Celebrating Creating the Future Co-Founder Hildy Gottlieb’s 60th Birthday

What will it take to change the world?
Throughout her 60 years on earth, Hildy Gottlieb has been asking questions. No matter where she is, or what she is doing, Hildy asks questions that encourage us to think, look to the future, and imagine what is possible for ourselves and our world. Her life’s journey has meandered through many opportunities for growth including political interning, running a plant nursery, and doing real estate management. None of those would appear, on the surface, to be a springboard for inspiring the movement that is Creating the Future. Yet, through each experience, Hildy learned and asked more questions.

What would it take to make the world different? And what would that make possible, and for whom?
As a Community Benefit consultant, Hildy and her partner, Dimitri Petropolis, wondered what it would take for organizations to experience change joyfully and swiftly. Their creation of the first diaper bank showed the world what is possible when a community comes together to care for its own. As a writer, speaker, teacher, Hildy has inspired a movement to change the questions that change the world in ways that bring out the best in ourselves and each other. The ripples of her efforts touch people and communities around the globe.

Being human and humane
Hildy has done so many things in life, but what her bios never truly do justice to is the complexity of the woman who is Hildy Gottlieb. Those who know her well, often describe her as a mother (in the best sense of the word) and gardener of plants and people. Her people, her family, friends, and fellow pilgrims in life, are the strong foundation on which her life is built. Those connections give her strength as she nurtures in return.

The Hildy who teaches, mentors and facilitates as she shares her passion for changing the world, is only one facet, of this amazing woman. She is compassionate with people, often moved to tears by the stories they share. She loves deep, thoughtful discussion and the humor of Eddie Izzard. She sows seeds of wisdom and rails against the injustices around her. Hildy sees beauty in the world and shares her artistic eye through her photography and her writings. She is both larger than life, and a flawed human like the rest of us. Her Zen practice centers Hildy and infuses her life with meaning as she continues to become the person she wants to be. Hildy models for each of us, what it means to strive to be our best and bring that out in others.

Honoring Hildy
To celebrate Hildy’s 60th birthday and honor all that she has and continues to teach people all over the world, we are launching Creating the Future’s Education Programs Fund.

Contributions in Hildy’s honor will help us scale what we know works.

Your story about Hildy and the impact she has made in your life, your relationships, your work, your community, and the world will be a tribute to her and her work.