Giving Back (Kara Portnell)

Building Leaders Radio Hour

Joining us for the penultimate episode of BLRH season 1 is Kara Portnell. Kara has served as the executive director of Early Learning Property Management, Inc. for the past 20 years.

Prior to serving as Executive Director, Kara provided construction management and program services for ELPM, along with Jack Pinkerton, who, as a retired contractor, volunteered his construction expertise and services. Kara continues to lead and manage ELPM’s mission, development, construction projects, and center maintenance/capital projects, along with the overall management of ELPM.
ELPM’s mission is to transform early childhood learning and development in underserved communities by building and maintaining high-quality, safe facilities, as well as enhancing existing centers. Since its inception, ELPM has worked with the Head Start grantees and other non-profit early care providers to address the need for additional quality early learning facilities. To date, ELPM has purchased, renovated or constructed 15 high-quality early education centers located in Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Barrow, and Paulding counties. These ELPM centers have accumulatively served approximately 46,000+ young children and their families in licensed, Quality Rated and nationally accredited, or equivalent, centers.

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0:00 Introduction
1:03 Special BLRH shoutout
3:50 Kara and ELMP introduction
5:51 Building a career in construction
8:42 Jack Pinkerton
11:30 ELMP's impact
16:03 Quality Facility Initiative (QFI)
20:09 Budgeting in today's world
24:23 Building trust on the foundation of past success
29:23 Multi-Model approach
33:55 A small but mighty team
40:44 Mission first
43:26 Greatest success
48:55 Motivated to serve

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Building Leaders Radio Hour is produced by Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia. ABC of Georgia is a network of companies and professionals within the develop-design-build industry that is committed to connecting the disciplines of construction to benefit the industry, the economy, and employment in Georgia.

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Chapters

1. Introduction (00:00:00)

2. Special BLRH shoutout (00:01:03)

3. Kara and ELMP introduction (00:03:50)

4. Building a career in construction (00:05:51)

5. Jack Pinkerton (00:08:42)

6. ELMP's impact (00:11:30)

7. Quality Facility Initiative (QFI) (00:16:03)

8. Budgeting in today's world (00:20:09)

9. Building trust on the foundation of past success (00:24:23)

10. Multi-Model approach (00:29:23)

11. A small but mighty team (00:33:55)

12. Mission first (00:40:44)

13. Greatest success (00:43:26)

14. Motivated to serve (00:48:55)

15. "Attitude is Your Superpower" (00:55:50)

16. Kara's inventions (00:58:20)

17. YOU CAN HELP! (01:03:10)

18. Episode debrief (01:03:52)