Name:  Libby Roberts
Title & Organization: Senior Advisor and Founding Managing Director, Lindauer
WID Role: Longtime WID member and former board VP

What has kept you a member of WID for all these years?
I’ve loved my life in development — making the world a better place one relationship at a time. WID has been integral to my career, both as a professional home and a community of champions for mission-driven organizations. Some of my dearest professional friendships date back to 1986 (!). As we rose through the ranks, we navigated the ever-changing nonprofit landscape together — advising, encouraging, and sometimes consoling one another as we took our next steps.

When I joined WID, I had just moved back to Boston. I quickly got involved — joining a committee, attending programs, and eventually serving as VP on the board. Those experiences grounded me and built my confidence, especially in challenging the myth that one couldn’t move across sectors. As a result, I’ve worked in education (Andover and Milton Academies, Dartmouth, Northeastern, and Harvard Law School), healthcare (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute), and the arts (Boston Symphony Orchestra).

Together, these experiences shaped me into a kind of “global citizen” — a chameleon of sorts informed by my religion major, world travel, and Midwestern/New England roots.

What would you say to a woman who is on the fence about joining WID?

If you want to meet extraordinary women who are making this upside-down world better, you won’t regret it. Try it on for size.

As a beneficiary of the women who came before me, I’ve taken great joy in paying it forward. Even when time was tight, I was happy to take calls or meet with curious, ambitious WID members. I’m incredibly proud that many of those women are now senior leaders in our profession — no doubt supported by many other WID members along the way. Helping the next generation is a privilege.

The nonprofit sector is constantly evolving, with new strategies and approaches. While you’ll learn plenty on the job, WID accelerates that learning in ways few other communities can.

What is one way being a part of WID has changed how you show up in your life or work?

WID helped me translate years “in the trenches” into a nonprofit-adjacent role at Lindauer, where I continue to change the world one person at a time. Watching CDOs and CAOs ascend to the C-suite as CEOs, EDs, and presidents has been thrilling. WID members finally have a seat at the table. As Lindauer has grown, it’s been enormously fun to engage, recruit, and advocate for these critical leadership roles.