Original Broadcast Date: September 15, 2026
Summary: Unquestionably, volunteering is a meaningful way to contribute to your community. If you are looking to start volunteering, you might be wondering how to choose the right opportunity and what to expect from a volunteer role. And if you’re currently volunteering, you might be experiencing a specific challenge, like how to set boundaries, or be curious about whether your volunteer work might be useful in your career.
In this Ask Me Anything session, we’re answering your questions about all things volunteering. Watch now to get practical tips and strategies to help you make the most of your volunteer experience.
Explore the rest of what CharityVillage Volunteer Week has in store.
AMA recording
Speakers
Sonia Byrne, CHRL, is an organizational consultant whose work focuses on building sustainable leadership practices and teambuilding experiences to support operational stability in times of change, chaos, and uncertainty. Sonia has been providing leadership consulting, team retreat experiences, keynote speaking, and conference workshops in the nonprofit sector since 2009. Connect with her today at Sonia Byrne – Mindful Leadership for Success.
Wanda Kusumajuda Pichette is the Founder of Grow Career Development GrowCD.ca and is a nationally Certified Career Development Practitioner CCDP® with more than 15 years of experience helping job seekers find sustainable employment. Based in Vancouver, BC, she delivers professional development training online to Career Practitioners across Canada on career development, employment counselling, AI and labour market trends.
Audrey Wong, Board Member and former Vice-President of Talent Management, Endeavour Consulting for Non-Profits, is a health system planning leader with over a decade of experience advising on provincial capital planning investment strategies. She partners with government and provider networks to align infrastructure, funding, and service plans with population health needs across Ontario. Beyond her professional role, Audrey is passionate about community building which led her to become a consultant for Endeavour in 2020. Inspired by the experience, she channeled her energy into leading the talent management portfolio to connect passionate volunteers with engaging challenges. As a member of the Board of Directors, Audrey now focuses on using her on-the-ground experience to strengthen Endeavour’s ability to help nonprofits achieve their mission.
Rita Innamorati has been a volunteer with Volunteer Nanaimo for over 20 years and Executive Director since 2020. Previously she worked in the banking industry and the Canada Revenue Agency, providing her with valuable skills for her nonprofit sector work. She very much enjoys working with seniors and youth through the Volunteer Nanaimo programs, such as the Christmas Angels initiative and the Community Tax program hosted at the Volunteer Nanaimo office.
Nic Gagliardi is a self-described governance nerd who has spent the last twenty years supporting governance, strategy and impact work in the nonprofit sector. Nic helps organizations move beyond outdated norms to design governance systems that are practical, sustainable, and aligned with purpose, with a graduate degree in Social Planning and 20 years of nonprofit experience to draw on. In addition to consulting, Nic is a frequent speaker, facilitator, and writer. Their work has been featured in publications including CharityVillage, The Philanthropist, and Future of Good. Nic is also the author of the popular Nonprofit Board Stories newsletter, which shares real, anonymous board experiences and helpful governance advice.
Anusha Narendran is a passionate family support professional with a deep commitment to community connection, inclusive programming, and volunteer leadership. Her academic path took her through Centennial College and Toronto Metropolitan University, and she’s had the joy of leading meaningful programs at Malvern Family Resource Centre. Along the way, she’s trained and mentored volunteers, helped build strong community partnerships, and earned certifications in Volunteer Management, Not-For-Profit Leadership, and Trauma-Informed Practice.
