Skylin Baestlein developed her passion for community while working at a deli. As a young adult, she built a strong work ethic and appreciation for community relationships after seeing it firsthand at a family-owned local food cooperative in the Hudson Valley. This experience inspired her to take a professional path in the nonprofit sector; today, she works as a development associate with the Albany-based Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless.
The Binghamton University graduate first joined IPH as a community coordinator months before the COVID-19 pandemic, faced with no choice but to work through the challenges of navigating a hybrid work environment and creating ways to engage supporters and community members from behind a computer screen. Today, she is focused on improving the donor experience and supporting the fundraising team at IPH, a leading provider of services for low-income and homeless individuals in the Capital Region. Baestlein is being recognized by her peers as a Woman of Excellence in the Emerging Professional category.
Q: You are being recognized by your peers and colleagues for excellence as an emerging professional. When you think about your journey up to this point, are there any pivotal moments you’ve experienced in your career that stand out?
A: One moment that comes to mind is returning to work as a new mother in September 2022, and just a few months later being selected as the 2023 Chamberlain Scholar by AFP Foundations for Philanthropy. Receiving this recognition by the Hudson Mohawk chapter (of the AFP) made me realize I can be two things — a mother and a leader in the fundraising profession.
Q: What initially drew you to work in nonprofits, and what keeps you in it still today?
A: I like to introduce myself as an advocate for my community. That piece of nonprofit work is the most compelling to me — lending access to avenues to amplify the voices of all of our community members. The draw of the mission-based work allows me to continue to work toward the betterment of our community, and to help bring the community together to progress important missions like that of IPH.
Q: Describe some of the positive outcomes IPH has facilitated through its programs to serve the local community.
A: IPH provides a continuum of resources for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness in our community, but what is most important to me is the way that they are doing that work — through a person-centered approach wherein all guests are valued and respected for who they are uniquely and individually.
Women of Excellence luncheon
- When: 11:15 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 18
- Where: Marriott Albany, 189 Wolf Road, Colonie
- More info: capitalregionchamber.com
Through case management, IPH staff supports individuals on their path to self-sufficiency and assists with finding and securing safe, permanent, sustainable housing, getting documentation accessing employment opportunities as well as finding treatment for mental and behavioral health.
Q: How have you been able to grow and develop in your role as a development associate with IPH?
A: I credit my eagerness to seek feedback and mentorship to my growth as an individual and a leader within IPH. I have carved out more leadership opportunities for myself by getting involved in different projects and partnerships, as well as being able to be mentored by individuals who have both challenged and nurtured my growth. We look to one another for a diverse perspective and are dedicated to the mission as well as each other’s success and happiness in our roles.
Q: What’s one thing you remind yourself of every day?
A: I’m not the type of person that has a recurring mantra, but I do believe in the power of manifestation and I will speak success into existence. Whether it’s something like, “We will succeed as a team,” or seeing every challenge in our line of work as an opportunity to learn.
In my personal life, my fiancé, Chris, and I are constantly working on building a future we are both proud of and grateful for. Every day he reminds me to answer the question, “Aren’t we blessed?”