Gena Rotstein
Dexterity Ventures Inc
Calgary, AB, CANADA
Founder & CEO of Dexterity Ventures - Helping people achieve their social vision through strategic, tactical philanthropy.
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Biography
With over 15 years of non-profit work experience throughout Canada and the United States, Gena has evolved into an expert matchmaker between businesses, philanthropists, and the myriad of ways they contribute to the charitable sector. A graduate of Brandeis University in Boston with an MA in Non-Profit Management, Gena is an expert in her field. She takes a new approach to an old sector – Philanthropy 3.0 and Social Enterprise, and has spoken at various events to both targeted audiences and in front of large crowds. Some of her recent engagements include presenting at TEDx, the Banff Compass Conference 2011 and AFP 2011. She was named Top 40 Under 40 in 2009 and featured on BNN in June 2011. Place2Give was chosen as one of only two Canada-based companies to present at FinovateFall in NYC in September.
Dexterity Consulting aims to change the way that North America's Non-Profit sector operates by maximizing donor impact through strategic giving. Over the course of a few years working with donors and charities, Gena began to envision an algorithm that would automatically match donors to charities based on a donor and charity profile, from which Place2Give was born. Place2Give is a donor-centered charity search engine providing donors with the tools they need to: search, evaluate and give to the charities that align with their passions. It uses charity big data gathered from nine independent sources to make it the most comprehensive and trusted database of both publicly and privately sourced charity data in North America. Operating in Canada since 2010, Place2Give has now integrated US charity data, making it North America’s largest charity search engine.
Industry Expertise (3)
Financial Services
Non-Profit/Charitable
Philanthropy
Areas of Expertise (3)
Strategic Philanthropy
Leveraging Technology for Social Good
Investing Your Social Capital
Education (2)
Brandeis University: Masters, Non-Profit Management 1999
MA in Jewish Communal Service and Non-Profit Management. Area of focus was in systems development.
York University: BA, History 1996
Affiliations (8)
- Cidel Foundation - Trustee
- Sponsor Energy Inc. - Board Member
- EpicYYC
- Women Investing in Knowledge (WINK)
- Funding Allocations Committee - Board Member and Chair
- Innovation Exchange YYC - Committee Member
- Social Venture Partners Calgary
- Rotary Club of Calgary South
Links (4)
Languages (1)
- English
Media Appearances (9)
Estate Planning and Philanthropy
Women Investing in Knowledge online
2014-06-25
This video features Melanie McDonald and Gena Rotstein discussing estate planning and philanthropy. Specifically what should be considered when setting up your charitable strategies and inheritance plans.
The Right Choice
Advantage Magazine print
2013-03-01
Identifying charitable organizations that share your vision can sometimes be a challenge, and knowing your donations are truly moving the cause forward is even more difficult. Not all organizations have the resources to track down and woo contributors, so how do the two sides find each other? Dexterity Consulting has taken on the role of matchmaker, bringing donors and charities together in philanthropic bliss. Gena Rotstein, CEO, tells how it works—and how it’s working.
Partners in Philanthropy: Giving is under pressure, but local companies place a priority on responding to needs
Business First online
2012-08-24
Philanthropy comes in many flavors — time, talent and treasure, as they say, or some combination of the three. But corporate philanthropy has been under pressure since the economic downturn swamped the portfolios that often fund the giving.
Adaptive Philanthropy
TEDxCalgary online
2010-04-30
With it's legal and social roots in the early 17th Century, modern philanthropy is set to undergo a sea change in the next few decades. Social entrepreneur Gena Rotstein, founder of one of Canada's first 'philanthropic brokerages', explores the opportunities and challenges of "Philanthropy 3.0".
Gena Rotstein - Top 40 Under 40
Avenue print
2010-01-11
Avenue magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 is our annual selection of Calgary’s brightest and most active leaders under the age of 40,” says Käthe Lemon, editor of Avenue. “Top 40s are movers and shakers, industry innovators and community builders in every realm, from business and politics to education, arts, fashion, design, sport and culture. They are committed to high personal career achievements, are dedicated to building community in the city or in their industry, and are helping to raise the profile of Calgary.
Doing Business with the Charitable Sector
The Mompreneur print
2009-01-02
Canada’s charitable sector is a $10 billion per year industry, so it only makes sense that businesses start looking at engaging in business relationships with charitable organizations. The conversation of business and generating social capital has been in the news quite a bit lately with the collapse of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Social enterprise or entrepreneurship is about putting the social need BEFORE the profit generation. In a recent conversation with Bill Cook, President of Ethan Allen, he pointed out, “it is hard to look at charities as businesses. The idea that philanthropy can have a financial return goes against the meaning of the word.”
Next up: Meet Calgary’s Matchmaker For Causes and Cash
Alberta Venture print
2011-05-03
"She hiked part of the Appalachian Trail with a broken hand, went to the Middle East to find herself, travelled through Ethiopia and Tanzania to de-stress after quitting a job, and came up with the idea for bringing her current business venture online while on a trip to Italy."
Target Canada Donations: Target Pledging $1 Million To 6 Canadian Charities
Huffington Post/The Canadian Press publications online
2012-11-20
Target Canada is pledging to donate $1 million to local charities through its Facebook page this holiday season as it moves to establish itself as a good neighbour ahead of next year's arrival on Canadian soil. Gena is quoted as an expert.
WHEN TO TALK PHILANTHROPY
Advisor Magazine online
2012-12-19
When should advisors ask clients about charity? Gena quoted as an expert.
Event Appearances (10)
Making Strategy a Critical Component for Boards
Federated Press: Strategic Planning for Boards Calgary Marriott Hotel
2014-06-10
Strategic Philanthropy: Advising for Private Wealth Managers
CIBC Expert Intelligence - Expanding your Knowledge Calgary, Alberta
2014-02-13
"What Most Needs Doing" - Helping your Clients Articulate their Social Vision and Derive Impact from their Social Capital
Legacy Wealth Coach Summit Rosemont IL
2012-10-25
Adaptive Philanthropy
TEDxCalgary Calgary
2010-04-30
We are Place2Give
FinovateFall NYC
2013-09-11
Philanthropy in a digital age: How cloud computing & big data influence the social profit sector
Banff Compass Banff
2013-05-27
How big data and analytics will help the world of charities
Analytics, Big Data & the Cloud II Calgary
2013-05-15
Gen2: Who are they, what do they care most deeply about and how they are reshaping the world of philanthropy
Purposeful Planning Collaboration 2013 Rendezvous Broomfield, CO
2013-08-01
Growing a Tech Social Enterprise: The Evolution of Place2Give
Network of Empowered Women Edmonton
2014-01-24
Show me the Money - Industrialization of Philanthropy
University of Calgary Lecture Calgary
2013-04-02
Sample Talks (1)
Strategic Philanthropy
What does it take to build a strategic philanthropic plan? Learn the business of philanthropy. Find out about tips and techniques for benchmarking effective charities, building corporate citizenship programs and more.
Style
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- Keynote
- Panelist
- Workshop Leader
- Corporate Training
Social