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Kayla Slagter

Basic Information​

  • Current Role: Associate Director of Development at RefugePoint (refugee solutions organization)
  • Credentials: CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) designation
  • Background: Fundraising and nonprofit sector professional (10+ years experience)
  • Education: Wheaton College (Christian liberal arts college)
  • Age/Stage: Approximately early 30s, similar generation to Gary
  • Location: Unknown (conversation suggests familiarity with local area where they previously met on street)

Professional Background​

  • Current Organization: RefugePoint - develops and supports solutions for refugees worldwide
  • Key Responsibilities: Development and fundraising activities, planned giving contact
  • Previous Experience: Donor Relations Manager at Jill's House
  • Recent Activities: Judge for 2025 Patricelli Center New Venture Awards
  • Expertise: Fundraising, nonprofit management, organizational development, donor relations
  • Experience: Decade-long career in nonprofit/philanthropy space
  • Skills: Building relationships with donors, organizational strategy, team management
  • Current Challenge: Seeking next level of impact and growth beyond comfort zone
  • Specialization: Has developed specific methodologies around donor relationships and philanthropic strategy

Faith Background​

  • College: Wheaton College - describes it as helpful for deconstructing and reconstructing personal faith
  • Perspective: Faith-rooted but critical of how Christianity is often weaponized
  • View: "The best people I know who are fighting for good in the world are doing it because of their faith"
  • Stance: Believes God is bigger than any single cultural expression of Christianity
  • Approach: Sophisticated understanding of faith integration with social impact work

Current Situation & Goals​

  • Status: Feeling incredibly aligned with current work but no longer challenged
  • Desire: Seeking next level of impact and contribution
  • Challenge: Doesn't want to settle into comfort but unclear on specific next steps
  • Approach: Values not settling when things don't feel aligned, even without clear alternatives
  • Newsletter: Maintains small newsletter (600 subscribers)

Relationship with Gary​

  • Initial Meeting: Previously met on street in casual encounter
  • Connection Point: Shared interest in making positive impact in world
  • Dynamic: Gary providing strategic counsel on documenting expertise and building credibility
  • Conversation Quality: Both found significant spiritual and practical value in dialogue
  • Future: Expressed strong interest in staying in touch and potentially sharing work with Gary

Key Insights & Expertise Areas​

  • Philanthropic Strategy: Deep understanding of donor psychology and relationship building
  • Organizational Management: Significant experience with people and team dynamics
  • Values-Based Approach: Sophisticated analysis of philanthropy sector limitations and opportunities
  • Case Study Methodology: Has specific examples of gradually influencing donors toward better philanthropic approaches

Gary's Assessment & Recommendations​

  • Strength Recognition: Has valuable expertise that should be documented and made legible
  • Documentation Advice: Should create comprehensive wiki/case study collection of methodologies
  • Strategic Value: Could significantly de-risk decisions for potential employers/partners
  • Approach: Focus on truth-telling for self-refinement first, then selective sharing

Notable Perspectives​

  • On Philanthropy: Has meta-level critiques of NGO sector and philanthropic structures
  • On Documentation: Initially resistant to public thought leadership but interested in personal clarification
  • On Faith: Believes in working with people who share commitment to "good" regardless of specific beliefs
  • On Standards: Values alignment over status or conventional success metrics

Communication Style​

  • Approach: Direct, thoughtful, values-driven
  • Feedback Reception: Open to constructive input and strategic counsel
  • Self-Awareness: Recognizes own patterns and growth areas
  • Expression: Articulate about complex topics, comfortable with nuanced discussions

Mutual Value Recognition​

  • Gary's Observation: Consistently heard same advice from multiple sources about documenting expertise
  • Spiritual Resonance: Described conversation as "itching a part of my soul that I really needed"
  • Professional Alignment: Both focused on kingdom-oriented rather than worldly success metrics
  • Growth Orientation: Both committed to not settling for misaligned situations

Future Potential​

  • Documentation Project: Likely to develop comprehensive methodology documentation
  • Strategic Partnership: Potential for ongoing strategic counsel relationship with Gary
  • Movement Building: Could contribute significantly to faith-driven impact initiatives
  • Thought Leadership: Natural capacity for influence in Christian philanthropy/nonprofit space

Last Contact​

  • Date: 2025-08-13
  • Context: Strategic conversation about next career steps and documentation of expertise
  • Outcome: Mutual appreciation, ongoing relationship potential, 90% likelihood of sharing future work with Gary

Transcripts​

transcript-iddateone-line-summary
2025-08-13-gary-sheng-kayla-slagter-conversation2025-08-13Strategic career and spiritual guidance conversation about expertise documentation and faith integration with social impact work