Polly Sawabini (she/they) is an Advisor and Special Projects Manager at Trepwise, bringing over ten years of experience across the nonprofit, consulting, and start-up sectors. Polly leads complex strategy engagements and internal initiatives with a focus on organizational design, community engagement, and equitable systems change.
At Trepwise, Polly has partnered with clients in public health, education, workforce development, youth justice, arts & culture, and disaster recovery, helping teams clarify strategic priorities, strengthen operations, and co-design tools for implementation. In addition to her client work, Polly drives cross-functional collaboration internally, managing Trepwise’s Salesforce CRM, developing firm-wide project management standards, and supporting business development, marketing, and operations initiatives in collaboration with leadership.
Prior to joining Trepwise, Polly held operational leadership roles at fast-growing nonprofit and social impact startups, where she built and implemented systems for sustainable growth. In 2021, she co-founded the Ida Support Network, a mutual aid organization created in the wake of Hurricane Ida, leading rapid-response efforts including volunteer management, hotline development, and the redistribution of over $40,000 in direct aid within ten days. Her background also includes experience in education, including teaching English as a Second Language locally and abroad, as well as extensive community organizing work in Louisiana focused on human rights and mutual aid.
Polly holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Sociology from Tulane University, graduating cum laude. While at Tulane, she was active in service-learning initiatives and campus social justice organizations, and completed writing-focused internships with The Gambit, Lucky Magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar. She continues to advocate for systemic change outside of Trepwise, including through her service as a Community Advocate for Innocence Project New Orleans. Polly is based in New Orleans, where she finds joy in community building, writing and performing poetry, and spending time with her perfect pit bull, GhostHoney.
