In between raising two kids and working full-time, our tireless CEO, Donna Novitsky, has carved out time in her schedule to share parenting and professional advice with other avid go-getters in the world.

Donna recently published an advice column on WorkItMom.com, an active online community that brings together working moms to ask questions, share advice, and commiserate with other moms who are just as active and pressed for time. Donna’s article, “Staying Involved in the Things You Care About,” shares her personal recipe for leading a balanced and fulfilling life. Her key suggestion? Take three ingredients: family, professional and personal, and blend for success. The only caveat, Donna warns, is that “you just may not get much sleep!”

For those who share Donna’s entrepreneurial spirit, be sure to check out her podcast, “From Venture Capitalist to Entrepreneur.” A contributor to Stanford’s weekly Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders lecture series, Donna urges other aspiring trailblazers to “Go big or don’t go!” when it comes to starting a company and creating an innovative new market. Once you’ve fully committed to your goal, she also recommends evaluating your funding needs, and stresses the importance of strong teamwork in your venture.

With Donna at our helm, we are definitely going big. And we’re thrilled that Donna’s insights are making headlines and airwaves across the Web. Go Donna!

A good portion of our staff works under a virtual tent, spanning Boston to San Diego to Seattle. But on Tuesday, we had a great opportunity to host our Community Coaches for an all-day summit in San Francisco. Flying up and across the country (and even braving some rush-hour traffic on 101), our Coaches met for a day of sharing best practices, challenges, and questions.

Rosa Terrazas, from our Outbound Team, oversees the Coaching program and led Tuesday’s summit. “After all our hard work, a highlight for me was being reminded of how dedicated our coaches are to Big Tent,” Terrazas said. “They think 24/7 about the groups they support and serve as the most wonderful advocates for their needs.”

Our Coaches’ stellar efforts have given BigTent another way to reach out to groups using our technology, particularly the ones that are less vocal through more traditional feedback lines. Connecting with groups across the country has also given the Coaches the opportunity to see how other groups support their members.

After the summit, our team wound down in the evening with a bountiful buffet of Indian takeout, and some spirited Wii gaming. Jenna, our intern, discovered that staying on the beat in “Happy Feet” is not always as easy as the starring penguin makes it seem. Nick helped Coaches Diane and Leah master a game of pool. And we were all very impressed with Diane’s extensive collection of Wii games – not to mention that she had passes to the 2008 MacWorld Conference & Expo.

And that’s what’s new at BigTent today.

-Mia