A retired University of Virginia finance official is leading Charlottesville area nonprofits on their treasurer hunts.
Melody Bianchetto, who retired as the University’s vice president for finance in February 2023, has joined with UVA Finance and UVA Academic Outreach to groom UVA employees to fill often-empty, but important, volunteer roles on boards of directors.
The program, which included a December training session called “So you want to be a treasurer,” came out of necessity.
Bianchetto serves as the treasurer for the Sexual Assault Resource Agency in Charlottesville. She joined the nonprofit after retiring as UVA vice president for finance in 2023. (Photo by Lathan Goumas, University Communications)
“One of the things I started doing as soon as I retired was spend more time with some community nonprofits,” Bianchetto said. “The first board I went on was SARA – the Sexual Assault Resource Agency – and I was immediately appointed treasurer. I went on another board – Madison House – and I was appointed treasurer. Then I went on to The Haven, and I was on the finance committee.”
Bianchetto said it quickly became obvious to her that nonprofits struggle to find people willing to be treasurers.
“I knew from working at UVA that there are a ton of people who have budget and finance expertise,” she said. “While they may be intimidated by the idea of being a treasurer for a nonprofit, they probably have the skills that they need.”
Bianchetto decided to build a pipeline. She began working with the area’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence to develop a training regimen, started a monthly discussion group for nonprofit treasurers and contacted Louis Nelson, 鶹ƽ vice provost for academic outreach.
James J. Sullivan uses his finance skills as UVA Finance’s director of financial compliance and as treasurer for local nonprofit Loaves and Fishes, a large food pantry serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County. (Contributed photo)
“Boards are important, and the treasurer in particular is a really important position,” said Brian T. Ullman, the senior manager of learning and impact for the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, who earned a doctorate from the UVA School of Education and Human Development. “They ensure the organization’s financial health is sustainable so it can fulfill its mission and are the board’s eyes and ears on finances. That’s a challenging position.”
Ullman said nonprofits across the state have difficulty finding members for boards of directors and officers.
“It’s a challenge finding board members who have the skills and the experiences that a board needs to have,” he said. “Then there are more specific skills that a treasurer needs to have. Melody’s efforts have helped a great deal.”
Just ask James “J.J.” Sullivan. He’s UVA Finance’s director of financial compliance. He’s also the treasurer for local nonprofit Loaves and Fishes, a large food pantry serving Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
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