“As a leader, you get to shape the culture. And that’s a huge responsibility.” Edgar Gonzalez’s family moved to the United States from Argentina when he was nine years old. Edgar recognized the immensity of his parents’ sacrifice, and it filled him with purpose and drive. He set out to study hard, work hard, and find a way to leave this world better than when he found it – while “wearing soft-soled shoes, because [he] stands on the shoulders of those who gave so much.” On this episode of the Mentorship Matters podcast, host Kim Nyoni explores Edgar’s career journey from to student telefund caller, to phonathon program manager, to major gift officer – all the way to Edgar’s current position as Vice President of Advancement at Seattle University. Edgar’s position as a leader is not one that he takes lightly. During this conversation, he reflects on how his identity as an immigrant and a white-presenting Latino man influences his approach to leadership. He explains how he strives to use his “unearned skin privilege to open doors for underrepresented individuals and lift others up.” He acknowledges that while metrics, goals, and bottom-line numbers are important, advancement work really is all about demonstrating genuine care for people – employees, coworkers, donors, students, and the broader community. One of his driving mottos is that “culture eats strategy for breakfast” and he discusses his commitment to building a culture at Seattle University that values people as whole humans. Along his career path, one of Edgar’s valued mentors, Dondi Cupp, explained to Edgar that “You can’t just like people in the advancement business. You have to love people.” Edgar reflects on how a career in fundraising has grown his love for people. Edgar wraps the episode by sharing a few pieces of sage advice for his younger self (and listeners who aspire to be advancement leaders some day): Put in the work to nurture relationships. Pace yourself. Mentorship matters. Tune in!