Taproot Foundation Announces the Election of Three New Board Members

September 27, 2013 /3BL Media/ - Taproot Foundation has elected three new directors to join its national board: Suni Hartford, Brad Keown, and Jeetendra (Jeetu) Jodhpukar.

Suni Hartford, based in New York City, is Citigroup Managing Director and Head of North American Markets.  She first became introduced to Taproot when, as head of Citi’s affinity group of female executives Citi Foundation tapped her to serve as executive sponsor of the first Skills Marathon that Taproot built for the company.  Passionate about veterans’ issues, Suni arranged for Citi to engage Taproot again, replicating the Skills Marathon experience for NYC veterans’ organizations during Veteran’s Day Week.

Why has Suni decided to be a pro bono champion?

“There are so many ways in which people can, and want, to give to their communities.   Money is only one of them.  There is virtually an unlimited supply of talented people willing to help.  What a great idea to match those in need of a resource with the actual resource. “

Brad Keown is the Central Region Director for Twitter, headquartered in Chicago, IL. As a key leader in digital marketing, Brad plans to aid Taproot’s growing online presence by tapping into his expertise in marketing and brand strategy, and lending his experience in targeted advertisement, mobile engagement, and program development to identify powerful solutions. Brad is a passionate leader in the volunteer movement, having previously served on the board of Volunteers of America. Brad encounters tremendous talent in his daily life, and sees Taproot as the opportunity to tap into this talent for maximum social impact by advising on the development of the digital pro bono marketplace.

Why has Brad decided to be a pro bono champion?

“People aspire to give back to their communities in many forms. Everyone has a unique talent that can be harnessed to help in community development that improves our society. Pro bono work can have such a long standing impact that it's critical we find time to give back.”

Jeetu Jodhpukar is the COO of Washington Gas Energy Systems. In previous roles at the utility, Jeetu has provided extensive management support in the areas of corporate strategy, business planning, process improvements, program management and operational excellence. He is a strong Taproot ally and advocate in the Washington, DC market who truly understands the power of pro bono. To date, he has been an active member of Taproot’s Executive Advisory Council; provided in-kind and financial support and has fostered a partnership between Taproot and WGES in support of Pro Bono Week 2013.

Why has Jeetu decided to be a pro bono champion?

"Compared to ordinary volunteering, building a robust, skills-based bridge between for-profit corporations with a plethora of business talent and the non-profit community with equally diverse but severely needed resources is a stunning idea!  And, after I discovered how effectively Taproot had been quietly building such strong bridges across so many metropolitan areas in the United States and successfully expanding the scope of its services internationally, accepting the Board nomination was a rather quick and easy decision.  I am honored to serve this very fine organization going forward."

From financial services to the energy sector to the Twitterverse, these leaders are helping to drive adoption of the pro bono ethic across all industries. One day soon, the social sector will have access to professional resources in all fields that use their talents to make a difference.