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Meet Lou Haiduk: Leading the way as Director of Public Allies Arizona
Early August ushered a new dawn for Public Allies Arizona(PAAZ) when Lou Haiduk, the co-director of the program in Tucson, became the sole Director of PAAZ.
Public Allies Arizona is a program with ASU’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation that is making a significant impact on the landscape and dynamics of leadership in the communities of Phoenix and Tucson.
The program amplifies the potential of individuals to assume leadership roles, emphasizing that meaningful and enduring transformations occur when people from diverse backgrounds rise to the occasion, embrace accountability, and collaborate.
In this Q&A Lou shares her vision, goals and challenges for PAAZ marking the beginning of a new era of storytelling, management and education in the nonprofit sector.
Can you give us a brief overview of yourself and your professional life?
I am the new Director of Public Allies Arizona, a program of the ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation. I bring two years of AmeriCorps service, three and half years of AmeriCorps management, and seven years of teaching experience to the role. During the pandemic, I fostered a love for gardening, and I recently enrolled in the Pima County Master Gardener Program.
What is a quote that motivates you/a mantra you use in your work?
The best reminder for me is a quote from Glenn. E. Martin, “People closest to the problem are closest to the solution, but furthest from power and resources.” Taking this new role as sole Director means that I now have more power, so this quote will be more important than ever in my daily work. I see my job as keeping the gears of the program running smoothly, so I can better lift up the ideas of others.
What do you want the world to know about Public Allies Arizona?
I want the world to know that making culture shifts and changing the face of our future leadership is messy! People often expect perfect stories of individuals whose lives are completely turned around by our program. While Public Allies often do change the trajectory of the lives of our Allies in new and positive directions, it is never without mess, complications, and growing pains.
What is your vision or hope for Public Allies Arizona this year?
My hope is the same as every year - that we can build a trustful, inclusive community where everyone feels welcomed, supported, and safe to be themselves and make mistakes.
What do you think will be your biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge for me will be the challenge that Public Allies has faced since its establishment in 1992. How do we combine idealism with practicality? How do we keep things functioning while also pushing for the changes we want to see?
Who is someone who has influenced your day-to-day work in the nonprofit sector?
I want to share it with two people. The first is Ibram x Kendi, a historian who writes and teaches about how to be an antiracist. He taught me that I don’t need to worry about “not being racist.” Each action or thought I have can be either racist or antiracist. It’s my job as a human in a world with racism to notice my own racist thoughts and actions and to learn from my mistakes.
Article by: Riva Surana
Find out more about the Public Allies Arizona Programs
Public Allies Arizona is changing the face and practice of leadership throughout Greater Phoenix and Tucson communities by demonstrating our conviction that everyone can lead, and that lasting change results when citizens of all backgrounds step up, take responsibility and work together.