About Wendy

Wendy Bay Lewis, Founder, CivicMind.com

Wendy Bay Lewis is a lawyer, writer, enterpreneur, and community leader with 25 years of experience.

My Journey: Looking at Nonprofit Work in a New Way, Chronicle of Philanthropy, April 17, 2008.

She is currently writing The CivicMinded Companion -- The online dictionary of essential words and concepts for people who are making the world a better place through civic engagement, nonprofit work, philanthropy, and everyday citizenship.

Wendy founded CivicMind.com in 1997 and, between 1999 and 2006, generated sixty-five CivicMind Awards to recognize and promote nonprofit organizations for their innovative practices in the field of civic involvement and community service.

Nonprofit Leader

Wendy served for eight years as Development Director of Bozeman Public Library Foundation where she raised $7 million in private contributions for a state-of-the-art, green public library in rural Montana.

As a consultant to the Montana Commission on Community Service, she created and wrote the first State of the State Report profiling national service programs statewide.

Throughout her career, Wendy has guided organizational growth, strengthened volunteer service, and cultivated major donors for their support. She served for 10 years as founding Executive Director of the Montana Center for International Visitors providing democracy training to civil society leaders from around the world and launching one of the first web sites linking schools in different countries. In 1991, she led an American delegation to Argentina for a joint seminar with Conciencia, a leading democracy organization.

In Arizona, Wendy served on the Board of Directors of Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona and the Valley Task Force on Central American Refugees.

Author
Wendy writes for various publications on civic engagement, philanthropy, nonprofit issues, and law and society. See, The Supreme Court Unplugged.

Lawyer
Practiced law in Arizona for 10 years, primarily representing immigrants and working with global human rights organizations to address the needs of refugees.

Educational background
Law degree - Arizona State University College of Law
Bachelor of Arts - American University, Washington, DC