Biography

Biography of Teresa Araco Rodgers, Principal

Teresa founded harp-weaver to offer donors a better way to add meaning and align their gifting with personal, family and financial goals.  Her mission is to inspire others by helping them articulate their values and passions to be purposeful givers.  Informed philanthropy can bring great satisfaction to a person’s life and has the power to transform communities, organizations and people.

Teresa began her career at SEI, a global provider of asset management, investment processing and investment operations solutions.  In her fifteen years with SEI, she helped establish the company’s businesses in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe.  Playing various lead roles in solution management, client service and business development, Teresa has global business experience, a broad perspective, and a desire to innovate.

Through her travels and living abroad, Teresa discovered the joy in combining personal travel with philanthropy. It provided an avenue to deepen her exposure to different cultures and further appreciate the inequities in global societies. She served on various nonprofit boards and made connections with others engaged in philanthropy.  It was through these experiences that Teresa uncovered her professional interest in philanthropy.

Teresa developed and managed SEI’s Philanthropy Solutions business.  She was immersed in philanthropy and was responsible for creating donor vehicles, researching and preparing education materials, defining the company’s community philanthropy program  and helping families with personal gifting and the administration of their private foundations. Following the birth of her third child, Teresa resumed her passion for helping others with their philanthropy through harp-weaver.

Teresa holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a Certificate in Nonprofit Administration, and is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®.  She is an avid supporter of women’s philanthropy and hosts a dinner series for women called Night Out With Meaning.   She is also a partner in a women’s collaborative fund called The globalislocal Fund. Teresa is interested in the impact investing space and promoting this approach amongst foundations.  She writes a regular column on philanthropy for the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal

Teresa Araco Rodgers Curriculum Vitae

Article from Life On The Hill, March 2011