After eight years at Pillar, we express our deep gratitude to Loredana Wainwright, VP Operations and Innovation Works, for her contributions as she moves on to new opportunities. Loredana joined the Pillar team in 2014 as a Social Enterprise Program Manager where she facilitated communication among partners and key stakeholders, promoting community engagement and advocacy related to social enterprise. In this role she helped to build and maintain the regional support systems for social enterprise. Loredana was an integral part of the team building Innovation Works into the thriving community hub it is today from the beginning. She was a key team member in all aspects of building and launching the Innovation Works brand.
Loredana also acted as Interim Executive Director of Pillar in 2019, leading the organization during a time of change and transition. In her roles as Director of Innovation Works and as Vice-President of Operations and Innovation Works, she demonstrated her profound ability to grow and support a caring community of changemakers, while always juggling many balls in the air. Through periods of growth and of challenge, Loredana has created an immense and lasting impact on the Pillar and Innovation Works Community leaving us in a position of strength as we transition into our next chapter of leadership for Innovation Works. We thank Loredana for all the gifts she has shared with our team and community. - Mojdeh Cox
What drew you to the opportunity to lead Innovation Works?
To be honest, the saying “right time, right place” was in full swing here. I was working on the communications team for the making of Innovation Works, so when the Project Manager left, the opportunity appeared. It was a juicy project that I couldn’t turn down.
How has Innovation Works evolved six years in?
I think the most remarkable evolution I have seen was in the people themselves. Upon reflection, we went into this experience not really knowing how it was going to turn out. Early adopters are now enthusiastic champions and the newest of co-tenant members are ready to be part of changing the world around them. The evolution went beyond the walls of Innovation Works.
What are you most proud of about Innovation Works?
Keepin’ the balls in the air as best I could! Just knowing that every day would be different was very motivating and serving others so that they could work better, connect and collaborate with each other is a pride point. The projects were pretty amazing too – from the Block Party (they said it couldn’t be done!) to the social entrepreneurship programs, to the volunteers and my incredible team who believed in me.
What is the most important thing you learned about leadership?
Small things count. This is a theme that I’ve always carried throughout my career. Getting to know people on an individual basis, who they are and what inspires them makes leadership joyful. Relationships, not the transactions are what counts.
What strengths did you bring to the role?
I think a strong sense of entrepreneurship and business acumen was something that the organization needed at the time. I see possibilities more often than roadblocks and I had an incredible community of people who supported me and in turn supported the role and Pillar. I believe that bringing people along the journey – the unlikely suspects – widened our impact. I’m pretty proud of that too.
What did the role teach you?
The role could be a strong fit for anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for community building. My biggest teachers were the people. I was fortunate to learn from many hard-core business folks on the importance of numbers and from nonprofits on how to stretch and be creative to build capacity and impact. And like all things in life, when I found myself struggling, I stepped back and asked “what am I supposed to learn from this?”
What is the most meaningful outcome, project or relationship you have seen come to light as a result of connections at Innovation Works?
That’s a long list. The “unconscious collisions” are the ones that blow me away. An executive coach meets a circus/acrobatic trainer and they build a workshop on trust. From a panel discussion between academic institutions and local food-based social enterprises, an entire school system embeds food security in the curriculum. A volunteer who studies nutrition and partners with Edgar & Joe’s to build their nutrition labels. An entrepreneur gains valuable connections to every support in the city because he is a co-tenant member at Innovation Works. The Wellness Works team fosters health and wellness by channeling their passion for mental wellness through yoga and meditation. Reflecting on all these experiences, I have often thought, “wow, did that just happen?”
What is your greatest hope for the future of Innovation Works?
My greatest hope fiscally, is that it remains financially sustainable and continues to prove to the community “this little engine” could.
For the co-tenants and members, that they see the value in their own contributions and flourish, thrive because of the connections they make.
For the team at Pillar and Innovation Works, that every one of the team sees themselves as leaders that are eager to learn from failure, share in the joy of their collective impact and trust that they are supported by, and in service of, an entire community.
And mostly, that the bricks continue to breathe.