Empowering Communities Through Skills-Based Volunteering at Regions Bank
Making a Meaningful Difference Through Skills-Based Volunteering
Giving back has always been important to Monica Gross Lopez, a devoted lifelong volunteer from Kissimmee, Florida. Over the years, she’s supported various nonprofit organizations including Give Kids the World Village, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, and Hibiscus Children’s Center. While she’s always been passionate about volunteering, Monica, a Digital Experience Researcher in the Technology, Operations Digital and Data division at Regions Bank, hoped to make an even deeper impact by offering her professional expertise.
“I’ve long recognized that nonprofits often lack access to tech talent,” said Lopez while adding, “Smaller organizations usually don’t have dedicated IT staff, and hiring consultants is costly. But I wasn’t sure how to connect with the right groups.”
That changed when she was introduced to Apparo—a nonprofit that builds partnerships between corporations and community organizations to provide technical knowledge and resources, ultimately strengthening nonprofit impact.
Empowering Nonprofits Through Technology
Lopez joined a group of like-minded, tech-savvy colleagues at Regions who were brought together through Sumitha Natarajan, Data Products Group Manager. Natarajan has launched several forward-thinking volunteer initiatives within their division. This team took part in Apparo’s Website UX Evaluation initiative, which helps nonprofits improve their websites by ensuring the design is user-friendly, engaging, and aligns with organizational goals.
So far, the group has completed two projects and is beginning a third. One project especially close to Lopez’s heart involved Claire’s Army, a nonprofit based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that supports families affected by childhood cancer. For four weeks, the team met virtually during lunch hours to assess the nonprofit’s website and provide thoughtful feedback.
“A nonprofit’s website is a vital bridge to the community,” explained Lopez. “It’s often the first point of contact for clients, donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders. Our team was able to give Claire’s Army specific, actionable suggestions for enhancing the user experience.”
In addition to the satisfaction of helping a meaningful cause, Lopez also found the experience professionally enriching, adding new tools and perspectives she could use in her role at Regions.
“I’m thrilled to be part of this,” she said. “It’s exactly what I was seeking. I’ve been encouraging my colleagues to get involved too. It doesn’t require a huge time commitment and is perfect for remote workers looking to use their tech skills for good.”
Creating Broader Impact Through Skills in Service
This kind of impact is what Leroy Abrahams and the Regions Community Engagement team envisioned when developing the Regions Skills in Service program. The initiative gives associates the opportunity to volunteer using their professional expertise, supporting nonprofits in solving challenges and building capacity. It’s a key offering from the Regions Making Life Better Institute.
“We developed this idea to deepen our approach to community engagement,” said Abrahams. “Our goal was to create shared value—benefiting the community while also giving our associates meaningful development experiences.”
Abrahams noted that many nonprofits lack the staff, funding, or time to implement new strategies, technologies, or processes. Without these resources, organizations are often stuck with inefficient systems. But Regions associates can offer valuable knowledge in areas like operations, finance, and planning to help boost nonprofit effectiveness.
Personal Growth Through Service
Hinton Taylor, Strategic Planning Manager at Regions, was among the first to engage with the initiative. He’s worked with four Birmingham-based nonprofits: Vulcan Park & Museum, First Light, the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, and most recently, Jones Valley Teaching Farm. Alongside a team of strategy experts, Taylor guided each organization through strategic planning, helping them evaluate their current position and develop forward-thinking plans.
Amanda Storey, executive director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, praised the support: “Hinton and his team gave us the space to reflect on our progress and plan for the future. Their guidance was invaluable.”
Taylor found the work deeply fulfilling, both personally and professionally.
“Working with these organizations opened my eyes to the real issues our communities face—especially around food and housing insecurity,” he said. “It’s rewarding to use my professional skills to help nonprofits continue delivering essential services.”
Professional Development Through Purpose
Janel Taylor, Learning Solutions Senior Manager at Regions, shared a similar experience when she collaborated with Birmingham Promise, a group that offers scholarships, coaching, and internships for Birmingham City School graduates. Taylor helped facilitate a leadership development workshop for the nonprofit’s management team—a workshop later recognized for contributing to significant organizational outcomes.
Even more rewarding was involving Regions Learning and Development team members who don’t typically take on leadership roles.
“We brought in high-performing associates to help develop and deliver the content,” Taylor said. “It gave them a chance to build new skills while making a real impact.”
Skills That Serve the Community
Monica Lopez, Hinton Taylor, and Janel Taylor are just a few of the many Regions associates who are leveraging their expertise to strengthen community organizations. Leaders from across the bank—including Dwight Julbert (HR Operations), Katie Such (Affordable Housing), and Treasury leaders Allen Mayer and Douglas Croker—have also contributed their time and knowledge, particularly in support of community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Many participate in Regions’ annual CDFI Convening, which fosters collaboration between bank and nonprofit leaders.
Gina Sian, who leads the Regions Making Life Better Institute, is excited about the continued growth of the Skills in Service initiative.
“We’re seeing more interest from associates across our footprint who want to engage in meaningful service,” she said. “There’s a huge demand from nonprofits for specialized support, and we’re proud to connect talented professionals with these needs.”
Recently, members of Regions’ Corporate Marketing and Communications team assisted nonprofits in Georgia and Florida by developing grant proposals and marketing strategies. Another bank-wide project supported the United Way of Central Alabama, with associates offering recommendations for improving engagement and donations among younger professionals.
Finance leader Amanda Saint was even recognized on National Philanthropy Day for stepping in as interim finance director at Better Basics during a staffing shortage.
All of these examples underscore one point: skills-based volunteering is a powerful way to make a difference.
“Think about where you’re already engaged—whether it’s through your church, your kids’ activities, or an organization you support,” said Janel Taylor. “Then ask yourself: is there a way your job skills could help that group do more? Sometimes, the best support we can offer is what we already do best.”
Giving back has always been important to Monica Gross Lopez, a devoted lifelong volunteer from Kissimmee, Florida. Over the years, she’s supported various nonprofit organizations including Give Kids the World Village, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, and Hibiscus Children’s Center. While she’s always been passionate about volunteering, Monica, a Digital Experience Researcher in the Technology, Operations Digital and Data division at Regions Bank, hoped to make an even deeper impact by offering her professional expertise.
“I’ve long recognized that nonprofits often lack access to tech talent,” said Lopez while adding, “Smaller organizations usually don’t have dedicated IT staff, and hiring consultants is costly. But I wasn’t sure how to connect with the right groups.”
That changed when she was introduced to Apparo—a nonprofit that builds partnerships between corporations and community organizations to provide technical knowledge and resources, ultimately strengthening nonprofit impact.
Empowering Nonprofits Through Technology
Lopez joined a group of like-minded, tech-savvy colleagues at Regions who were brought together through Sumitha Natarajan, Data Products Group Manager. Natarajan has launched several forward-thinking volunteer initiatives within their division. This team took part in Apparo’s Website UX Evaluation initiative, which helps nonprofits improve their websites by ensuring the design is user-friendly, engaging, and aligns with organizational goals.
So far, the group has completed two projects and is beginning a third. One project especially close to Lopez’s heart involved Claire’s Army, a nonprofit based in Charlotte, North Carolina, that supports families affected by childhood cancer. For four weeks, the team met virtually during lunch hours to assess the nonprofit’s website and provide thoughtful feedback.
“A nonprofit’s website is a vital bridge to the community,” explained Lopez. “It’s often the first point of contact for clients, donors, volunteers, and other stakeholders. Our team was able to give Claire’s Army specific, actionable suggestions for enhancing the user experience.”
In addition to the satisfaction of helping a meaningful cause, Lopez also found the experience professionally enriching, adding new tools and perspectives she could use in her role at Regions.
“I’m thrilled to be part of this,” she said. “It’s exactly what I was seeking. I’ve been encouraging my colleagues to get involved too. It doesn’t require a huge time commitment and is perfect for remote workers looking to use their tech skills for good.”
Creating Broader Impact Through Skills in Service
This kind of impact is what Leroy Abrahams and the Regions Community Engagement team envisioned when developing the Regions Skills in Service program. The initiative gives associates the opportunity to volunteer using their professional expertise, supporting nonprofits in solving challenges and building capacity. It’s a key offering from the Regions Making Life Better Institute.
“We developed this idea to deepen our approach to community engagement,” said Abrahams. “Our goal was to create shared value—benefiting the community while also giving our associates meaningful development experiences.”
Abrahams noted that many nonprofits lack the staff, funding, or time to implement new strategies, technologies, or processes. Without these resources, organizations are often stuck with inefficient systems. But Regions associates can offer valuable knowledge in areas like operations, finance, and planning to help boost nonprofit effectiveness.
Personal Growth Through Service
Hinton Taylor, Strategic Planning Manager at Regions, was among the first to engage with the initiative. He’s worked with four Birmingham-based nonprofits: Vulcan Park & Museum, First Light, the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, and most recently, Jones Valley Teaching Farm. Alongside a team of strategy experts, Taylor guided each organization through strategic planning, helping them evaluate their current position and develop forward-thinking plans.
Amanda Storey, executive director of Jones Valley Teaching Farm, praised the support: “Hinton and his team gave us the space to reflect on our progress and plan for the future. Their guidance was invaluable.”
Taylor found the work deeply fulfilling, both personally and professionally.
“Working with these organizations opened my eyes to the real issues our communities face—especially around food and housing insecurity,” he said. “It’s rewarding to use my professional skills to help nonprofits continue delivering essential services.”
Professional Development Through Purpose
Janel Taylor, Learning Solutions Senior Manager at Regions, shared a similar experience when she collaborated with Birmingham Promise, a group that offers scholarships, coaching, and internships for Birmingham City School graduates. Taylor helped facilitate a leadership development workshop for the nonprofit’s management team—a workshop later recognized for contributing to significant organizational outcomes.
Even more rewarding was involving Regions Learning and Development team members who don’t typically take on leadership roles.
“We brought in high-performing associates to help develop and deliver the content,” Taylor said. “It gave them a chance to build new skills while making a real impact.”
Skills That Serve the Community
Monica Lopez, Hinton Taylor, and Janel Taylor are just a few of the many Regions associates who are leveraging their expertise to strengthen community organizations. Leaders from across the bank—including Dwight Julbert (HR Operations), Katie Such (Affordable Housing), and Treasury leaders Allen Mayer and Douglas Croker—have also contributed their time and knowledge, particularly in support of community development financial institutions (CDFIs). Many participate in Regions’ annual CDFI Convening, which fosters collaboration between bank and nonprofit leaders.
Gina Sian, who leads the Regions Making Life Better Institute, is excited about the continued growth of the Skills in Service initiative.
“We’re seeing more interest from associates across our footprint who want to engage in meaningful service,” she said. “There’s a huge demand from nonprofits for specialized support, and we’re proud to connect talented professionals with these needs.”
Recently, members of Regions’ Corporate Marketing and Communications team assisted nonprofits in Georgia and Florida by developing grant proposals and marketing strategies. Another bank-wide project supported the United Way of Central Alabama, with associates offering recommendations for improving engagement and donations among younger professionals.
Finance leader Amanda Saint was even recognized on National Philanthropy Day for stepping in as interim finance director at Better Basics during a staffing shortage.
All of these examples underscore one point: skills-based volunteering is a powerful way to make a difference.
“Think about where you’re already engaged—whether it’s through your church, your kids’ activities, or an organization you support,” said Janel Taylor. “Then ask yourself: is there a way your job skills could help that group do more? Sometimes, the best support we can offer is what we already do best.”
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