Fundraising, Management Issues/Expert Profile

Expertise

Please send questions about nonprofit boards, nonprofit board committees, the relationship between board and staff, board governance, board roles and responsibilities, board recruitment, board orientations, board meeting and board retreats.

Experience in the area

After a career in the private sector, I moved into the nonprofit sector and have been consulting, teaching and writing about nonprofit boards for the last five years. I teach at the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies. I present and facilitate workshops to nonprofit members of associations and chambers of commerce.

Organizations

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence, VANNO (Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations, WUP - Women United in Philanthropy

Publications

My articles appear in www.ezinearticles.com which are then picked up by state-specfic nonprofit support groups and others associations and organizations throughout the United States and internationally.

Education/Credentials

Certificate of Nonprofit Management - Duke University, Master of Business Administration - The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania, Bachelor of Arts - Cornell University

Awards and Honors

Selected as a guest speak in The Center for Nonprofit Excellence's Board Development Academy.

Past/Present Clients

Past clients include Service Dogs of Virginia, the Ixtatan Foundation, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, African-American Teaching Fellows, and the Brockbank Education Fund.

What do you like about this subject?

The management of nonprofit boards is the key to "third sector" or "social sector" success. If we could develop all of our boards to provide the proper oversight and support to our local, national, and international nonprofit organizations, the world would be a better place.

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

I would like to learn more about the legal status, governance laws, and tax status of nonprofits (third sector organizations) in other countries. I started study this when I was asked to make a presentation in Turkey entitled "The US Social Sector - How it Operates and Fundraising Practices in US NGOs."

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

There are almost 1 million operating charities in the United States and almost 10% of the US work force is employed in the nonprofit sector. This is a significant economic force in the US economy.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

I am interested in leadership and creativity - and I think that there is more opportunity for creativity in the private (for-profit) sector - for a variety of reasons. The current model of fundraising and nonprofit management does NOT promote creativity in the nonprofit sector - and I wish it did. I am wondering how we can instill a more creative approach to nonprofit organizations?