Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership (Patton McDowell)
Explorez tous les épisodes de Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership
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| 10 Feb 2022 | 144: Creating a Dynamic Culture at Your Nonprofit Organization (Curt Langford) | 00:57:07 | |
144: Creating a Dynamic Culture at Your Nonprofit Organization (Curt Langford) Nonprofit leaders are always looking for better engagement with their key constituents and long-term donors. In episode #144 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we look to Texas Tech Alumni Association’s President and CEO Curt Langford for valuable advice on building a dynamic culture, the power behind communicating your story effectively, and developing a strong connective network of long-term donors. A positive organizational culture is first established internally with a shift from the usual attributes such as purpose, mission, vision, value proposition, all of which are usually well documented, to understanding the specific, deeper and more powerful why. Curt explains how the organizational why and the personal why establish an emotional pride that is truly authentic, and when properly aligned, makes you more compelling to those you’re trying to reach. When people feel compelled to be a part of something, that’s when they are truly believing in your why. Curt clearly articulates the methods behind implementing this overall shift and the impact it has on leadership, staff, board and your long-term donor engagement, and it’s clear why the Association is celebrating 95 years of success! Curt Langford is the President and CEO of the Texas Tech Alumni Association, and a leader of a longstanding, independent organization that exists to connect, inspire and amplify the Texas Tech family. His charge is to "Strive for Honor," representing the Red Raider SPIRIT of Scholarship, Pride, Inclusivity, Respect, Integrity and Tradition. Curt holds a Master's degree in interdisciplinary studies with emphasis in higher education. Over his more than two-decade long career he’s excelled in true leadership skills such as team leadership, customer relations, public speaking, fundraising, social media strategies, regional & national sales territory management, strategic & operational planning, competitive presentations & proposal writing, investor & board relations, marketing & public relations, competitive research & analysis, feature & technical writing and media design & publishing.
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| 17 Feb 2022 | 145: Tackling Toxic Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector (Andrew Olsen) | 00:54:37 | |
145: Tackling Toxic Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector (Andrew Olsen) SUMMARY ABOUT ANDREW EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 24 Feb 2022 | 146: 5 Key Productivity Moves for Nonprofit Leaders (Mike St. Pierre) | 00:53:58 | |
146: 5 Key Productivity Moves for Nonprofit Leaders (Mike St. Pierre) SUMMARY Has navigating the shifts in remote work only exacerbated gaps in your productivity? Or, maybe it didn’t take a global pandemic to realize staying organized in the nonprofit sector can exhaust even the most dedicated leaders. This fatigue and sense of exhaustion is real. However, in episode #146 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we have the founder of Nonprofit Productive, Mike St. Pierre, to equip you with smart and simple strategies to maximize your productivity and avoid burnout. Take back your schedule with Mike’s five key productivity moves. Patton and Mike clearly articulate the best tips and practices from technology to self-care that will provide even the busiest highly motivated leaders the clarity to focus on the right things that need attention. Cited specifically in this episode are: TickTick an organizational app, Carey Nieuwhof’s podcast on time management, the project management tool ActiveCollab, Mike’s own Ideal Week Template and much more! ABOUT MIKE Mike St. Pierre and his wife Cary have been married 24 years and are the proud parents of four children. Mike holds a B.A. in Philosophy (Catholic University of America), an M.A. in Theology (Seton Hall University), an M.A. in Educational Leadership (Seton Hall University) and an Ed.D. in Education (College of St. Elizabeth). His articles have appeared in Our Sunday Visitor, Busted Halo, Momentum, Give us This Day, Catechist, America, Faith CATHOLIC and Productive Magazine. His first book was published by Ave Maria Press, The 5 Habits of Prayerful People: A No-Excuses Guide to Strengthening Your Relationship with God. He has been an adjunct professor at Saint Joseph College of Maine, Seton Hall University and The College of St. Elizabeth. In 2017 he received the Seton Hall University Many Are One Alumni Award. He serves on the Board of Directors for Mission Madera, a nonprofit serving students in Uganda. And he’s the host of the Nonprofit Productivity Summit, an annual gathering of some of the brightest (and most heartfelt) people in the world. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 03 Mar 2022 | 147: Creating A People First Environment at Your Nonprofit (Stamie Despo & Tom LaFalce) | 00:54:07 | |
147: Creating A People First Environment at Your Nonprofit (Stamie Despo & Tom Lafalce) SUMMARY What are you doing to create a people first environment at your nonprofit? More than ever, nonprofit leaders must create a culture that attracts, orients, develops and retains talent. Two leaders in the higher education sector who have traveled varying career paths now find themselves leading together. In episode #147 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Stamie Despo and Tom Lafalce delineate four aspects of creating a people first environment. They discuss how communicating your “why” properly will attract passionate talent. Successfully onboarding new hires lays the foundation for future success, as well as presenting a series of professional development opportunities allows for their growth. They explore conversations that focus on racial equity, diversity and inclusion, which they acknowledge can be difficult, but “you get better with practice,” Together they demonstrate methods everyone can implement to encourage an open dialogue and better understanding of these vital topics. ABOUT STAMIE Stamie brings over 20 years of experience in philanthropy with her to Cornell University. Her most recent venture before Cornell was as the Executive Director of Susan G. Komen for the greater Charlotte, NC, area. Stamie was a 2019 honoree for the Charlotte Athena Leadership Award for Service. Her focus in philanthropy is engaging donors in a meaningful and authentic way, creating a culture of philanthropy, building relationships and providing strategic leadership. Stamie holds a Bachelor’s degree in economics, Cum Laude, from Smith College, a Masters in Teaching degree, Summa Cum Laude, from Monmouth University, a Non-Profit Management Certificate from Duke University, and an Event Planning Certificate from UNC Charlotte. ABOUT TOM Tom is a 1994 graduate of Cornell’s College of Human Ecology, he joined the Annual Giving Program’s team in 2004. In 2016, he began to focus more broadly on Annual Fund Leadership Giving. In this role, he partners with Alumni Affairs and Development staff to ensure the successful annual solicitation of donors of $1,000 or more, works with College and Unit staff to set Annual Fund Goals, serves on Cornell’s Giving Day Steering Committee and supports the development committees of the Cornell University Council and the President’s Council of Cornell Women (PCCW). In addition, Tom has served as the Acting Director of Annual Giving Programs on two occasions, in 2015 and from 2018 to 2020. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 10 Mar 2022 | 148: How to Navigate Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership (Patton McDowell) | 00:40:10 | |
148: How to Navigate Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership SUMMARY How can Patton’s new book, Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector, help you on your journey to senior leadership? In episode #148 of the Path Podcast, guest host Ken Fuquay explores that exact question by turning the tables on Patton and asking why everyone in - or pondering - nonprofit leadership will benefit from reading it. One thing becomes clear: Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership will help you become the kind of leader every nonprofit organization needs to make an even greater impact on the communities they serve. ABOUT PATTON Patton McDowell is a nonprofit expert, author, speaker and coach. He’s the President of PMA Nonprofit Leadership, a consulting practice he founded after a successful twenty-year career in the nonprofit sector. His leadership experience includes work at Special Olympics International and Special Olympics North Carolina, and he led fundraising teams for UNC Wilmington and Queens University of Charlotte. He’s a sought-after consultant on nonprofit issues of strategic planning, organizational development and staff & board leadership. Patton received a BA from UNC Chapel Hill, an MBA from Queens University, and a Doctorate from the University of Southern California. ABOUT KEN Ken Fuquay is a son, a brother, a husband and friend who also happens to be an educator, business owner, ordained pastor, nonprofit CEO and someone learning to live in the unforced rhythm of grace. Ken earned a music degree at Emmanuel College, a Digital Media Certificate from Carolina School of Broadcasting and Master of Divinity and Master of Christian Education from Union Presbyterian Seminary. He is the planting pastor at M2M Charlotte and CEO of LIFESPAN Services, Inc., a NC nonprofit that serves more than 1,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across 23 NC counties.
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| 17 Mar 2022 | 149: Navigating Data for Nonprofit Leaders (Stu Manewith) | 00:49:14 | |
149: Navigating Data for Nonprofit Leaders (Stu Manewith) SUMMARY Is your organization overwhelmed by data? Do you have fresh, error free, current and comprehensive data in one easy to access system or has confidence in your communications faltered because you recently noticed something simple like a donor’s name misspelled? Today’s guest, Stu Manewith discusses why nonprofit leaders should be paying more attention to their data. In episode #149 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Stu defines his 5 Keys to Data Quality and Management because when your data is not cared for, the processes based on that data become ineffective and lead to breakdowns in communication at all levels. Is your current CRM about to sunset and lose its functionality? A digital transformation may be required, and regardless of your nonprofit’s size, scope or budget, you will learn ways to more effectively manage and thus capitalize on your organization’s data. ABOUT STU Stu Manewith is considered one of the top thought-leaders in the non-profit sector. He is the Director of Thought Leadership and Advocacy for Omatic Software, a data-integration software for non-profits that allows them a complete view of their donors, promoting data-driven decision making. With over 30 years’ experience in the non-profit sector, Stu has implemented data and integration solutions at hundreds of non-profits across all subsectors - and been published by Blackbaud and Salesforce. He is a seasoned nonprofit authority, advocate, and consulting services leader, with deep experience serving the nonprofit sector, both as a nonprofit executive and as a technology consulting professional. He’s a Certified Fundraising Professional (CFRE) with a special passion for best practices surrounding the healthy ‘marriage’ of fundraising and other nonprofit revenue streams with the general ledger. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 24 Mar 2022 | 150: Developing the Right Mindset to be an Effective Fundraiser (Rhea Wong) | 00:49:41 | |
150: Developing the Right Mindset to be an Effective Fundraiser (Rhea Wong) Do you struggle with fundraising? Have you truly reflected on why? In honor of our 150th episode of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we discuss what it takes to maximize your fundraising with a leading expert, Rhea Wong. If your fundraising isn’t a strategy as much as it’s a mix of tactics and tools cobbled together, then listen as Rhea introduces her unique and innovative program called The Fundraising Accelerator. Learn how to motivate your board to engage in fundraising so you never again have to ask, beg or demand their participation. Before you can execute on even the best strategic plan, nonprofit leaders must first have the right money mindset. You’ll hear clearly articulated examples of deepening your relationships with donors and beneficial insight into the many variations of the fundraising cycle. As someone who recently released his debut book, Patton enthusiastically explores Rhea’s new book, Get That Money Honey: The No BS Guide to Raising Money for Your Nonprofit. Rhea helps nonprofits raise more money. Though she has deep experience with institutional, corporate and event fund-raising, she is passionate about major individual donors and helping organizations to establish individual giving programs. She has raised millions of dollars in private philanthropy and is passionate about building the next generation of fundraising leaders. She has become a leader in the New York nonprofit community and is a frequent educational commentator in the media. She has been recognized with the SmartCEO Brava Award in 2015 and NY Nonprofit Media’s 40 under 40 in 2017. For more information about Rhea, please see her LinkedIn Profile here. Rhea lives in Brooklyn with her husband and the World's Most Spoiled Dog Stevie Wonderdog. When she is not raising money for causes she loves, she can be found hosting her podcast Nonprofit Lowdown, promoting her newest book Get that Money, Honey! or onstage as a newbie stand-up comedian in downtown Brooklyn. For more information, check out rheawong.com
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| 31 Mar 2022 | 151: Engaging Volunteers to Make Your Nonprofit Vision A Reality (Diana Zhang) | 00:48:17 | |
151: Engaging Volunteers to Make Your Nonprofit Vision A Reality (Diana Zhang)
Do you consider your nonprofit leadership a calling? Perhaps you saw individuals on the precipice during the pandemic, and simply had to do something. Like other talented professionals who have joined our ranks as a “lateral entry”, Diana Zhang recognized this crisis as a call to action and left her successful 15-year hedge fund career to co-found the nonprofit organization called NeighborShare. In episode #151 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we discuss what it takes to pivot mid-career and launch a successful nonprofit startup. Diana shares the challenges she faced, the lessons learned and the humility required to seek and accept strategic partners for assistance. She has valuable lessons for every nonprofit leader regardless of where your nonprofit is in its life-cycle, and other potential lateral entries will get great advice about understanding the skills they’ll need to transfer from for-profit to the nonprofit sector. As the head of an almost exclusively volunteer organization that now operates in 26 states nationally, Diana discusses the three key elements of their value proposition and how this structure engages and retains excellent volunteers. ABOUT DIANA Diana Zhang is the CEO and Co-Founder of NeighborShare, a rapidly-growing direct giving approach that empowers our communities’ frontline heroes to help families through critical moments of need of $400 or less. Prior to that, she spent 15 years in strategy and operations as an executive at Bridgewater Associates, a premier asset management firm with $150 billion AUM. Outside of work, Diana is passionate about food and advocating on behalf of those who lack access to it. She serves on the Board of the Connecticut Food Bank / Foodshare. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 07 Apr 2022 | 152: Building A Pipeline for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders (Nick Azulay) | 00:48:35 | |
152: Building A Pipeline for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders (Nick Azulay) SUMMARY Does your organization attract the next generation of dynamic nonprofit leaders? In episode #152 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Nick Azulay, a Fulbright Scholar, who struggled to convert his education and desire for a meaningful career with the practical skills needed to land a job in the nonprofit sector. Nick divulges specific tools he used to navigate his path into the nonprofit sector and ultimately a leadership position. By strengthening your pipeline of quality talent with a well-developed internship program, you will also attract and develop young professionals ready to seamlessly transition into any role. Nick shares his experiences as one such intern, his transition to a full-time position and now, as a senior leader himself, how best to scale and utilize an intern program to onboard, train, evaluate and retain today's emerging leaders. ABOUT NICK Nick enthusiastically supports B Corps Digital Agency Whole Whale as a Senior Strategist with a focus on digital advocacy. In this role, Nick is committed to helping nonprofits and social impact organizations expand their impact to drive meaningful and measurable change. At Whole Whale, Nick emphasizes the role of digital political advocacy in the company’s work and has contributed to projects that include both political and human rights advocacy objectives. Nick has spoken on topics like Realtime Campaign Monitoring at NTC (Nonprofit Technology Conference), Digital Organizing at NETROOTS, and has worked with Whole Whale clients like Swing Left, PRX, Donate Life America, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and many more. Nick earned his B.A. in Political Science with a focus on comparative politics and international development from Villanova University. Throughout his undergraduate career, he interned with several different nonprofit organizations where he saw firsthand how successful communication and marketing strategies can increase impact. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 14 Apr 2022 | 153: Why Diversification is Vital to Your Fundraising Plan (Holly Rustick) | 00:55:17 | |
153: Why Diversification is Vital to Your Fundraising Plan (Holly Rustick) Is your nonprofit organization writing competitive grants that grow your funding capacity? In episode #153 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership we speak with Holly Rustick, a grant writing expert with over 15 years of winning more than $30 million in grant funding, on how nonprofit leaders can enhance their grant writing skills and increase funding to advance their organization’s mission. Holly shares practical takeaways and processes to increase and diversify funding for better overall stability of your nonprofit and its programs. To truly comprehend that grant writing is the connection of money to mission, nonprofit leaders must not only diligently research and understand the funder, but more importantly, they must first have a fully developed program to present. Holly discusses proper relationship-building techniques because, like all your donors, proper stewardship is vital to the foundations with which your organization interacts. Learn how to best position your organization for funding with Holly’s 10 Step Checklist and her Nonprofit Wellness Audit. Holly also shares her perspective to help more women in the nonprofit sector ascend into senior leadership positions. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 21 Apr 2022 | 154: Nonprofit & For-Profit: Creating a Successful Partnership (Shiloh Karshima) | 00:45:56 | |
154: Nonprofit & For-Profit: Creating a Successful Partnership (Shiloh Karshima) SUMMARY Do you communicate a clear message that properly represents the voice of those you serve? In episode #154 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Shiloh Karshima highlights some of the challenges nonprofit leaders face in trying to make their case more clearly and in an authentic way. Shiloh is a gifted leader with more than two decades experience building philanthropic partnerships in over 14 countries. Shiloh explains how communication and harmonization are the keys to creating a successful partnership between the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Learn why the acquisition and implementation of tangible skills will elevate your passion into a dynamic leadership role that others will desire to follow. Shiloh also gives tangible examples of how nonprofit and for-profit leaders can partner to provide an even greater social impact. Learn why nonprofit leaders who communicate in a shared language with their for-profit counterparts can bridge the bottom-line principles common to both sectors. ABOUT SHILOH Shiloh Karshima co-founded The Leader Team in July 2021, when she and her family sold everything and decided to move to Nigeria. With over two decades of experience in development and nonprofit work in 14 countries, Shiloh brings a wide range of expertise to the table as Executive Director. She has collaborated with the World Bank MENA, World Vision, University of the Nations, William Jessup University, FGI Finance, Jobs Partnership, Oasis Church Winter Garden, Peace and Justice Institute, Orlando MLK Foundation, Safe Families for Children, Bethany Christian Services, NYU’s Wagner Student Alliance for Africa, HopePark Church, Iris Ministries, River City Community Church, Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church, and Madonna’s Raising Malawi. Shiloh was the Panel Discussion Moderator for The United National Female Genital Mutilation Forum in partnership with the not-for-profit Sauti Yetu, Columbia University and NYU. She was Co-Founder of RISE: Conversations on Race and Unity in Winter Garden, Florida. Shiloh received her Master’s in Public Administration in Public and Nonprofit Management and Policy with a specialization in International Economic Development from New York University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 28 Apr 2022 | 155: Relationship Building: The Key to Nonprofit Leadership (Siobhan Davenport) | 00:44:38 | |
155: Relationship Building: The Key to Nonprofit Leadership (Siobhan Davenport) SUMMARY Are you advancing your skills to be the kind of strong leader the nonprofit sector needs? In episode #155 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Siobhan Davenport, a phenomenal industry leader with more than fifteen years of experience serving underserved youth and someone who understands the advantages of these skills. Discover the benefits of developing a personal board of directors and how this foundational network of advisors can support you through the various crossroads faced while navigating your career path. Learn how to authentically communicate your mission to others as Siobhan discusses the vital skills needed to build strong relationships that will guide you throughout your career. As a busy nonprofit executive herself, Siobhan articulates her best self-care practices and organizational routines others can easily implement into their active daily regimen. ABOUT SIOBHAN Siobhan Davenport was named President & CEO by the Crittenton Board of Directors in February 2019, bringing more than fifteen years of experience serving underserved youth. In her previous role as Crittenton’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, she built collaborations between schools, nonprofits, and corporations to better meet Crittenton girls’ challenges and launched the Declare Equity for Girls: It’s Time campaign. As the Executive Director of the Rocksprings Foundation from 2002 to 2018, Ms. Davenport oversaw the foundation’s impact by investing in economic and educational opportunities for low-income families and youth. Prior to that, she served as the Senior Producer and Host for On the Potomac Productions, including the acclaimed series “The New Washington.” She serves as a commissioner for the Maryland Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism and sits on the Advisory Council for Ascend at the Aspen Institute. Ms. Davenport holds a master’s degree in journalism from American University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 05 May 2022 | 156: Everything You Believe About Small Nonprofit Fundraising is Wrong (Zoot Velasco) | 00:48:43 | |
156: Everything You Believe About Small Nonprofit Fundraising is Wrong (Zoot Velasco) SUMMARY Is your small nonprofit still trying to raise money through special events? Modeling your fundraising plan on what large nonprofits are doing is among several critical mistakes Zoot Velasco will help you avoid. In episode #156 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, he tells us why those special events, big galas, grant writing and even courting major donors are not the most important things on which nonprofit leaders of smaller organizations should be focused. Zoot identifies three sources of earned income streams available to all nonprofit organizations and how strengthening and growing these streams will not only increase your financial stability but will also allow you to be less reliant on the traditional philanthropic dollar. ABOUT ZOOT Zoot Velasco is currently the Executive Director of the Friends of Fullerton College Foundation, Director of the Gianneschi Center for Nonprofit Research at California State University Fullerton’s College of Business & Economics, Professor of Business & Marketing at California State University Fullerton, Professor of Nonprofit Management & Leadership at California Polytechnic Institute Pomona, Host of the nationally-ranked 501(c)3(b)(s) podcast and author of three books. For 23 years, Zoot led cultural programs in prisons and cultural centers. He built four art centers for the City of LA, a Boys & Girls Club, and a Theatre for the City of Long Beach. He has raised more than $32 million for various organizations. During the recession, he led the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton to unprecedented growth, more than tripling programs, budget, patrons, and the endowment while winning awards as Orange County’s first STEAM programs, institutional arts programs, and strategic partnerships. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES | |||
| 12 May 2022 | 157: Assuring Cross-Sector Collaboration as A Nonprofit Leader (Kate Markin Coleman) | 00:41:05 | |
157: Assuring Cross-Sector Collaboration as A Nonprofit Leader (Kate Markin Coleman) SUMMARY Are you creating unnecessary barriers for employment at your nonprofit? Kate Markin Coleman suggests you’re narrowing your talent pool by relying too heavily on a college degree as a proxy for qualification. In episode #157 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, she discusses how to construct a more equitable and effective workforce development system. Learn what it means to conduct a deep skills analysis to better identify needs and think more broadly about who is best qualified to fill them. Kate reveals how developing cross-sector collaborations improves the efficiency and effectiveness for addressing the issues facing our communities. She identifies the attributes of effective programs and makes the case for skill-based hiring and cross sector-collaboration. By working across organizational boundaries, you can change the trajectory of individuals struggling to make a living wage while expanding the quality and quantity of talent available to employers. ABOUT KATE Kate Markin Coleman directs ias advising, LLC, and is former Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy, and Advancement Officer of YMCA in the U.S. She spent the first half of her career in the private sector, transferring to the social sector after she and her colleagues sold the fintech firm they ran. Coleman was a top official in one of the country’s largest nonprofits, the national YMCA, where she advanced innovation and effectiveness. She studied cross sector collaboration as a Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow and is the co-author of two books that offer practical insights on how to design effective solutions to challenging urban problems. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 19 May 2022 | 158: A Radical Approach to Nonprofit Leadership (Tom Vozzo) | 00:43:53 | |
158: A Radical Approach to Nonprofit Leadership (Tom Vozzo) SUMMARY How do you balance capitalistic skills and passion for a cause? Tom Vozzo, who left a highly successful corporate career to become an unpaid nonprofit CEO of the internationally acclaimed Homeboy Industries, is eminently qualified to answer such a question. In episode #158 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, you’ll hear Tom share many of the lessons he’s learned by leading this Los Angeles-based organization, and how he advocates for more social impact awareness in the for-profit community. He know it’s the nonprofit sector that can employ many individuals once thought unemployable, and has clear, pragmatic advice for how nonprofit leaders can best support people on the margins of society who are trying to move into the workforce. As a committed capitalist himself, he knows leaders can be mission-driven yet combine that with business knowledge informed by past experiences. Tom shares what he sees are the biggest differences between nonprofit and corporate cultures and the lessons we can all learn to bridge these sectors. ABOUT TOM Thomas Vozzo left a lucrative career in corporate America convinced there had to be a better way to define success. In 2012, Vozzo became the first-ever CEO of Homeboy Industries, the largest and most successful gang intervention, rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world. Vozzo’s journey goes from billion-dollar revenues—his last corporate role was as CEO of the $1.8 billion ARAMARK Uniform and Career Apparel Group—to a volunteer unpaid CEO of a nonprofit built on compassion, kinship, empathy and social justice. In Vozzo’s first book, The Homeboy Way: A Radical Approach to Business and Life, he gives readers practical ways to address some of our most vexing social issues and provides a new path for personal and business leadership. Vozzo shares lessons learned both in secular business as well as faith-based pursuits to help readers from all walks of life thrive. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 26 May 2022 | 159: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Leadership This Year (Patton McDowell) | 00:41:43 | |
159: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Leadership This Year (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY What are you doing to actually move closer to your leadership goals in the nonprofit sector? Are you thankful for your current nonprofit leadership role? In this solo episode #159 of the Path Podcast, I offer four specific ways you can move closer to your nonprofit leadership goals. 1. Sharpen your Vision Framework 2. Practice Self-Assessment 3. Utilize Strategic Networking 4. Curate Knowledge ABOUT PATTON Patton McDowell has enjoyed a successful 30-year career in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development. Prior to founding PMA Consulting in 2009, he served as Vice President for University Advancement at Queens University of Charlotte where he was responsible for all fundraising, communications, and alumni programs for the university. Before Queens, Patton served as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at UNC Wilmington, where he was the youngest vice chancellor in the 16-campus UNC system. He previously served as Program Director for Special Olympics North Carolina in Raleigh, following his tenure with Special Olympics International in Washington, D.C. Patton is a native of Elizabeth City, NC, and received a bachelor's degree in English Education from UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar. He received his MBA from the McColl School of Business at Queens, and his Doctorate in Education (Organizational Change and Leadership) from the Rossier School at the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a Master Trainer for AFP International, and a member of the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations. Patton is a former board President of AFP Charlotte, served as the Chapter Representative on the AFP International Board, and is the host of the weekly podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadershipand author of the best-selling book also titled Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. OTHER SOLO EPISODES BY PATTON | |||
| 02 Jun 2022 | 160: Your Nonprofit Alliance May Not Be a Good Idea (Michelle Shumate) | 00:40:58 | |
160: Your Nonprofit Alliance May Not Be a Good Idea (Michelle Shumate) SUMMARY Are you building successful alliances that truly benefit the mission of your organization? We operate under the assumption that collaborations in and of themselves are a good idea; however, Michelle Shumate’s extensive research of networks for social impact reveals why alliances are not always a good thing for nonprofit leaders to consider. In episode #160 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Michelle articulates that network design and management is not universal, but instead illustrates that the type of social issue, mechanism for social impact and resources available all determine appropriate collaborative choices. She outlines critical issues that nonprofit leaders address in creating and managing networks, including social issue analysis, network governance, securing and managing funding, dealing with power and conflict, using data effectively and managing change. Do you know the top three choices to make before seeking an alliance? After this episode you will. ABOUT MICHELLE Michelle is the founding director of Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact (NNSI), the Delaney Family University Research Professor, and Associate Faculty at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. NNSI is dedicated to answering the question: How can nonprofit networks be rewired for maximum social impact? Her research focuses on how to design interorganizational networks to make the most social impact. She is the author of Networks for Social Impact (2022, Oxford University Press). The National Science Foundation recognized her research with a CAREER award. Her research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Army Research Office. Nonprofit Quarterly, Stanford Social Innovation, and the Conference board have featured her work. She offers workshops, consulting, and coaching through the Social Impact Network Consulting. She is also spouse to Michael, mom to Oliver and Alex, an avid backyard birdwatcher, and a mediocre tennis player. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 09 Jun 2022 | 161: Measuring Success: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Look Beyond the Numbers (Megha Desai) | 00:44:26 | |
161: Measuring Success: How Nonprofit Leaders Can Look Beyond the Numbers (Megha Desai) SUMMARY How do you measure nonprofit success? Unlike the for-profit sector, where metrics are clear, the charitable sector isn’t always as straightforward. In episode #161 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Megha Desai takes a hard look at how, as nonprofit leaders, we measure success and how we communicate that success to our donors and key constituents. Megha explains how she makes decisions based on the people she serves then uses the data to validate rather than the other way around, something large institutional donors have been shifting towards. Having converted her family foundation to a public 501(c)(3) programmatic nonprofit, she shares some unique opportunities and significant challenges the organization faced. Do you allow mission creep to acquire funding? Learn how to resist designated giving and remain mission focused. ABOUT MEGHA Megha is President of the Desai Foundation, a public foundation that aims to elevate the health and livelihood of women and children through community programs in the U.S. and India. She helped transform the organization’s mission, work, and message leading to its transformation from a small family foundation to a robust public foundation. Her leadership has helped put the Desai Foundation on the map through heralded events, like Diwali on the Hudson and the Lotus Festival, along with highly impactful programming leveraging strong partners on the ground in the US and India. The Desai Foundation focuses on sustainable development through vocational classes, health camps, community volunteer outreach, and sanitary napkin programs. The organization, to date, has impacted over a million lives in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Madhya Pradesh, India; Metro-Boston; and Harlem, New York. Megha currently sits on the advisory boards of several start-ups and non-profits, including Take Two Academy, TYE Boston – TiE Young Entrepreneurs, and NPR’s Generation Listen. Megha was nominated for India New England’s Woman of the Year Award in 2017. Megha holds a B.A. in Economics from Barnard College of Columbia University and completed the Executive Program for Social Entrepreneurship at Stanford Business School. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 16 Jun 2022 | 162: Are You Ready to be A Nonprofit CEO? (Karen Eber Davis) | 00:42:55 | |
162: Are You Ready to be A Nonprofit CEO? (Karen Eber Davis) SUMMARY Are you ready to be the kind of leader a nonprofit organization needs as well as inspire the best in others? In episode #162 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Karen Eber Davis discusses what she calls readiness characteristics necessary to be this type of dynamic leader. Through Karen’s extensive research of new CEOs, she identifies skills both emerging and current nonprofit leaders should embrace. Are you prepared to be the decision maker? Learn how to make your leadership more impactful, authentic and rewarding as you manage board challenges, fundraising and talent acquisition, retention and costs. Karen shares her top three takeaways that affect the readiness for a new nonprofit CEO. You’ll hear “what worked and what didn’t” advice she discovered during her many interviews with new CEOs and some interesting approaches to the first 90 days as CEO. And finally, we discuss self-care, something every nonprofit leader should be cognizant of practicing. ABOUT KAREN Too many nonprofit CEOs and executive directors struggle to lead their organizations without a trusted advisor. As one, Karen Eber Davis Consulting guides nonprofit leaders to generate the resources and support they need to make remarkable mission progress. Working together, they get answers, generate revenue, and grow missions. As the founding principal of Karen Eber Davis Consulting, Davis is known for her innovation and practicality based on her work with or visits to over 1,000 nonprofit organizations and her vast experience with personnel, boards, and fundraising. She is the author of 7 Nonprofit Income StreamsandLet’s Raise Nonprofit Millions Together. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 23 Jun 2022 | 163: The First Step to Nonprofit Leadership: Taking Care of Yourself (Georgia Krueger) | 00:48:58 | |
163: The First Step to Nonprofit Leadership: Taking Care of Yourself (Georgia Krueger) SUMMARY How can you best be there for your organization, your employees, the individuals you serve and your own family if you aren’t taking care of yourself? In episode #163 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Georgia Krueger, as she explains why self-care is so important to be your best, feel your best, and, yes, give your best. She shares the importance of incorporating safeguards to care for your heart, mind, body and spirit, so you have the clarity to guide your thinking, ideas and actions. Throughout our conversation, Georgia shares candid insights about specific decisions and pivotal moments and why she credits intentional self-care to see her through. ABOUT GEORGIA Georgia Harris Krueger has worked in the world of not-for-profits for over 30 years in a variety of settings. A 20-year career with the YMCA spans roles from Aquatics Director to Director of Camp Thunderbird to the Executive Director position at the Lake Norman YMCA in Davidson, NC. Most recently, Georgia served as the CEO of Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson, NC where she was instrumental in building collaborative partnerships, creating an endowment program, raising funds for and completing major renovations for the Center, almost doubling the annual budget due to increased client-partner and community demands, while positioning the Center as a leader in strengthening the community. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 30 Jun 2022 | 164: Building an Organizational Culture of Advocacy (Eric Mitchell) | 00:52:08 | |
164: Building an Organizational Culture of Advocacy (Eric Mitchell) SUMMARY You likely bring a passion for change to your leadership role, but are you channeling that passion in the most effective way possible? Are you the advocate for the societal change you aspire to see? In episode #164 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, one time Capitol Hill congressional staffer turned executive director Eric Mitchell explains the missing component to senior nonprofit leadership: advocacy. You may know policies and regulations that can impact your organization, but Eric explains the importance of advocating for policy change that would better affect the community you’re there to serve. Don’t go it alone. Learn how to build a coalition of many to lobby lawmakers. Eric discusses how to advocate for legislation, regulations and policies that get to the root causes which impact people’s daily lives and not just continuously treat the symptoms. You’ll also hear many lessons learned from someone who has crossed various sectors along his career journey. ABOUT ERIC Eric Mitchell is the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Hunger. In his role, he leads the Alliance’s strategic direction, including expanding and mobilizing its network of companies, nonprofit organizations, universities, foundations, and individuals. Prior to the Alliance, Eric served as Director of Global Government Relations for Adtalem Global Education, where he partnered with local government officials, businesses, and civic organizations in the United States and the Caribbean. He also served for six years as the Director of Government Relations at Bread for the World. Eric began his political career on Capitol Hill, serving as Policy Advisor to civil rights icon, U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), and Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA). In 2014, Eric was included in The Root 100 most influential African Americans under the age of 40. He was also recognized as a “Top Lobbyist” from 2014 to 2019 by The Hill newspaper. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 14 Jul 2022 | 166: Transitions in Nonprofit Leadership: Are You Ready to Make a Move? (Mazarine Treyz) | 00:37:41 | |
166: Transitions in Nonprofit Leadership: Are You Ready to Make a Move? (Mazarine Treyz) SUMMARY Are you pondering your place in the philanthropic sector? The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world and its effects are being felt across all industries. In episode #166 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, multifaceted career coach Mazarine Treyz discusses some factors that nonprofit leaders should keep in mind as they prepare for the next normal. She advocates for such things as self-care, equal pay and the need to find fulfilment in your career choices, regardless of the transitions ahead. We are in a cultural transition where individuals, organizations and society can look forward to shaping their futures rather than just grinding through the present. ABOUT MAZARINE Mazarine Treyz loves to help you ask for more. She hosts the Asking for More podcast and mastermind. Mazarine has written a 5-star rated book on fundraising careers, called Get the Job! Your Fundraising Career Empowerment Guide and has helped over 1000 people move on up in their careers. Treyz founded the first fundraising career conference in spring 2015 and has done 13 conferences since then, each year learning more and more about the workplace justice movement. Mazarine excels at motivating audiences to lead and question the status quo. She taught over 20,000 people from 2011 to 2022. She has written 10 e-courses on fundraising & 3 books on nonprofit careers, fundraising and marketing. She has 13 years’ experience providing online workshops and trainings, including Fundraising trainings, Diversity Equity Inclusion trainings and a certification from the Racing to Equity Leadership Institute in 2021. She hosted the Name It podcast from 2019-2021, interviewing DEI leaders to further advocate for equity in our sector. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 07 Jul 2022 | 165: 3 Technology Traps All Nonprofit Leaders Must Avoid (Bill Connors) | 00:54:30 | |
165: 3 Technology Traps All Nonprofit Leaders Must Avoid (Bill Connors) SUMMARY Are you overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data at your nonprofit? Are you making the most of your CRM to streamline your data in productive ways? In episode #165 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Bill Connors explains why understanding technology is a vital skill many nonprofit leaders aren’t taking seriously enough. He shares his three S’s that senior management should avoid for the long-term well-being of their organization and the successful retention of top employees. Learn how to make decisions about technology that will best serve your nonprofit and the people who rely on it to efficiently and effectively get their jobs done. Bill provides practical advice and best practices for maintaining appropriate security to protect your data, and what good is all this data unless it helps grow your mission and your fundraising? Bill has those answers too.
ABOUT BILL Bill Connors, CFRE, bCRE-Pro has been a consultant and trainer on the Blackbaud fundraising software Raiser’s Edge since 1995, having worked directly with over 360 organizations. He started his own consulting and training practice in 2005. In 2010, Wiley published Bill’s book Fundraising with The Raiser’s Edge: A Non-Technical Guide. Until 2005, Bill was Principal Consultant for Fundraising Systems for Blackbaud, having helped found the Blackbaud consulting program in 1998. He has been providing consulting and training on Raiser’s Edge in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe since 1995. He previously served as Senior Consultant for Fundraising Technology for a London fundraising consulting firm. Having spent his entire career in nonprofit work, Bill also worked for Junior Achievement as the Director of Development in Arizona and as Director of Field IT for the national headquarters, overseeing the roll-out of Raiser’s Edge in the field offices. Bill is an honors graduate of Yale University with two master’s degrees, including a recent one from Harvard Divinity School. Bill lives in Folsom, California, east of Sacramento, with his partner and loves sweets, especially ice cream. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 21 Jul 2022 | 167: Horror Stories of Fundraising: What Would You Do? (Jay Frost) | 00:55:24 | |
167: Horror Stories of Fundraising: What Would You Do? (Jay Frost) SUMMARY Think you're the only one to experience a fundraising horror story? Well, Jay Frost is here to assure you’re not alone and there are ways you can avoid these scary situations. In episode #167 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, he shares the critical importance of having policies and procedures in place to avoid your own horror stories and sustain your strategic plan. Learn how often to review and with whom they’re communicated to better build partnerships of trust. In discussing real fundraising horror stories, Jay identifies where things broke down and how we can learn from previous mistakes. ABOUT JAY Jay Frost has worked with thousands of organizations to identify and pursue billions in fundraising opportunities around the world over the past thirty-five years. He is recognized as one of "America's top 25 fundraising experts" by Philanthropy Media, one of the Top 8 Fundraising Influencers by Elevation Media, among the Top Twelve Excellent Fundraising Consultants by Double the Donation, and a Top 100 Charity Influencer by Onalytica. A consultant to nonprofits and an advisor to companies serving the philanthropic marketplace, Jay advises organizations at all stages of their efforts, from startup through capital campaigns. Jay is also the Host of DonorSearch’s Philanthropy Masterminds Series, which has offered over 600 programs to tens of thousands of attendees since its debut in 2016. He has addressed hundreds of meetings across the US, Canada, Asia, the UK, and the Middle East. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 28 Jul 2022 | 168: Will Your Nonprofit Sustain Excellence for the Next Generation? (Regina Moody) | 00:53:33 | |
168: Will Your Nonprofit Sustain Excellence for the Next Generation? (Regina Moody) SUMMARY How prepared is your organization as the philanthropic sector experiences post-pandemic changes? With increased competition for funding, are you communicating your mission and values effectively and managing your digital technology? In episode #168 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Regina Moody, who has had a remarkable 40-year career at a single organization, shares lessons she’s learned on her journey and what she sees for the future of the sector. Regina discusses the increasing reliance on technology and experiences she’s had with such things as policy changes, fundraising, and accreditation processes and compliance. You’ll hear vital advice on managing transitions at many levels, recruiting and retaining talented staff, and engaging with your board of directors. Learn what it takes to be an effective, impactful and intentional leader for the ages. ABOUT REGINA Regina Moody has served as a visionary force, guiding Holy Angels through significant growth and development during her 40-year tenure. Her professional career has been to create a place of “loving, living and learning for the differently able”. Regina has led Holy Angels through National Accreditation (CARF-Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) and expansion of programs and services to provide additional opportunities to improve the overall quality of life for the residents. During Regina's tenure, she took Holy Angels from a single building to a nonprofit that encompasses 17 buildings, including four business enterprises. Regina helped to start Cherubs Café, allowing some residents the opportunity to have meaningful employment. Because of Regina, Holy Angels is internationally recognized for some of its innovative programming and services specializing in comprehensive medical and developmental programs. The list of awards and accomplishments for Regina is long. In 2020, she was awarded the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine award, the highest honor given by the governor to those who have made significant contributions to the state. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 04 Aug 2022 | 169: How to Assess the Philanthropic Culture of a Nonprofit Organization (Armando Chardiet) | 00:46:33 | |
169: How to Assess the Philanthropic Culture of a Nonprofit Organization (Armando Chardiet) SUMMARY Does your organization have a philanthropic culture? How do you know? Armando Chardiet discusses exactly that in episode #169 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and provides recommendations to best stand out as you seek philanthropic support. He also shares what he looks for in recruiting talent, and why mentorship has been the most significant asset during his nonprofit career. Armando defines what it means to have a philanthropic culture, then explains how to create and maintain that culture throughout all facets of the organization. He discusses the shift taking place in philanthropy where individual donors and corporate foundations are driven by a more focused market strategy in areas they fund while simultaneously becoming much more critical in evaluating associated outcomes. ABOUT ARMANDO Armando L. Chardiet, MSW, is president of the Atrium Health Foundation, supporting one of the most comprehensive and highly integrated not-for-profit healthcare systems in the nation. As a member of the executive leadership team, he is responsible for all philanthropic initiatives and fundraising campaigns that allow the organization to advance its mission to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all. A recognized leader in the world of philanthropy with significant experience in establishing a strong culture of charitable giving, Chardiet joined Atrium Health in May 2017. Previously, Chardiet served in a variety of leadership roles, including chair of the Philanthropy Institute at Cleveland Clinic and chief advancement officer and assistant vice dean at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. Chardiet holds his Bachelor of Arts degree in international relations and Latin American studies from Southern Connecticut University and earned a Master of Science degree in social policy research from the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds an advanced certificate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in research. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 11 Aug 2022 | 170: How Can Your Nonprofit Be More Effective Seeking Grants? (Gauri Manglik) | 00:38:39 | |
170: How Can Your Nonprofit Be More Effective Seeking Grants? (Gauri Manglik) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you focused on the most important elements that help you generate more funding? In episode #170 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, learn how to better train your staff, measure the impact of your team, and choose the best tools for your nonprofit from Gauri Manglik, creator of a barrier-breaking grant discovery, research, and tracking tool. Aside from your mission, the talent you attract and retain is crucial to the success of your nonprofit. Having served over 2,000 nonprofit organizations, Gauri shares what she’s observed about successful nonprofits and how they manage their people and technology. In this age of big data, she breaks down unique trends nonprofit leaders should look for and how to leverage quantitative insight when applying for funding. ABOUT GAURI Gauri has dedicated her career to building intuitive and delightful user experiences. Seeing the opportunity to force multiply the nonprofit sector's ability to create impact through software led to her work at Instrumentl. As CEO and a co-founder, she has led Instrumentl to serve over 2,000 nonprofits today, making it a favorite tool among grant seekers for bringing grant prospecting, tracking, and management to one place. Before Instrumentl, Gauri was CEO and co-founder of Fondu, an online community for sharing bite-sized restaurant reviews. After Fondu was acquired by Airbnb, Gauri led their mobile and special projects teams. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 18 Aug 2022 | 171: How to Build Trust as a Nonprofit Leader (Teresa Mitrovic) | 00:51:30 | |
171: How to Build Trust as a Nonprofit Leader (Teresa Mitrovic) SUMMARY Are psychological safety and trust key elements of your leadership? How does trust change workplace culture? What is a leader’s role in trust and how do you build psychological safety while maintaining accountability? In episode #171 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, author and coach Teresa Mitrovic advocates for trust as the crucial factor in organizational health. Learn what it means to create and adapt to this type of environment and discover what a high-performing team operating in psychological safety and trust really looks like. She shares how this model better attracts energized and resilient talent while significantly reducing turnover, which is a critical issue for nonprofit leaders around the world. ABOUT TERESA Teresa Mitrovic is an author, coach and consultant who teaches leaders how to build performance while enabling psychological safety and trust. She has given keynote speeches at conferences, delivered immersive workshops for corporate audiences of up to 250 and cites delivering a Resilience workshop at Buckingham Palace as a career highlight. Before retraining as an Executive & Corporate Coach, she had a leadership career spanning two decades working for Hasbro, The Walt Disney Company and Universal Pictures amongst others. A high performer, she found the increasing demands of senior leadership and single parenthood increasingly exhausting. Learning how to coach as a leader was the turning point that inspired her career change. In the 9 months following the shift in her leadership style, workloads were reset, work pressure was paced, team cohesion, alignment and performance improved and profit grew three-fold. Since then, Teresa has worked with corporate and civil organizational clients globally. A New Zealander, Teresa has lived in Auckland and London but now lives in Melbourne with her husband and dog. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 25 Aug 2022 | 172: 3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Inspire Greater Investment (Deepa Naik) | 00:53:52 | |
172: 3 Ways Your Nonprofit Can Inspire Greater Investment (Deepa Naik) SUMMARY How do you make a successful case for funding given the increasing number of urgent needs in your community? Your donors certainly have many great causes to consider. In episode #172 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Deepa Naik, a former fundraiser and consultant who now works with The Merancas Foundation, about what she sees as she reviews dozens of proposals. Have you ever wished you could ask funders, “How do I best prepare for an initial conversation?” Well, Deepa has some suggestions, and she’ll identify the top three strategies nonprofit leaders can use to inspire greater fund investment.
ABOUT DEEPA Deepa loves building stakeholder relations, handling complex projects, creative thinking, and facing diverse challenges. Her personal and professional paths have been marked by a commitment to empower individuals and support equitable access. Deepa joined The Merancas Foundation as their Director of Philanthropy in May 2021, where she is responsible for distributing grant funds within greater Charlotte, NC, Trenton, NJ, and Atlanta, GA. Formerly, Deepa cultivated external relations for Upstream USA as a Regional Director of Partnerships, expanding contraceptive access across NC. Prior to Upstream, Deepa was a full-time nonprofit consultant, working with organizations of all sizes throughout the Carolinas to achieve strategic and development goals. Early in her career, Deepa gained knowledge and expertise from program and development work in a substance abuse treatment center and domestic violence organizations. Deepa enjoys traveling back to England to see her parents and extended family. She now lives in the suburbs of Charlotte with her husband, Jinesh, and two daughters, Anissa and Evie. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 01 Sep 2022 | 173: Can You Manage the Finances as a Nonprofit Leader? (Alex Romero) | 00:42:36 | |
173: Can You Manage the Finances as a Nonprofit Leader? (Alex Romero) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you well versed in the management of budgets and financials for your organization? Can you forecast cash flow and establish internal controls to keep donors and board members happy? In episode #173 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we explore the fundamental financial skills you must master to excel at nonprofit leadership. Virtual CFO Alex Romero identifies some of the biggest financial challenges she sees nonprofit leaders facing today and how retaining virtual services might help you make good decisions before you put your organization in a bad spot. Alex shares the three financial management pillars for the overall health and sustainability of your organization and why they matter. ABOUT ALEX Alexandria Romero recently joined Chris Hervochon CPA CVA LLC accounting firm as a virtual CFO. Romero is a Certified Public Accounting from Colorado with an impressive list of accolades in accounting — a few which include the 2022 AICPA Outstanding Young CPA Award, a 2022 Colorado State University Department of Accounting Hall of Fame inductee, and a 2021 CPA Practice Advisor’s “40 Under 40” Accounting Professionals. In her new role as a virtual CFO for Chris Hervochon CPA CVA LLC, Romero directs financial planning, financial reports and financial strategies for nonprofits and digital marketing agencies around the country. Romero previously served as Chief Financial Officer for Pueblo City-County Library District in Pueblo, CO, overseeing a more than $14 million budget. Her extensive accounting experience also includes positions as Senior Auditor and Tax Accountant for McPherson, Goodrich, Paolucci & Mihelich, PC in Pueblo, CO, as well as Accountant positions for Colorado Springs Housing Authority in Colorado Springs, CO and the Downtown Denver Partnership in Denver, CO. Romero also is an active member of the accounting industry, currently serving on the AICPA’s Young Member Leadership Committee as chair and a board member for the Colorado Society of Certified Public Accountants (COCPA). EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 08 Sep 2022 | 174: Planting the Seeds of Change with your Nonprofit Board (Christal Cherry & Renee Rubin Ross) | 00:49:25 | |
174: Planting the Seeds of Change with your Nonprofit Board (Christal Cherry & Renee Rubin Ross) SUMMARY Does your nonprofit’s leadership truly represent the diverse voice you serve? Why is it more important than ever to have equal representation at the board level? In episode # 174 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, two talented nonprofit professionals have come together to collaborate on this important topic. Renee Rubin Ross and Christal Cherry share aspects from their DEIB training program and how nonprofits who commit to the process can strengthen the well-being of the entire organization. Renee and Christal discuss the knowledge gaps that exist between black and indigenous people of color and their white counterparts and what actions your board members can take once they recognize the differences that exist. ABOUT CHRISTAL Christal M. Cherry, is a trained fundraiser with more than 22 years of nonprofit experience serving on executive teams, as a liaison with boards, and a confidant to the CEO/Executive Director. Christal has a passion to help transform board members into impactful leaders and touts fundraising as her ministry - the place where she feels she can make the biggest difference. Christal’s mantra: Fundraising is not an F word. Christal founded and leads The Board Pro, a company that equips board members with the tools they need to effectively govern and help nonprofits to fulfill their missions, scale, and become change agents in their communities. ABOUT RENEE Dr. Renee Rubin Ross is a recognized leader on board and organizational development and strategy and the founder of The Ross Collective, a consulting firm that designs and leads inclusive, participatory processes for social sector boards and staff. Committed to racial equity in the nonprofit sector, Dr. Ross guides leaders and organizations in strategic plans and governance processes that deepen social change, racial justice and community strength. In addition to her consulting work, Dr. Ross is the Director of the Cal State University East Bay Nonprofit Management Certificate program and teaches Strategic Planning and Board Development for the program. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 15 Sep 2022 | 175: How Can Nonprofit Leaders Succeed in the Attention Economy? (Eric Ressler) | 00:43:04 | |
175: How Can Nonprofit Leaders Succeed in the Attention Economy? (Eric Ressler) SUMMARY With the distractions of instant access to information, are you effectively capturing the attention of the right people in a sustained, authentic, and meaningful way to move your mission forward? Eric Ressler explains what the attention economy means and how it has affected nonprofit organizations in episode #176 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Eric shares why organizations struggle to find, grow and maintain funding and you can cut through the noise and better communicate your message. Learn why traditional strategies and approaches are not working in this attention economy and how to leverage the full power of a global digital culture. ABOUT Eric Ressler is the Founder and Creative Director at Cosmic, a Social Impact Creative Agency. Cosmic empowers social impact organizations to catalyze real world change by helping them nail their impact story, build brand awareness, and inspire action. Eric got his start in design from a very young age, and after leaving a design program in San Diego early to pursue freelance work, cut his teeth running a freelance business in the digital design space. After organically building a strong roster of clients, he discovered a passion for the social impact and philanthropic space. Through working with numerous organizations across this sector, he found that often their missions and visions are strong, but their efforts are stymied by ineffective communications philosophies and practices. Now, Eric and Cosmic are on a mission to help social impact organizations across the globe navigate a rapidly changing world. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 22 Sep 2022 | 176: Does Your Nonprofit Board Have the Skills to Thrive? (Lisa Cook) | 00:52:45 | |
176: Does Your Nonprofit Board Have the Skills to Thrive? (Lisa Cook) SUMMARY If leadership begins at the top, does your board ensure everyone is performing at their best at the work they pledged to do? In episode #176 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, board governance expert Lisa Cook shares how to identify, cultivate, train and engage your board for long-term success. She discusses why such skills as governance, strategic planning and financial acumen are necessary for success, and things new and aspiring board members must develop. Clear communication of expectations is a vital component at every level of nonprofit leadership, and none more important than between the CEO and Board Chair. Lisa shares how to engage in intentional communication of expectations, and how it provides a mutual understanding of needs, support, resources, and goals.
ABOUT Lisa Cook is the Founder and Managing Director of Get on Board Australia, supporting aspiring, new and existing board members and boards to thrive. She has thirteen years of experience serving on boards from a range of organizations in the private, public, and not for profit sectors in Adelaide, Sydney, and across Australia, including Shooting Australia, Inclusive Sport SA, West Beach Community Bendigo Bank, and Australian College of Professionals. Along with writing and commenting regularly on governance, board members, and boards, Lisa hosts the Board Shorts Podcast; sharing insights, lessons, and advice from her experience in the boardroom and from subject matter experts across the world. Lisa holds a degree from Charles Sturt University in business management and marketing, has completed the Foundations of Directorship program through AICD, and is currently studying a Master of Business Law at the University of Adelaide. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 29 Sep 2022 | 177: Mastering Your Financial Acumen as a Nonprofit Leader (Kevin Briscoe) | 00:49:06 | |
Kevin Briscoe 177: Mastering Your Financial Acumen as a Nonprofit Leader (Kevin Briscoe) SUMMARY Is your organization positioned to navigate the unique strategic and financial challenges inherent in nonprofit settings? As a nonprofit leader, do you need more financial expertise but don’t know if you can afford it? In episode #177 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, financial expert Kevin Briscoe helps today’s nonprofit leaders address their overall accounting needs and financial literacy. He defines what a fractional CFO is and how this model can benefit your nonprofit. Kevin breaks down the various accounting roles, the distinctions between them, and their place in the philanthropic sector. We discuss how to reduce expenses and increase cash flow projections to maximize funding opportunities. ABOUT KEVIN Kevin Briscoe is the Managing Partner of CFO Selections®, and stewards the culture and core values of the organization, including supporting the firm's philanthropic work through the CFOS Foundation. Throughout his career, Kevin has held ownership and management positions, providing effective leadership in increasing profitable growth. His professional career includes nearly 30 years in finance, accounting, and operations from Fortune 100, publicly traded corporations to small, closely held settings. Before joining CFO Selections® in 2007, Kevin was part owner of a successful lighting representative business, helping drive their growth from $30 to $70 million. He has also served as a financial member of South End Equities, where he was responsible for the purchase and management of a commercial real estate portfolio. His extensive experience in business strategy, management, and operations assists him in leading the firm. Kevin earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Gonzaga University. He currently serves as Board Advisor for The Linehan Institute, and has served as a past Board member of the Electric League of the Pacific Northwest Charitable Foundation, as Co-Chair for the American Cancer Society ‘Race for a Cure’ benefiting Breast Cancer research, and also enjoys playing softball in Kent, where he lives with his wife and enjoys spending time with his four children and many grandchildren. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 13 Oct 2022 | 179: Transition Across Sectors: Are You Ready to Lead a Nonprofit? (Beth Reaves) | 00:43:31 | |
179: Transition Across Sectors: Are You Ready to Lead a Nonprofit? (Beth Reaves) SUMMARY Are you considering a career move to a mission based nonprofit and wonder how your corporate skills will transfer to the philanthropic sector? In episode #179 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, one time fortune 50 company executive, Beth Reaves shares what to expect for a successful transition. Having developed an “Entry Plan” for new nonprofit leaders, she explains why it’s important to have one that outlines the 30/60/90-day goals new nonprofit leaders should look to accomplish. She outlines skills and experiences essential to nonprofit leadership and what she looks for in new talent. Beth discusses creating strong bonds with your constituent groups, the value of clear communication, and key elements for a strong and productive relationship with your board of directors.
ABOUT BETH Dr. Beth Reaves is the President of the Washington School for Girls, a private, Catholic school, which provides 100% scholarship support for girls in grades 3-8. She has served in this role since 2017, having previously worked as a school leader and administrator in the Philadelphia area. Prior to working in education, Beth spent a decade working in Corporate Marketing for a Fortune 50 company. She believes in educational equity for young girls of color and works to provide a school environment where every girl can thrive and flourish. In her role, she focuses on external relations, fundraising and leadership to ensure the school provides a strong academic program for its students and is sustainable into the future. Beth holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in accounting from Drexel University, an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Doctorate in Business from the University of Phoenix. She is a Klingenstein Fellow in the Heads of Schools Program at the Teachers’ College, Columbia University, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Association of Independent Schools Greater Washington, the Nativity Miguel Coalition and the DC Public Library Foundation. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 06 Oct 2022 | 178: Building a Diverse and Talented Team at Your Nonprofit (Julie Kratz) | 00:46:08 | |
178: Building a Diverse and Talented Team at Your Nonprofit (Julie Kratz) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you creating a more inclusive and diverse culture at your organization, especially at the leadership level? In episode #178 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with an inclusivity expert, Julie Kratz, about developing the framework for building a diverse and talented leadership team. DEI can be a complex topic in the workplace, and Julie introduces the basic terms leaders should know to engage in candid conversations about diversity and inclusion. She also outlines her 3D’s model to hold team members accountable, and how using the model in conversation cultivates greater inclusion. Learn exactly what nonprofit leaders having success with DEI are doing, and how they have built and retained diverse leadership teams.
ABOUT JULIE Julie Kratz is a highly acclaimed TEDx speaker and inclusive leadership trainer who led teams and produced results in corporate America. After experiencing many career “pivot points” of her own, she started her own speaking business with the goal of helping leaders be more inclusive. Promoting diversity, inclusion, and allyship in the workplace, Julie helps organizations foster more inclusive environments. She is a frequent keynote speaker, podcast host, and executive coach. She holds an MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, is a Certified Master Coach, and is a certified unconscious bias trainer. Her books include Pivot Point: How to Build a Winning Career Game Plan, ONE: How Male Allies Support Women for Gender Equality, and Lead Like an Ally: A Journey Through Corporate America with Strategies to Facilitate Inclusion, children’s book Little Allies, and her newest Allyship in Action: 10 Strategies for Living Inclusively.
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| 20 Oct 2022 | 180: How Can You Use Technology to Amplify Good? (Ray Gary) | 00:40:52 | |
180: How Can You Use Technology to Amplify Good? (Ray Gary) SUMMARY Today’s donors have become empowered consumers conditioned by predictive technology experiences. As a nonprofit leader, do you truly embrace the donor experience? Is your technology more convenient for the organization than it is for your donors? In episode #180 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership technology expert, Ray Gary explains how nonprofit leaders who embrace current advances in digital platforms successfully engage, cultivate, and grow donors to become sustainable advocates of your organization's mission. Learn why you should “beware of shiny objects” and not chase the latest tech features and functionalities, but fully maximize the technology you already have cohesively within all your departments. Ray also explains what he sees as the “mid-level donor dilemma” and how technology can address this growing vital group of donors. Are you ready to test your technology acumen?
ABOUT RAY Ray Gary has 30+ years of product development, professional service, domestic and international business development, and early-stage business building. As the CEO of iDonate, he leads a company that provides nonprofits with technology solutions to do more good in the world. His experience in launching, building and helping businesses succeed spans nearly three decades, including various leadership positions in technology companies. Previously, he’s served as President of the Venture Capital group of Koch Industries, one of the nation’s largest private companies, where he oversaw numerous technology investments. Ray currently serves as an Advisory Board member of the Highland Park chapter of KLIFE–a faith-based ministry for students and also sits on the Board of the greater Baton Rouge/LSU area Young Life ministry. Ray and his wife, Gina, live in Park Cities, Texas and have three kids and one grandchild. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 27 Oct 2022 | 181: What Are Your Donors Thinking? (Derric Bakker) | 00:43:51 | |
181: What Are Your Donors Thinking? (Derric Bakker) SUMMARY After record-level giving during Covid, what are your donors thinking with uncertain economic conditions ahead? In episode #181 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Derric Bakker, a 30+ year expert fundraiser and founder of the annual Donor Insight Study, about what donors are likely to do in the year ahead. After multiple years studying the economic indicators that affect philanthropic behavior, Derric shares his insight about what it all means for 2022 year-end giving as well as giving in 2023. Learn what needs are weighing on the minds of donors, how nonprofit leaders can benefit from these insights, and why now more than ever, leaders must clearly communicate the extent of need amongst those they serve. ABOUT DERRIC Derric Bakker is one of those rare individuals who has been in fundraising for almost his entire career. In 1990, just a couple years out of college, Derric was offered his first fundraising position with a small local nonprofit. It soon became apparent that fundraising was a strong fit for his unique set of gifts and what started as a whim grew into a lifelong career. Over the next ten years he would hone his craft working at three different nonprofit organizations. Derric then segued into consulting in 2001. Over most of the next decade he worked as Vice President for two different firms providing capital campaign and major gift consulting services to dozens of different organizations. In 2010 Derric started his own consulting firm, which became DickersonBakker after a merger with Denver-based firm in 2012. Since then, he has served as President of DickersonBakker, which has grown to become a nationally recognized firm comprised of over 30 full-time professionals serving well over a hundred different nonprofit organizations each year. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 03 Nov 2022 | 182: Breaking Down Barriers as a Nonprofit Leader (Nyeisha Dewitt) | 00:45:48 | |
182: Breaking Down Barriers as a Nonprofit Leader (Nyeisha Dewitt) SUMMARY How do you blend your life experiences with a passion for change and actually do something about it? Dr. Nyeisha Dewitt is eminently qualified to answer this question. In episode #182 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Nyeisha shares her journey to nonprofit leadership, the lessons she’s learned, and the challenges she’s faced along the way. As a committed entrepreneur herself, she knows leaders can be mission-driven yet combine that with business acumen informed by experiences. Nyeisha discusses the value of community partnerships with varying missions who work together to break down barriers of those you serve to address their whole need. You’ll also hear her process for self-care, recruiting talent, and building an effective board. ABOUT NYEISHA Dr. Nyeisha DeWitt is an investor, serial entrepreneur and the CEO of Oakland Natives Give Back Fund, Inc., which she founded in 2008 to epitomize an evolved concept of philanthropy and raise awareness around the importance of daily attendance. Personally familiar with the outcomes associated with chronic absenteeism, Dr. Ny is the example of where you start not necessarily dictating where you finish. She dropped out of high school in the 10th grade, but since taking her GED, she has triumphed from graduation stage to graduation stage. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley, her Master’s Degree in Teaching and Doctoral Degree in Organization and Leadership in Education, both from the University of San Francisco, and recently, she completed her Master degree in Management with a concentration in Advanced Entrepreneurial Leadership from Babson College in Massachusetts. Her experience as an educator and a mother of three children with unique learning abilities has provided immense value to her role as a funder who supports innovative + solutions to combat this national crisis. Since inception, ONGB has invested nearly $7.2M in resources toward that end. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 10 Nov 2022 | 183: National Philanthropy Day: How Will You Celebrate? (Robert Touchstone) | 00:51:55 | |
183: National Philanthropy Day: How Will You Celebrate? (Robert Touchstone) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, how can you leverage National Philanthropy Day throughout the year? Learn why it’s celebrated across the nation and about some of the local winners worthy of recognition as we talk with AFP Charlotte President Robert Touchstone in episode #183 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Robert advocates for the benefits nonprofit leaders realize through an organization like AFP. He also discusses his journey to nonprofit leadership and the lessons he’s learned along the way. You’ll hear about trends and shifts in funding models, especially related to the United Arts funds that operate across the United States.
ABOUT ROBERT Robert Touchstone, CFRE, is a fundraising professional with over 15 years of experience at Charlotte-area nonprofits. He joined the Arts & Science Council team in November 2018 as Vice President of Philanthropy, where he oversees fundraising operations, major gifts and corporate giving. Prior to ASC, Robert worked at Carolina Raptor Center and Actor’s Theatre of Charlotte. He currently serves as the Board President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Charlotte Chapter, and in his spare time, enjoys being a dog dad to Lily and Tucker, playing tennis, and fixing things around the house. Robert received his BA in Spanish and MBA from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS. He is also a proud member of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 17 Nov 2022 | 184: Excelling at Team Development as a Nonprofit Leader (Liz Brigham) | 00:58:35 | |
184: Excelling at Team Development as a Nonprofit Leader (Liz Brigham) SUMMARY Is the synergy of your team firing on all cylinders? Do you make time for an intentional pause, to first look back at what got you to where you are and what it will take to get you to that next level? Liz Brigham of the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Davidson College answers these questions and more in episode #184 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Liz shares vast experience from her professional journey and work with students and entrepreneurs throughout the region. You’ll learn vital tips for proper self-care, time management, and organization that will keep you and your team at the top of their game. Liz also discusses three pillars for team development and growth: entrepreneurship, innovation and design thinking and how they affect the recruitment and retention of new and existing talent. ABOUT LIZ Elizabeth “Liz” Brigham serves as the Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Jay Hurt Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Davidson College. Prior to taking this role she was the Head of Product, Morningstar Direct & Reporting Solutions Software, for Morningstar Inc. in Chicago. Before leading these commercial business lines, she scaled and led the Product Marketing organization for Morningstar’s roughly $400M global software portfolio. While in that role, she was recognized as the Product Marketing Leader of the Year in 2019 by the Global Product Marketing Alliance. Before joining Morningstar, Brigham led product management and marketing teams at enterprise technology start-ups in Chicago and at public companies, such as Jive Software and Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. Brigham is a self-proclaimed “Davidson College Groupie” and has served on the Board of Visitors, Alumni Association Board, was recognized with the Davidson Alumni Service award in 2019. She is also a mentor and board member for LaunchCLT, plays the piano and acoustic guitar, and dreams of building a family band with her young sons and husband. Brigham holds a B.A. in English, cum laude, from Davidson College and an MBA, with Distinction, in corporate strategy and marketing from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 24 Nov 2022 | 185: Happy Thanksgiving: 7 Ideas For Which You'll Thank Me (Patton McDowell) | 00:29:59 | |
What are you doing to actually move closer to your ideal leadership role in the nonprofit sector? In this solo episode #185 of The Path Podcast, I offer seven specific ideas that can help you build your personal strategic plan for the year ahead. 1. Declutter Patton McDowell has enjoyed a successful 30-year career in nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, and organizational development. Prior to founding PMA Nonprofit Leadership in 2009, he served as Vice President for University Advancement at Queens University of Charlotte. Before Queens, Patton served as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement at UNC Wilmington, where he was the youngest vice chancellor in the 16-campus UNC system. He previously served as Program Director for Special Olympics North Carolina in Raleigh, following his tenure with Special Olympics International in Washington, D.C. Patton is a native of Elizabeth City, NC, and received a bachelor's degree in English Education from UNC Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar. He received his MBA from the McColl School of Business at Queens, and his Doctorate in Education (Organizational Change and Leadership) from the Rossier School at the University of Southern California. He is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a Master Trainer for AFP International, and a member of the William C. Friday Fellowship for Human Relations. Patton is a former board President of AFP Charlotte, served as the Chapter Representative on the AFP International Board, and is the host of the weekly podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership and author of the best-selling book also titled Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership.
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| 01 Dec 2022 | 186: Why Don’t Board Members Do What They’re Supposed to Do? (Hardy Smith) | 01:03:19 | |
186: Why Don’t Board Members Do What They’re Supposed to Do? (Hardy Smith) SUMMARY Are your nonprofit board members as engaged as they should be? Do they micromanage or are they completely disengaged? In episode #186 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, author of Stop the Nonprofit Board Blame Game, Hardy Smith, discusses what an effective board really means. He details actions to avoid board member relationship mistakes, keys to recruiting and retaining productive board members, and why board members aren’t passionate about fundraising. You’ll hear some fundamental problems nonprofit staff face when interacting with their boards and what you can do to improve the relationship to achieve more effective results. Hardy also offers advice to board members so they can be the kind of intentional, effective and productive volunteer your organization needs.
Hardy Smith is author of Stop the Nonprofit Board Blame Game. As a consultant and speaker, he works with organizations who want to benefit from a fully engaged board. Through board retreats, workshops, keynotes, and planning sessions Hardy provides solutions to board engagement challenges. Hardy’s results-oriented approach was developed during a longtime career in the high-performance world of NASCAR racing. He has had wide-ranging personal and professional involvement with nonprofits, associations, chambers of commerce, and community groups nationwide. He is a member of the National Speakers Association, ASAE, Association of Fundraising Professionals, BoardSource, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, and Florida Society of Association Executives. He is a faculty member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management.
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| 08 Dec 2022 | 187: Managing A Nonprofit Merger: Would You Be Ready? (Dr. Monique Perry-Graves) | 00:50:07 | |
187: Managing A Nonprofit Merger: Would You Be Ready? (Dr. Monique Perry-Graves) SUMMARY As nonprofits consider strategies for the future, its leadership may explore the possibility of re-aligning resources, collaborating to increase efficiencies, or even entering a formal strategic alliance or merger with another nonprofit. In episode #187 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Dr. Monique Perry-Graves shares key considerations nonprofit leaders can follow to guide their organization through the merger process. She discusses her career journey, valuable lessons learned from transitioning sectors, and the most defining moments that prepared her for senior leadership. Monique breaks down her 70/20/10 concept for individual learning, development and elevation to leadership. You’ll hear some challenges, benefits and unique opportunities inherent to being a chapter of a national organization as Monique talks about her approach to such things as fundraising, board engagement and talent acquisition and retention. ABOUT MONIQUE Dr. Monique Perry-Graves is an award-winning social impact leader with a deep commitment to expanding educational equity and access. For over twenty years, she has aligned her personal and professional life to this commitment, born from her lived experience and generational family commitment to education. Dr. Perry-Graves serves as Teach for America’s first statewide Executive Director for its North Carolina regions. In this role, she leads multiple teams spanning Charlotte, the Piedmont-Triad, Triangle, and Eastern North Carolina, to support Teach For America’s mission to find, develop, and support a diverse network of leaders working together to end educational inequity. As chief executive for the state, Dr. Perry-Graves’ leadership portfolio includes corps member and alumni programming, communications, public affairs, government relations, operations, fundraising, and two regional advisory boards. In her first year, she successfully led North Carolina's transition from a multi-region portfolio to unified statewide model, forged new statewide and national partnerships, and amplified the impact of the TFA NC network of educators and alumni amid unprecedented challenges during the secondary stages of COVID-19 as districts returned to in-person learning. She continues to share insights and magnify the voices of others with the broader NC community through monthly columns published by EducationNC. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 15 Dec 2022 | 188: How Can You Be More Effective as a Nonprofit Leader? (Grace Nicolette) | 00:43:37 | |
188: How Can You Be More Effective as a Nonprofit Leader? (Grace Nicolette) SUMMARY Being effective in the philanthropic sector is uniquely challenging. To make every dollar count, you must continually assess performance, learn from data, and adapt in ways that are consistent with effectiveness. Grace Nicolette, co-host of the widely acclaimed Giving Done Right Podcast and Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) executive, joins us in episode #188 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership to share her expertise on how to be more effective as a nonprofit leader. Grace sets realistic expectations for someone considering a move to this sector and shares advice for nonprofit leaders as they move into more senior leadership and how they can better understand important aspects of the donor relationship. Grace discusses the CEP report on the impact of Mackenzie Scott’s giving and the careful strategic planning involved with receiving such unrestricted gifts. ABOUT GRACE Grace Chiang Nicolette, Vice President of Programming and External Relations, oversees the organization’s partnerships, outreach efforts, fundraising, communications, and innovative programming. She is a co-host with CEP’s President Phil Buchanan of the widely acclaimed Giving Done Right podcast. Grace was formerly a client lead on CEP’s Assessment team, where she led the marketing, creation, and presentation of CEP’s benchmarking assessments for individual foundations. She is a frequent speaker to foundation staff and boards on topics of philanthropic effectiveness and philanthropy in China. Prior to joining CEP, Grace co-founded a philanthropy advisory firm in Shanghai that identifies investments in high potential nonprofits and social enterprises in China. The World Economic Forum named her a Young Global Leader in 2011. Grace has an executive education certificate from Harvard’s Kennedy School in Global Leadership and Public Policy and graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania as a Benjamin Franklin Scholar. She resides with her husband and two children in Cambridge, and they are active members of their church. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 22 Dec 2022 | 189: Maximizing Community Relationships as a Nonprofit Leader (Kathy Rogers) | 00:51:50 | |
189: Maximizing Community Relationships as a Nonprofit Leader (Kathy Rogers) SUMMARY Community partnerships can be an effective way to accomplish shared goals. What are the factors that make some partnerships more effective than others? In episode #189 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Mental Health America of Central Carolinas Executive Director Kathy Rogers outlines the importance of building intentional and strategic community relationships that maximizes collaboration, funding, and will move your mission forward. She shares key aspects for cultivating stronger relationships with local governments. Community-based nonprofit organizations offer unique and important insights into the challenges and opportunities facing residents in their area and can help local officials improve their ability to communicate and connect with a wide range of community members. This type of collaboration is vital to the organization and the community. Passionate about creating a culture of communication, she describes her recently formed workplace culture committee, its goals and progress, and lessons learned through the pandemic all nonprofit leaders will benefit from hearing. ABOUT KATHY Kathy Rogers has been the Executive Director of Mental Health America of Central Carolinas (MHA) since October 2017. She has more than 20 years of executive nonprofit management experience, including 12 years as the Executive Director of United Way of Henry County and Martinsville, VA, where she was instrumental in starting an early childhood initiative, a faith-based crisis network, and a nonprofit capacity building initiative. Prior to joining MHA, Rogers was the Executive Director of Piedmont Arts, a nationally accredited arts organization in Martinsville, VA. Before moving into the nonprofit sector, she was Director of Corporate Communications and Investor Relations for a large textile manufacturer. She is a member of the North Carolina Mental Health Coalition, Mental Health America National’s Affiliate Relations Committee, Mecklenburg County’s Community Wellness Task Force, and the UCity Family Zone Community of Health Committee. She is also a certified QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Suicide Prevention Instructor. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 29 Dec 2022 | 190: 22 Resources from 2022: Fundraising, Finance & Future Focus | 00:24:32 | |
190: 22 Resources from 2022: Fundraising, Finance & Future Focus Fundraising
Finance & Technology
Future Focus
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| 05 Jan 2023 | 191: Managing Turnover as a Nonprofit Leader (Bert Armstrong) | 00:51:45 | |
119: Managing Turnover as a Nonprofit Leader (Bert Armstrong) SUMMARY As turnover affects every level of our nonprofit organizations, leaders are asking themselves “how do I attract and retain the talented people we need?” In episode #191 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we speak with Bert Armstrong, who has served more than three decades in the philanthropic sector, about navigating turnover. He discusses how to avoid turnover in the first place, the best approach to a search process when it’s necessary, and how to better develop emerging leaders when change occurs. It’s clear that nonprofit leaders can’t afford to take a “wait and see” attitude toward turnover in the sector, but by being proactive in ways that address compensation, wellness, culture and advancement opportunities will help attract and retain the talent you need.
ABOUT BERT Bert Armstrong found his career mojo as a nonprofit leader and fundraiser. The teachings of his faith shaped his passion for the work and by the examples of servant leadership and generosity by people across all stations in life. His joy is reinforced daily working among brilliant leaders, talented professionals, passionate philanthropists, and frontline staff and volunteer heroes dedicated to making the lives of others a little better every day. Bert has served the nonprofit and philanthropic community as a fundraising professional, senior administrator, consultant, volunteer, and board member for over three decades. As co-founder and principal of Armstrong McGuire, he has spent the past 18 years leading searches for nonprofit and philanthropic executives and professionals, facilitating dynamic planning efforts, and helping Armstrong McGuire clients raise tens of millions of dollars. Today, Bert leads a talented team that is dedicated to helping Armstrong McGuire’s clients reach their potential for doing great things in their communities. Prior to co-founding Armstrong McGuire, Bert served as the Vice President for Advancement for the Methodist Home for Children in Raleigh, NC. Earlier in his career he held individual and corporate fundraising roles in the faith community, the arts, and in higher education, as well as working for a statewide gubernatorial campaign. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 12 Jan 2023 | 192: Everything You Think About Board Development Is Wrong (Sabrina Walker Hernandez) | 00:46:58 | |
192: Everything You Think About Board Development Is Wrong (Sabrina Walker Hernandez) SUMMARY What is the biggest misconception about board development that many nonprofit leaders face? Do you have the right members on your board and do they know exactly why they've been invited to join? Sabrina Walker Hernandez, who has over 25 years’ experience in nonprofit management, answers these questions and more in episode #192 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. She shares key advice for effective board engagement from recruitment and orientation through development and successful management. Sabrina discusses the board and staff partnership and how to motivate your board members to fundraise. Do you have board champions? Learn what they are and why they’re a vital complement to your leadership.
ABOUT SABRINA With over 25 years of experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and leadership, Sabrina Walker Hernandez, President/CEO of Supporting World Hope (SWH), provides consulting services and project-based leadership in helping organizations in the areas of building and managing development programs, capital campaigns, major gift fundraising, board development, marketing, annual fundraising efforts and public relations. Sabrina has a reputation for transformational leadership through staffing and mission alignment, fundraising, expanding programming and community partnerships. Prior to starting Supporting World Hope (SWH), Sabrina served as the Chief Executive Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Edinburg RGV. One of Sabrina’s greatest successes is that she increased operating revenue from $750,000 to 2.5 million over an 8-year period as well, being responsible for the planning and operations of the largest campaign in organization’s history, a $12 million comprehensive capital campaign. In addition to her CEO experience, Sabrina also held the position of Vice President of Operations. She also serves as a master national trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which allows her to facilitate workshops and training at clubs across the country. She has served on the Board of Directors for Edinburg Rotary and the Texas Partnership for Out of School Time. She recently earned her Certification of Nonprofit Management from Harvard Business School. Sabrina earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas-Pan American and holds a master’s degree in Public Administration. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 19 Jan 2023 | 193: Social Impact Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders (Jacob Harold) | 00:51:24 | |
193: Social Impact Strategies for Nonprofit Leaders (Jacob Harold) SUMMARY Many nonprofit leaders have social impact amongst their chief objectives, but do you know what social impact truly means and how to measure the impact you’re having? In episode #193 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, social change strategist Jacob Harold shares his tools to help you transform your corner of the world. A former GuideStar and Candid executive, Jacob talks about the importance of collaboration, transparency, communication and comprehensive storytelling to assure a nonprofit’s success. He discusses his two laws of nonprofit communication: no story without numbers and no numbers without stories. Jacob shares his book, The Toolbox: Strategies for Crafting Social Impact where he identifies 9 different ways of thinking about social change and the essential lessons of each. ABOUT JACOB Jacob Harold is a social change strategist, author, and executive. His story parallels the intellectual arc of The Toolbox: he’s traveled from farm to monastery to jail to laboratory to boardroom, all in search of the best ways to do good. From 2012 to 2021, Harold served as President & CEO of GuideStar and co-founder of Candid. Fast Company called Candid “the definitive nonprofit transparency organization.” Each year, over 20 million people use its data on nonprofits, grants, and social sector practice. The merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center formed candid in 2019. Harold co-led the $45 million capital campaign to launch Candid, wrote Candid’s guiding strategy document, Candid 2030, and served as EVP during post-merger integration. During his tenure leading GuideStar, Harold oversaw a financial turnaround, a tripling of GuideStar’s reach, and major partnerships with organizations ranging from Google to the Gates Foundation. In 2013, Harold launched the Overhead Myth campaign to shift attention from nonprofits’ financial ratios to their programmatic results. Since then, over 200,000 nonprofits have used GuideStar’s Profile Program to tell their full story to the world. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 26 Jan 2023 | 194: 3 Essential Characteristics for Nonprofit Leaders (Jama Campbell) | 00:49:31 | |
194: 3 Essential Characteristics for Nonprofit Leaders (Jama Campbell) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader looking for specific program funding, are you aware of all your opportunities and what those potential funders are specifically looking for when considering where to invest? In episode #194 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with SECU Foundation Executive Director Jama Campbell about key leadership attributes they look for when choosing projects and programs to fund. She shares the projects which can be replicated and the impact they have on both in their community and extended region they look for. Jama discusses their Mission Development Conference, which brings nonprofit leaders together, creating opportunities for collaboration and the four key areas of need they look to fund. Jama shares their key leadership components she looks for in each organization they consider. Learn how to build a better request from one expert.
ABOUT JAMA Jama Campbell is a native of North Carolina and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For over twenty-five years, Jama has worked for SECU in various positions throughout the state. Jama served as loan officer, operations auditor, Branch Vice President and later Senior Vice President in the branch network before taking on the role of Executive Director of SECU Foundation in 2015. She brings her experience in serving members to her role as Executive Director of the SECU Foundation and helps guide the Foundation in furthering its commitment to the citizens of North Carolina. Jama states “The member funded SECU Foundation serves as an incredible resource to North Carolina by supporting high impact projects in the areas of education, healthcare, housing and human services. We strive to represent the credit union philosophy of 'People Helping People' and embrace the opportunity to serve the citizenry of our state by ensuring our footprint is felt in all 100 North Carolina counties.” EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 02 Feb 2023 | 195: Leading a Nonprofit in a Post-Pandemic Environment (Katherine Lambert) | 00:50:16 | |
195: Leading a Nonprofit in a Post Pandemic Working Environment (Katherine Lambert) SUMMARY The pandemic put a unique pressure on nonprofit organizations and its leaders to do more with less, and adapt to new technologies and structures. As we usher in a post Covid-19 future, what will the new normal in the nonprofit sector look like? In episode #195 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we speak with veteran philanthropic leader, Katherine Lambert, about finding balance post-pandemic and moving from surviving to thriving. While the sector sometimes lags in innovation, the pandemic has forced organizations to adapt which has brought positive transformation to how they communicate, engage donors and volunteers, and raise funds. A philanthropic organization’s work is as effective as the people who perform it, and Katherine shares how they have revamped work culture, hours and practices to find and retain quality talent.
ABOUT KATHERINE Katherine Lambert joined the Alzheimer’s Association, Western Carolina Chapter in April, 2014 as its Chief Executive Officer. She works with a volunteer and staff team across the 49 counties in Central and Western North Carolina to achieve the Association’s mission to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. In January, 2017 Katherine’s role with the Association expanded to serving as the Regional Leader for all chapters in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Prior to leading the Alzheimer’s Association, Western Carolina Chapter, Katherine served as Executive Vice President for Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council for five years and as Chief Development Officer for an additional three years. She also founded and led The Lambert Group for four years providing strategic planning, fund development and training resources for non-profit organizations. Preceding her non-profit career, Katherine spent six years in the financial services and headhunting industries. A native of Charlotte, Katherine earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a Certificate in Marketing and Management from Duke University and has achieved her CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) designation. Currently, she is an active member of Trinity Presbyterian Church and Women Executives. She has served on the Board of Directors and as chair for two non-profit organizations, Sharon Towers and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 09 Feb 2023 | 196: Key Strategies for Becoming an Exceptional Nonprofit Leader (Denver Frederick) | 00:56:42 | |
196: Key Strategies for Becoming an Exceptional Nonprofit Leader (Denver Frederick) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, you’re committed to achieving greater impact, yet recent challenges could hinder the effective implementation of your mission. In episode #196 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we’re joined by Denver Frederick, a pioneer in the philanthropic sector who has been on the cutting edge of many fundraising principles used today. As someone who created the model for corporate sponsorships, he shares his opinions on the state of corporate giving today. Denver also addresses scaling for impact and how organizations can grow and replicate ideas to increase impact. He defines systems change and breaks down how nonprofit leaders can live up to their potential to advance true systemic change. He advocates for decision-making velocity and the benefits nonprofit organizations experience when they embrace the urgency. Denver discusses the shift in unrestricted giving and the balance of power in our sector.
ABOUT DENVER Denver Frederick is a trusted advisor and executive coach to nonprofit CEOs, acting as a comprehensive resource, confidante, and consultant. In his 40-plus years in the nonprofit sector, he has served as a CEO, led the fundraising campaign to restore the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and assisted renowned actor Michael J. Fox in launching his Parkinson’s Foundation, and pioneered the movement of peer-to-peer fundraising. For the past ten years, Denver has hosted The Business of Giving, a nationally syndicated radio show-turned-podcast. In nearly 1,000 interviews with nonprofit CEOs and subject experts, he’s revealed their challenges and the innovative solutions comprising “new best practices” for charitable organizations. He’s also conducted over 150 team focus groups to surface the “secret sauce” of organizational cultures that makes them irresistible places to work. Denver has taught at the NYU School of Fundraising Management and is a Certified Professional Executive Coach. He is a sought-after speaker who has appeared at forums such as the Harvard Social Enterprise Conference and the Citi Foundation Annual Convening of Grantees and Partners. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 16 Feb 2023 | 197: Building a New Community as a Nonprofit Leader (Sherri Chisholm) | 00:49:40 | |
197: Building a New Community as a Nonprofit Leader (Sherri Chisholm) SUMMARY Stepping into a new leadership role is an exciting challenge, but doing it in a new community can create new complexities. In episode #197 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, seasoned nonprofit leader Sherri Chisholm shares how she navigated a new community while maintaining her personal and professional connection to the cause. She shares the steps she took to hone the organization's vision and message, and how each of her colleagues plays a role in advancing it. Traversing the nuances and politics of any community presents its own set of opportunities, and Sherri gives practical examples about how she established and developed these relationships. We also take a deep dive into economic mobility and the methods and resources available to individuals and organizations to increase the outcomes for all children.
ABOUT SHERRI Sherri Chisholm joined Leading on Opportunity as its new director in September of 2020, bringing nearly a decade of experience as an educational and nonprofit strategist to the role. She has worked in senior leadership at national nonprofits and major school districts across the country, where she drove transformation through strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, and leadership development. Prior to joining Leading on Opportunity, Sherri served as the founding Executive Director of Urban Alliance Detroit, a national youth workforce development nonprofit that aims to expand access to economic opportunity for youth from under-resourced neighborhoods through paid internships, job skills training, and mentoring. She is also the founder and CEO of FreeSpace Consulting Group where she has worked to guide and support districts and nonprofit organizations across the country seeking to effect positive change in public education. Sherri holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Studies and Spanish from the University of Michigan; a Master of Arts degree in Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education; and a Master of Arts degree in Education Leadership from the Los Angeles-based Broad Center for the Management of School Systems. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 23 Feb 2023 | 198: Dirty Little Secrets of Direct Response Fundraising (Andrew Olsen) | 00:50:50 | |
198: Dirty Little Secrets of Direct Response Fundraising (Andrew Olsen) SUMMARY What is direct response fundraising? Is it part of your overall fundraising plan and are you getting the returns you expect? In episode #198 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Andrew Olsen returns to the podcast and explains why you need a better way to fundraise. Many nonprofits coming out of Covid are achieving their highest levels in giving. However, Andrew explains why giving patterns over the last decades don’t match the trends of giving today. Learn the dangers of approaching fundraising with a mass volume strategy. Andrew shows why relationships are the key to long-term giving that will sustain your organization throughout the years. Would your organization benefit from outsourcing their direct response fundraising? Do you truly understand what it means to be a good steward to your donors? Andrew has the answers. ABOUT ANDREW Andrew Olsen is on a mission to help leaders increase mission impact by developing healthy cultures that accelerate revenue growth. Throughout his career, he’s helped over 500 ministries and other nonprofits raise more than half a billion dollars. Andrew has built and led fundraising programs on behalf of organizations like Covenant House International, Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army Eastern Territory, The Salvation Army California South Division, Jews for Jesus, CARE USA, Save the Children, Best Friends Animal Society, and dozens of Rescue Missions and Food Banks across the U.S. and Canada. Andrew is a two-time best-selling author and host of the top-ranked show, The Rainmaker Fundraising Podcast. Andrew recently joined DickersonBakker & Associates as Senior Vice President of Fundraising Solutions, where he’ll lead the firm’s major gift consulting practice as well as oversee the Impact Messaging division that provides communication vehicles to support our clients’ major gift and capital campaign efforts. Andrew will also be responsible for developing and launching new products and services for the firm. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 02 Mar 2023 | 199: Finding Your Passion as a Nonprofit Leader (Helena Scott) | 00:56:09 | |
199: Finding Your Passion as a Nonprofit Leader (Helena Scott) SUMMARY How do you find – and keep - your passion as a nonprofit leader? In episode #199 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Helena Scott shares her remarkable two-decade journey with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and what sustains her energy and motivation. She discusses challenges, benefits and unique opportunities inherent to being a part of a national chapter organization and her leadership approach to such things as fundraising, board engagement, and talent acquisition and retention. Helena also shares her best advice for finding that proverbial work-life balance.
Helena Scott is a Regional Advancement Director of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), covering North Carolina and Virginia. She has been with LLS in a variety of roles over the past 22 years and has worked in the oncology field since graduating from Washington University in St. Louis in 1999. Helena began her career at Memorial Sloan Kettering working in business management before accepting her first position at LLS in its New York office in 2001. During her tenure in NY, Helena oversaw the largest fundraising campaign and market in the country, generating over $8MM in a single year through LLS's flagship sports endurance program Team in Training. In 2011, shortly after the birth of her first son, Helena co-founded LLS’s Moms In Training program, a unique initiative bringing like-minded moms together to achieve their fitness and philanthropic goals. In 2015, Helena accepted a position as the Director of the Charlotte office where she quickly transformed the languishing market. Under her leadership, the Charlotte team increased its flagship campaigns from $900,000 to $5,500,000 in just 4 years, breaking LLS fundraising records, and elevating Charlotte to one of the fastest markets nationally. During her time running the Charlotte office, Helena oversaw the first Man & Woman of the Year campaign to ever break $3 million nationally, and also initiated a multi-million-dollar Students of the Year campaign in Charlotte. She has been a top national fundraiser for the past decade, raising just shy of $1,000,000, a milestone she hopes to break this year.
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| 16 Mar 2023 | 201: Key Fundraising Trends Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know (Matt Nash) | 00:49:26 | |
201: Key Fundraising Trends Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know (Matt Nash) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you aware of the unique motivations many Donor Advise Fund (DAF) givers share? Do you target stewardship efforts to this group of individuals specifically? In episode #201 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Matt Nash, who has been on the cutting edge of recent key fundraising trends in the philanthropic sector shares his extensive knowledge about the rise of this donor group. Learn more about the psychology and intent behind these donors and how best to steward them. Matt discusses top trends such as strategy, digital platforms, relationships, and the rise of crypto that are affecting fundraising in 2023 and how nonprofit leaders should address each.
ABOUT MATT Matthew Nash is the Executive Director of the Blackbaud Giving Fund, leading the organization’s mission to unleash generosity by connecting people to causes they care about around the world. An experienced executive with a focus on customer relationships, he previously served as the Executive Director of the Generosity Commission Working Group, where he continues to volunteer, focusing on implementing a research agenda aimed at more deeply understanding generosity in America. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of Marketing and Donor Experience at Fidelity Charitable, one of the largest grant-makers in the United States, where he studied donor behavior and worked to make giving accessible, simple, and effective. An expert in donor-advised funds and philanthropy, Matt is an advocate for local public education, having served as a foundation president funding innovative educational programs and on the board of advisors for District C, a nonprofit that brings students together across schools to solve real problems of local businesses. He received a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from the University of Minnesota. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 09 Mar 2023 | 200: Nonprofit Leaders: Which Trends Should You Follow? (Becky Endicott & Jon McCoy) | 00:51:28 | |
200: Nonprofit Leaders: Which Trends Should You Follow? (Becky Endicott & Jon McCoy) SUMMARY What key trends are you following as a leader in 2023? For the enterprising nonprofit executive, one of the best sources of cutting-edge information on hot topics in the sector is We Are For Good, and that’s why we waited until the #200th episode of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership to speak with Becky Endicott and Jon McCoy, two thought leaders in our sector who will zero in on some of the key trends that will help you steer your nonprofit in the right direction this year.
ABOUT JON ABOUT BECKY We Are For Good, a digital kindness and social impact community, is revolutionizing the nonprofit industry through profound compassion, best-in-class education/training, authentic storytelling and crazy good marketing all leading to an #ImpactUprising. Its podcast of the same name debuted at #1 in the nonprofit category and is frequented by nonprofit colleagues around the world as well as Do Gooders who are simply looking for a reason to smile or celebrate humanity. The company’s ethos stems from the core belief that everyone matters, and our passion is to bring innovation, social impact, and, well - a little bit of good - into the world. You matter here. Come join our community or learn more at weareforgood.com or @weareforgood on most social platforms. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 23 Mar 2023 | 202: Turning Your Financials into a Nonprofit Leadership Tool (Melisa Galasso) | 00:45:34 | |
202: Turning Your Financials into a Nonprofit Leadership Tool (Melisa Galasso) SUMMARY Are you and your board members confident when it comes to the financials? Many nonprofit leaders - staff and board - are not. In episode #202 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Melisa Galasso brings two decades of experience making complex accounting topics easy to understand, and will empower you with the financial acumen to better lead your nonprofit. She breaks down the sometimes complex world of accounting so that you and your board of directors will be better equipped to harness the power of your financial statements.
ABOUT MELISA Melisa Galasso is the founder and CEO of Galasso Learning Solutions LLC. A CPA with nearly 20 years of experience in the accounting profession, Melisa designs and facilitates courses in advanced technical accounting and auditing topics, including not-for-profit and governmental accounting. She also supports essential professional development, audit level training, and train the trainer efforts. Melisa is a Certified Speaking Professional, a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD), and has earned the Association for Talent Development Master Trainer™ designation. Her passion for instructional design and adult learning techniques is one differentiator that set her apart from other CPE providers. Within the industry, Melisa serves on the FASB’s Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee (NAC), AICPA Council and serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the Center for Plain English Accounting. She previously served on the AICPA’s Technical Issues Committee (TIC), the VSCPA’s Board of Directors, and is a past-Chair of the NCACPA’s A&A committee. Melisa is the author of Money Matters for Nonprofits: How Board Members Can Harness the Power of Financial Statements by Understanding Basic Accounting EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 30 Mar 2023 | 203: Finding Success as a New Nonprofit Leader (Aaron Randolph) | 00:58:27 | |
203: Finding Success as a New Nonprofit Leader (Aaron Randolph) SUMMARY How do you find success as a new nonprofit leader? Starting any new business is difficult, and while similar, starting a nonprofit has a whole host of unique complexities. In Episode #203 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Aaron Randolph shares his best advice for others looking to start, fund and run a successful nonprofit organization. Aaron navigated the “big three” - new leader, new organization, new community – and thoughtfully recounts the lessons learned that can help you as well. Specifically, we explore four key functions of successful senior leadership and the value of conducting a thorough community assessment.
ABOUT AARON Aaron Randolph is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Carolina Youth Coalition (CYC), a nonprofit organization that nurtures and propels high-achieving, under-resourced students to and through college. Aaron earned his Master’s in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 2013 and a B.A. from Cornell University in 2011. A native of Lake City, FL, he relocated to Charlotte, NC in 2017 with his wife, Lizzy, from Baton Rouge, LA. Driven by a fervent belief in the power of education to create lasting generational change, Aaron began his career in education as a City Year AmeriCorps member and social studies teacher before finding a passion for college access work through joining the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition staff in 2015. Since moving to Charlotte, Aaron has led Carolina Youth Coalition’s launch and growth from serving 40 students in 2018 to over 300 high school and college students this school year. Through CYC, students in the program have earned over $45 million in scholarships and grants and two-thirds are attending four-year universities across the state and across the country completely debt-free. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 06 Apr 2023 | 204: How Can Nonprofit Leaders Bring Innovation to Their Organization? (Leah Kral) | 00:46:22 | |
204: How Can Nonprofit Leaders Bring Innovation to Their Organization? (Leah Kral) SUMMARY How can you foster sustainable innovation within your nonprofit? Between the pandemic and workforce shortages, many nonprofit leaders today are likely exhausted and running out of actionable ideas. It’s said that adversity drives innovation, but for many, that well is drying up too soon. So where are all the good ideas? In episode #204 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, nonprofit strategist and author, Leah Kral, explains that as leaders of nonprofits, we have the power to create the perfect formula for innovation within our organizations. While there are no quick fixes, the effort and energy you put into these solutions now will be the garden for future innovative abundance. Innovation and impact are not a gamble that might someday payoff, but with intentional mission drive, culture building and strategic planning, innovation and impact are within reach of any nonprofit organization.
ABOUT LEAH Leah Kral is an expert facilitator and author who helps nonprofits innovate and further social change. She is a sought-after speaker at nonprofit industry events and writes frequently about her research. Her new book is Innovation for Social Change: How Wildly Successful Nonprofits Inspire and Deliver Results (Wiley, 2022). Leah is the senior director of strategy and innovation at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, in Virginia. The Mercatus Center is the home of heterodox thinkers and economists who work to discover what aspects of institutions and culture help societies prosper. Leah has been with Mercatus since 2006, where she has been providing tailored workshops and consulting to internal teams and to a network of university research centers across the country. For decades, she has been helping teams to break out of the busy daily routine and draw out their best creative thinking. She helps teams to design pilots, program strategies and meaningful evaluation approaches, leading to better outcomes and more compelling stories for supporters. She has a passion for helping altruistic organizations achieve their missions and is an active volunteer in her community. She holds a Master of Arts in public policy from Duquesne University and is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (Jamaica 2002-2004). EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 13 Apr 2023 | 205: What Issues Will You Face as a New Nonprofit Leader? (Tom O’Toole) | 00:42:26 | |
205: What Issues Will You Face as a New Nonprofit Leader? (Tom O’Toole) SUMMARY Are you on the path to nonprofit leadership? How prepared are you for the challenges you’ll face? In episode #205 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we speak with Tom O’Toole, Executive Director of Public Affairs Programming at Cornell University’s Brooks School of Public Policy about what skills aspiring leaders need to efficiently and effectively run a nonprofit organization. Tom shares serious concerns of burnout - not just work/life balance - but losing the sense of intrinsic motivation that drives many to nonprofit leaders face given the fact that the challenges they’re trying to confront may never be solved in their lifetimes. In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to be adaptable. Tom discusses how adaptability gives you the ability to face challenges and obstacles effectively, but it also makes you a better leader and team player.
ABOUT TOM Thomas O’Toole is the Executive Director of Public Affairs Programming at Cornell’s MPA Program. He teaches the MPA Program’s core course on “Issues in Public Administration,” a seminar on “Comparative Public Administration: The Case of Seoul, Korea,” and has collaborated on projects and educational programming with the White House, the United Nations Division of Public Administration and Development Management, the UN World Food Programme, and the International Food Policy Research Institute. He is also responsible for monitoring the strategic direction of the MPA Program, as well as providing ongoing oversight to ensure the achievement of the program’s educational and professional missions. As part of his responsibilities, Professor O’Toole oversees all student professional development activities related to the graduate field of public affairs at Cornell, including maintaining institutional relationships with organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors and facilitating job and internship placements for Brooks MPA students. He received his undergraduate degree at Bucknell University and master’s and Ph.D. from Cornell. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 20 Apr 2023 | 206: Staffing Your Grants Program: Employee or Consultant? (Holly Rustick) | 00:46:26 | |
206: Staffing Your Grants Program: Employee or Consultant? (Holly Rustick) SUMMARY Grant writing is more than just a process, it’s a skill. And like any skill, we must perfect it with time and practice. So how do you evaluate if you should outsource this aspect of your fundraising program or invest internally? In episode #206 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we speak with funding and grant writing expert Holly Rustick to help determine which is worth more to your organization – the time you’ll have to spend working on grant writing, or the money you’ll spend on the expert? Between juggling your regular responsibilities and the work you do for your nonprofit, you might not be able to polish your skill to the level needed to apply for grants, especially the most competitive ones.
ABOUT HOLLY World-renowned grant writing expert and Amazon bestselling author Holly Rustick coaches thousands of people every week through her top-ranking podcast, Grant Writing & Funding, books on grant writing, and via the Hub Haven on taking actionable steps in grant writing. Having secured millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations around the world throughout the past 16+ years, Holly has a mission to train grant writers to simplify the process, grow capacity, and advance mission. Holly has an MA in International Political Economy, is past-president of the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and is an unapologetic feminist. Holly lives on the island of Guam with her beautiful daughter, Isabella. If you are interested in advancing your grant writing skills or transitioning into freelance grant writing, be sure to check out Holly’s articles, books, and podcasts at www.grantwritingandfunding.com. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 27 Apr 2023 | 207: Embracing the Art & Science of a Capital Campaign (Bob Pierce) | 00:54:55 | |
207: Embracing the Art & Science of a Capital Campaign (Bob Pierce) SUMMARY Will you be ready when it’s time to conduct a fundraising campaign at your organization? Nearly every nonprofit is in some stage of campaign planning: thinking about one, implementing one or recovering from one! As a leader, you will likely have to manage a campaign at some point in your career. In episode #207 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we turned to the leader of the University of Alabama’s highly successful Rising Tide Capital Campaign, Bob Pierce, for his best advice. Bob shares straightforward strategies that you can implement today in the planning and execution of your next campaign.
ABOUT BOB Bob Pierce assumed the role of Vice President for Advancement for The University of Alabama in September 2015 and immediately began laying the groundwork for a $1 billion+ capital campaign. In his over seven years at UA, the Advancement Division staff, which now includes 110 members, has grown by 40 percent. In September 2021, UA announced the public phase of The Rising Tide Capital Campaign with the goal of generating $1.5 billion in charitable gift commitments by September 2026. More than $940 million had been secured at the time of the announcement, and by March 2023, The Rising Tide was approaching $1.127 billion (84 percent of the Campaign goal) with over three years remaining. Prior to returning to UA where he earned his master’s degree, Pierce spent 17 years at The University of Southern Mississippi including 12 as Executive Director of the Southern Miss Alumni Association and five as Vice President for Advancement. Pierce is a 2003 graduate of the Capstone with a Master of Arts degree in Advertising and Public Relations. Pierce earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree with an emphasis in sales management from Southern Miss in 1991. He was inducted into the Southern Miss Alumni Hall of Fame in 2018, and he and Kristi are Life Members of the Southern Miss Alumni Association as well as President’s Circle level donors to the USM Foundation. Pierce has also been inducted into the Order of Constantine recognizing lifetime service to Sigma Chi Fraternity. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 04 May 2023 | 208: Managing People Problems as a Nonprofit Leader (Beth Napleton) | 00:54:35 | |
208: Managing People Problems as a Nonprofit Leader (Beth Napleton) SUMMARY How do you manage your toughest people problems? A good leader solves problems. A great one anticipates them. In episode #208 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Beth Napleton shares why managing and leading people is one of the biggest and most important responsibilities nonprofit leaders have, but it’s also the hardest. She explains why earning trust is an essential component to building an environment where people can feel nurtured, supported, and mentored while working together in a highly productive, collaborative culture. Even though aligning people to work towards a common mission is critically important, it is not something that processes alone can automate. Learn how to conquer uncertainty, improve employee well-being, support diversity and inclusion in your workplace, and use the right strategies and tools to take on challenges with confidence.
ABOUT BETH Chicago-based Beth Napleton is an executive leadership coach, consultant and the owner and founder of Beth Napleton Consulting. She offers senior leaders in education and at mission-driven organizations a clear path to excellence through individual, executive and group coaching experiences. She offers busy leaders a container and her expertise so they can expand their capacity in all areas. Beth leverages her extensive experience in education to work with senior leaders in education and mission-driven organizations to help them clear out the “adult problems” that impede student success. Beth is a national award-winning teacher and has been in the education field for over 20 years, having trained over 1,800 teachers and leaders to succeed. She is an alumnus of Columbia University, Building Excellent Schools, and Teach For America. Most recently, she served as Founder and CEO of a small charter school network on the South Side of Chicago that opened in 2013. All graduates of her schools – most of them first-generation students – were accepted to at least two four-year colleges, changing their paths forever. Beth took her leadership skills a step further and became a certified Clifton Gallup Strengths Coach so she can offer leaders the opportunity to lean into their own strengths and succeed. Beth completed the National Principal Supervisors Academy at Relay, and is a former member of the Far South Side Community Action Council. Beth has been a guest on The EJT Show and the Teacher Renewed: What's Possible in Education podcasts, and hosted her own podcast Live on Leadership with Beth Napleton. She is a solo parent who lives in Chicago with her three amazing kids. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 11 May 2023 | 209: Looking for Leadership as a Nonprofit Funder (Robb Webb) | 00:57:27 | |
209: Looking for Leadership as a Nonprofit Funder (Robb Webb) SUMMARY Does your nonprofit embody the leadership qualities for which major funders are looking? Nonprofit leaders who are best prepared when applying for grant funding can save themselves precious time and set their organization up for success if they seek to understand what philanthropic leaders are evaluating. But how do you know what funders are actually looking for? In episode #209 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Robb Webb, Director of Rural Church at The Duke Endowment, shares how they address community needs and what they’re looking for when considering funding. We examine what Robb identifies as three key topics funders look for; budget and financial help, community need, and distributed leadership. As a nonprofit leader himself, Robb shares his 70/20/10 framework for managing teams and setting attainable goals.
ABOUT ROBB Robb Webb serves as Director of the Rural Church program area of The Duke Endowment. Webb joined the Endowment in January 2006 as a program officer after serving as a management consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers and Healthcare Resource Associates. He is a member of the Board of Visitors for Duke Divinity School and the Parish Ministry Fund. He serves on advisory boards for the National Fund for Sacred Places, the Center for Environmental Farming Systems and the North Carolina Council of Churches. He is also consulting faculty at Duke Divinity School, teaching a class on leadership in the rural church. Webb holds degrees from Davidson College and Duke University and is an ordained deacon in the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. He has served the Western North Carolina Conference on the Board of Ordained Ministry and as vice-chair of the Council on Campus Ministry. Through the Rural Church Division of the Endowment, Webb has engaged in North Carolina food initiatives such as hunger relief through rural United Methodist churches, community partnership development through Come to the Table (with RAFI), and most recently, the development of the World Food Policy Center at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. He believes churches can serve as catalysts in their communities, contributing to human, community and economic advancement. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 18 May 2023 | 210: Leading Through Failure as a Nonprofit Leader (Amy Burkett) | 00:45:15 | |
210: Leading Through Failure as a Nonprofit Leader (Amy Burkett) SUMMARY Do failures knock you back more than they should? Failure shouldn’t be debilitating and Amy Burkett says it’s actually the secret to your success! In episode #210 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, two-time author, executive, and leadership expert Amy Burkett shares why you shouldn’t fear failure, and instead make it your friend. She shares how you can weave the lessons from failures into success and not become paralyzed with the fear of failure. Nowhere else can that fear be more prevalent than in the mission driven nonprofit sector. Learn skills that equip you with strategies enabling you to change our world for the better. She advocates that the way you react to failure can set you up for success. Do you know your ROF? Amy knows that failure’s enemy is tenacity.
ABOUT AMY After 30 years in broadcasting, Amy still loves the business of connecting through media. She’s thrilled to lead the renaissance of WTVI PBS Charlotte as general manager since June of 2013. Before that she spent 14 years at WLVT PBS39 in Bethlehem, PA as executive vice president. She began her career in commercial television working at network affiliates as a reporter/anchor for nine years. Over the last two decades Amy’s studied the art of leadership and received her John Maxwell certification as a trainer, speaker and coach in 2012. Amy is the founder/CEO of Amy Burkett Consulting (ABC) her executive coaching, leadership training and professional speaking company. She published her first book The 7D’s to your Destiny in 2020 and her second book The Dirty F-Word: Lessons from our Failures in 2023. She’s led teams to five national PBS awards and 10 regional Emmys. Amy is originally from Ohio and holds a bachelor’s of science degree in broadcast journalism from Bowling Green State University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 25 May 2023 | 211: Is Philanthropy in a State of Crisis? (Nathan Chappell & Brian Crimmins) | 00:54:57 | |
211: Is Philanthropy in a State of Crisis? (Nathan Chappell & Brain Crimmins) SUMMARY Is philanthropy in a state of crisis? In episode #211 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Nathan Chappell and Brian Crimmins, co-authors of the book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges, offer a wake-up call to nonprofit leaders everywhere, but also suggest solutions to the downturn they see, and will help you re-establish the interconnection that drives generosity. Learn from the fascinating research they did, and implement their recommendations to spark the generosity of your organization’s donors.
ABOUT BRIAN Brian Crimmins is a global leader in social impact, a popular public speaker with the world’s foremost speaking agency, the Washington Speakers Bureau, and Chief Executive Officer of Changing Our World. He is a frequent contributor to publications covering the sector and has been invited to speak around the world on topics touching corporate social responsibility, purpose, and social impact, emphasizing not just what mission-driven organizations can and should do in the nonprofit and CSR spaces, but how leaders might organize their inner and personal lives to expand the edges of their own potential. His expertise is tapped in service to some of the world’s largest and most influential corporations as they define their core reason for being and translate theory into action. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science from St. John’s University and an MBA in Marketing Management from St. John’s Tobin School of Business. ABOUT NATHAN Nathan Chappell, MBA, MNA, CFRE is an entrepreneur, inventor, thought leader, author, and considered one of the world's foremost experts on the intersection between Artificial Intelligence and philanthropy. As a pioneer in the philanthropy sector, he has launched multiple start-ups that have revolutionized fundraising practices. Nathan’s subject expertise has been nationally recognized by organizations including Fast Company, Forbes, Citi Bank Global Insights, AWS, Microsoft, SalesForce, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and the Association of Healthcare Philanthropy. Nathan is a member of the Forbes Technology Council and holds a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame, an MBA from the University of Redlands, a certificate in International Economics from the University of Cambridge and a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES | |||
| 01 Jun 2023 | 212: Are You Ready to Lead a Capital Campaign? (Whitney Anderson) | 00:54:57 | |
212: Are You Ready to Lead a Capital Campaign? (Whitney Anderson) SUMMARY Is your nonprofit organization really ready to launch a capital campaign? What is a realistic and attainable goal? How do you know when you’re prepared for success? In episode #212 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Whitney Anderson shares her expertise in conducting campaign visioning and feasibility studies, developing donor strategies and managing the entire capital campaign process. Learn how to build a strong case for support and have the alignment between staff, board and key stakeholders. Whitney offers advice to avoid fatigue during the high demands of a large capital campaign. And, she ensures how nonprofit leaders can best prepare their staff and board for a successful campaign that is properly resourced.
ABOUT WHITNEY Whitney Anderson is the Principal for Campaign Services at Fox Advancement, a leading fundraising firm that provides capital campaign consulting, grant research and writing, and fractional development officer support. She is passionate about helping nonprofits clarify their vision, tell their story, and link their mission with generous donors. She is a skilled strategist and project manager who helps nonprofits manage major fundraising campaigns from conception to completion. Her areas of expertise include working with volunteers on peer-to-peer fundraising strategies, interviewing philanthropists, and facilitating major gifts solicitation training. Whitney holds a Ph.D. in Interpersonal Communication from North Dakota State University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 08 Jun 2023 | 213: Keys to Advancing your Nonprofit Career (Brian Collier) | 01:02:03 | |
213: Keys to Advancing your Nonprofit Career (Brian Collier) SUMMARY Are you on the path to advancing your nonprofit career? Do you have the skills and experiences needed for leadership? Brian Collier, an experienced, successful nonprofit leader, shares his advice for aspiring leaders eager to ascend to a senior leadership role in episode #213 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Brian shares his concerns about nonprofit proliferation and imparts his keys to a successful grant application. Nonprofit leaders know the importance of community collaboration, but how do you evaluate its effectiveness? Brian talks about the dynamic between nonprofit leaders and their board of directors and how to foster strong, proficient relationships. ABOUT BRIAN Brian Collier is the new President of The Gambrell Foundation after serving as Executive Vice President for Foundation for The Carolinas for sixteen years. While at FFTC, he handled the Foundation’s competitive grants programs across thirteen counties in North and South Carolina. Brian also led the Foundation’s Robinson Center for Civic Leadership and the development of community initiatives including Veterans Bridge Home, Read Charlotte, Carolina Thread Trail, Project LIFT, and Leading on Opportunity, a nationally recognized, multi-year initiative to identify and implement community strategies addressing upward mobility and economic opportunity. During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, Brian worked in partnership with organizations like United Way of Central Carolinas to raise and award over $25 million in private & public funds to help individuals and families affected by the COVID-19 crisis. Besides his work at FFTC, Brian served on the executive leadership team at KABOOM! in Washington, D.C. and as the Founding President and Executive Director of Victory Junction, a state-of-the-art medical camp in Randleman, North Carolina for children suffering from chronic and/or life-threatening illnesses. The camp resulted from a unique partnership between the NASCAR motorsports industry, NASCAR drivers Richard and Kyle Petty, and actor Paul Newman. Brian began his career as a trial attorney with Rumberger Kirk—one of the country’s premier commercial litigation firms--in Orlando, Florida. He is a graduate of the University of Florida's Levin College of Law and the University of Central Florida. He resides in Charlotte with his wife and daughter. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 15 Jun 2023 | 214: Should You Consider a Sabbatical as a Nonprofit Leader? (Laura Belcher) | 00:44:40 | |
214: Should You Consider a Sabbatical as a Nonprofit Leader? (Laura Belcher) Are you ready for a sabbatical? Is your organization ready for you to take a sabbatical? Are work sabbaticals the latest nonprofit retention strategy? In episode #214 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Laura Belcher, the President & CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region, shares why her recent sabbatical was beneficial for both her and her organization. Laura explains how best to prepare yourself - and your team - for the sabbatical. The planning effort can also clarify essential leadership roles and increase organizational capacity amongst the team. Laura also addresses policy implications and provides great tips to help put your plan in motion!
ABOUT LAURA Laura Belcher joined Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte in 2014, excited by the possibility of removing barriers to homeownership for working families in the community. She oversees the implementation of strategic plan tactics that establish aggressive goals for the affiliate. Since 2014, the organization has seen a 300% increase in families served through growth in new home production, increases in existing home preservation efforts, providing more diverse housing solutions and the expansion of financial literacy programs, demonstrating a commitment to innovate and reach an even broader audience. In February 2020, Laura managed the merger between Habitat Charlotte and Our Towns Habitat, creating Habitat for Humanity of the Charlotte Region, combining strengths and eliminating duplicative processes and technologies. The combined affiliate has served over 4000 families since inception, operates one of the largest Habitat Construction operations in the US, runs a network of 6 ReStores, and supports 3 international partners. Laura has served on many committees of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI); she is currently serving a second 3-year term on the HFHI US Council where she holds the office of Vice Chair. She spent the first 20 years of her career in corporate roles with Arthur Andersen, Wachovia Securities and Transamerica. Laura was a CPA, graduated from the College of William and Mary, and spent 9 years in nonprofit work as CFO/COO of the Arts & Science Council prior to joining Habitat. She attributes her passion for Habitat to her church where she started volunteering and building houses over 20 years ago. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 22 Jun 2023 | 215: The Talent Magnet: How to Attract Nonprofit Leaders (Reid Ricciardi) | 00:51:45 | |
215: The Talent Magnet: How to Attract Nonprofit Leaders (Reid Ricciardi) SUMMARY How can you create a culture and strategy that motivates and empowers your team, while also aligning with your mission and vision? In episode #215 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with talent management expert Reid Ricciardi about building the kind of team necessary to achieve your mission. Reid shares how to attract, retain, and develop talent in a competitive and changing nonprofit sector. Learn some tips and best practices to foster a positive and productive work environment for your staff. Understanding the importance of excellent internal and external communication could be the key to building success.
ABOUT REID As Executive Director of Talent Management, Reid is responsible for the development and implementation of a strategic talent management program for the University Advancement division and its partner colleges and units at NC State. He works closely with senior managers to identify and attract top-level talent, improve on-boarding and training experiences, and support job performance and retention through targeted professional development and career planning. Reid draws on over two decades of experience in institutional advancement. From 2012 – 2017 Reid served as Executive Director of Development for the College of Education. Prior to NC State, Reid spent four years as Director of Development at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and 9 years at Purdue University in a variety of major gift, annual giving and stewardship program roles. Currently he serves on the Boards for Triangle AFP and Delta Upsilon Educational Foundation. Reid has a B.S. from Purdue University and an M.A. from Duke University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 29 Jun 2023 | 216: How Your Nonprofit Can Benefit from a Digital Transformation (Bob Green) | 00:44:45 | |
216: How Your Nonprofit Can Benefit from a Digital Transformation (Bob Green) SUMMARY What does digital transformation mean for nonprofits? In episode #216 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, strategic IT expert Bob Green explains how digital transformation is a pathway for nonprofit organizations to succeed by increasing overall efficiency, facilitating donor and volunteer relationships, and improving communications to reach wider audiences. He shares how incorporating new technologies in the workplace benefits nonprofits and their employees by eliminating redundancies, automating tasks, and allowing team members to focus on work that makes the most significant impact. Bob also lays out keys to effective IT governance for nonprofit leaders.
ABOUT BOB Bob Green, CPA, CITP, CGMA is Lead Partner for SingerLewak’s "SL Business Informatics" advisory practice. His team is retained as trusted, independent advisors to help achieve the benefits of strategic IT planning and direction for growing organizations. Their skills include comfort with complex projects around ERP, CRM and other application types, Cybersecurity and ongoing Cybersecurity Program management, IT Audit and Assurance (SOX, SOC), IT Risk, IT project rescue, and others. Bob’s background combines CPA, CFO, Consulting and Technologist skills, as applied to challenges faced by many industries including non-profits of many varieties and complexities (501c3, 501c4 and 501c6) as well as entertainment, technology, government, food and beverage, medical devices and cosmetics, and others. Bob spent 8 years at PWC, later became a CFO, and is a frequent speaker and presenter at AICPA and other professionally sponsored education conferences and produces podcasts and articles regularly. In his spare time, he organizes hiking experiences, volunteers in the non-profit space and enjoys time with his family in the Los Angeles area. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 06 Jul 2023 | 217: What Can We Learn from an Unconventional NGO? (Marko Kasic) | 00:52:46 | |
217: What Can We Learn from an Unconventional NGO? (Marko Kasic) SUMMARY Have you made the transition from the for-profit sector to nonprofit? How would you transfer your skills to effect genuine social change? In episode #217 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Marko Kasic shares his why and how he founded an “unconventional” NGO. Through his goal to create a social enterprise, he created a self-generating revenue model which addresses food insecurity while simultaneously providing workforce development. Marko shares how he has built his staff, volunteer teams, and an internationally diverse board of directors. As an NGO, fundraising is critical and Marko illustrates how to identify funders and build a global fundraising strategy.
ABOUT MARKO Marko Kasic is the Founder and Executive Director of FundLife, a grassroots "for-social-profit" organization based in Tacloban, Philippines. FundLife combines a unique experiential learning curriculum with purposeful play to create enabling pathways for some of the world's most vulnerable children and young people living in short-term and chronic emergencies. FundLife mission is to ensure every single child has a right to a safe childhood, quality education, and equitable opportunity to reach their full potential - as we say, for every young person to ' Dream in Colour' Away from FundLife, Marko is an avid runner, traveler, and motorcycle enthusiast. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 13 Jul 2023 | 218: 5 Ways to Turn Around a Struggling Nonprofit (Lance Kawaguchi) | 00:45:23 | |
218: 5 Ways to Turn Around a Struggling Nonprofit (Lance Kawaguchi) SUMMARY Is your nonprofit organization not delivering on its mission? Is it struggling from poor governance, alienating key donors and staff and producing lackluster results? In episode #218 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with Lance Kawaguchi, who committed to fighting cancer when the disease hit his family in 2016 and became the new CEO of the struggling nonprofit, Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. Although he built a successful career in the world of finance, he proved to be the right leader to turn around the organization. Lance shares his 5 essential keys to turn a struggling nonprofit into a powerful organization that delivers on its mission.
ABOUT LANCE Lance Kawaguchi, CEO of The Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, has over 25 years of global finance and banking experience. His outstanding leadership and innovative approach to diversity and inclusion have been recognized by many peak global bodies including the Treasury Management International, the BAME100 Board Talent Index and as one of UPstanding 100’s leading ethnic minority executives. Lance was recently named CEO Magazine’s 2022 Non-For-Profit Executive of the Year in his first year at the foundation. Connect with him on LinkedIn. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 20 Jul 2023 | 219: Building a Career in the Nonprofit Sector (Amie Dugan) | 00:49:12 | |
219: Building a Career in the Nonprofit Sector (Amie Dugan) SUMMARY Are you prepared for the hard work the nonprofit sector requires? Working for a mission you believe in can certainly be both rewarding and fulfilling, but many well-intentioned individuals are surprised by the realities of being a professional in the sector. In episode #219 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we talk with a seasoned nonprofit leader, Amie Dugan, about what it truly takes to build and sustain a successful career in the philanthropic sector. Amie discusses specific skills and attributes found in leaders that naturally draw exceptional talent to follow and learn from to advance their missions.
ABOUT AMIE Amie Dugan’s 27+ year career and experience in the nonprofit sector encompasses working with missions and organizations ranging from the grassroots to international levels. She currently serves as Vice President, Organizational Development for Special Olympics North America and leads the Organizational Development team which provides guidance and oversight to all SONA Programs in the US, Canada and the Caribbean), guiding the operational and programmatic advancement, excellence, and sustainability. She also served as VP of Marketing and Communications - a role she established. She began as a Special Olympics volunteer in 1994, and was inducted into the Special Olympics Florida Hall of Fame in 2011. Prior to Special Olympics International, she worked for Special Olympics Florida, the Walt Disney World Company and the Juilliard School of Music. Amie is an instructor, consultant, and curriculum developer for the nonprofit governance certificate program and custom consultation programming at The Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership at Rollins College. She is a BoardSource certified nonprofit consultant and is a WISE (Women in Sports and Events) Within mentor, on the Board of Directors for Girls on the Run (Central Florida), and is a member of the Greater Orlando Organizational Development Network. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 27 Jul 2023 | 220: Finding Your Voice as a Nonprofit Leader (Sabrina Gilchrist) | 00:47:52 | |
220: Finding Your Voice as a Nonprofit Leader (Sabrina Gilchrist) SUMMARY What does it mean to find your voice as a nonprofit leader? In episode #220 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Sabrina Gilchrist shares the journey to find her voice as a nonprofit leader and the positive effect it has on furthering the mission of her organization. Are you the kind of leader talented people want to follow to further a mission in which donors have confidence investing? Learn the skills and experiences that helped Sabrina advance into senior leadership that can work for you too. Sabrina shares her approach to strategic planning, fundraising, building a dynamic board of directors and what she looks for when developing a team.
ABOUT SABRINA Sabrina Nichole Gilchrist is an author, public speaker, Clinical Mental Health Counselor, ordained Christian minister, and nonprofit professional. She earned the Bachelor of Arts from Winston-Salem State University and the dual Master of Arts (Counseling) and Master of Divinity from Wake Forest University. Sabrina has served the Charlotte community since 2010 through her work with Right Moves For Youth (RMFY), a school-based youth development and student support organization that leverages group work to help teens in grades 6-12 succeed in school and life. Beginning in direct service as the Program Manager, Sabrina now has the honor of leading RMFY as Executive Director. She is a lifelong learner committed to professional development efforts that build and refine her nonprofit leadership skills. Since becoming Executive Director, Sabrina has completed the following: the Allstate Foundation Executive Leadership Program; the Allstate Foundation Leading with Equity Program; and the Patton McDowell & Associates Mastermind Program. She is also a member of the third cohort of the Black Social Capital Initiative (BSCI), a Charlotte-based organization dedicated to increasing the representation of black leaders in the nonprofit sector at the executive and board levels. Sabrina works in private counseling practice with Reconciliation Counseling and Consulting, PLLC, and occasionally teaches aspiring helping professionals as an adjunct instructor at Queens University of Charlotte. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 03 Aug 2023 | 221: Turning your Passion into a Movement (Lynn Margherio) | 00:51:30 | |
221: Turning your Passion into a Movement (Lynn Margherio) SUMMARY Starting a successful nonprofit often begins by transforming a passion project into a well-defined organization. But how do you turn that project into an actual movement? In episode #221 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Founder and CEO of the national nonprofit Cradles to Crayons, Lynn Margherio shares just how she’s created a movement from her personal mission to end clothing insecurity. She shares her 5 keys to building a movement and how she’s activated the corporate community to engage them in her cause. Lynn discusses the staff and volunteer networks she’s built, her approach to strategic planning, and most importantly, knowing how and when to scale into new markets. ABOUT LYNN A leader in the fields of social justice and children’s issues, Lynn Margherio is the Founder and CEO of Cradles to Crayons. She leads this national nonprofit with Giving Factories® in Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia, and an online donation platform, Giving Factory Direct®, serving NYC and the San Francisco Bay Area. The largest national nonprofit with Clothing Insecurity at the core of its mission, Cradles to Crayons provides children living in low-income and homeless situations with clothing and other everyday essentials—diapers, winter coats, shoes, hygiene items, backpacks, and more. Lynn launched Cradles to Crayons in 2002, and to date, the organization has distributed more than 4 million packages to kids’ birth through age 12. Under Lynn's leadership, the organization has successfully fulfilled the needs of millions of children and connected more than half a million volunteers to meaningful engagement opportunities and donation experiences, mobilizing people of all ages in communities all over the country. In her role as CEO, Lynn directs all aspects of the organization including strategic planning, operations, fundraising, brand/marketing, product acquisition, external relations and ongoing collaboration with both national and local Boards of Directors. She has led multiple successful capital campaigns raising millions of dollars to fund expansion and has steered the organization through major relocations and organizational restructurings. She is spearheading a national expansion campaign to serve the more than 20 million children across the U.S. who are Clothing Insecure. A graduate of Georgetown University, Lynn completed the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at Harvard Business School. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 10 Aug 2023 | 222: Why Doesn’t Your Nonprofit Have a Succession Plan? (Mandy Pearce) | 00:45:43 | |
222: Why Doesn’t Your Nonprofit Have a Succession Plan? (Mandy Pearce) SUMMARY Do you have a succession plan in place at your nonprofit? Most nonprofits don’t, and you may be facing any number of challenges when planning for the inevitable transition that occurs at every organization. In episode #222 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we learn from Mandy Pearce why having proper strategic and succession plans is vital to an organization’s long-term health. She shares the key benefits of having a succession plan and answers questions you might face when planning for one. Mandy discusses how nonprofits can ensure a smooth leadership transition during the succession process that will minimize disruptions to the organization.
ABOUT MANDY Mandy Pearce is the Founder of Funding for Good, which equips organizations with all the skills and tools needed to become successful and sustainable. She continues to enjoy developing this company to meet the changing demands of the nonprofit world. For over two decades, Mandy and her team of experts have shared their proficiency in fundraising through executive coaching, strategic and development planning, seminars and specialized consulting programs. Mandy’s dynamic teaching style has brought thousands of people to her presentations at conventions, training workshops and online platforms. Mandy established Funding for Good, Inc. upon the core values of honesty, efficiency, direct communication and bringing sustainable dollars to local communities. Mandy lives in Hickory with her husband, Ricardo, and their two fur babies, Dalli and Max. She and Ricardo also own and operate a successful landscaping and custom woodworking company, Two Green Thumbs and More. On her days off, Mandy enjoys working in their garden, sipping sweet tea on their porch swing with a good magazine and cooking gourmet meals for their family and friends. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 17 Aug 2023 | 223: Does Your Nonprofit Brand Effectively Communicate Who You Are? (Mark Miller & Ted Vaughn) | 00:51:00 | |
223: Does Your Nonprofit Brand Effectively Communicate Who You Are? (Mark Miller & Ted Vaughn) SUMMARY How can your nonprofit stand out amidst all of the great causes in your community? In episode #223 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Mark Miller and Ted Vaughn, authors of the book Culture Built My Brand: The Secret to Winning More Customers Through Company Culture discuss the role of storytelling in attracting and retaining donors and why most attempts at storytelling fall short. They share effective tactics to help you clearly communicate who you are and explain how brand building begins with the organization's internal culture and leadership.
ABOUT MARK & TED Mark Miller & Ted Vaughn are the cofounders of Historic Agency, a brand strategy, innovation, and design partner that helps ambitious brand do more good. They are the authors of Culture Build My Brand: The Secret to Winning More Customers Through Company Culture. Mark leads product strategy, marketing transformation, and brand at Historic. He’s rebranded nearly 100 organizations and also specializes in all things strategy, including brand, product, and marketing. Ted leads client transformation at Historic and specializes in executive leadership, brand development, and strategic clarity. He has served hundreds of for-profit and nonprofit brands. His passion is to serve senior leaders by helping them align everything they do to build their brand from the inside out. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 24 Aug 2023 | 224: 5 Truths for Transformational Nonprofit Leaders (Ed Mishrell) | 00:47:12 | |
224: 5 Truths for Transformational Nonprofit Leaders (Ed Mishrell) SUMMARY Do you want to elevate your nonprofit leadership to the next level? What are the five key principles of mission-driven leadership? In episode #224 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, former Chief Strategy Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and author of The Five Truths for Transformational Leaders: How Nonprofit Organizations Thrive, Grow and Make a Profound Difference, Ed Mishrell, delivers an insightful and practical discussion of how to achieve extraordinary results when leading nonprofit organizations. Ed shares how to use your organization’s mission as your north star and build an exciting, thriving nonprofit. He highlights hurdles nonprofit leaders typically face and how you can navigate them for optimal results. Understand the vital importance of leadership growth and how you can ensure you’re consistently growing and adapting.
ABOUT ED For over four decades, Ed Mishrell worked to provide opportunities for America’s youth. Ed began a nearly 40-year career in the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement beginning at the Crime Prevention Association, a Boys & Girls Club organization in Philadelphia, PA. In 1987, Ed joined the staff of Boys & Girls Clubs of America as the Director of the Targeted Outreach Delinquency Intervention Program. He has held many positions at BGCA, including the Director of Staff Development and Senior Director of Training and Development, among others. He has led the development of numerous national program and strategic initiatives including executive leadership, deepening impact and assuring public trust. In 2009, Ed became the Chief Strategy Officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, responsible for organizational strategy, strategic planning, operational planning, organizational data and outcome measurement systems. After retiring from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Ed became an adjunct professor at Georgia State University. Ed holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Alfred University, a Master of Education from Elmira College, and a Master of Social Work Administration from Temple University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 31 Aug 2023 | 225: Bridging the Gap: Technology’s Role in Nonprofit Success (Jack Fanous) | 00:40:36 | |
225: Bridging the Gap: Technology’s Role in Nonprofit Success (Jack Fanous) SUMMARY Are you using today’s technology to further advance your mission and better serve your community? In episode #225 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Jack Fanous, founder and leader of two successful, shares how technology can both increase your fundraising and better connect your mission with those you serve. Understand how having a better knowledge of software options can help nonprofit leaders better navigate transactional fees allowing 100% of charitable gifts funnel directly to your mission. Lean how this busy philanthropic executive built, manages, and scales his mission. Jack shares ways our sector can harness technology to better connect existing resources to the people who need them.
ABOUT JACK Jack Fanous is the co-founder and CEO of JobPaths, a SaaS Enabled Marketplace (SEM) that fulfills the original goals of the internet community by bringing people together with those who can help them along their journey. JobPaths is designed as an immersive network to bring people together to support one another through sharing employment opportunities, resources, training, and guidance. At the core of the company is the network of platforms JobPaths has established that include nonprofit, governmental, and corporate partners who license the software in order to support their clients. Within each of these licensed platforms lives JobPaths intelligent systems and easy-to-use software that connect Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) users to job openings, resources, career and life trainings, and mentorship opportunities. Jack developed his company based on his years of nonprofit experience as CEO and co-founder of GI Go Fund. Started in 2006 after the death of a childhood friend Lt. Seth Dvorin, GI Go Fund provides military veterans across the country with job training and employment opportunities, as well as access to healthcare, benefits help, and connections to housing. The organization has recently expanded its efforts to support all populations within the DE&I community. Through his work at GI Go Fund, Jack discovered the shortcomings in veteran hiring and acted. He testified before the United States Senate Veterans Affairs Committee regarding veteran issues in 2008, and serves as the co-chair of the VA’s Community Veterans Engagement Board (CVEB) Newark, NJ chapter, and is a board member of Habitat for Humanity NJ. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 07 Sep 2023 | 226: Why Do People Give to Your Nonprofit? (Tim Kachuriak) | 00:45:40 | |
226: Why Do People Give to Your Nonprofit? (Tim Kachuriak) SUMMARY Do you know how to write your nonprofit value proposition to increase donations? Do you know why people give? In episode #226 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Tim Kachuriak, founder of NextAfter, a fundraising research lab and consultancy, explains why he’s obsessed with discovering what inspires people to give and how his organization is helping nonprofit leaders answer those questions and more. He shares key takeaways learned through their research and how it compares with the latest Giving USA results. Is there a true generosity crisis among mid-level donors happening now? Learn how and why nonprofit leaders should sharpen their value proposition and what that can mean for their key volunteers and board members.
ABOUT TIM Tim Kachuriak is the founder and Chief Innovation and Optimization Officer for NextAfter, a fundraising research lab and consulting firm that works with businesses, nonprofits, and NGOs to help them grow their resource capacity. A nonprofit thought leader, Kachuriak is the author of the book Optimize Your Fundraising, lead researcher and co-author of the Online Fundraising Scorecard, Why Should I Give to You? (The Nonprofit Value Proposition Index Study), and The Midlevel Donor Crisis. Kachuriak has trained organizations in fundraising optimization around the world and is a frequent speaker at international nonprofit conferences. Kachuriak is also the co-founder and board member for the Human Coalition, a member of the board of directors for Open Doors USA, an Advisory Board Member for the SMU Digital Accelerator, Advisory Board Member for Kids Prosper Kids, and an Advisory Board Member for the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact. Kachuriak lives in Prosper, TX with his wife Rebecca, and their four children.
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| 14 Sep 2023 | 227: 3 Keys to Effective Nonprofit Leadership: (Christina Edwards) | 00:43:17 | |
227: 3 Keys to Effective Nonprofit Leadership: (Christina Edwards) SUMMARY Where are you on your path to nonprofit leadership? Are you effectively serving your mission, your donors, and your board of directors with integrity, consistency, and clarity? In episode #227 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, acclaimed purpose and profit coach Christina Edwards discusses vital qualities effective leaders share within the philanthropic sector and how you can effectively grow and enhance your skills. Do you struggle with calendar management? Christina explains how and why it’s essential to seize control and manage your time. Learn how she advises nonprofit leaders to increase their organization’s visibility with donors and hear how Christina addresses a lack of time and funding, two challenges nonprofit leaders often face.
ABOUT CHRISTINA Christina Edwards is the Founder of Splendid Consulting and host of the Purpose and Profit Club Podcast, a lifelong entrepreneur, marketing and business coach who works with ambitious nonprofit leaders. Her popular courses, Easy Emails and Amplify Social Impact, teach organizations how to get noticed and funded, create a magnetic voice, and make lead generation simple and painless! EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 21 Sep 2023 | 228: Strategic Planning Doesn’t Need to be Painful (Carol Hamilton) | 00:41:00 | |
228: Strategic Planning Doesn’t Need to be Painful (Carol Hamilton)
Is your nonprofit on a clear path, grounded with specific goals, to achieve its mission? Can you articulate organizational priorities that reflect a shared board and staff vision? In episode #228 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, strategic collaborator Carol Hamilton shares key components of an effective strategic plan, the timeline necessary to build one and why more organizations struggle without one. You’ll learn who should be involved in the framework process and questions to consider as you envision your organization’s next 3-5 years. Carol also describes impact mapping and how it can help nonprofit organizations become more effective at realizing their mission.
Carol Hamilton, Principal, Grace Social Sector Consulting, LLC, and host of Mission: Impact podcast, facilitates whole-brain strategic planning, impact mapping, service audits and organizational assessments for nonprofits and associations. She combines left-brain strategy and analysis with right-brain wisdom about human complexities for a proven, whole-brain, whole-organization process through which every stakeholder thrives. She is also part of a consultant collective focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion that has a particular focus on racial equity, All In Consulting.
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| 28 Sep 2023 | 229: What Should You Outsource at Your Nonprofit? (Eric Thomas) | 00:38:27 | |
229: What Should You Outsource at Your Nonprofit? (Eric Thomas) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, are you short-handed or unable to scale your team to keep up with growth, especially in more technical areas like technology and finance? In episode #229 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Eric Thomas shares how outsourcing may be a practical solution for your organization. Learn exactly what outsourcing in the nonprofit sector is and how it can help address your needs. Eric discusses the talent shortage, particularly in specialized roles like finance and accounting that currently exist in our sector. He provides specific keys to integrate an outsourced position into your nonprofit, and which roles and functions are most effectively outsourced. Eric also provides examples of automation that nonprofit leaders should consider to streamline operations.
ABOUT ERIC Eric Thomas is a consulting partner with over 20 years of experience serving nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Since joining Armanino, he has focused on helping nonprofits with their finance and accounting needs, so they can concentrate on developing their organization and delivering on their mission. He works with a diverse group of clients on their digital transformation and believes that regardless of size and age, organizations can benefit from incorporating enterprise best accounting practices through a solution that uses cloud technology and paperless processes. Prior to joining Armanino, Eric led accounting and finance functions at Robert Half, Analytic Services, and Serco NA. He received a B.S. in business administration from West Virginia University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 05 Oct 2023 | 230: Why Your Nonprofit is Doing Strategic Planning All Wrong (Sarah Olivieri) | 00:47:43 | |
230: Why Your Nonprofit is Doing Strategic Planning All Wrong (Sarah Olivieri) SUMMARY What exactly is strategic planning for a nonprofit organization? Does your plan truly align with your mission, and do you know how to actually get the plan in motion? Sarah Olivieri shares her unique approach to strategic planning and board engagement that every nonprofit leader will want to consider in episode #230 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. She explains her 5 keys to better strategic planning and the role your board should play in building an effective strategic framework. ABOUT SARAH Sarah Olivieri has been called a “Business Alchemist” in the nonprofit space; others have called her “The Money”. She’s the wizard behind the curtain who has orchestrated the transformation of nonprofit organizations, from failing to thriving, which never fails to make the jaws drop of for-profit business experts. As the former director of three nonprofits and founder of five for-profit businesses, she understands, deeply, the challenges and complexities facing organizations. She’s brought nonprofits back from the brink of insolvency. She’s averted major cash-flow crises, solved funding droughts, resolved board conflicts, and everything in. Sarah, who is also an international best-selling author and globally renowned speaker, is the creator of the Impact Method™ - a framework she designed and built from the ground up, to help organizations simplify their operations, build aligned teams, and make a bigger impact without getting overwhelmed or burning out. Her company, PivotGround, supports nonprofits to become financially sustainable world-changers, and she has an incredible 100% success rate. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 12 Oct 2023 | 231: Leadership Reimagined: Letting Your Community Take the Lead (Vichi Jagannathan) | 00:49:06 | |
231: Leadership Reimagined: Letting Your Community Take the Lead (Vichi Jagannathan) SUMMARY Are you a mission-driven leader in the nonprofit sector with more passion than answers? Vichi Jagannathan was one such leader, and in episode #231 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, she shares what it means to let your community take the lead and provide the answers you need as the nonprofit leader. Vichi explains how building on design thinking ideas from across the country brought clarity to the challenges she faced in a rural and under-resourced community. She discusses the biggest challenges she had to overcome in running a small nonprofit, and the solutions she found when building staff, volunteers, and a board of directors. ABOUT VICHI Entrepreneur, strategist and social change leader who applies innovative ideas in unlikely settings to catalyze impact and community transformation. Vichi began her career as a high school science teacher in Northampton County, NC through Teach For America. She then spent two years on the West Coast leading the expansion of Microsoft’s TEALS computer science education program into California. In 2016, Vichi participated in the Innovation Next accelerator, where she received coaching from IDEO in human-centered design to develop a mobile sex education app called Real Talk, which has been downloaded over 10,000 times in over 100 countries. She also interned with SelfHelp Credit Union in Durham, NC where she created the strategy for Self-Help’s branch expansion into Eastern North Carolina. In 2017, Vichi co-founded Rural Opportunity Institute (ROI). ROI builds the capacity of rural communities to support people’s healing from generational trauma to achieve health, safety, connection, and self-determination. Based in rural Eastern North Carolina, ROI has grown from a small, grassroots effort to an influential organization that affects over 20,000 people in 15 states. ROI’s innovative approach has captured the interest of national state funders including New Profit and the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust. Vichi holds a Master of Business Administration from Yale University School of Management, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 19 Oct 2023 | 232: How Do You Manage a Small Nonprofit with Limited Resources? (Michael Schneider) | 00:42:47 | |
232: How Do You Manage a Small Nonprofit with Limited Resources? (Michael Schneider) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, do you struggle with limited resources that must be carefully managed in order to maximize the impact of your organization’s work? Learn from Michael Schneider, founder of a successful small nonprofit finding huge success, in episode #232 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership. Michael shares how to be efficient with a small team and how strategic outsourcing allows nonprofit leaders be more directly involved with their mission. He also shares ways to better communicate your message through productive and creative uses of social media. Michael also talks effective fundraising for a small organization. How do you identify, steward, and even create legacy giving among your donors when your resources are in short supply?
ABOUT MICHAEL Michael Schneider started Pilots To The Rescue back in 2015 to combine his love of aviation and saving animals. Michael is a commercial, instrument-rated pilot with more than 1,200 hours. When Michael isn’t flying, he enjoys spending time with his wife, 4 boys under 7 years of age, and his 90 lb. rescue dog. Michael currently resides in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and flies out of Essex County Airport (KCDW) in Caldwell, NJ. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 26 Oct 2023 | 233: Navigating Frustrating Scenarios with Your Nonprofit Board (Michael Corley) | 00:39:02 | |
233: Navigating Frustrating Scenarios with Your Nonprofit Board (Michael Corley) SUMMARY How well do you get along with your board members? The complexity of the board/staff relationship can create challenges for any nonprofit leader. In episode #233 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, nonprofit board expert Michael Corley illustrates many of the frustrating scenarios executive directors encounter with their board of directors, and how they can better navigate them. Michael clarifies the core roles and responsibilities among all parties that will enable success for the entire organization.
ABOUT MICHAEL Michael Corley founded The Corley Company in 2010 to focus on providing support to CEOs and other organizational leaders. This directly resulted from his experience being a President & COO of a mid-sized company and a nonprofit Board Chair. In those roles there were many times he wished he had a trusted resource to give advice, an experienced person to facilitate/lead critical projects when the team didn’t have the bandwidth, and someone who was genuinely interested in professional growth. As a leader, as “the” leader, he learned it can truly be “lonely at the top.” He built The Corley Company on his strengths, competencies, and areas of interest in order to grow and support organizational leaders. Over the past 12 years, he has worked with hundreds of nonprofit funders and agencies to provide strategic support to CEOs and boards. He now works only with nonprofit organizations as a confirmation of his belief in mission-focused work. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 02 Nov 2023 | 234: Building Financial Leadership Within Your Nonprofit (Jessica McClain) | 00:41:14 | |
234: Building Financial Leadership Within Your Nonprofit (Jessica McClain) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, how do you assess and ensure your organization has the financial tools, talents and resources to best advance your mission? Jessica McClain, a nonprofit leader and CPA recently named one of the Most Powerful Women in Accounting in 2023, advocates in episode #234 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership how building a culture of open communication between your accounting department and other organizational leaders can better integrate your organization’s financial picture, especially when engaging new prospects and stewarding existing donors. Learn how business acumen is playing an integral part of financial leadership within nonprofits as she shares her advice for attracting, retaining, and advancing women in finance leadership positions.
ABOUT JESSICA Jessica E. McClain serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital. In this role, she has strategic responsibility for finance and accounting, property, product program, retail merchandise, and business operations. Prior to transitioning to the not-for-profit industry, she spent 11 years in public accounting. Jessica represents Maryland as an AICPA Council At-Large Member. She is a Board member of the Maryland Association of CPAs Foundation, the Greater Washington Society of CPAs, and the Towson University Accounting Advisory Board, and gives back to the community as the National Treasurer for ODK Honor Society. She previously served on the AICPA Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee, the AICPA Foundation Board of Trustees, and the AICPA Student Recruitment Committee. Jessica's accomplishments include being named a 2023 CPA Practice Advisor Most Powerful Women in Accounting, a 2022 Washington Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree, the 2022 NABA DC Chapter Outstanding Accounting Leader of the Year, a Maryland Association of CPAs 2021 Women to Watch- Emerging Leader, a Black CPA Centennial's 40 Under 40 Black CPA Award honoree, a 2021 AICPA Outstanding Young CPA Award recipient, and a 3x CPA Practice Advisor 40 Under 40 Professional. Jessica is a graduate of the highly competitive AICPA Leadership Academy and earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Towson University and her master’s degree in accounting from George Washington University. Jessica is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Virginia. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 09 Nov 2023 | 235: When Should You Consider Nonprofit Leadership? (David Goldman) | 00:36:48 | |
235: When Should You Consider Nonprofit Leadership? (David Goldman) SUMMARY Are you pondering your career path and want to find more intrinsic value and purpose through a mission-driven organization? How will you know if you’re ready to transition to leadership in the philanthropic sector? In episode #235 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, David Goldman shares what it took for him to move from a career with some of the world’s largest and most loved brands to his current role as a nonprofit leader. He shares how he prepared for this transition and offers thoughtful observations when comparing the two sectors. Learn how to maintain your case for support, even in times of crisis, as David discusses his successful marketing and fundraising techniques that serves his work across Australia.
ABOUT DAVID With over 20 years’ experience as a strategic consumer marketer, David Goldman has a proven track record and a passion for doing things differently and challenging the norm. David has worked for some of the world’s largest consumer organizations, including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Canon and NewsCorp. During his time in these organizations, he launched Coca-Cola to the Palestinian Authority, developed the New Tastes Menu at McDonald’s and led a team with editorial support to reposition and relaunch The Daily and Sunday Telegraphs. One of his proudest accomplishments was to lead a strategic marketing and creative team that developed Canon’s “World of EOS”. The work was recognized globally, winning 8 Cannes Lions, including 1 Media Grand Prix, not to mention resulting in a significant uplift in underlying earnings for Canon Australia. Over the past 6 years, David has diverted his own interests to the For Purpose sector, having taken up executive roles at Relationships Australia NSW (NFP), RASE Pty Ltd (social enterprise) and his current role at the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife. David’s philosophy: it’s time to give back and there’s fulfilment beyond material possession. In his spare time, David is committed to his community, a volunteer lifesaver at North Bondi SLSC for the past 11 years, 8 of which he was a patrol captain. He is also a volunteer mentor for Youth Off The Streets. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 16 Nov 2023 | 236: The Five Hardest “Soft” Skills Every Nonprofit Leader Needs (Dr. Shirley Davis) | 00:41:56 | |
236: The Five Hardest “Soft” Skills Every Nonprofit Leader Needs (Dr. Shirley Davis) SUMMARY What are the critical soft skills nonprofit leaders must master? In episode #236 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, global workforce expert Dr. Shirley Davis explores why leadership skills and competencies have shifted over the past few years away from the technical and other “hard” skills to “soft” skills which can be harder to demonstrate. She shares her top five soft skills every nonprofit leader should embody to attract and retain today’s talent. Shirley explains why soft skills have the greatest impact on an employee’s experience and how nonprofit leaders can develop and improve these skills if they want to achieve high performance and engagement from their workers.
ABOUT SHIRLEY Dr. Shirley Davis is a sought-after global workforce expert, national board director for Make-A-Wish Foundation, and president and CEO of SDS Global Enterprises, a strategic development solutions firm that specializes in human resources strategy, talent management, leadership effectiveness, culture transformation and diversity, equity & inclusion. Dr. Davis has over thirty years of business experience in a variety of senior executive leadership roles in Fortune 100 & 50 corporations. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Oprah Daily, Fast Company, the Wall Street Journal, NBC’s Today Show, USA Today, NPR, CBS News, Fox News, CNN.com, HR Magazine, and many others. She was inducted into Inclusion Magazine’s Hall of Fame for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in November 2021, and in August 2022 was awarded The Golden Gavel Award which is Toastmasters International’s highest and most prestigious award given to one person each year based on Leadership and Communication Impact. She was nominated for Forbes 2021 Women 50 Over 50 list and again in 2022. Dr. Davis has worked in over 30 countries on 5 continents and delivers over 100 speeches a year. She served on the Board of Directors and the Foundation Board for the National Speakers Association (2017-2021). In 2021, she was named to the national board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and will serve a four-year term. She holds a Bachelor’s in Pre-Law, a Master’s in Adult Education; a second Master’s in Human Resource Management, and a Ph.D. in Business and Organizational Leadership. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 23 Nov 2023 | 237: Nonprofit Leadership in Action: Mastermind Success Stories (Josue’ Hernandez, Tiffany Kong, Michael Walsh) | 00:51:39 | |
237: Nonprofit Leadership in Action: Mastermind Success Stories (Josue’ Hernandez, Tiffany Kong, Michael Walsh) SUMMARY Are you ready to advance your nonprofit leadership through the PMA Mastermind program? Three Mastermind alums, Josue’ Hernandez, Tiffany Kong, and Mike Walsh share their professional development experiences and the positive changes they’ve made as a result of their participation. In episode #237 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, they discuss specific aspects of the program, the ongoing collaboration with colleagues nation-wide, and what they continue to utilize in their nonprofit leadership. Josue’ Hernandez is the Assistant Director of Donor Engagement at Memorial Medical Center Foundation, serving Long Beach Medical Center and Miller Children's & Women's Hospital. He oversees donor acquisition, engagement, and stewardship, including programs like Simply Grateful and iGive. Josue’ earned his CFRE certification in 2021 and holds a Master of Arts in Leadership. He is an active member of SCAHD and AHP and is one of 38 Volunteer CFRE Ambassadors globally. Tiffany Kong, Director of Community Impact, reviews grant-making in education and youth development, supporting nonprofit organizations at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation. She co-founded The Give Me Hope Project in 2005, dedicated to building water wells in Laos. Tiffany serves on the board for Keystone Community Services and holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Mike Walsh, Assistant Dean of Advancement in the Virginia Tech College of Science, leads the advancement team overseeing development, alumni relations, and communications. Previously, he worked at North Carolina State University, managing major gifts and leadership annual giving. Mike holds an associate’s degree in environmental studies, a bachelor’s in geography, and a master’s in organizational leadership. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 30 Nov 2023 | 238: Is It Time to Redesign Your Nonprofit’s Website? (David Pisarek) | 00:47:18 | |
238: Is It Time to Redesign Your Nonprofit’s Website? (David Pisarek) SUMMARY Is your website as effective as it needs to be for your nonprofit? In episode #238 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, digital marketing expert David Pisarek shares how you can dramatically improve your website and digital marketing efforts and why you should invest in that effort right now. Learn what a redesign process looks like, the typical costs, and how to find a great agency with which to work. David’s experience within the philanthropic sector allows him to address how website analytics can lead to increased donations and the benefits of SEO for nonprofits.
ABOUT DAVID David has been smashing the non-profit sector for 30 years, and now he's living out his dream: to design and build websites, lead design and branding projects, and be a general technology guru for non-profits in Canada. He’s a design and programming expert who has taught at the college level and found his passion for sharing knowledge at his clients' businesses. Over the past five years, he and his team have completed over 240 projects, so if you need some help, David and his team are the experts. Breaking apart processes and tearing down department silos, he uses his background to effectively bridge the gaps between IT, Marketing, Communications, and Fundraising departments to align processes, streamline operations, and ultimately help his clients achieve digital success. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 07 Dec 2023 | 239: Nonprofit Leadership: 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started (Elizabeth Cushing) | 00:48:38 | |
239: Nonprofit Leadership: 3 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started (Elizabeth Cushing) SUMMARY Where are you on Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership? In episode #239, seasoned nonprofit leader Elizabeth Cushing shares some of her biggest surprises along the journey, lessons she learned while leading large-scale organizational growth during a global pandemic, and the three things she wished she’d known before her journey began. Learn the differences between scaling an organization versus scaling the solution, and how large-scale change can affect your overall fundraising efforts and donor development. Elizabeth shares sage advice for every emerging nonprofit leader.
ABOUT ELIZABETH Elizabeth Cushing is the CEO of Playworks, a national organization headquartered in Oakland, CA, that helps schools and school districts make the most of recess through on-site staffing, consultative support, professional development, and free resources. Elizabeth has been with Playworks for 17 years. She became president in 2011, and CEO in 2021. As CEO, Elizabeth leads the senior management team and ensures that all strategic targets are met across the organization. She has spearheaded Playworks’ growth plan, leading the organization through a scaling strategy that took it from partnering with 61 schools in 2004 to nearly 2,000 schools in 2020. Elizabeth has more than 25 years of nonprofit management experience with youth development and youth-serving organizations, and as a leader in the youth development field, is frequently invited to speak about Playworks’ scaling experience, and how play supports children’s development and wellbeing.
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| 14 Dec 2023 | 240: How Can We Build the Nonprofit Leadership Pipeline? (Carmita Semaan) | 00:52:38 | |
240: How Can We Build the Nonprofit Leadership Pipeline? (Carmita Semaan) SUMMARY Are you developing a strong pipeline of nonprofit leaders within your organization? In episode #240 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Carmita Semaan, founder of The Surge Institute, explains how nonprofit leaders should strategically position future talent to help their organization excel, and maintain a steady stream of candidates for when it’s time to hire. Learn how Surge is changing the narrative and supporting diverse leadership across the sector. Carmita also shares how she’s communicating her mission to funders, community members, and corporate leaders, and how her fundraising has enabled her to dramatically scale her organization. She shares how Surge measures success and how she herself recruits talented leaders.
ABOUT CARMITA Carmita Semaan is Founder and CEO of The Surge Institute. Her superpower is supporting and elevating the genius of emerging and seasoned leaders - particularly women and people of color - and shining a light on the brilliance and ingenuity that is too often overlooked and untapped in solving systemic issues. Carmita hails from Birmingham, AL and proudly professes that her hometown made her who she has become. Birmingham’s history has shaped what she feels called to do and the hustle, horsepower and heart she exhibits. Her guiding principle is the connection of head, heart, and soul in leadership to drive sustainable impact and lasting partnerships. Carmita holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. She is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network, a 2009 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, and is a graduate of the Broad Residency in Urban Education. She honors her love for education equity, creative arts, and the amplification of and investment in women community leaders via many boards and volunteer engagements. Carmita lives in Los Angeles with her husband, daughter, and their beloved goldendoodle, Jefferson. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 21 Dec 2023 | 241: The Power of Strategic Planning for Nonprofits (Marie Palacios) | 00:42:12 | |
241: The Power of Strategic Planning for Nonprofits (Marie Palacios) SUMMARY Did you know that a well-crafted strategic plan is statistically proven to double an organization’s chance of long-term success? In episode #241 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, strategic planning expert Marie Palacios provides clarity around the strategic planning process and how to create a powerful final written product. You’ll gain insider tips on questions like “How do we level the playing field so both introverts and extroverts have equal opportunity to contribute in conversations?” and “How do we narrow down a plethora of ideas into one concise document?”. Marie highlights the essential components so you can come away with a compelling plan with strategies to ensure the end result is clear, concise, and compelling.
ABOUT MARIE Marie Palacios, Lead Consultant for Funding for Good, is an expert educator, consultant, and facilitator who helps leaders achieve their goals. She combines evidence-based facilitation methods and two decades of professional experience to facilitate dynamic and productive meetings. Her specialties include consensus building, leadership development, and strategic planning for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Over the past two decades, Marie has worn every hat imaginable in the business world: volunteer, board member, program director, executive director, and development consultant. Marie is bilingual and uses her Spanish skills to provide language access and diversity training services for businesses and local government sectors. She is passionate about serving others and coordinates annual service trips to Latin America through her private consulting company, MP Pro Consult. Marie is a native of Morganton, NC, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, and one spoiled rescue dog named “Mako.” EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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| 28 Dec 2023 | 242: How to Design a Personal Planning Retreat (Patton McDowell) | 00:30:51 | |
242: How to Design a Personal Planning Retreat (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY In this solo episode #242, Patton McDowell discusses the process of designing a structured personal strategy retreat. The episode highlights why it's critical for nonprofit leaders to invest time in their own strategic planning, a practice often overlooked. He shares valuable strategies and insights on planning and executing a personal retreat for meaningful professional and personal development. 12 STEPS TO DESIGN YOUR RETREAT
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| 04 Jan 2024 | 243: How Can You Better Maximize the Potential of Your Volunteers? (Karen Knight) | 00:51:50 | |
243: How Can You Better Maximize the Potential of Your Volunteers? (Karen Knight) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, have you struggled to build a strong and sustainable volunteer program? In episode #243 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, volunteer leadership expert Karen Knight discusses what she’s learned over 25 years of providing volunteer recruitment, engagement, and training support for nonprofit organizations. Karen shares the top four trends leaders should know to grow their volunteer engagement program. She explains how leveraging your volunteer workforce will help scale your impact. What makes a good volunteer? How can nonprofit leaders better embrace volunteer appreciation? What should we include in the onboarding process and exactly how should staff engage in their day-to-day management? Karen shares the answers! ABOUT KAREN Karen Knight is a consultant and volunteer leadership expert with over 25 years of experience in the social impact sector. She has served as district director, board member and in numerous other volunteer leadership roles. Karen has been a member of the Board of the Kamloops Therapeutic Riding Association since 2017 and is currently serving as President. She’s used her years of experience and intimate knowledge of what goes into creating effective and strategic volunteer management programs to develop a proprietary framework for turning volunteers into enthusiastic, reliable and committed teams. EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES
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