{"id":10173,"date":"2020-02-05T15:22:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-05T20:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/?p=10173"},"modified":"2026-02-12T05:10:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T10:10:00","slug":"a-nonprofit-cfos-success-story-to-inspire-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-us\/blog\/a-nonprofit-cfos-success-story-to-inspire-you\/","title":{"rendered":"A nonprofit CFO\u2019s success story to inspire you"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At Sage Intacct, we\u2019re inspired by our nonprofit customers\u2019 impact on the world and their ability to make a positive difference in the lives and futures of millions of people. Recently, we sat down with Shari Freedman, the CFO of Room to Read. Shari\u2019s personal journey to her nonprofit career and the impact Room to Read is making in the world tells a powerful and inspiring story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are over 750 million illiterate people around the world. Two-thirds of them are women and girls\u2014and Room to Read is on a mission to change that statistic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through digital finance transformation with Sage Intacct and other technologies, Room to Read has been able to add resources to reach an additional 100,000 children through their international literacy program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal Journey Meets Professional Mission<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Shari Freedman has worked in international finance for over 30 years. After receiving an undergraduate degree in International Relations and Economics from American University and an MBA in International Finance from Georgetown University, she worked for well-known global brands including PepsiCo, Gap, and Schwab. Before starting a new job, she found herself with a few months off in 2001 and wanted to find a meaningful way to use her time and skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI found an opportunity in Delhi, up in the foothills of the Himalayas.  I would go from village to village working with women\u2019s groups to teach them about microlending. It was an amazing, very values-based time for me while I was in India. I loved it very, very much. When I came home, I was\u2026 different. That was the beginning of wanting to work only in mission-based organizations.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nShari Freedman, CFO, Room to Read<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

After India, Shari knew she wanted to spend the rest of her career doing meaningful international nonprofit work. She found her perfect fit at Room to Read, an international NGO focused on literacy and girls\u2019 education in ten countries across Asia and Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the Complimentary eBook,<\/a> The Rise of the Data-Driven Nonprofit Finance Leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digital Financial Transformation Builds Infrastructure for Expansion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over time, Shari has helped Room to Read adopt financial management technologies that can support the organization as it expands its mission to help more girls in more countries. Sage Intacct has been a big part of that digital transformation, along with its seamless integrations to Salesforce for operations data; Adaptive Insights for financial planning; and Nexonia for timekeeping and expense report automation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe are functionally better integrated within the organization. Nexonia, our time and expense and our time keeping applications integrate fully into Sage Intacct, and the organization is now more efficient and effective at producing reports on a very timely basis. We\u2019re not chasing paper. We\u2019ve got some real efficiencies.\u201d <\/em><\/p>\nShari Freedman, CFO, Room to Read<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Using Sage Intacct and integrated technologies, Room to Read has been able to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n