How Vulnerability Helped Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust CEO Steve Zabilski Serve a Higher Purpose

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In this episode of Stewards of Success, we welcome a community titan and humble servant leader, Steve Zabilski, the former executive director of St. Vincent de Paul Phoenix and current CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. Zabilski shares his unexpected entry into the nonprofit world and how embracing vulnerability and collaborating with others helped him expand the already successful organization — which serves 1,000 unhoused people daily with meals and essential resources — and seamlessly transition its leadership when the time was right.

Previously an accountant, Zabilski responded to a newspaper ad to help his family remain rooted in Phoenix after multiple professional moves across the country. The years that followed included stretching beyond his comfort zone and focusing on St. Vincent de Paul’s core mission of serving the community in meaningful ways. Some of the lessons he shared include:

  • Listen and Learn with Humility: With no prior nonprofit experience, Zabilski experienced imposter syndrome, which created uncertainty but also relieved the pressure to have everything figured out. Instead, he kept an open mind, embracing new ideas, asking questions, and learning from others, even when it meant stepping outside his comfort zone. Through humility, he was better able to manage limited resources, elevate the organization’s mission, and delegate the financials — his area of expertise — to the CFO.
  • Cultivate Partnerships: During his tenure, Zabilski expanded the organization’s reach within the business community. This focus on collaboration eventually led to the creation of the Human Services Campus, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary, a labor of love and effort among nonprofit, business, and governmental leaders and agencies. The campus serves more than 1,000 meals daily and provides housing, counseling, healthcare, and job services to people in need. 
  • Make Space for New Leadership: After 26 years of service, Zabilski joined the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, staying connected to St. Vincent de Paul as a board member. Recognizing the timing and legacy of impactful leadership, Zabilski knew it was time to pass the baton to a new leader, Shannon Clancy, the current executive director, and felt confident the organization was in capable, faithful hands.

While he no longer has to worry about making payroll every week at the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, he shares that his new challenge is finding where he can make the biggest difference among a sea of worthwhile organizations seeking support. Still, he considers serving at both agencies to be “heaven.”

After graduating from California State University, Northridge, Zabilski worked as an accountant for 17 years before joining St. Vincent de Paul. He was named president and CEO of the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust in 2023 and continues to serve on the board of St. Vincent de Paul.

Listen to the full conversation to learn more about Zabilski’s career and newfound calling, including what he hopes his legacy will be, how he defines success, and what he would do differently if given the chance.