Career Journey Episodes

121: New Nonprofit CEO? 5 Keys to Success (Ken Fuquay) SUMMARY Have you wondered what it would be like to lead a nonprofit organization? Many talented professionals, both within and outside of our sector, are considering a move into senior leadership at a charitable organization, but are not exactl…

120: Is Your Nonprofit Board Leading with Intent? (Jim Taylor) SUMMARY As Jim Taylor shared on episode #35 of the Path Podcast, conversations around race and inclusion are more prevalent than ever in nonprofit meeting rooms around the world. But are these discussions leading to significant change i…

119: Building A Career in Nonprofit Leadership (Elizabeth Abel) SUMMARY As more talented professionals enter the nonprofit sector, they are looking for ways to develop their skills, find the best professional development opportunities, and better navigate the personal and professional challenges th…

115: Need to Recharge Your Nonprofit Career Plan? (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY While the new year gets most of the attention as the time for personal resolutions and career planning, the summer may be an even better time for personal and professional reflection, and a great time to re-evaluate your pa…

113: How to Balance the Mission and the Business as a Nonprofit Leader (Jim Warren) SUMMARY Many nonprofit leaders struggle to maintain their passion for the organization’s mission as they grapple with the management realities required to run a complex nonprofit business. If you’re wrestling with t…

111: The Importance of Strategic Visioning as a Nonprofit Leader (Chris Jackson) SUMMARY There are many essential elements to successful nonprofit leadership, but perhaps none more important than an ability to conceive and implement a strategic vision. Chris Jackson has demonstrated that exact skil…

95: Adapting Your Plan to Nonprofit Leadership (Bob Carter) SUMMARY Are you open to new opportunities along the path to nonprofit leadership? None of us know exactly where our journey will take us, but advice from Bob Carter, the guest on episode #95 of the Path Podcast, will certainly help. Bob br…

89: How to Accelerate Your Nonprofit Leadership (Men Tchaas Ari) SUMMARY How do you combine a diverse set of skills, talents and experiences to best position yourself for nonprofit leadership? In episode #89 of the Path Podcast, I explored that exact question with Men Tchaas Ari, who successfully e…

88: How Do You Create a Dynamic Culture as a Nonprofit Leader? (Mary Ward) SUMMARY Will you be ready for your next opportunity to be a nonprofit leader? Often the best opportunities occur when you're least expecting them, and you must rely on past experience, great mentors, and simply gut instinct,…

84: 4 Keys to Building A Global Nonprofit (Elizabeth Hausler) SUMMARY Are you pondering nonprofit leadership among multiple career options? That’s exactly what Elizabeth Hausler considered before she started the global nonprofit Build Change in 2004, and she offers a fascinating review of her leade…

83: Maximizing Advocacy to Fulfill Your Mission (Karen Lee) SUMMARY Managing a nonprofit organization requires a variety of skills and experiences to succeed, and a leader can certainly be consumed by simply keeping their organization in motion. The best nonprofits, however, commit to a vision the …

80: How to Attract Young Professional Talent to Your Nonprofit (Kamber Parker) SUMMARY As more young professionals look to the nonprofit sector as an attractive option for their career path, Executive Directors and other senior leaders are eager to recruit and retain the best and brightest to join …

75: How to Engage Your Community Through Nonprofit Leadership (Stacy Sumner Jesso) SUMMARY Perhaps you are considering a move between nonprofit sectors, or even moving to an entirely different community to advance your career. As a nonprofit leader, these are transitions you’ll likely manage along …

72: What Can a Mastermind Do for Your Nonprofit Leadership? (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY What is a mastermind, and how could it help you on your nonprofit leadership journey? In episode #72 of the Path Podcast, Patton provides some history on the mastermind concept, and explains how PMA has adapted th…

71: Bringing A Global Perspective to Nonprofit Leadership (Jennifer Garner) SUMMARY How do you incorporate all of your previous nonprofit leadership experiences in a way that strengthens your current work? Jennifer Garner has built an impressive resume on the way to her current position at the Univ…

65: Why You Shouldn’t Start a Charity (Matthew Zachary) SUMMARY As a cancer survivor and marketing expert, Matthew Zachary approaches most things in life with a very different perspective, including nonprofit leadership. This approach is provocative and thought-provoking, and is sure to make you th…

61: 4 Ways to Advance Your Nonprofit Career (Jay Dowd) SUMMARY What are some practical ways you can advance your nonprofit leadership career? In episode #61 of the Path, South Carolina native Dr. Jay Dowd brings experience from leading four different university fundraising teams to answer that ques…

58: How to Make Nonprofit Leadership Your Dream Job (Carson Tate) SUMMARY Given the uncertainty we all face right now, it is reassuring to speak with someone like Carson Tate who understands the challenges of maintaining personal and professional balance, as well as the nuances of productivity. Car…

57: Bringing Authenticity to Nonprofit Leadership (Lisa Baxter) SUMMARY Like many in the nonprofit sector, Lisa Baxter did not seek a role in philanthropy; the sector quite literally sought her out. And while the path to nonprofit leadership has not always been accommodating to her, the lessons lea…

56: 10 Essential Skills & Experiences for Nonprofit Leadership (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY This episode of the Path Podcast, #56, includes a top-10 list of the most important skills and experiences necessary for successful nonprofit leadership: Lifelong Learning PlanPersonal OrganizationLeadershi…

50: Elevating A Cause Through Nonprofit Leadership (Curtis Drafton) SUMMARY Not many nonprofit leaders have actually experienced the personal and professional challenges facing the individuals their organization serves. Afte...

46: Finding New Opportunities Through Nonprofit Leadership (Cheryl Richards) SUMMARY As a nonprofit leader, how do you know when it’s the right time to make a change? That’s exactly where Dr. Cheryl Richards and I started ou...

45: Navigating the Nonprofit Leadership Journey (David Malloy) SUMMARY Making a job transition is challenging enough under any circumstance, but how about with the addition of a pandemic, cross-country logistics, and the addi...

43: What is Your Nonprofit Career Vision? 6 Questions You Need to Answer (Patton McDowell) SUMMARY These are challenging times for all kinds of reasons, given the isolation of the pandemic, the obvious disparities of race and...