393: What Surprised Me Most as a New Nonprofit CEO (Sarah Norris)

Episode 393: What Surprised Me Most as a New Nonprofit CEO (Sarah Norris)

Episode Summary

Plenty of capable people rule themselves out of the corner office because they are introverted, never planned to lead, or assume the job demands a personality they do not have. Sarah Norris, Chief Executive Officer of Crossnore Communities for Children in Crossnore, North Carolina, never set out to be a CEO, yet she has just completed her first year leading a century-old child welfare and mental health agency. She shares what surprised her most, from the loneliness of the seat, even within a co-leadership structure with Brett Loftis, to the fiscal-year goal she set of building a one-on-one relationship with every board member. Norris explains why she prunes the tree regularly instead of waiting to chop it in half, why personality assessments should guide you rather than label you, and how she protects her energy with morning deep work and a firm limit on evening events. Listeners will walk away with permission to lead as themselves and practical habits for a strong first year in the chair.

About Sarah

Sarah Norris, EdD, MBA, is Chief Executive Officer of Crossnore Communities for Children, a century-old agency in Crossnore, NC that helps children and families find hope and healing through child welfare and mental health services in schools, communities, and homes. A social worker by training, she began in direct service, discovered she loved coaching staff, and moved steadily into leadership. She joined Crossnore in 2018 as Child Welfare Division Director, became Chief Program Officer in 2020, and stepped into the CEO role in 2025, where she co-leads with Brett Loftis. She credits mentors, and the communication training she took with Lou Solomon, for helping her lead authentically as an introvert. Away from work, she keeps her weekends for creativity, including art and journaling, and she is a self-taught artist whose art is featured in Crossnore’s fine arts gallery.

Resources

• Thanks to our podcast partner, Inperium
• Sarah’s LinkedIn | Crossnore Communities for Children
• Interact Studio, Lou Solomon’s authentic communication training that Sarah recommends
• Book recommendation: Rest by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang
• Celebrate Nonprofit Awareness Month with the NC Center for Nonprofits!
• Follow Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, and please leave a review!
• Learn more about the leadership resources at Armstrong McGuire: ArmstrongMcGuire.com

Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership | ArmstrongMcGuire.com

Hosted by Dr. Patton McDowell, MBA, CFRE, Senior Director of Leadership Initiatives, Armstrong McGuire & Associates, and Director of the Institute for Philanthropic Leadership