Jan Combopiano

About Jan Combopiano

Helping organizations and people be successful and creating human-centered workplaces is my professional mission. I’ve developed or enhanced all the systems needed for nonprofits and their employees to thrive. Change happens through people, not to them, and creating a culture of belonginness requires intention and diligence - it doesn’t happen on its own. In my current role, I created every system for a sustainable nonprofit, from accounting and budgeting, to all aspects of human resources (recruiting, onboarding, the employee handbook, performance management, employee engagement surveys, development plans, compensation, and benefits, etc.), to strategic planning and project management, to legal (including contracts, MOUs, intellectual property, licensing, employment law, and compliance), to cybersecurity/IT, to intentionally developing a culture that fosters accountability, growth, collaboration, and trust. I’m adept at formulating innovative ideas, approaches, processes, and programs – and transforming them into reality through effective leadership and project management. If there’s a roadblock impeding progress – whether it’s a budget, relationship, or logistical issue – I’m skilled at identifying root causes, finding common ground, and delivering creative solutions. Working on teams – such as C-level executives creating a new strategy or a cross-organizational team getting policy enacted – is an area in which I thrive. For example, at Catalyst, I co-led an office workspace design team that was diverse, egalitarian, creative, and fun. We exceeded our objectives and our design became a best practice. Creating the strategy, budget, and infrastructure plans for New York for Full Restoration of Voting Rights with a core team of committed people has been inspriring and wil be the foundation for good things to come. I continue to strive to make all my teams high-performing, able to work through conflicting ideas, and a joy to participate in. Having a growth mindset means a commitment to continuous learning. For myself this means asking questions, listening to understand, and lots and lots of reading (yay for public libraries or I would never be able to support this habit!). To help others, I’ve developed weekly Learning Sessions, teach-ins, guides, workshops, and panels, and am a coach. Helping others learn has helped me #NeverStopLearning. Core skills - leadership, project management, strategy

Experience

1. Chief Operating Officer

   Worth Rises

   Jan 2022 — Present · New York, NY, US

   Lead all internal activities, including accounting, communications, development, governance, human resources, investing, IT, learning, project management, and security. Accomplishments highlights - developed Lobbying Training, FAQ, and procedures for a compliant 501c3 organization - instituted the first investment account, to provide more secure long-term finances for the organization - created the customized 401k program so there is no investment in the prison industry at all and ensured it could be administered for staff through our payroll system - purchased laptops for all staff and chose an IT management vendor to provide cybersecurity and help desk duties, and implemented the program for new and tenured staff - developed a robust recruiting program, including using search firms, to attract qualified staff

Education

• Binghamton University

  BA, U.S. History

• Binghamton University

  MA, U.S. Women's History

• University at Albany

  MLS, Archives, Reference