case study

For over 20 years, I have built social impact in professional organizations and nonprofits as a member or elected officer of executive boards and boards of directors. I have partnered with executive teams in support of the organizational mission including board governance and engagement, financial oversight, strategic planning, fundraising, executive hiring and performance evaluation, and other special projects. These experiences have impacted various, diverse nonprofits in start-up, growth, and mature stages. Below I’ll share case studies that highlight experiences in executive leadership, product development and product management.

Situation: As an elected board director and officer, I typically provide a different perspective and skill set to the team which adds value towards the organization’s performance in serving more people with its mission. Having my voice at the table has made a positive difference in the strategic direction of several organizations.

Recent Impact:

• Hired the strongest candidate of an executive director search for a multi-million-dollar social services nonprofit by providing an equity lens as a member of the executive director transition committee
• Led the development of a financial plan to increase the ROI of the organization’s current assets in order to increase the diversity of the revenue portfolio
• Improved efficiency of the executive director performance review process including creating SOPs for future use
• Developed new DEI objectives in organizational strategic plan for a mature social services nonprofit
• Led development of a new program to increase organizational footprint in underserved markets in central NC

Skills: Strategic Planning, Cross-Functional Team Leadership, Financial Forecasting, Process Improvement, Relationship Management, Visionary

Problem: The National Society of Black Engineers, an organization founded to support underrepresented students in STEM majors, had five colleges with student chapters and one chapter of professionals in the Atlanta metro area and none of them had relationships with each other. The bigger picture was the national organization had low member retention when students graduated to alumni and needed to increase the member life cycle.

Solution & Impact: As a committee chair of the professional chapter, I created a peer group mentoring program pairing student members from each college with an alumni mentor. Mentor training and on-going support, program orientation, signed agreements, prompts for discussion, and ideas for group activities and celebrations were all tools used to make the program a success.

The program was so successful, I won a national leadership award. The national office launched an iteration of it to the rest of the organization. Content I created was even used in the group’s national magazine. Later, I iterated a version of this program for VPs and project managers at FedEx Services.

Skills: New Product Development, Market Research, Relationship Management, Empathy

Problem: My son’s charter school began experiencing tension from diversity, equity, and inclusion (particularly anti-racism) conversations entering elementary school classrooms. Some parents were concerned about their children’s exposure to this while others felt this was the perfect time for kids to learn. As a designated Peaceful School, the school wasn’t feeling too peaceful at the moment.

Solution & Impact 1: To build community and positive communication, I created Peace Week. Curating curriculum with activities for K-8 students to do at school with their teachers and classmates, and at home with their families, to promote peace and joy in these spaces. All who participated attested to experiencing the desired result while other schools contacted me to request the model to adopt at their schools.

Solution & Impact 2: Not long after this time, I realized there was never a formal Black History Month program at this school. With the school administration’s support, I created a month-long celebration of Black American heritage for K-8 culminating with an all-school talent assembly that celebrated little known achievements of Black Americans.

Skills: Curriculum Design, Program Management, Project Management, Organizing, Listening

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