Eve Bilotas
Current place of employment, title: Valley of the Sun United Way, VP, Constituent Development
Community Involvement: Desert Botanical Garden, Member of Monarch Society Leadership Team, Big Brothers Big Sisters – Big Sister
How has Scottsdale Leadership enhanced your community involvement? The experience made me much more aware of the key issues facing our community and it inspired me to take action, whether at work or through my personal and professional networks.
What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned and how did you learn it? Leadership is about credibility and relationships. For example, when a project is successful, it is important for the leader to recognize the team’s “win” and not take sole credit but when there is opportunity for improvement the leader should own that publicly and privately coach members towards success.
What do you consider the keys to effective leadership? Be kind, inclusive, honest, forward thinking, have a vision and act with integrity.
If you were interviewing different community leaders, what one question would you ask to gain insight into how they lead? What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned and how did you learn it?
If you could solve any community issue or need, what would it be? There are so many important issues facing our community but if I had to pick one it would be education. I wish every student in our community, state, and country had access to diverse educational resources such as art and music as well as the opportunity to be taught by passionate and well-trained teachers.
What is your as-good-as-it-gets moment in volunteering? I’ve had many, but the most memorable have been those that allowed me to establish long-term relationships with the youth that I’ve mentored through Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Free Arts 20 Week Mentor Program.
What is your favorite gadget? I don’t use a lot if gadgets but I am addicted to my BlackBerry.
What do you do to recharge your batteries? Hiking, practicing yoga and spending time with friends.
Safe Communities Day! Pictured from left to right Sanam Nassirpour, Eve Bilotas, Laurel Lawton, Kim Cofer & James Labar
What was your most memorable Scottsdale Leadership Class day and why? Safe Communities Day: Taser demonstrations, wearing turnouts, crawling through a smoke filled building, putting out fires, going 50+ feet up in the ladder -need I say more? Not only was it a fun and exciting day but it also gave me a deeper appreciation of the risks that our fire and police personnel make every day to protect our community.
What advice can you give Class XXV? Go into each Class day with an open mind and really get to know your classmates.
The Scottsdale Leader 