Sara Brenner is president of Community Wealth Partners, a Washington, DC-based consulting firm that partners with foundations and nonprofits to solve social problems. Sara will be joining us in Los Angeles in November at Upswell! She is passionate about partnering with people to rethink what is possible and to dramatically change our world for the better. She also was excited to share a bit more about herself and her work.

Q: What is one thing you’re excited to be working on?
SB: I’m excited to be partnering with one of the country’s largest community foundations to reimagine its impact. The foundation is moving beyond assets under management and creating a culture of giving that will help drive greater community outcomes.

Q: What’s the last issue you personally advocated for – and why?
SB: Gender inclusion. I am part of a religious community that was excluding women from participating in a business ethics learning forum. After a year of advocacy to integrate the group, women now have a seat at the table. Our advocacy was necessary to shift cultural norms in the community to be more inclusive and recognize the value that women bring.

Q: Besides the obvious (more funding), what’s the one resource that would really help your community thrive?
SB: Empathy isn’t often thought of as a resource, but it is a critical ingredient for thriving communities. In abundance, empathy helps people truly see and understand each other, which is a starting point for building solutions.