August 5, 2016
Written by: John Schiraj, Director of Community Partnerships
When I tell people I have been working for the same employer for 27 years I usually get asked ‘why have you stayed in one place so long’? My career with United Way started back in 1989 when I joined United Way of Greater Milwaukee as a program manager.
Ten years later, I left United Way of Greater Milwaukee and went to work for United Way in Waukesha County where I led the Community Impact Division. In 2015 these two organizations merged to become United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County. While there are so many great moments that make me proud to be a part of this new United Way one thing particularly stands out.
When I began my career with United Way we were not reporting program results. In 1991, we shifted to outcomes reporting. I think this accountability is so important in order to ensure that the services provided by our partner agencies positively impact people’s lives. This accountability also gives our donors confidence that their gifts are being used to make the most impact possible in our community. It still gives me great pleasure to have been a part of this reporting process and to see how programs developed overtime once they knew specifically what they were working to achieve.
Working with agencies, their programs, and other United Ways on outcome development over the last couple decades has been a wonderful roadmap that has led to longevity and enjoyment in my career with United Way. I’m so thankful for the experiences and look forward to see how things continue to develop and improve in the coming years.