“Here at ESC, you are at this unique intersection of public service and volunteerism, where you are helping nonprofits do their jobs better for greater impact.”
Upon retiring after 40 years of working in both city government and nonprofit agencies, Agapito Diaz still felt energized by his personal mission to give back and help others. His career had fostered a deep commitment to volunteerism and community development, so when Agapito joined ESC as a consultant in 2010, he knew he was in the right place. “Unlike any other sector, nonprofits have the ability to move quickly and resolve big societal issues. And here at ESC, you are at this unique intersection of public service and volunteerism, where you are helping nonprofits do their jobs better for greater impact.” Agapito was thrilled by the opportunity, and his enthusiasm has only continued to grow. To date, he has consulted with more than 15 ESC clients on numerous projects including board development, fundraising and leadership management.
Agapito is proud to be part of this greater movement for public service. As he sees it, “these nonprofit directors are the future leaders of California,” so he takes it upon himself to learn about and invest himself deeply in the missions of his ESC clients, which have ranged from Outfest, which focuses on LGBTQ representation in the media, to St. Francis Center, which addresses homelessness in Los Angeles. Through this personal experience, Agapito is able to better understand the nonprofit leaders he works with, and the motivations behind their work, and therefore better understand his role in supporting these leaders in their day-to-day responsibilities. When working with clients, Agapito’s signature coaching technique, true to ESC’s coaching model, is to carefully ask questions and guide his clients to discover solutions that best fit with the unique needs and goals of those they serve. He is passionate about this type of coaching because he believes nonprofit leaders are the ultimate catalysts for transformation in their communities.
As Agapito reflects on his service with ESC, he credits the organization for its commitment to nonprofit growth and success. He believes in ESC’s service model because it focuses on the client’s voice and their capacity to affect real, measurable change. For Agapito, this approach has empowered ESC to grow as an organization and deepen its impact exponentially over the past several years. Today, Agapito serves on the Consultants Advisory Council, is a longtime financial contributor to ESC, and is committed to provide support however he can. “I know we can do more for the community. That’s why I am motivated to work with and give to ESC.” In 2018, Agapito was awarded the Jack Horton Outstanding Service Award at our annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon. He looks forward to continuing his volunteer service with ESC and sees a bright future ahead for local nonprofits and the people they serve.