When I joined OpenTent nearly six years ago, I was looking for a team. After about a year of doing Salesforce consulting on my own with nonprofits, I realized how much I missed collaborating with others. I still wanted to support organizations making a real difference in their communities, but I didn’t want to do it alone. I was looking for a place where I could bring together my technical skills and my experience from the nonprofit world, and actually build something alongside others.

That’s when I found OpenTent.

From Development Work to Salesforce Consulting

My path into tech started while working in development at the Colorado chapter of Teach For America. We had Salesforce, but no one really knew how to use it. It was clear the tool had potential, but without any real training or structure, it was more of a burden than a help. So I took it upon myself to make it functional, not just for me, but for the whole team.

I became the one of the go-to people for Salesforce. I worked closely with folks at the national level to understand the system behind the scenes, and I started to see how powerful it could be if it were actually set up well. That’s what got me hooked. I wasn’t just using the system. I was thinking about how to make it work for our business processes, to simplify the tech side of things we could spend our time focusing on the really important stuff -  executing the work that was driving our mission.

That interest grew into a new phase of my career. I moved into consulting, working independently with nonprofits to help them untangle their databases and get more out of their systems. But after a year on my own, I missed the energy of a team. I wanted to keep building thoughtful, tailored solutions, but with a group of people who cared as much as I did.

That’s when I found OpenTent. I joined as a Solutions Engineer and have since grown into a Senior Solutions Engineer. My role is to partner with nonprofit teams to make Salesforce work for them in a truly customized way. I gather requirements, configure tools that are intuitive and sustainable, and help our clients evolve their systems as their work grows and shifts.

Why the OpenTent Model Works for Nonprofits

As I mentioned, when you work at a nonprofit, you probably don’t care as much about the tech for the sake of tech. You want your systems to work so you can focus on your actual work. And that’s exactly what makes OpenTent different from other consultancies.

Many of us come from nonprofit backgrounds. We speak the language. We understand the pace, the constraints, and the pressures. That kind of empathy shapes how we collaborate. We’re not here to impress people with technical jargon or overwhelm them with features they don’t need. We’re here to make their work feel simpler and more supported.

A former coworker of mine now works at a nonprofit that recently brought in a Salesforce consulting firm. She told me the consultants showed up and immediately started speaking in dense, technical jargon. Her whole team felt completely overwhelmed. She said, “It was just too much.” And I get that. For most nonprofit staff, Salesforce isn’t the center of their work. It’s just a tool to help them do the work that actually matters. When the technology becomes the main focal point, it creates distance between the consultants and the people they’re trying to support.

That’s the gap we bridge at OpenTent. We don’t just implement systems and walk away. We build relationships. We stay close. We act as thought partners, helping organizations build internal knowledge and real ownership over their tools, so they aren’t dependent on outside support forever.

We show up like teammates, not vendors. And that kind of trust makes all the difference.

Why I’ve Stayed This Long

Almost six years at one job is the longest I’ve ever stayed anywhere. That’s not something you hear often in my generation, but it makes sense when you’re in the right place.

One of the biggest reasons I’ve stayed is the flexibility and the way OpenTent genuinely supports a full and meaningful life outside of work. I live in Puerto Rico. I surf regularly. I work on projects that matter with a team I truly enjoy. And I don’t have to sacrifice the parts of my life that make me feel like myself in order to do that.

I’ve talked with Sam about this a lot. I don’t even like to call it “work-life balance” anymore. That phrase doesn’t quite fit. It’s more about integration, being able to meaningful work that supplements your life, but isn't the end all be all. At OpenTent, there’s an understanding that we are more than just what we produce. That kind of culture makes it easier to show up fully, do great work, and then have the energy to live well and focus on the things that really fullfill you outside of it.

And that’s exactly why I’ve stayed.

Taking a Sabbatical to Surf in Sumatra

OpenTent offers a 2 month paid sabbatical after five years with the team. No strings, no expectations to check in, just real time off. As soon as I became eligible, I started planning my dream trip: a surf adventure in Indonesia.

Surfing is a huge part of my life. It’s more than a hobby. It’s the thing that brings me into flow state, grounds me, and gives me a kind of clarity nothing else does. So I went all in. I kicked things off with a surf coaching retreat with a small group of other surfers and a coach who gave us video analysis and tips to help us level up. After that, I continued on to chase more waves.

I spent most of the trip between three small islands off the coast of Sumatra. I didn’t plan much after that first retreat. I wanted to move slowly, to stay in each place long enough to feel its rhythm. I got to know the locals, eat the food, and experience the culture by just being there. I didn’t want to be constantly on the go. I just wanted to be present.

One of the best days of the trip was when a friend and I took a boat to a lesser-known surf break. A couple of local kids, one around eight and the other maybe thirteen, asked if they could come with us. They don't often get the chance to surf that break, so it felt like a big treat. These kids were incredible. Tiny, fearless, and absolute rippers. They were getting barreled like it was second nature. We surfed together for a couple of hours, and at one point one of them asked me how old I was. When I told him, his mouth dropped open in shock. Later, when I mentioned I was getting tired, he saw an opportunity. He grinned and said, “Yeah, it’s because you’re already so old.” He was very proud of his quick wit, and it totally cracked me up.

Afterward, we all got lunch together. It was one of those easy, joyful afternoons where everything feels simple and connected. Sharing waves, sharing food, laughing. I learned so much watching those  kids surf with so much joy. It reminded me why I fell in love with the sport in the first place.

Beyond the surfing and adventure, what made this trip so incredible was being able to fully unplug. No Slack messages. No checking email. Just real presence. I planned the sabbatical to begin and end with a clean quarter, and it felt seamless. I had total trust in my team. I didn’t feel like they needed anything from me while I was gone, and that gave me permission to let go completely.

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Surfacing with Perspective

Coming back from Sumatra, I felt different. Recharged. Inspired. Still fully me, but with more energy to bring to my work and clients. That’s the beauty of a company like OpenTent. It’s not just a job. It’s a place that honors your whole self, at work, in life, on the waves, and everywhere in between.

Some Scenes from My Surfbbatical ...