What Works: Conversations on Nonprofit Leadership with Marla Moody

Marla Moody
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  • Non-Profit

What Works by Marla Moody is a bold, insightful podcast for nonprofit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Each episode dives into the operational heart of mission-driven work - exploring leadership, management, systems, and scaling impact. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive, this show uncovers what truly drives success in nonprofits, featuring strategies, stories, and best practices from real leaders making a difference.

  1. 3d ago

    SE01E41 - Listening Is the Political Skill Saving Modern Democracy | Kamy Akhavan

    Kamy Akhavan spent over two decades walking into the most divided rooms in America and leaving with something nobody else could, proof that listening is the most radical act of civic leadership alive today. Managing Director of the USC Center for Political Future, Kamy has trained elected officials, legislators, and the next generation of civic leaders to navigate political polarization, bipartisanship, and civil discourse with curiosity over combat. 🎙 The Exhausted Majority: America's Silenced Political Middle Ground🧠 Oxytocin Politics: The Neuroscience That Unlocks Real Listening🏛 Civic Leadership Built From Radical Discomfort and Growth💡 Curiosity as Strategy: Bridging Political Divides That Feel Impossible You can get in touch with Kamy Akhavan here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kamyakhavan/Website: https://dornsife.usc.edu/center-for-political-future/ We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  2. Jul 21

    SE01E40 - The Courage to Change a 200-Year Legacy | Matthew Stephens

    Matthew Stephens stepped into a nearly 200 year old institution and chose to reimagine what it truly means to serve the living. As President and CEO of Mount Auburn Cemetery, America's first garden cemetery, he is rewriting the rules of legacy nonprofit leadership, nature rooted community healing, and purposeful organisational change one green acre at a time. 🏛 The 200 Year Vision That Quietly Transformed American Public Space⚖ Shepherding Change Inside a Legacy Nonprofit Under Real Pressure🌿 Nature as the Most Underrated Leadership Strategy Nobody Is Talking About🕯 The Invisible Cost of Driving Culture Without Celebrating the Journey You can get in touch with Matthew Stephens here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-r-stephens/Website: https://mountauburn.org We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  3. Jul 14

    SE01E39 - The Secret to Retaining Volunteers in Nonprofits | Deanna Wilken

    Deanna Wilken turned a seven person volunteer operation into a 128 strong global force spanning 28 countries, and she did it without a single salary line. As Founder and President of Human Rights Research Center (HRRC) and Co-Founder of Unruled Masses, Deanna has built something most leaders only talk about: a team that actually wants to stay. 🎙 The Volunteer Empire: Scaling a 128 Person Mission Driven Global Force📡 Truth Under Fire: Decoding Misinformation and Disinformation in Real Time🏗 Operations as Culture: The Human Infrastructure Behind High Impact Nonprofits🔄 Retention Without Paychecks: The Accountability Framework That Keeps Teams Alive You can get in touch with Deanna Wilken here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanna-wilken/Website: https://www.humanrightsresearch.org We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  4. Jul 7

    SE01E38 - Family Based Care Is Replacing Orphanages & Reshaping Child Welfare Worldwide | Brad Voss

    Brad Voss left a successful business career, boarded a plane to Nairobi, and chose the hardest mission of his life, rebuilding futures for street-connected children through Remade. When Kenya's government mandated the shutdown of every residential care facility in the country, Brad did not fight it. He listened. He researched. And he led a complete reinvention of a 30-year-old organization from institutional care to full family reunification, even before he fully believed it would work. 🏛 The Mandate That Became a MovementHow Kenya's Care Reform Act forced a 30-year nonprofit to rebuild from the ground up🤝 When the Leader Must Be LedWhy Brad's Kenyan team understood the change before he did and what that unlocked🌍 Equality of AuthorityThe cross-cultural trust model rewriting how Western organizations and local leaders actually work together🐓 One Chicken, One Mother, One Life TransformedHow sustainable family-based solutions create dignity no institution ever could You can get in touch with Brad Voss here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-voss-1845072/Website: https://www.remadekenya.orgWe hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  5. Jun 30

    SE01E37 - Life Changes When Someone Believes in Your Potential Before the World Does | Thais Rezende

    What if the only thing standing between a child and their future was one person who believed in them first? Thais Rezende, CEO of BUILD.org and former CEO of BizWorld.org, scaled a nonprofit into the world's largest teacher led entrepreneurship education movement, reaching 850000 students globally. This is not charity. This is the unleashing of talent the world keeps overlooking. In this episode of youth empowerment and social entrepreneurship, we explore why opportunity inequality is the real economic crisis, and how mentorship, mindset, and bold education models are rewriting what is possible for the next generation of entrepreneurs. 📌 The Opportunity Gap Nobody Wants to Admit🔥 Rewriting Failure Into the Most Powerful Business Tool🤝 Mentorship That Actually Moves the Needle🌊 The Ripple Effect of One Entrepreneurial Mindset If you are a school leader, nonprofit founder, impact investor, CSR director, educator, or youth program builder, this conversation is your blueprint for scalable social impact. You can get in touch with Thais Rezende here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thais-rezende-1768a27/Website: https://build.org We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  6. Jun 23

    SE01E36 - Turnover Costs More Than Coaching Today Because Belonging Drives Retention | Heidi Bailey

    Most nonprofits are bleeding talent and calling it a budget problem. Heidi Bailey, Founder of Bluebird Coaching LLC, spent years inside the eye of that storm as both an HR Director and Executive Assistant, and what she discovered will permanently change how you think about your people strategy.📌 The Hidden Price Tag Nobody Budgets For Turnover costs up to 50% of an employee's salary. Every time.📌 The Belonging Crisis Destroying Retention Only 21% of employees feel they truly belong. Here is what that silence is costing you.📌 The First 18 Months Make or Break Everything Why entry level employees are your highest retention risk and your greatest untapped asset.📌 The Coaching Advantage Your Competitors Are Ignoring Why external coaching outperforms internal HR development every single time. You can get in touch with Heidi Bailey here on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidibailey/Website: https://www.bluebirdcoaching.studio/  We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  7. Jun 16

    SE01E35 - Data Isn’t a Report for Funders : It’s Your Promise to the Community | Tyler C. Hein

    Tyler Chein walked away from a neuroscience PhD to answer one question no nonprofit dares to ask out loud: who is your data actually working for?From brain development labs at the University of Michigan to leading research and evaluation strategy at TRAILS, a national school-based mental health nonprofit, Tyler brings a framework that transforms data from a compliance burden into the most powerful strategic asset a mission-driven organization can hold.🔬 The Theory of Change Blueprint | Your data strategy crumbles without this foundation📊 Data Equity Beyond the Average | The ethical failure hiding inside "it works overall"🔄 Continuous Improvement vs Reporting Theater | Real-time monitoring that drives real decisions💡 Leading Up as a Data Champion | Why being too diplomatic cost Tyler more than it savedIf you lead a nonprofit, run program evaluation, or champion social impact at scale, this episode will permanently reshape how you think about impact measurement, community trust, and data-driven leadership. We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

  8. Jun 9

    SE01E34 - Most Culture Problems Start When Leaders Expect What They Don’t Model | Alex Montgomery

    What if the real reason your nonprofit is quietly falling apart has nothing to do with your team and everything to do with the culture you are building as a leader without even knowing it? Alex Montgomery, Managing Director of Team VKA, left a civil rights law career to spend over 20 years transforming how mission driven organizations operate, lead, and sustain impact. She is not here to recite theory. She is here to change how you think about leadership, operations, and the people who carry your mission every single day. 📋 The Culture Audit: When the Real Problem Sits at the Top 🔑 Operational Clarity: Roles, Ownership, and the Architecture of Team Trust 🗓️ Meeting Design That Moves Missions Not Just Agendas 🌱 Boundaries as Bold Leadership: Living Your Values Out Loud Nonprofit executive directors, operations strategists, board leaders, and organizational consultants, this episode is your playbook. If you are ready to build the kind of culture where brilliant people stay, grow, and actually solve the problems the world needs solved, start here.You can get in touch with Alex Montgomery here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-montgomery-a9121a54/Website: https://www.teamvka.comThe mission will not wait. Build the culture that is worthy of it. We hope you enjoyed this episode of What Works! - Marla and the What Works Podcast team :) Are you a Leader who would benefit from Leaders encouraging Leaders, Leave a comment where we can find you of go over to https://www.skool.com/value-based-leadership-8377 and join the community there.  Connect with me:LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachingwithmarla/ #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutprevention #whatworkspodcast #nonprofitleadership #missiondriven #operations #scalingimpact #nonprofitmanagement #leadershipthatinspires #nonprofitexcellence #socialimpact #teambuilding #burnoutpreventionWhatWorks is a bold and insightful podcast for non-profit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive with decades of global experience, the show uncovers what truly makes mission-driven organizations thrive. From scaling systems to building resilient teams and fighting burnout, WhatWorks goes behind the scenes of the world’s most impactful non-profits.

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What Works by Marla Moody is a bold, insightful podcast for nonprofit leaders who want to go deeper than surface-level conversations. Each episode dives into the operational heart of mission-driven work - exploring leadership, management, systems, and scaling impact. Hosted by Marla Moody, a seasoned operations executive, this show uncovers what truly drives success in nonprofits, featuring strategies, stories, and best practices from real leaders making a difference.

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