Jodi Wolin, an Icon of Change from Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Icons of Change

Icons of Change International Awards 2025  Jodi A. Wolin President & Founder, Inspired Philanthropy Strategic Development Consultant  Boston Public Art Triennial, Children’s Services of Roxbury, Victim Rights Law Center, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance Board Member & Co-Chair, Development Committee  Buffalo Seminary Advisory Board Member, Women’s Network  Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce  SDG Focus Sustainable Development Goal 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions Changemaker in Strategic Philanthropy and Institutional Capacity-Building (United States)  For over three decades, Jodi A. Wolin has been a catalytic force in advancing philanthropy as a vehicle for systemic change, equity, and institutional trust. Her career — spanning leadership roles across Boston’s most respected nonprofits and her own advisory firm — has been defined by one constant the belief that strong institutions are built not merely on funding, but on purpose-driven culture, transparency, and shared accountability.  As President and Founder of Inspired Philanthropy, Jodi has reimagined how nonprofit organizations conceptualize and operationalize their missions. Through her strategic advisory work, she partners with boards, CEOs, and development leaders to design robust fundraising systems that not only meet financial goals but embed long-term sustainability. Her firm’s engagements have included an $18 million capital campaign for Children’s Services of Roxbury, a $15 million campaign to launch Boston’s inaugural Public Art Triennial (2025), and the first comprehensive fundraising framework for CACHE (Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange) — a pioneering cultural ecosystem initiative in Northwest Arkansas.  Her earlier executive leadership roles at Casa Myrna, Children’s Trust, Boston Harbor Now, Roca Inc., and the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy reflect a professional journey grounded in advocacy, empowerment, and institution-building. In each, she demonstrated the transformative power of strategic philanthropy — increasing fundraising revenues by over 100% within two years while developing collaborative ecosystems between programs, communications, and operations.  Jodi’s success comes from her ability to cultivate a culture of philanthropy that embraces everyone — from senior management to grassroots teams — ensuring that generosity becomes both a shared value and an operational discipline. Her counsel has guided organizations through complex transitions, campaign launches, and institutional reorganizations, always anchored in data, empathy, and ethical leadership.  Beyond her consulting practice, Jodi is deeply embedded in advancing civic leadership and gender equity. Since 2014, she has served on the Women’s Advisory Board of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, mentoring emerging female leaders in business and social impact.

Transcript

00:00Distinguished guests, fellow changemakers, and friends from the Icons of Change International

00:09Awards, my name is Jody Wallen and I'm president and founder of Inspired Philanthropy, a consulting

00:17firm working with nonprofits on fundraising. It is an honor to be before you this evening,

00:23representing a movement that spans 50 countries and bringing together leaders, NGO heads, educators,

00:32innovators, and the next generation. This year's theme of the Icons of Change International Awards

00:40in coordination with the UN's International Year of Peace and Trusts resonates deeply with me.

00:48After almost three decades in fundraising across a variety of sectors, which of course started when

00:55I was 12, and launching my own consulting firm, I'm fortunate to be reminded daily of the power of

01:02generosity, trust, and collaboration in strengthening communities. My journey as a changemaker has been

01:11driven by the belief that strategic leadership and inclusive fundraising can advance today's

01:19most pressing issues. While my work has been focused more on systems change and social justice on a

01:27regional scale, I hope to encourage you to innovate, build partnerships, and create systems rooted in

01:34compassion and compassion, aligning our work with the spirit of peace, trust, and collective action as we

01:42take on pressing issues on a global scale. I'm speaking to you from the United States, and in particular,

01:49Boston, Massachusetts, the home of the American Revolution. Well, during this moment in time,

01:56the U.S. is testing the limits of peace both domestically and internationally. Boston's legacy reminds us of

02:06the importance of unity, especially in divisive times. I thought it would be interesting to highlight

02:14three examples of cross-sector collaborations and my current clients that I'm currently partnering with

02:21to raise funds. There's a bridge behind me. This is Massari Studios' latest projects, Accumulating Rhythms,

02:33a large-scale, light-based public artwork that will reimagine Boston's iconic Tobin Bridge. Massari Studios has

02:43built a national reputation for ambitious, technically complex public art. The Tobin Bridge

02:50connects Boston and the often underserved community of Chelsea, turning a transportation corridor into

02:59a civic symbol of climate awareness and community identity. What makes the project extraordinary is

03:08its use of real-time environmental data, air quality, temperature, and tidal patterns to animate the bridge

03:16with shifting light compositions. It's not just art. It's a civic symbol of climate awareness,

03:24interconnectedness, and community identity. Massari Studios has engaged over 250 conversations with residents

03:34and leaders, artists, environmental advocates to shape the project collaboratively. Their commitment to achieving

03:42net-zero operational and embodied carbon emissions sets a new standard for public art, modeling best practices

03:51in sustainability and partnership, and I'm proud to work with them. The next initiative I'd like to highlight

04:00is Children's Services of Roxbury, one of the largest Black-led nonprofits in Massachusetts.

04:08Their journey is a testament to what can be achieved when trust and partnership are at the core.

04:15They provide urgently needed wraparound services, behavioral health support, and job training,

04:23bridging the economic divide and creating hundreds of quality jobs in low-income neighborhoods. Their

04:31innovative partnership with Framingham State University offers no-cost master's degrees to employees,

04:39increasing access to care, and launching careers for people of color. During the pandemic, technology

04:47investments allowed them to rapidly shift to remote services, continuing to deliver care to the state's

04:54most vulnerable families. Their acquisition and planned renovation of their headquarters in Roxbury,

05:02Massachusetts is a powerful symbol of commitment to the community, anchoring their presence, and expanding

05:10their capacity to serve. And lastly, the Boston Public Art Triennial. Not only was this Boston's first

05:21public art triennial, but this was also the first client from my consulting firm. And the triennial launched

05:29this year in 2025 and it connected artists and neighborhood and partners in ways that redefined what

05:36public art can do for a city. Over six months, 24 public artworks made exclusively for their space appeared in

05:45eight neighborhoods, supported by 75 cultural partners and 115 free events. More than 75 percent of the artists

05:54artists identified as artists of color and many of those artists came from around the world. Their works range from

06:02immersive sound installations to sculptural interventions, reflecting our city's complexity and addressing

06:12questions of belonging and the environment and shared space. The Triennial sparked a city-wide and a national

06:21conversation about the role of art in life and amplifying Boston story far beyond our borders and brought hundreds of thousands of visitors.

06:33This is what happens when we trust each other and we invest in inclusive collaborative creativity.

06:42And so I hope these are a few examples of what's possible when we work together across cities,

06:48across states, and across countries. And in these challenging times, partnership is not just an option, it's a necessity.

06:58And I encourage each of you to reach out and connect and partner with others. And let us not see each other

07:07as competitors, but collaborators. There is power in unity and together we can rethink systems, innovate,

07:16and create lasting change. And create lasting change. And on behalf of those of us in the United States

07:25who believe in equality, equity, and humanity, I can assure you we are here working hard every day,

07:33both on our jobs and our daily life. As the great Eleanor Roosevelt once said,

07:39for it isn't enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it,

07:47one must work at it. Thank you to all of you for your groundbreaking work. Between all of us,

07:55we can make a difference and change the world. So let us move forward together with peace and trust

08:03trust as our foundation. And thank you to Justin Ho and the Icons of Change International Awards 2025.

08:14Good night.

08:16Good night.

08:26Good night.

08:28Good night.

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