leadership strategy that emphasizes finding the right culture in a company, which means letting someone go if they do not fit, and giving the secretary a vote in who gets hired.
Mentions & Resources in this Episode
Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive through the Dangers of Leading by Martin Linsky and Ronald A. Heifetz – Click here to learn more about this book and purchase a copy.
Michael Crow – Click here to learn more about the president of ASU.
Freddie Gray – Click here to learn more about the killing of Freddie Gray in Baltimore.
Ilana Kaufman – Click here to learn more about Ilana Kaufman, Executive Director of the Jews of Color Initiative.
Sarah Hemminger – Click here to learn more about Sarah Hemminger, Co-Founder & CEO of Thread.
Guest Bio
Since 2010, Rachel Garbow Monroe has served as the president and CEO of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, one of the largest private foundations in the United States with approximately $3 billion in assets.
During her tenure, Monroe has been a leader and a change agent in noticeable ways. She was instrumental in the creation and launch of more than a dozen major Foundation initiatives, including the $15 million Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project, which by spring of 2021 will have built or renovated 16 libraries and is serving close to 13 percent of all Baltimore City Public School students; Biennial Community Gatherings in Baltimore, Honolulu, and Israel; a $12 million partnership with the Foundation for Jewish Camp to increase accessibility for campers and staff with disabilities; a major US national Jewish poverty affinity group collaborative; and the signature Employee Giving Program.
Previous professional roles include COO for The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore; the worldwide director of marketing for the international architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and marketing manager for the Jewish Community Centers of Chicago. For five years, Monroe also served as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University where she taught a graduate nonprofit marketing course at the Institute for Policy Studies.
Learn more at hjweinbergfoundation.org.
Clips from This Episode
On why she expects to see hybrid conferences for several years
On the Weinberg Foundation’s efforts to address inequity & social justice issues
On managing difficult situations, during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Episode Transcription
Alan Fleischmann
You are listening to Leadership Matters on Sirius XM. I'm your host Alan Fleischmann. And I'm here today with a good friend Rachel Garbow Monroe, who is the CEO and president of the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, the charitable foundation based in Baltimore, with more than $3 billion in assets. The Weinberg foundation is among the nation's largest private foundations, and distributes more than $130 million in grants each year. Those numbers might be substantially smaller if not for Rachel's visionary leadership. Since becoming the head of the foundation in 2010. Rachel has ever seen its continued growth, all the while continuing to expand the size of his charitable donations every year, a change agent in noticeable ways. Rachel has been instrumental in the creation and launch of more than a dozen major find out foundation initiatives across the United States globally. From Haifa to Honolulu, one of Maryland's most influential leaders, Rachel has been recognized in forums across the country. Recently in the Daily Records Power 100. She has also been listed in the Forward 50, Maryland's top 100 women, and New York's power 50 list. In 2017, she received the JPRO network's Metal Corn Distinguished Service Award. And in 2016, she was Smart CEOs Magazine CEO of the year, it's a privilege to welcome such a distinguished leader, philanthropist and friend, and a real advocate for all the people not just from Baltimore, but forever an advocate for people worldwide. Rachel, welcome to leadership matters.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Thank you very much, Alan.
Alan Fleischmann
You know, when I think of you, I think of you as doing extraordinary great things. But you always say we you never say I and you are you are someone who lives a life with confidence, never arrogance, and an awful lot of humility. And on this show where we have leaders, CEOs, aspiring CEOs, people are always looking at what are the what are the tricks of the trade? And what are the what are the attributes that we should one should seek and develop or, or hone in order to be great leaders. But I actually think of you as somebody who got that from day one, I know your family. And I think of you as growing up in Alexandria, Virginia, with a mom who volunteered you know, in almost every form one could imagine, I think she was as active as anybody. Your brother's an environmental lawyer, your father was an extraordinary figure in his own right. And your whole family must have been like talking about public service and justice issues. From day one. I also know that you grew up in a community of activists, parents and kids who got involved in the greater Greater Washington world at an early age. And I'm curious how that actually came to be and whether that has a big deal, and a big part of your tribe.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Well, thank you for such a generous and kind opening statement. I'm sure the check is in the mail for my mother. Very, very kind of you I, my life, my life has been full of Mazel or luck or blessings, truly since the day I was born. And if you made a list of 10,000 families and studied them and said, this is the family I want. That's the family I'm part of. So my life has been serendipitous. And I'm grateful for it. And that's part of my drive in the work today. You are right about my family, we you know, our local news was national news. I remember going home with a friend from Northwestern for Thanksgiving, and watching the local news on the television and they had the football results of the local high school. And I was astounded. Because our local high school no one cared about, our local news was by default national news. So we grew up with this through osmosis. Even if you weren't interested, you had no choice but to be interested because that was where you were living. And the neighborhood I grew up in as a child had this incredible diversity of international families assigned to various posts in DC through one or both parents. So I had large numbers of friends who spoke multiple languages who had this had world experience without even realize they had they had it. And it frames your perspective very differently, and a sense of what's happening and also a sense of justice. My parents both were fierce and their commitment to justice. And it didn't matter if it was justice in how someone wouldn't tip the newspaper boy, and they should or it was a sense of something in court that dad was fighting for as a lawyer his whole life. And you know, my mother volunteered and taught illiterate adults how to read her whole life and continues to do that almost until today. And we would run into people who were working in jobs and had homes who would be emotional and seeing her because of the change that made in their life and dad loved more than anything helping someone, anyone find a job that was a good job, didn't matter if it was the guy in the garage, or it was someone who wanted to buy the garage. If someone cared and wanted a job that was meaningful, dad wanted to connect those dots and help them. And when dad died very sadly, this past August, the number of people I don't know, who reached out and told us about their life's journey and how dad influenced it is it's rather extraordinary.
Alan Fleischmann
The greatest legacy of all is the things you don't know, that had such impact and ripple effect in the world. And I think if your parents as been such values driven individuals, I know you and your brother, so similarly, did you, was it was it one of those things where you're a young kid sitting across the kitchen table, and you say, well, what social justice kind of career am I gonna take on? Or did they come later?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, no, if you would have said, you're going to be working for this foundation and living in Baltimore, when you're an adult, I would have, you know, said, you know, what are you smoking, you know, truly we make plans, and God laughs and that has been my journey. I, I loved summer camp. I loved and aspired actually, to be an architect, that was my dream, infused in part through my father who thought that would be a career for me, that would be interesting, and thought I had some aptitude in that area, it was one of the rare times he was very wrong. I left Northwestern actually did a junior year at Columbia University in their Graduate School of Architecture and Planning, called the shape of two cities, New York and Paris, I was the first Northwestern student to do it. And it was six months in New York, and six months in Paris. And as amazing as it sounds, and we studied architecture, and I learned that I truly believe architects are sculptors and artists, and the ones who do it well are among the most talented people walking the earth. And I have zero ability. If something was not a rectangle, or a square, it terrified me. So I realized I could be in the world of working with architects, which early in my career in the private sector, I did from a marketing desk, but not from a design desk that was outside of my scope of capacity. But you know, my parents had a massive work hard play hard work ethic. And many a weekend, my dad would be in the porch doing work, or I he would go to the office, and I would go with him. And my kids had the same experience with me. Many a weekend, the kids would come to the office on a Sunday, and they would open their laptops and do school work. And I would do work.
Alan Fleischmann
So they saw you in action as well, like you did with your folks, your dad to, you know, be you know, you went off in the more commercial marketing world, when you realize you didn't want to be an architect. And but that wasn't actually there wasn't a linear kind of way to get to the nonprofit world either. But then you, but I, but I gather when you were graduating from Northwestern, you also did a lot of volunteer work.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
I did, I was actually a Sunday school teacher, which was a powerful experience with children who had severe disabilities. And I essentially paid for that job because I had to get back and forth to that job. But it was pretty informative and seeing what was needed for children who really faced such difficult thresholds and hills that others didn't even see and were invisible to them. And I deeply cared about both the Jewish community and communities at risk. And so you know, fast forward to today, at a mission like Weinberg that cares about those who are experiencing poverty, both in the United States and in Israel in the general community and the Jewish community. It's a merging of sort of everything I deeply care about.
Alan Fleischmann
And how important was it to you and your family? You know, it sounds like your faith and being Jewish was as much a social justice focused part of who you are, as well as it was as a deep faith part of who you are, the community part.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
So my folks brought us to Israel for the first time when I was five years old. I'm 52 today, so in the early 70s, and many, many summers thereafter. And my father was given the privilege of sabbatical through Arnold and Porter, and we lived in Israel. And we traveled more than we deserved, and got to see a lot of the good and bad in the world. And the frame was not a Jewish lens or an American lens. My dad was a very proud American and served in the Navy. And he was a very proud man of the Jewish community and very committed to the State of Israel with all of its challenges. And we learned that in a way, you know, there's nothing dad did that he wasn't passionate about. When he played tennis he played to win. He never played tennis, letting us have a point ever. And I think my intense-
Alan Fleischmann
No freebies.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
No. And that was you know, I grew up with a brother who's amazing, you him well, and Avi never let me win a single thing unless I earned it. So I have a pretty intense competitive streak in me and I get that.
Alan Fleischmann
Naturally. It was it was it was in the water, they say, right. You know, you, you if you were active, then working with a Jewish woman in Chicago, right, before you then decided you wanted to focus on Jewish philanthropies, or is that really when it became?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, so the storyline is as follows. I was working at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. Previous job, I had worked for the JCC of Chicago in summer camp, which was incredibly fun. But this opportunity came at Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, which the interview process alone is a great short story for another time. But I had this job well beyond my years and wasn't afraid to say what I thought, so was, you know, challenged this group of almost 30 partners in this architectural firm worldwide to think strategically about marketing, not the way they might see it as an artist. So when you're trying to sell a performing arts facility, like the Chicago Symphony, you don't show a health care facility, you don't show up, you know, multi use large scale condo building, you don't show an LG office building overseas, you show other symphonies with acoustical challenges, and the like. So you sort of segment, target, and position sort of marketing 101, if you will, and I loved it. But the story goes very honestly, I fell in love. I got married, I got pregnant, I had a maternity leave that I had to fight hard for. And when I was home with Audrey, who's now 23, two of the partners worldwide of this firm said you must get on a plane and fly to San Francisco, they must see you return to work. And I did. And I was incredibly dismayed and got off the plane and went to the business center at the hotel with a modem, you remember that sound of a motem? I think we all have PTSD, squeaky noises here. And I went to washingtonpost.com and typed in VP of Marketing, because I felt like I'm going to be working as a mom, I want to do something that makes a difference in the world. Not that just makes money. I want my children God Willing more than one child but at least my daughter to see that and I want to get closer to my family. My brother is still in Arlington, my parents, Alexandria. Now mom's in DC. And the associated the Jewish Federation of Baltimore had an opening for the head of their marketing team and said, advertise in the Washington Post for a week. Let's see what we drum up. And they drummed me up. So you know, I don't know better serendipity.
Alan Fleischmann
Again, the cosmic forces coming together.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
And I came to town in June and I interviewed with 27 people in one day, including Sonny Plant of blessed memory who was a real champion of mine. And I was offered the job. My husband is a teacher and high school history department chair and coach. And so he had a job that you know, he had a good situation, but we could find something here. So we moved in August of 98. I was promoted to Chief Operating Officer, I had two more babies. I loved the work, passionate about the work, talented, dedicated staff and lay leadership we raised $30 million a year, I was very comfortable asking people for money because I believed in the mission of the work. And as I was given more and more opportunities that were not part of my job description, because I was being pulled into leadership by great people. I was you know, sitting at tables where I was in the liaison if you will for the Weinberg foundation. If they were planning a trip to Israel and wanted to meet with some leaders in the field of poverty, we would help them figure that out. Weinberg at the time was giving the associated a large grant annually to their unrestricted annual campaign. And so I was responding to them and providing whatever they needed. That relationship led to a conversation in 2005 where at the time president Shel Stiller asked me to come into his office and I always have a notebook and I opened up my notebook and said, okay, what do you need, project number 42. He said, and he said, we'd like you to come here and be the first ever Chief Operating Officer and professionalize the foundation. What do you think? And that was the job interview and offer. And I spoke to my parents and my husband and Sunny Plant, and accepted that job and started in Weinberg in May of 2005. And here we are, you know, 2021, I became president and CEO in 2010.
Alan Fleischmann
And that must have been a big deal for the associated to because of why you were a big loss, I'm sure I know you were when you moved over, it was also a big win for them because it was, it created even a stronger bridge between what was in Baltimore, one of the strongest, you know, social change organizations and community organizations with the associated but also with the Weinberg Foundation, which is pretty much the most preeminent foundation and It's a different tradition candidly today than it was when you started because you did operationalize it. But you saw both opportunity vision, and I'm sure there was support for them as well.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, you know, I, Mark Terrell, who was the president when I was at the associated remains the president today, he is a very good guy. And he is deeply dedicated to the work of the associated and has been and continues to be a great partner. So it has continued to be a nice both professional connection and friendship. And the associated continues to do important work like many other Jewish Federation's across North America.
Alan Fleischmann
But there is something different about the Baltimore community I know as well, you know, for those who are not involved in Baltimore, who are listening here or don't understand the Jewish organizational framework. Baltimore, I think, is considered one of the most cohesive or certainly one of the strongest communities in the country. And the Jewish Federation, the associated in Baltimore, I guess, it's like Cleveland has a very strong way. There's certain cities in America where they were there, obviously, New York is strong, but different, that are there that are powerful in a way that it's associated is it's been a model for not only other Jewish organizations in this country, but it became a model for just organizations that want to see vertical efforts to deal with healthcare, education, you know, the the challenges of our time technology, you know, disparities, health, and education being at the top of this probably as well.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, I would say that there are a number of incredibly strong Federation's across the US. And I could give you the list of what I think are the best. But one of the one of the pieces of Baltimore, that, as you said is very special is after Ellis Island, the second largest port of entry for immigrants at the turn of the century in the early century was Baltimore. As a result, unlike other cities, where they're still second and third generation, sort of new immigrant families, if you will, I'm third generation, if you will, Baltimore has fifth sixth seventh generation, because people came here so much earlier and stayed put. So we have an incredibly strong community, that Catholic community, the Jewish community, and many others embedded in the community that are deeply rooted in philanthropy. And that is part of the benefit for the associated and the commitment of families over generations. There's also a beautiful relationship most days between the agencies of the associated like the Jewish community centers, or Jewish community services or comprehensive housing and assistance, and other programs they have and the associated so there's much less of a sort of competitive narrative among the Jewish nonprofits in our city compared to sit not all but several other cities in the US.
Alan Fleischmann
And that's a hard thing to manage, because you got a lot of organizations within that Federation, you know, who are supposed to be associated literally in his name. But with that with with with great leadership it is, but it takes great leadership to put into bringing that glue together. Tell us a little bit of the Weinberg foundation because you know, Harry Weinberg, if he, when you get to know his history was quite the entrepreneur to now his legacy he and his his late wife, Jeanette Weinberg are known for their names everywhere. They're known for something else. But he was quite the entrepreneur both in Baltimore and in Honolulu, in Hawaii. And then he left this money, this considerable amount of money to a foundation. And then let's talk about how the foundation is so differences you operationalize it, because I would argue for anyone who is running a foundation at scale, anywhere in the United States, if you want to get a sense of how you can operationalize a foundation but not lose its heart. In other words, create the systems create the productivity, create the efficiency, bring in professionals, but not loses heart and soul. A Weinberg foundation under your leadership is the example that I'd bring him to but let's just tell me a little bit the history here.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Well, it's a high compliment. I hope we're worthy of it. So let me give you a few sort of bookends. Harry Weinberg died in 1990, Jeanette preceded him by one year, he left roughly $2 billion to the foundation. Today, 31 years later, we have given $2.5 billion in grants, and we have just over $3 billion in assets. And as you said, we distribute roughly 130 to $135 million a year in grants. We have 60 or so staff in two offices, Hawaii and Baltimore. And we'd like to call ourselves small and mighty, but I would say in the world of COVID. I would call us small mighty and tired. And we are where we are small because if you compare our staff size, or administrative expenses to any foundation in the US with roughly 3 billion In dollars, we are very low. So for example, we have 14 grant staff, any other Foundation, our size in the country has at least 28 to 50 or 100. So we have a mentality, which some can judge and that's fine. There are different thoughts to this. But our mentality is, we want to do the best work we can. But we don't want to build internal bureaucracy, we want as much of the funding to go out the door and grants. So we're perhaps a little neurotic and trying to stay really efficient and small. I also culturally, that that, that feelings and the guts of the foundation, I know every staff person, I know them by name. I know what's happening. Jonathan Hornstein had a baby girl yesterday, Mazel Tov, we're texting all day, we have other members, I was gonna say, family members, foundation staff who have, frankly good and bad things happening. And I am feeling a sense of connection to each of them, I do not feel, I don't know that person, I don't know anything about them. And that, to me matters. So I don't think I'm the CEO to run the 10,000 person shop, I don't think that's what gives me energy. Part of what gives me energy is being surrounded by talented people. And, look, I'm really proud of the work we do at Weinberg. But if I got hit by a truck, God forbid, tomorrow, I'm much prouder of the talent we have both on the board and the staff. I work with amazing, fun, smart, passionate, committed people who have the grit to stick with it, and the kindness to do the work with head and heart. I strongly believe the power of kindness, not the weakness of kindness, for those listening, who think kind of sound soft, come and meet me, I don't think you'll find on soft. But I think you will find, we really want to look at the work we're doing through both a lens of our head and our heart. Philanthropy is an art and a science. And I will challenge anyone who says it is all one or the other.
Alan Fleischmann
That's wonderful. I'd love to get in your head a little bit now. So about, you know, how you hire people, because you have built a culture, I mean, building a culture, you know, when we talk to CEOs right now. And I do often and I'm one myself and we talked one of the big issues of our time, you know, I talked about the four C's, you know, we were people were worried about climate change. We're worried about cybersecurity, we're worried about COVID. You know, but there's a big worry also around culture, and how do you create a right culture hiring? Well, a creating a culture is probably the greatest challenge, especially in the land, and time when technology prevails? How do you hire, like when you interview people are going to give you learn some tricks? And have you are there certain things that you because you're very personable, as you get personal. So it's you it's every assignment, I imagine, every individual that you bring on to the library foundation team, you realize actually changes the culture either enhances it in the direction you're heading, or it limits it or even possibly could do the opposite and actually damage what you've been building. So are there tricks that you'd want to share with some of the folks here how you hire? I'd love to hear.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, so a few things to share. One is, before I was in the role of CEO, you know, 20 years ago, I've worked full time since I was 21. With the exception of three maternity leaves, by the way, I've never worked from home a day in my life until COVID. And I think we all have that experience where we're sitting there thinking, why are they keeping that guy or that woman in the job? I don't understand it. They're not doing the work. They're stirring up trouble. Why don't they see the negativity of this individual and understand for the greater good, it's a problem. When people say that today, why, you know, why do they, they're talking about me, right? So I have an enormous responsibility based on the own, you know, scars on our knees that we have, that no one is going to be in our shop who is behaving that way. So early on, when we were building culture, we were building team, people made it or break it broke it very quickly. We did not hire someone, six months later realize we made a mistake and keep them. We sat down with him and said, look, you're incredibly talented, you'll land on your feet, I'm giving you a great reference. I'm going to give you several months of you know, severance and benefits. Even though you've only been here six months, we're going to take care of you. You're going to land on your feet, but you're not going to land here, because you're not a fit. So we don't keep folks who are not working out well. Now, we've learned those lessons. So it's been a long time, thank God, since we've had to deal with that.
Alan Fleischmann
I think to get to that point, one of the challenges is I think a lot of CEOs will say oh, I don't want them to leave because I don't want their exodus, their exit, to actually could have hurt our culture. And what you're saying is actually having the wrong person, and it happens, in a job has more damage to culture.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
I completely subscribe to what you just said. The other thing I feel strongly about is how do you know if someone's coming in my office, they've already interviewed with, you know, some number of people at Weinberg. And I'm sort of like the final check, right? So they're going to perform well in front of me, they're not going to mess up typically. So, unbeknownst to many one of our secret sauces of success, which now your listeners will know, is when someone comes to interview at Weinberg, and I am meeting with them, they sit in our very small reception area for 10 or so minutes, whether they're early on time or late doesn't matter. And when I'm done interviewing that person, the first call I make is to the person sitting at the desk. The first person I did this with was a woman named Shakira. So I call it the Shakira factor, and she deserves the recognition. She's long since moved on from Weinberg, but she was part of this. So she deserves the branding. I would call Shakira. The person was rude on the phone to someone while they were waiting to see Rachel, the person asked me nothing and did not look at me or say, good afternoon. Or the person said, If I'm interrupting you, and you have work to do, I'm sorry. But otherwise, what's it like to work here? What's the culture? Like? Do you like coming to work every day? What's the energy? Like? Do you have you know, like, tell me about what your experiences are. Based on that feedback alone is a deal maker or breaker. And I will share with you there are I believe the number is 11 people today, who did not get offers because of the Shakira factor. A large number of people of those 11 have called me and said, you know, what the heck, I have a PhD in this. And I have 10 years at this foundation. And I have this knowledge of this. And I said, what's the name of the woman at our front desk? Not a one was able to say Shakira, or whoever it's been since Shakira and I said, look, at Weinberg, every single person has a vote, and you did not behave that way here. And your resume is amazing, your skills are amazing, but you would not fit in the culture that we have here. This is a culture of equality and a culture of kindness. And you didn't get everyone's vote.
Alan Fleischmann
That's amazing to me, Rachel, because you're, that's very courageous, I would argue or certainly not the norm. But you know, when they call to say, why didn't I get it, and you actually gave the honest feedback.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
It's, it's, I mean, there's no, it's not a secret, you know, result. And they should understand that, you know, and it's such a good indicator of how is that person going to behave when they go to the, you know, Catholic Charities program that we find in the city with homeless mothers and children. I want them to get on their knees and play with that kid and feel what that's like and be with that family and find out are the services what they need? But if they're not going to talk to Shakira, they're not going to talk to that mom and daughter who deserve to be engaged.
Alan Fleischmann
And have you figured out also systems for onboarding, because it sounds like culture matters, if it's a small organization with such a powerful pocket book, and not only a pocket book, but you create an enormous amount of partners. In the end, you look at them as partners, I know when you when you invest in them, you know that that also is a very powerful, a powerful challenge for you. I guess. It's not just hiring the right people, but making sure that they onboard properly.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, well, I would say to you, one of the things that we say to people is if you ever say my grant budget, or my grantee, there's a big red flag, and you may not work out at Weinberg, because this is not our money, it will never be our money. And we are stored of this foundation in this moment. There are no family members involved. It is all on us. And if we do a good job, God willing, 100 years from now, someone says, oh, that chapter was a really good chapter. You know, that's what we can hope for. And one of the, one of the marked differences in working in philanthropy and add a foundation, unlike working at a private sector entity, right? I love stationery, and I love Lulu lemon. So I often will say, look, if we were Crane Stationery, or if we were Lulu Lemon, profit margins and stakeholders, all of that has to be taken into account, every decision that's made. foundations have the opportunity to take risk and to be selfless. It is not about us and it shouldn't be about us. So I can recommend something to the board that may not bear fruit for 10 years. And I may be long gone from Weinberg when it actually bears fruit. But that is if it's the right thing to do. That's what we should do. And so it's a very unusual model from the typical private sector business where it's a you know, quarterly results better be seen. Not to say we don't we don't care about results. We do. You know the library project we've given $15 million to we've gotten $30 million from others. We have 40 partners. We're in influencing more than 15% of all Baltimore city school children with literacy and other results, we care about every year what's happening, but we also care about what's going to be in 10 years. So we have the benefit of both, which is a unique position,
Alan Fleischmann
I guess, I guess you could be strategic and thinking about long term planning, partnering, building ecosystems, building infrastructure, but then you also adapt to the times. I mean, I imagine you've had a use of adapting during the pandemic as well, because philanthropy has never been more in demand. You know, the then now I'm sure there, you figured out what you don't want to give to just for the knee jerk reaction out here, we're in a pandemic, but I'm sure you've accelerated some of the things you do need to give to because you, you see the demand, the need and the urgency.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, your instincts are exactly right. So we immediately distributed within the first three or so months of COVID, 10 and a half million dollars in new grants. But we also to your point said, okay, we're not going to pay for PP and E, there's a cash flow issue, because a lot of entities including older adult facilities that we care about as a population needed, PPE, but it was really cash flow, they would get the reimbursement they just needed it until they were reimbursed. That's not a good grant. Right. So we were able to define what we needed to do. And we also were able to think about, okay, who are the grantees that already have grants approved for 2021? And this past summer? How many of them, could we accelerate their payments, so we could say to 30, nonprofits, we're sending you your money for 2021. Now, you have an advance, we trust you with it, if you need it, in order to manage some cash flow, you'll have it but you know, it needs to ultimately fund what we have dedicated it towards. But we trust you and have a relationship with you. And we know you'll do right by it. Here are the funds. So we accelerated seven several million dollars in payments in both the US and Israel to that end.
Alan Fleischmann
That's amazing. I mean, when I think of you, I think of you having some great partners, and you and they are at your earlier points. They're long-term partners. When you have them, I mean, some of their well known, I mean, they're the Robin Hood Foundation, we know well with Westmore was a mutual friend, urban Alliance is another one. I know the folks there. And then there's Habitat for Humanity, which is obviously well known. And there are many, many others that are known. What makes a great partner?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
I'll start with what doesn't. I think, you know, I am someone who, I don't hate a lot of things. I hate jargon. And I don't know whether a partner or collaborator or what the right word is. But one of the real risks in partnership is okay, we build you know, we're building up to 20 libraries with Baltimore City public schools, if the CEO of City Schools is terrific, we're good. If the CEO is not, you can fill in the blank. Sonia Santelises is currently the CEO, she is phenomenal, and it's going very well. But there's such risk in these big projects over the long run. And who is in that seat, right, who is the mayor, who is the governor, who are the heads of the health department and the school system who will impact this work. So there's people need to understand if you're in a partnership, and it's not just a one year project, there's real risk of change of seats. And people might say that if Rachel leaves will continue. Well, thank God, we've been very clear about this is not about Rachel, this is about Weinberg. And of course, it will continue. I hope to be at Weinberg for several more years, but it will continue. And so one of the downfalls is change of leadership within the key seats of those partners. And partnership often goes bad if those seats change and don't go to people equally dedicated to the project, right? If it's not their flavor of the year, you could be at risk. The strong partners understand they're also in it for the long term. And also make some commitments that are selfless, right? So not everything you do is exactly the top priority of what you might want to do. And you know, 90% might be in the venn diagram, shared space, and what you care about in 10% might be to support a partner who has to move something forward. And they might also flex 10% to make sure they support what you're really prioritizing. So flexibility and grit, and the commitment of the person sitting in that seat really matters.
Alan Fleischmann
That's a big point, actually, Rachel, because the show's called leadership matters. We talked about the matters around leadership, but we also emphasize the fact that individuals do matter and I don't care how big an organization is, the DNA matters in your case. You are always you know, showing off your team and your board and the and the partners. That's the nature of how you lead but in the center of it for anyone who knows that there is a very strong minded, non passive aggressive, very, very, very focused leader in you. And if you get to know the Weinberg Foundation, just get to know how you operate. You bring people together, but you raise the standard met, it matters that you're there you are very much the culture. I believe the CEO matters. In this case, in your case it does as well. The CEO does matter. That's a responsibility. Here, that's a responsibility because more and more in the age of social media and technology. We are, we're making snap shot decisions. We, you're you're you're thinking people out quickly, and they're figuring you out quickly. How much of that do you feel is a burden? And how much of that is, you know, an opportunity, you know, as you continue to grow? And how much are you growing? It sounds like you're challenging yourself. I'd love to hear about that too. But you are the DNA, the culture of Weinberg Foundation, according to people like me who get to watch it from here.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
So my favorite voice and teacher who I've had the privilege to learn from on the topic of leadership at large is Marty Linsky, of Cambridge Leadership formerly of Harvard, an author of many books with Ron Heifetz, my favorite book, by the way, is Leadership on the Line, if you haven't read it, read it. Marty's philosophy is leadership is three things and essentially only three things, direction, protection and order. And I completely buy that frame, I believe it to my core, and in my kishkes. So one of the things that's been most difficult for me in the seat has been during COVID, going from a community where the informal time with my colleagues matters greatly to me, I am on the Myers Briggs chart, I am a 30 an extrovert, right. And the chart for those who don't know is zero to 30. So you know, I get my energy from other smart people who are driven and excited about a project. By the way, I also on the opposite side, if I'm surrounded by a bunch of negative cup is half empty, sort of Debbie Downer personalities, I completely get low. So it's bad for me to be in that kind of a community. And in COVID, one of the things that I have believed in is the importance of over communication across everything. So our senior team was meeting three times a week originally, then twice, then once, etc. With our staff meetings, we're constantly now there once a month. Our board meetings are four times a year, we have monthly zoom calls, just myself and our chief operating officer with the board to check in on whatever might be going on. You know me? Well, I am an email user. And I'm not afraid to over communicate an email, generally speaking, and even more so right now, I don't think you can over communicate in this moment. But I have been worried about the the health of our staff, the the fortitude of our staff, especially if someone is living alone, or someone is living with someone who is ill, or with young children. Those are incredibly difficult moments for those families or those individuals, and how do we support our colleagues in this moment, we have had zero turnover in the last 13 months, which I think is a great statement about how we have sort of stood up for and stood behind our staff and said, What do you need, we're going to respond. But it's a tough period in our world. And I'm eager, I don't want to advance time, but I don't think while we're in it, we know exactly how all this is going and how we'll reflect on it five years from now. But for me in the seat as CEO, it is a lot of worry about the health and safety and stability of all of our staff living through this moment and giving us so much time and so much energy, while also needing to devote so much in other areas.
Alan Fleischmann
You know, it's really amazing, I think, you know, just before the pandemic, we started having pretty heavy conversations, especially in the private sector around stakeholder capitalism, you know, all the stakeholders who matter I think the one that I worried the most about as a stakeholder coming into pandemic, a year ago was the employee because I thought if there's one thing you know, people are gonna lay off people is to become, you know, they're the ones are expendable. And I've been pleasantly surprised if not thrilled to see that, you know, across the board, private public civil society, I guess that's probably sector, but certainly private civil society. There's been this ongoing focus on my own people. And the best CEOs are the ones who are talking the way you are, which is, you know, how are they doing? Because you're on zoom, you're on call. You know, there's a 24 seven lifestyle that you begin to live because you're in your case, your partners are also going through Dire Straits there need of resources there need of support, but that means the person who's there frontlines person working with you is actually needed at odd hours as well. Exactly. Change you think you other aspects of this that you want to maintain that the burden and the stress that's on going? But is there a level of hybrid life that you're going to be more flexible about? Or is it before already that people didn't have to come physically in the office or there was a sense of trust and where they were at all times?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Well, I would say, from an academic frame, not my personal voice for a minute, for the people who thought anyone who works remotes not really working, they've been proved wrong. And for the person who thought everyone can work remotely five days a week and forever, I think you have real culture risk. Now, if you're an independent worker, and your job does not require team does not require collaboration, and you literally can work alone, and just execute your tasks and emotionally, in terms of your own mental health, that's okay with you, then you can work remotely forever. I don't I don't dispute that. That's not the way Weinberg works. We don't do anything alone. There's not one name any tasks that we do, it requires multiple people, I don't care if it's filing a timesheet, or it's making a grant recommendation, or it's investing $25 billion in a fund on our investment team. Everything includes all sorts of connections with different people. So the relationships matter, we essentially were full time in the office in both of our offices pre COVID, with very little exceptions, here and there. And I would say to you, you know, we are really thinking about how do we have a frame that allows people some flexibility, if they want to continue to work from home a day or two a week, you know, fine, if their supervisor says fine, and they get the work done, and it's approved every six months, etc. But we would like people in the office, if they're safe and comfortable doing so, you know, with some kind of regularity, how that shapes up. I really think we need to just allow things to unfold in the coming months, and not feel like we need to rigidly make a decision. You and I were on a call with the president of Arizona. And he I thought said a brilliant statement, which was—
Alan Fleischmann
Michael Crowe from ASU.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yes. Michael crow said, basically, that he completely rejects anyone who says it is either this or that. And I have really embraced that statement in so many ways. So for me, it's not do you work from home? Or do you work remote? It's not black and white? It is in fact, 50 Shades of Grey? Forgive the pun. And so how do we navigate a new work life where people have flexibility, and have adaptability. But we also have the ability to come together to protect culture and to work in team. And I think that's what we're gonna have to figure out. Although I would say at the same time, many of our teams have never been closer, in part because you text me at eight o'clock at night out and say, can you talk for 30 minutes? Of course I can. Because I'm home. I'm not in Israel, I'm not in California. I'm not in Honolulu, and I'm not at some conference, right? I'm home. So in some ways work life balance has gotten very difficult, but in other ways, because we're available. We have team meetings constantly. If I email three colleagues and say, Hey, can we get on the phone for 10 minutes, there's an issue we can get on the phone for 10 minutes. So accessibility has been a really wonderful silver lining in this moment.
Alan Fleischmann
But I think it'll be missed. Actually, I think this as they do, right, that there's a burden, because the hours can be at all hours. The spontaneousness of it can be difficult. But the flip side is, you know, while issues are happening, you can really jump in together and solve problems. And also, frankly, because you used to travel you in either Honolulu, New York at a conference or you were, you know, or elsewhere, you're actually accessible in a way that allows your team to see more of you. It may be more of you on Zoom, but they're getting more of you because when you're traveling, you might say, you know what, why don't we take care of that when I'm back? Or let's get a date on that it's going to time on the calendar week after next versus right now. You know, you can say let's deal with it today.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, I do think work is moving forward very quickly. And that's part of why there's not these big breaks in how do we find that little one dot that works for nine calendars. Well, we tell everyone tomorrow at one and it works.
Alan Fleischmann
Yeah. So I guess conferences to you guys are great conveners as well. And you certainly do your share of attending and speaking at conferences. I imagine you'll be given options to write you'll be giving options and you'll be afforded options of saying okay, we'd love you to come together. We'd love to meet at the conference in Tucson. But if you can't join us physically, we'll join you would join with you virtually there'll be a new world order to embed.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
I cannot imagine that for the next several years every single major conference will have a hybrid option of in personal are online. You know, I can't imagine it because we you know, we also know there are people with underlying medical conditions who are not going to be able to leave their home safely if they don't feel comfortable for some period of time, but their talent needs to be there. You know, one of the powerful pieces of diversity for me right now is if you honestly look for the best people, and the best voices to listen to, it is a diverse panel, because talent is across all all people. And people don't believe that live in a circle of likeness, and they don't see out of the circle of life and likeness. So they just don't know what they don't know. But for me, the big question is, how do we continue to shape a world where every voice matters equally? And in order to do that, I don't think you can have things like conferences, just be in person right away, you're going to need to be able to figure out how do we get everyone to participate? And as leaders, how do we influence that and make sure, you know, I'll come to your conference, but it is hybrid, right?
Alan Fleischmann
Right. They give you the option of making that decision at the appropriate time. It is amazing. You know, when I'm hiring people, and I'm advising others in hiring people, there seems to be a theme. There's the pre pandemic CEO, there's the pandemic, CEO that we're living in still, and we don't know the post one yet. You know, there's a lot of uncertainty still, which I think leaves a lot of room for flexibility and creativity. Thank God, we have technology, as well. You know, you mentioned something a minute ago about diversity. And I want to mention that because I know that a big part goes back to the early years, have you ever on the kitchen table with your family? And it's never been lost on the library foundation under your leadership. But I've noticed that you have been talking about equity issues, you know, in a way that frankly, maybe maybe just maybe we're hearing it more clearly, a social justice issues have been part of the library foundation since its origin. But I'm hearing more about you talking about issues of equity, and social justice. And how do we how do we create how do we create, change and break down system systematic barriers that, frankly, we've now witnessed, and last year, shockingly, is even more difficult for the realize. Love to hear you talk about that a little?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah. So I would say for those of us who call Baltimore home, this issue did not come up this past 12 months, this issue came up in 2015. And a huge, loud, painful way with the killing of Freddie Gray. And so Weinberg as a staff, worked with the racial equity Institute at UNC and did some very powerful, slightly uncomfortable for some training on the challenges related to diversity and equity and inclusiveness. We also are launching and starting a very serious for for sort of pillar, professional training with an extraordinary group called dimensions led by a woman in a Viola McCoy in Boston. She is a jew of color. She is been in this field doing this work for two plus decades. And she is a powerful voice I listened to and several others listened to.
Alan Fleischmann
What is her name?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Viola McCoy. There's another woman who is leading work in the Jewish community called the Jews of color field building initiative. Her name is Ilana Kaufman, and she's in the Bay Area in San Francisco. And so we care enormously about all forms of equity. You know, we came out very quickly with a statement of support for the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities about two weeks ago. This matters to us. And you know, we feel it very closely, not only because of our partners and our communities and our families, but also our office in Hawaii, and the issues of discrimination that are painfully experienced in a different but similar way. So you know, you can't work at the Weinberg Foundation, and remove your heart and your soul from the issues of inequity and structural racism in this country because of what we fund. We do not fund colleges and universities. In fact, we're prohibited to buy Harry Weinberg. We do not find cultural Performing Arts facilities again, prohibited by Harry Weinberg. We fund nonprofits supporting people who are experiencing poverty with direct services. That means I am not visiting in my team, our colleagues, we are not visiting universities and aquariums and trees and art. We are visiting homeless shelters. We are visiting food programs. We are visiting older adult facilities for low income older adults who are experiencing very difficult frailty and every form of the end of their lives. And that can weigh very heavily on your heart. But it also keeps us very close to everyone in the community and keeps our eyes wide open to the issues of inequity.
Alan Fleischmann
Are you seeing results? I mean, I know you must hear the results of your work too. Because when you're dealing with the issues you're dealing with, you're starting with major challenges. And you know, they're there. There's metrics that people love to go with economic metrics, but they're there. They're human humanity metrics, actually, that are often not told the quality, not just the quantitative quantitative. Do you feel like you're seeing through the through your hard work, you know, as CEO both internally, but more importantly, sometimes when you go back to your team and say, look, what we've done, look what we're doing, look at our role here. Are you seeing those results you're looking for?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
So we, we don't take a lot of credit for the results of the nonprofit's we get to say, look at the amazing work, Sarah Hemminger is doing at Thread helping kids who are really struggling in high school have 10 years of a family of volunteers surround them to be successful. Look at what Fagan Harris is doing in Baltimore Corps, it's a jobs program focused on the public and nonprofit and private sector in Baltimore, and equity and inclusion and opportunity. And I would say to you, you know, we Weinberg is both big and small, right, the numbers can sound really big. But we're a small team. And we understand that we're a small little piece in the overall role of change. So for us, we want to celebrate the work of the nonprofit's we don't really want to pat our own backs. And in this past 13 months, the number of CEOs who I admire and have empathy for because of their exhaustion, which is even more than mine. And the worry they have about sustaining their staff and their clients and their budgets, is it's both inspiring and worrisome because it's just so heavy on everyone's heart. And I would also say on this sort of conflict of big and small. Sometimes when you look at evaluations, you can be very proud of, you know, supportive housing program in Israel that helps 60,000 people across the country, that's amazing. But sometimes it's the really small grants that stick to your guts and lift you up. So there's a program in Baltimore, if you haven't heard of it, it's called bedtime in a box, founded by a man named Jared Bolt and his wife, in part inspired by their son who is deceased at a very young age. And it is a box that has soap and shampoo and a washcloth and a tub toy, and a towel and toothbrush and toothpaste and books to read, and a bedtime toy, and a law to keep track of your bedtime, so that you can have a bedtime routine that can become habitual, that can help you turn up in school ready to learn. It's a very simple and also beautiful, brilliant, brilliant idea. And it started I think the first year, they had 2015, they had 600 boxes, and they've already distributed more than 11,000 boxes. They're also in Denver now. And I've gotten opportunities to expand to lots of other places. And now there's four or five boxes for different age groups. But it is a simple, straightforward intervention. And as you just said, very nicely, like you feel the humanity of that immediately. And the impact that makes you think about a home in Baltimore City, where those items in that box may otherwise be absent.
Alan Fleischmann
That's amazing. That's amazing. You know, I love that because as you were describing it, it's not only can I visualize it, I can see how practical it is, and how transformational it is for a family to know they got everything they need. The kid has everything he needs or she needs in order for for them to live a improvement in their lives. And there many other things we can you can add to that. That's very powerful.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
And talk about partnership, they're partnering with Headstart, they're partnering with Catholic Charities, they're partnering with schools, they're partnering with pediatric offices. So sometimes it's those small grants that really inspire me and also keep me steady.
Alan Fleischmann
They get the humility, part of the weight, you know, the confidence and the ability. There's a bit of arrogance in the way you talk, Rachel. But there's a competence and humility in the way you approach things. It's the wind versus the eye, which I love to hear. You're also a mom, and your wife and your daughter, and you're a friend and your sister. And I'm just curious, because you're a different Rachel off the grid when she's when she's not the CEO. And how do you maintain that balance? Because I know you're very devoted to those other titles. And I would never describe you Isn't she one of the most impressive women CEOs. I would describe you as she is and she one of the most impressive CEOs who happens to take the other roles in her life very seriously understanding that she's both a role model and she has obligations or responsibilities to those other titles.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Yeah, look, again, I have a life of blessing right I, you know, I'm still grieving the loss of my father. But talking to my mom once or twice a day and seeing her frequently, my brother is the best brother you'll find on earth who is saving the earth, thank God for Avi, both at the EPA and at Patagonia. He's just the best, as is his wife who works on social justice and voter rights. My husband, who is a teacher, like if you look at the four of us, you know, we're all trying to make some kind of difference. And I think that's a powerful lesson to my brother's kids and to our kids. And, you know, there's no, there's no greater joy I get than when our family is together. Our son is in Israel on a gap year, our daughters working in health care in New York City, our middle son is home from college until August. So I have one of them here. But I think I would be called a pretty fierce mother. You know, you don't want to mess with my kid. It's not a good idea for you. And I think that what I have similar across all of it is I go quickly, like Joel joked, I don't even know how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich slowly, like everything I do has a sense of urgency to it. You know, but yes, do I have my yoga pants on and my ponytail in and have a little bit of a potty mouth when I'm not working? Yes.
Alan Fleischmann
The two Rachel's, but they're consistent. They're all they're very active. They're very focused. And they're, they're managing their time. I guess the last thing is, is your recommendations. If you mentioned the book that you mentioned, leadership online on the line. I'm going to get it i know i think i've read every leadership book in the past.
Rachel Garbow Monroe
Don't get it. I'll send it to you.
Alan Fleischmann
Okay. I mean, can't believe I haven't read it. Actually, I know who Ron Heifetz is, so that, I'm surprised I hadn't. But are there lessons that you live by every day that you'd want to share? You know, you know, you mentioned a few here on this on the show, is there any last words that you'd want to share to say whether you're an emerging CEO, CEO in waiting if you will, or if you are a CEO or leader of an organization or enterprise, this is the this is the bit of advice Rachel would want to share?
Rachel Garbow Monroe
I would say my job is to work for our board and staff to make sure they can get their work done. Nobody in my mind is working for me. I am working for them. And that is my frame legitimately. I reject the frame that is the opposite. I would say do not estimate, underestimate, a genuine please and a genuine thank you in every single thing you do. And I believe you hire the smartest people you can find I hope they're smarter than I am. And I get to say, look who I hired, and let them fly. I don't I don't agree with any other mentality and how you hire except getting the absolute smartest people you can find who are hopefully smarter than you are, which is what I have tried to do. And I finally my comment would be if you worked at Weinberg, you would know that I'm a little bit unapologetically exhausting people talking about the power of kindness. And my one anecdotal share is pre COVID, walking downtown into a meeting, there was a man who was homeless and down on his luck and looking pretty low sitting on a curb. And it was I think the meeting was at four o'clock or 4:30. I don't honestly recall. So I'm on my way, and I'm in a rush because I'm always in a rush. And I also believe if a meeting is at four, I have to be there at 3:50 or I'm late. So you know, I'm walking into the building. And I see this gentleman and I stopped for him. And I say good afternoon. And he slowly looks up at me and says you're the first person who has talked to me today. And so I talked to him for a few minutes. And I went to my meeting and because I'm always 10 minutes early, I wasn't late, it was fine. But you know, he changed my day, and I hope I changed his day. And that didn't cost anyone anything. It was just a gesture of kindness. And if you can do that, then maybe you know, as we throw starfishes into the ocean, we can throw more in that would be my hope.
Alan Fleischmann
I love this. Yeah, you've been listening to Leadership Matters on Sirius XM. I'm your host, Alan Fleischmann. I have thoroughly enjoyed as I knew I would, this time with the Weinberg Foundation's president and CEO and an old friend, dear friend, Rachel Garbow Monroe. And we can learn a lot from you Rachel, maybe there's a book in you actually, or maybe an op-ed as we're coming out of a pandemic that's worth doing. But your sense of purpose, your sense of justice, your humility, your kindness, and your confidence, you shared a lot today that actually I think will inspire a lot of us and I look forward to more together. And I look forward to having you back here in the future too. And maybe we can highlight some of the great initiatives that you're that you're building. We got millions of people listening to this show, and I love to be able to tell them the Weinberg foundation story under your leadership even more. So thank you so much.
