Introducing … Sophia Saracino!
Each eNews, we introduce you to some of our wonderful Chapter Members, through a question-and-answer type interview article.
This week the second Member in the hotseat is: Sophia Saracino, Marketing and Community Engagement Manager, St Andrew’s School Walkerville.
What is the length of time working in educational advancement, including any prior industry experience?
I’ve been working in educational Advancement for the past five years. Before that, I was in the not-for-profit sector with The Hospital Research Foundation Group, and earlier in my career I worked in media and advertising at News Corp and Clemenger BBDO.
What is the achievement or accomplishment you are most proud of?
That’s a hard one. Over the past five years, I’ve been fortunate to lead a number of projects that have shaped how our school tells its story and connects with its community.
What I’m most proud of is the work I led as part of our School’s recent 175th anniversary celebrations. Two particular highlights were delivering a commemorative book and children’s book that captured the stories and history of our community and leading my first Day of Giving campaign in support of the refurbishment of our School Hall. Both projects brought together storytelling, community engagement and philanthropy in a way that was both meaningful and impactful.
What is a significant moment of learning or a challenge you have overcome?
The biggest challenge for me was navigating COVID restrictions while being relatively new to working in schools. The traditional ways we engaged with our community were no longer possible, so we had to quickly rethink how we connected, finding new and more creative ways to bring people together without being physically together.
What is a book you have found particularly impactful, or a podcast you regularly listen to ?
I regularly listen to The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. I enjoy the diversity of guests and topics discussed, but what I find most interesting is Steven’s intentional approach to building trust with his audience.
A few months ago, he shared that more than 20 episodes are cut each year because they don’t meet the standard his audience expects. That’s a difficult decision to make when you consider the time, money and relationships involved, but it’s also a powerful example of putting your audience first and protecting the trust you’ve built. It’s a reminder that quality, authenticity and audience focus should always guide our work – something I think is highly relevant in Advancement and communications.
What are three tips or words of advice for members new to Educate Plus or new to Advancement?
- Connect with other advancement professionals or seek out a mentor – the Educate Plus community is incredibly generous, supportive and collaborative.
- Take every opportunity to engage in professional learning. Advancement is always evolving and there’s so much value in learning from others across the sector.
- If you’re new to working in schools give yourself grace in your first year. Every school has its own rhythm, culture and way of doing things, and it takes time to find your feet.
That are three things you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I don’t have a lot of spare time these days, and when I’m not working, I’m usually running my two children around to their sporting and extra-curricular commitments. When I do get a quiet moment, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, being with my two-year-old cavoodle Ollie, and unwinding with a good book, TV series, or scrolling through Pinterest to feed my love of home interiors.