Looking for my fancy, official bio written in the third person? That’s over here.
Hi, I’m Rosetta Thurman. This is my story.
I grew up in the public housing projects of Cleveland, Ohio, and if it weren’t for the nonprofits in my community who helped my family in times of need, I don’t know where I would be today. I was raised by a teen mom and a very protective grandmother. My father was a drug dealer who died before he had the chance to teach me how to ride a bike. My family was so poor that every year, a woman from a local nonprofit would come and take me shopping for school clothes because my mother could not afford to.
I was fortunate in that I was able to attend good schools and benefit from many kind teachers, special enrichment programs, and the Girl Scouts (I was a Brownie!). As a result, I became the first person in my family to graduate from college. Yet, I always knew that I needed to do something to help people who were not so lucky. Otherwise, what the hell was I here for? That feeling is what led me to volunteer at local afterschool programs as a reading tutor for kids living in poor neighborhoods during all four years of college. It was philanthropy that had provided me an enhanced education as a child. It was nonprofits that had come to our aid when we couldn’t make ends meet. Somebody did it for me, and I wanted to help someone else. That’s how I got introduced to the nonprofit world and I’ve wanted to commit my life to helping people ever since.
Fueled by a passion for social change, I worked in the nonprofit community for eight years as a fundraising professional and leadership development practitioner before founding Thurman Consulting, an education company specializing in personal and professional development to help nonprofit leaders and passionate entrepreneurs change the world.
Who I Work With
My focus is on serving purpose-driven professionals, including:
- Nonprofit leaders
- Passionate entrepreneurs
- Socially-responsible businesses
What I Offer
- Engaging, inspiring and thought-provoking keynote speeches and workshops
- Interactive social media training and consulting
- Authentic career coaching and practical business coaching
In addition to writing about leadership, nonprofits and social media here on rosettathurman.com, I am also the co-author of How to Become a Nonprofit Rockstar, 50 Ways to Accelerate Your Career, an accessible, do-it-yourself map of how to build a meaningful and rewarding career in the nonprofit sector. I hold a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from Trinity Washington University and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. I have also completed advanced training programs at The Fundraising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Institute for Nonprofit Management at Columbia Business School.
I am proud to be a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Council and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network. I have also taught nonprofit management as an Adjunct Professor in the School of Professional Studies at Trinity Washington University. In 2008, I was named a “New Leader in Philanthropy” by Greater DC Cares. In my free time, I write poetry, listen to the Isley Brothers and eat way too many desserts. I also tweet. A lot.
Looking for my fancy, official bio written in the third person? That’s over here.
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