Meet the Community Foundation’s newest team members

Juanita Passno, administrative assistant at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, and Whitney Smith, executive assistant and program specialist, joined the Quad Cities Community Foundation staff in January. They sat down to discuss their journey to the Community Foundation, their experience so far, and their vision for the future.

Welcome to the Community Foundation! What led you to this point and the position at the Community Foundation? 

Juanita Passno

Juanita: I was born in the Quad Cities and lived in Texas for several years before returning here when I was 16. This has been the perfect home for my family. My career began in healthcare as a CNA before transitioning to administrative work such as UnityPoint Health, Clerical Specialist and Deputy Clerk for Rock Island County, and bookkeeping for the City of Rock Island. Most recently, I worked at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center. In my time there, I frequently interacted with the Community Foundation, so when a position opened here, I knew it was a team I’d love to join.  

Whitney: My life started in Nebraska, but we relocated to the Quad Cities when I was in seventh grade. This is home! I studied at St. Ambrose and worked at Ashford University, where I started to find my real passions: team training and organization. That led me to a master’s degree in human resource management. My path eventually led to the Chamber of Commerce and the Q2030 Regional Action Plan. That project has transformed over the years, and the Community Foundation felt like the natural way to continue that work of creating a cool, creative, connected, and prosperous community.

What do your positions at the Community Foundation entail?

Whitney Smith

Juanita: I’m the administrative assistant for the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, which launched last year. My day-to-day involves administrative work, event planning, data entry, and anything else that helps to build the success of the Center. It’s exciting to be involved in a project like this from the outset—there are so many exciting things to come. 

Whitney: I’m also stepping into a newly created role, which is fun and exciting. As an executive assistant and program specialist, I get to do a little bit of everything. I’m working with the executive team to streamline different processes and organize agendas. I’m also supporting our president and CEO. Overall, I’m finding ways to add capacity for the team here and help this amazing organization run even smoother.

What gets you excited as you look to the future?

Juanita: I see this as a place I can grow personally and in a way that serves my community. So, I’m excited about the long-term plans at the Center and for the Community Foundation. Just getting to play a part in that journey excites me.

Whitney: The Community Foundation promotes collaboration, and I’ve already seen how partnerships with individuals and organizations can make really big change possible. I’m excited to see more partnerships and more change in our community.

What has stood out to you so far in your first few months with the Community Foundation?

Juanita: The level of support from the team here and from the community members and donors we work with. From day one, I felt totally welcome and like the organization was ready to set me up for success.

Whitney: The Community Foundation has a very authentic and natural culture of servant leadership. That starts with the executive team, and it exists in every single member of the staff. To see the group working toward a shared goal is inspiring and something I’m excited to be a part of.