Catalight COO speaks at Seattle Nonprofit Forum Hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Serving as an ambassador for Workday on how a nonprofit can successfully invest in technology needed to grow their organization, Catalight Chief Operating Officer Natalie Margolis was invited to speak about change management strategy during the Seattle Nonprofit Forum at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The June 13 business development event was sponsored by Workday, the human resources management software system that Catalight began using last year, and multinational information technology services company Cognizant.

Echoing sentiments she relayed as a guest on a Workday For Nonprofit webinar called “Change For Changemakers: Leading Nonprofit Digital Transformation” in April, Natalie spoke about utilizing Workday’s  human resource information system finance functions, the experience, and how Workday added value to Catalight as nonprofit that was looking to leverage technology to enhance operational efficiency.

“It’s hard for nonprofits to manage change. And a lot of nonprofits naturally have a scarcity mindset when it comes to big investments – even when those big investments are critical to scale and increase their impact,” Natalie said. “That mindset can only get you so far. At Catalight, we responsibly disrupt. Nonprofits need to invest in innovation change to be able to be sustainable and grow.”

Throughout the forum, Natalie spoke about Catalight’s journey onboarding Workday as a nonprofit – the challenges, benefits, buy-in needed and lessons learned. Finding the right partner, she said, is pivotal to the success of any nonprofit.

“I look at Workday as more than just a system and technology. We see them as a strategic partner that helps us in our goal to serve more clients and families,” said Natalie. “They’re a company that both aligns with our values and contributes to our success.”

Given Workday’s massive size and scope, the event was an opportunity to discuss mutually beneficial future endeavors. As a company representative, Natalie was also able to connect with numerous other nonprofit organizations – including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Cognizant – while simultaneously positioning Catalight as a leading changemaker in the nonprofit world that boldly takes on challenges for the sake of progress that ultimately impacts the lives of more people and families in need of intellectual and developmental disability services.