“Between stimulus and response there is a space, and in that space is our power to choose our response, and in our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
With this profound quote from Viktor Frankl, the esteemed neurologist, psychologist, and Holocaust survivor, Jamie Muskopf (’18SPS), an alum of and lecturer in the M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) program, began the latest installment of the IKNS Conversations That Matter webinar series. “This conversation may be a conversation between Ari, Donita, and myself,” Muskopf added, “but it is also a space between the stimuli of the outside world and our response to that world.”
IKNS Conversations That Matter is a series of public education events that bring the thinkers, doers, and experts of the IKNS community together with a broader audience of curious minds from across Columbia University and beyond. These conversations tackle topics that are not only timely and relevant, but also at the core of the Information & Knowledge Strategy discipline.
Knowledge Sharing in Philanthropy: Lessons for Leaders and Communities in Times of Historic Change offered a dynamic exploration of how philanthropic organizations are redefining their knowledge-sharing strategies to cultivate learning, resilience, and greater collective impact. The event was moderated by Muskopf and featured a conversation with Ari Kramer, knowledge manager at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), and Donita Volkwijn, senior director of member engagement at Philanthropy New York.
Drawing from their extensive experience in the philanthropic sector, Kramer and Volkwijn explored how mission-driven collaboration and intentional knowledge management practices are transforming the way foundations and networks operate.
“The RWJF is among the larger-staffed foundations in the country,” Kramer said. “Our assets are probably somewhere between $13 and $14 billion, and we’ve got a staff of about 325 people, with an extensive national network of grantee and partner organizations. So when we think of ourselves as a knowledge network, it’s really all about the relationships we have with our partners.”
“Part of Philanthropy New York’s ecosystem includes these foundations, the privately operating and nonprofits,” added Volkwijn. “We have 16 people on staff, and our operating budget is much less than the RWJF, but we have a unique perspective because we are a regional association that includes most of the New York metro area, so our 265 member organizations come to us for a variety of different things. But our primary goal is to create an ecosystem of democratic, equitable, and sustainable practices in grant-making.”
Volkwijn expanded on how Philanthropy New York supports knowledge flow among its members to catalyze systemic change, while Kramer detailed the RWJF’s approach to capturing and sharing knowledge across programs. Both emphasized the importance of making organizational knowledge discoverable and actionable internally and across the broader philanthropic sector.
“Organizations don’t automatically realize that they need knowledge management,” said Kramer. “Once you start having conversations about it, though, organizations tend to realize that they have been doing it all along, and oftentimes it transforms into establishing knowledge management as a dedicated function.”
Muskopf guided the discussion through the lens of what is known as Complexity Leadership Theory and adaptive learning, encouraging participants to consider their own roles in shaping resilient, knowledge-driven organizations. The discussion underscored the centrality of knowledge strategy in organizational success, particularly in the philanthropic sector, where cross-sector learning and collaboration are essential to scaling innovation and achieving long-term impact.
“The conversation in some parts of philanthropy has shifted, and I think this is something that the rest of us can learn: Philanthropy, in and of itself, should not exist,” added Volkwijn. “If everyone had equal access to opportunity, to health, to food, to public transportation, we wouldn’t need philanthropy to cushion those gaps. But if this is our goal, what needs to be in place before philanthropy can be dismantled?”
Ultimately, the webinar delivered a clear call to action: that philanthropy must leverage shared knowledge and collaborative efforts to effectively address global changes.
“I think that if there is anything to take away from this conversation,” Muskopf said, “it is that we need to use philanthropy and knowledge management to address the changes happening in the world, and we need to do it in community and do it together.”
About Columbia’s IKNS Degree
The Columbia University M.S. in Information & Knowledge Strategy (IKNS) degree provides students with foundations in information science, organizational psychology, and change management as well as practical skills in project management and executive leadership.
IKNS is available full-time or part-time, online or in-person on Columbia’s landmarked campus right here in New York City. To maximize opportunities for networking and community building, our online students join our New York-based students on Columbia’s campus for three in-person residencies during their studies. The STEM-designated Master of Science degree offers International Students (F-1/J-1 visa) an opportunity for Curricular Practical Training during their studies (CPT) and 3 years of work authorization in the US upon completing their studies (OPT).
Students train under world-class faculty, including former and current executives from Google, IBM, NASA, and Oliver Wyman, and join a powerful global alumni network in coveted positions, including at Alphabet, Goldman Sachs, Nike, Pfizer, and the World Bank.
For more IKNS insights, news, and events, please go to our website, connect with us on LinkedIn, or attend one of our online info sessions. Visit the School of Professional Studies website to learn more about the SPS Student Experience.
