Meet our Board Member, Linda Bun! Linda has 11 years of experience working as a business consultant, senior program manager, change management lead, digital marketer, and most recently a corporate employee in service to the nonprofit ecosystem. Most of her work has involved designing and leading signature programs with organizations of all shapes and sizes to drive digital transformation and power measurable social impact. Linda is passionate in helping companies solve problems at the intersection of people, process, and technology.
Linda is a generalist with a bias for action, ready to take on any new challenge or opportunity. Linda is originally from the Chicago suburbs and currently resides in San Francisco. She earned her Bachelor of Science at DePaul University in Business Management with a focus on Leadership and Change Management, and minored in Finance. Continue reading below to learn more about Linda, her professional background and engagement with RISE by Sundara.
Where did you first learn about RISE by Sundara?
I was introduced to Erin Zaikis, Sundara's founder, by a mutual friend back in May 2021 when Covid was spreading rapidly throughout Asia, and had heard that RISE by Sundara had started an India Covid relief fundraiser. At that time I had also started a GoFundMe for Cambodia, where my family is from, to feed 450 families who were in great need of food and resources during a strict lockdown period. Erin and I were able to meet virtually and share our fundraising efforts and that’s when I learned about her story starting RISE by Sundara! I was so inspired by her and RISE’s mission and knew I wanted to get involved, whatever that looked like.
Why is RISE by Sundara important to you?
I heard this quote once that really stuck with me: “When women are empowered, all of society benefits”. To be a part of RISE means I can have both a direct and indirect impact to the women that RISE serves, who are truly changemakers in their communities. It’s great to be part of some of the day-to-day work, like reviewing applications and listening to them pitch their innovative ideas and vision for their communities.
When I first entered the nonprofit sector in early 2021 I knew it was a long term goal of mine to be on the Board of Directors for a nonprofit to contribute in the ways I knew how - sharing my knowledge, network, and passion of leveraging technology to help power nonprofits’ missions. I feel incredibly grateful to have joined such an amazing team and support in any way that I can!
What do you like to do outside of RISE by Sundara?
Spending quality time with my very large, extended family in Chicago and across the states! During the pandemic I picked up a few fun hobbies - embroidery, Peloton, indoor gardening, and lots of cooking. Of course, traveling internationally when possible - I love being immersed in new cultures, languages, and cuisines. It brings me so much joy and perspective, and keeps me grounded.
Professionally, I joined Box in early 2019 and am part of the Communities and Impact team and Box.org. My main focus is working with our nonprofit community and helping them understand how to leverage technology to streamline their organizational effectiveness so they can focus on what’s most important - their mission!
What is your purpose in life?
To serve. Acts of service is my love language (both giving and receiving) and it’s incredibly important to me to show up, to support, and to contribute to my family, friends, and the community. Coming from immigrant parents who fled their country and had to start from scratch here in America, the traits of compassion, generosity, and gratitude run deep within my family. I believe it’s important to circulate the good deeds that came before me and look for ways to drive meaningful action and impact.
What is something that most people don’t know about you but should if they really want to understand you?
I’m like an onion, there’s several layers and you may need to peel a few to really get to know me! I’ve heard from others that I can definitely come off as quiet and reserved at first, but the closest to me know I love to make them laugh and can be pretty extroverted and outgoing.
What has been one of the biggest highlights of your life?
In 2018, I quit my first major job of 7 years right after getting promoted and took a year off to travel and volunteer abroad! I joined a cool social impact retreat called Venture with Impact, where I participated in two skills-based volunteering projects in Medellin, Colombia and Lisbon, Portugal for one month each. I then continued my travels across Europe and made a stop in Africa and Asia during that time - allowing me to hit 6 continents that year! That experience was a complete leap into the unknown - but yet so exhilarating and rewarding. It was a time for me to explore, learn, and truly reflect on my values and priorities and where I wanted to go next in my career.
What makes you feel confident?
I've always felt my superpower was my intuition. I lead with empathy and have the ability to read people quite well, which deepens my ability to interact, influence, and communicate. I find confidence through knowledge sharing and knowing that I am often that person that people go to for guidance or advice. It makes me feel like I have something to offer through my authentic experiences, which feels good!
