A new generation of community leadership
Photographer: Shawn McPherson, 2011
As Manager, National Programs, Community Investment at CIBC, Uma Venkataramaiah manages the CIBC United Way campaign nationally, and previously managed United Way’s GenNext program.
Raised in Toronto, Uma Venkataramaiah’s relationship with United Way started at St. Stephen’s Community House, where she attended daycare while her mother commuted out of the city for work. She made lifelong friends, learned about diversity and equality, and got a good head start in life.
Thanks to St. Stephen’s, Uma received the support and care that she believes has helped her become the person she is today—a successful young professional who has worked at United Way Toronto as a Sponsored Employee and GenNext® manager. GenNext is an initiative that engages young professionals in volunteer and giving opportunities in our community.
Uma’s dedication to the cause has transcended into her newest role as Manager, National Programs, Community Investment at CIBC, where she’s managing the CIBC United Way campaign nationally. Uma’s proud that she can help further foster her organization’s commitment to United Way—CIBC’s 2010 campaign raised $7.9-million for United Ways and Centraides across Canada, which included a $3.2-million corporate donation. She’s working hard to ensure that CIBC’s fundraising campaign is successful again this year.
As a Leadership donor, Uma’s dedication to giving back to her community is deep rooted and something she feels passionate about.
“It’s a foundational gift—it’s giving back to your community,” she explains. “It goes back to that personal connection I have with St. Stephen’s House, since had it not been for them, my mom wouldn’t have been able to work the way that she did and commute out to Brampton for 15 years. Out of that relationship I had with St. Stephen’s came some of my closest friends I’ve had for the last 28 years.”
Uma also works with GenNext’s advisory cabinet of volunteers, which strives to connect Toronto’s young professionals with volunteer opportunities to make a positive impact in our community.
“GenNext to me is the opportunity for an entire generation across a city to stand up and say that they believe in their community. The reason why I got involved with GenNext is because it’s a program that brings in and supports people from our demographic to actually make change in our city.”
“If we are going to be deemed the next generation of senior leadership in our city, then we have to step up to the plate and have an active voice—and that comes with volunteering your time and giving your dollars,” she adds.
As an active member of her community, Uma stresses that she can’t do it alone—she knows that by working together, we can have a positive impact on the future of our city. In order for United Way Toronto to affect lasting change, we have to come together to help create opportunities for a better life for everyone.
“If you can shift someone else’s viewpoint of why giving is so important, it’s amazing what you can actually accomplish,” she says. “We need to come together in recognizing that taking care of our communities is a really good thing.”
