About Hildy Gottlieb
As co-founder of Creating the Future, Hildy Gottlieb has been called “the most innovative and practical thinker in our sector.” Her book, The Pollyanna Principles: Reinventing “Nonprofit Organizations” to Create the Future of Our World, details her groundbreaking approach to aiming the work of the Community Benefit Sector at its highest potential – creating the future of our world. (Click here to read the first 4 chapters of the book.)
A prolific writer and advocate for the sector’s potential and a consultant to community organizations since 1993, Hildy helped develop the current Masters degree program in Community Leadership at Duquesne University, where she and her partner, Dimitri Petropolis, have taught as professors. Hildy’s books and workbooks have all become industry standards and are used as texts in both undergraduate and graduate programs around the world.
Among Hildy’s other prior positions, she was the legislative aide to Tucson City Council Member Tom Volgy. Hildy also developed the Family Home Gardening Project at Pio Decimo Center in Tucson, to ensure low income family had fresh produce by teaching them to grow that produce themselves. Hildy and Dimitri also founded the first diaper bank in the U.S., building the cornerstone of the diaper banking movement.
Hildy’s numerous awards include a Points of Light Citation from President Bill Clinton. Her writing has been seen in various publications including the Chronicle of Philanthropy, where she currently hosts the monthly podcast, Making Change – interviewing change leaders from around the world.