As a 2015-16 Fulbright Scholar, award-winning college professor, published author, international lecturer and technology entrepreneur, Jill Brockmann is buoyant with commitment to teach and inspire organizations in the art of building an online reputation that clearly conveys their mission. Her enthusiastic and humorous style imparts bravery and creativity to build online strategies that connect and nurture online communities; in turn, these communities advocate and support organizations, both large and small.

Jill has made herself an expert in online brand management and all things social media-related—and continues to investigate and research the living and breathing mechanism that is social media, as this field continues to evolve. Her 2015-16 Fulbright Scholarship Award, for teaching and research in Denmark, focuses on innovative business communication and creating social-entrepreneurialism on a global scale.

In addition to contributing significantly to two books on the subject of social media and online branding, she has built far-reaching connections within the technology community in Austin and has created successful collaborations between college students and local businesses in an effort to solve online business reputation and branding challenges. She designed, implemented and managed a successful cross-cultural collaboration which included social media and creative advertising campaigns surrounding the International release and exchange of two retail products, in Austin and Aarhus, Denmark.

Her technical expertise, leadership and ability to inspire others have been recognized even though she is not driven by that recognition. Requests for her to share her broad knowledge about social media and online branding for business continue to pour in from nonprofit organizations, local business associations, entrepreneurial incubators, colleges and universities and, business students from colleges in Texas, New York and Denmark.

She holds a vital seat on an International business and economic development organization, as the Manager of Web Development and Social Media Outreach for the Austin-Hackney (Borough of London) Sister City Committee, which was officially recognized by the Sister Cities International Organization in March, 2014.

She is a former instructor of social media strategies for the Center for Nonprofit Leadership Management certificate program and the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations. Jill founded and was executive director of The Write Cause, a nonprofit organization that offered writing, editing, and design services for nonprofit organizations.

Brief statement why you have accepted appointment and what you would consider to have been a successful tenure when your term:

Participating in this rare opportunity is an honor, both professionally and personally. As a member, I will have the chance to build on my love of community, technology, collaboration, and, education.

Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”¹ A true problem solver requires many qualities, and some say that the courage to take risks is the most significant trait of all. I have been told by others that I have a talent for teaching and I don’t know if that is true. But I do know that I possess more passion, courage, and stamina than most people you’ll ever meet. The honor of being a CLC member will allow me to collaborate, inspire, and form partnerships that will change the trajectory of nonprofit organizations by adding valuable ideas and innovation to their online strategies.

I consider myself a problem-solver and I am somewhat of a new breed of educator. The term ‘problem-solver,’ has been around for quite a while, but now, problem solvers are often the ‘entrepreneurs’ in our world. I intend to bring my expertise and knack for problem-solving to the Council in order to offer ideas and solutions that will enable NPOs to think and act like an entrepreneur; to build and protect the organization’s reputation online; and, to be creative when facing future obstacles involving their online presence and communities;

I will be successful in my role as Council member when I create and deliver collaborations, partnerships and educational opportunities that provide measurable social network branding results to NPOs. It is my hope that my contributions to the Council will have a far-reaching impact on the personal and professional lives of those that devote their time to the success of nonprofit organizations in Austin and Central Texas.

¹ Source: https://rescomp.stanford.edu/~cheshire/EinsteinQuotes.html

Brief statement on your sense of the Center’s impact for its first 15 years and its potential for future:

CNS has diligently crafted a reputation for building strong connections between nonprofit organizations and industry experts, in order to deliver important and relevant educational and mentoring opportunities to the Central Texas Nonprofit Sector. It has been an honor to play a tiny role in the immensely successful initiatives of CNS in the past.

As CNS springs forth and becomes the new Center for Nonprofit Studies, I see unique opportunities for expanded offerings in education, mentorship, partnering and collaboration between the Central Texas Nonprofit Sector and the strong network of world-renowned technology giants that are based in Austin and Central Texas.

As the concept of “charity” is constantly evolving in our increasingly digitized world, the face of a NPOs supporter is also changing. The cumulative voice and power for change brought by those supporters is being amplified via online channels that were not even dreamed of 15 years ago, when CNS began. ‘Social-entrepreneurism’ is at the forefront of our economy as the millennial generation expresses their support, opinions, and activism by incorporating an emphasis on ‘social good’ in their lives and work.

Millennials do not donate and volunteer in traditional ways; as a donor, they are not found in traditional ways; nor, do they hold all of the traditional motivations that supporters of nonprofit causes have held in the past. Contributing to the greater good is a common thread among these up and coming entrepreneurs and business owners and their decision to support or deny your NPO is reflected in the content they curate online. This change in focus and methodology, by potential donors, could spell disaster for worthy causes that do not understand the power of sharing on the Internet, the reach of like-minded members of online communities, and the technology used to foster and maintain connectivity.

The Council is poised to build strategic partnerships with Austin’s technology industry experts. These alliances can offer NPOs the chance to meet the changing needs of Millennial volunteers and donors. Connecting local causes with technology will be rewarding; harnessing that technology to build and nurture online communities of supporters will be priceless!  CLC will enhance and expand their educational offerings in the realm of new technology, thereby increasing NPO outreach and connections to online communities of new supporters.