Member Spotlight: Gina Pell

By Kimberly Miller - February 8, 2010

1. Tell us a little about what you do.

I live in San Francisco and I am the Founding Content Chief of Splendora Style & Culture Radar, a daily blog and weekly newsletter read by over 5 million women of style and substance. We search the web and the world for chic, interesting things worth knowing. For instance, this week I wrote about the possible fraudulent health claims of agave syrup, as well as wedding rings you can customize with your fingerprint inside the band.

2. Why did you join Vivanista?

I joined Vivanista because I’ve always been active in helping my community and I wanted to connect with other like-minded women who are doing the same.

3. What is your favorite element about Vivanista?

I’m a Creative Director at heart so I like the way Vivanista is designed. I like that it’s a private, elegant, informative environment that doesn’t at all feel corporate or utilitarian like other charity-focused websites.

4. What are your interests/hobbies?

I’ve been in the tech industry since 1993 and I feel like I’ve been sucked into cyberspace that has overtaken my life. I’m always on my laptop or PDA or Facebook-ing or Tweeting or responding to email or text messages. My baby girl often waddles up to me and closes my laptop, which is a sad wake up call. As a result my interest and hobbies are more focused on being offline and spending quality,
totally unconnected time with the people I love. That said, I’m very interested in finding more ways to use technology to support the
greater good.

5. What is your cause? What charities/nonprofits do you support?

For 7 years, I was on the board of Children of Shelters whose mission is to provide for the educational and emotional needs of the estimated 4,000 children living in or being served by transitional shelters in San Francisco. I am now on the Auxiliary Board but I continue to volunteer at their signature Santafest event. It’s the highlight of my year. Presently, I am supporting Women’s Reproductive Rights with my friend Julie Chaiken and I’m also looking to get further involved in Emerge America and Tipping Point.org. Typically I support charities that are focused on women, children, or poverty. I also support anything to do with Gay/LGBT Rights because I am vehement about equality.

6. Why do you support these causes?

I support the organizations above because they do good work and I respect and believe in the people behind them.

7. How have the causes changed your life?

Children of Shelters changed my life by putting me in physical contact with homeless children and their parents every year. I volunteer to paint faces for the shelter party and I’m always struck by the hardness and distrust in these kids eyes. It’s something I don’t see with kids from financially secure families. After an hour or so the homeless children warm up and then a dozen or so will be literally leaning on me and my volunteers, wanting more face paint or tattoos on their arms, hands, ankles, elbows–just so they can be around us and be fawned over. It’s amazing the power of touch and attention. It’s something so simple but something we often avoid because it’s easier to throw money at a problem. My experience at COS changed my life because it showed me that I can be more involved, touch more people’s lives, and set an example as a caregiver to my community to my growing children. My 4 year old son helped me this year as my tattoo assistant and he performed his job (for four hours!) with aplomb and great seriousness. When we returned home he brought me some books and said, “Here Mommy, we can give this to the kids at the party. I already have lots and lots of many books.”

8. What is one fundraising question you would like to ask Vivanista?

Do you know any creative ways to avoid donor burnout? It’s difficult to keep asking the same people for money and support year after year.

9. How do you plan to empow(H)er others this year?

I plan to empower others this year by getting more involved in the causes I already support financially. I haven’t yet made significant five or six figure donations because I choose to cast my support across a wide network. I might re-evaluate that
strategy this year.

10. What are three words that best describe you?

Passionate. Caring. Bulldozer.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Stout Photography.

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