What Works: Conversations on Nonprofit Leadership with Marla Moody

Marla Moody
  • 5.0 (1)
  • 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. 4d ago

    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.

    45 min

  2. 6d ago

    SE01E34 - Nonprofit Teams Burn Out When Leaders Confuse Urgency With Real Impact Work | 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.com The mission will not wait. Build the culture that is worthy of it.

    45 min

  3. Jun 2

    SE01E33 - Human Trafficking Recovery Fails When Support Ends After the Rescue Story | With Merrie Karimov

    Most people think rescuing a trafficking survivor is the finish line. Merrie Karimov, Founder and CEO of Harbour Hope International, is here to prove it is only the beginning. With over 28 years of nonprofit leadership and a front row seat to some of the most overlooked truths in the anti-trafficking space, Merrie is rewriting what restoration really looks like inside Central Florida and far beyond it. 🏛 The Myth of the Quick Fix: Why Recovery Takes Years, Not Moments🤝 People Over Programs: The Relationship Model That Changes Everything🔑 Unlocking Barriers: Criminal Records, Trauma Freeze and the Hidden Employment Wall🌱 From Survivor to Leader: How Harbour Hope Builds Spheres of Influence If you lead a nonprofit, volunteer in social services, care about human dignity, or simply want to understand what real community restoration looks like, this conversation was made for you.Connect with Merrie Karimov here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merrie-karimov-912860275/Website: https://harbourhope.orgThe women being served are not victims waiting to be saved. They are warriors already rising. 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.

    31 min

  4. May 26

    SE01E32 - Healthy Workplace Cultures Start With Protecting Human Energy | With Henriette M. Recny

    What if the secret to a thriving nonprofit was not a bigger budget, but a braver culture? Henriette Recny, President of People and Organizational Strategy at The Literacy Lab, has spent over 15 years building workplaces where purpose does not cost people their wellbeing. A former career teacher turned organisational architect, Henriette brings a radical yet grounded philosophy to nonprofit leadership, one that dares to say: growing organisations do not have to burn their people down to build something great.📖 The Literacy Crisis No One Is Talking About Inside Nonprofits🌱 The Gardener Framework: Leading Teams Without Burning Them Out🔄 Adaptive Leadership and the Art of the Pivot Under Pressure🧭 Start Where You Are: The Onboarding Blueprint That Changes EverythingIf you lead a mission driven team, manage people in a high pressure environment, or are building nonprofit culture from the ground up, this episode will shift how you think about sustainable leadership, staff retention, and human centred operations. You can get in touch with Henriette Recny here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henriette-recny/Website: https://theliteracylab.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.

    32 min

  5. May 19

    SE01E31- PUBLIC MEDIA LOST TRUST WHEN NEWS BECAME PROFIT DRIVEN AND ALGORITHMIC | With David Fischer

    What if the antidote to a fractured, algorithmically poisoned society was already broadcasting 60 years ago? David Fischer, President and General Manager of KNKX Public Radio, walked away from a 35 year performing arts career, picked up a ringing phone on a beach, and said yes to the most urgent mission in media today. 🎙 From Burnout to Broadcast: A Career Reinvented Against All Odds📡 The KNKX Blueprint: How Dual Format Radio Rewires Divided Communities🧠 Solutions Journalism vs Breaking News: The Model That Actually Heals⚖️ Nonprofit Accountability in a Trust Deficit World: The Standard We Must HoldWhen profit driven algorithms deliberately deepen division, public media without paywalls, without advertisers, without selling your data becomes the most radical act of civic courage alive. David unpacks why community convening through jazz, blues, and fearless local news is not nostalgia. It is the future. Connect with David Fischer here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-fischer-5975876/Website: https://www.knkx.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.

    31 min

  6. May 12

    SE01E30 - Rescue Horses Are Healing Trauma in Ways Therapy Sometimes Cannot | With Melissa Kitchen·

    She walked into nonprofit leadership with zero nonprofit experience and built one of the most purposeful equine welfare movements in America. Melissa Kitchen, President of the Equine Network Foundation, is proving that rescued horses do not just need humans. Humans desperately need them too.🎬 What You Will Explore in This Episode🐴 The Rescue Crisis Nobody Talks About200,000 horses in transition at any moment and rescues at 95% capacity🧠 Horses as Mental Health HealersVeterans, autistic children and trauma survivors are finding breakthroughs no therapy room could offer🎯 The One Thing First FrameworkHow Melissa leads an entire foundation solo by doing less and achieving far more🌿 Building Your HerdWhy community, not burnout, is the real infrastructure of every thriving nonprofitIf you lead a nonprofit, run a rescue, work in equine welfare, or simply carry more than you should every single day, this episode will reset you. Melissa's story is proof that intentional leadership, radical focus, and a rescued horse can change what you thought was possible. You can get in touch with Melissa Kitchen here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasauerkitchen/Website: https://equinenetworkfoundation.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.

    30 min

  7. May 5

    SE01E29 - Survival Moral Courage Turning Pain Into Power & Purpose Against Odds | Maddie Cheatham

    What happens when the world counts you out, your in-laws are breaking you down, community leaders are working to destroy your name, and you have no home to call your own but you build something anyway? Minister Dr. Maddie Cheatham did exactly that. Her story is not a motivational myth. It is moral courage made real, lived out in the darkest corners of survival with a daughter watching and a mother's dying promise fuelling every move.In this unforgettable episode of What Works, Minister Dr. Maddie Cheatham, educator, author, ordained healer, spiritual guide, and founder of Pamela's Big Heart Foundation Inc., shares the raw, unfiltered truth about what it really takes to rise from homelessness, fight a system designed to ignore the vulnerable, and build a legacy that outlives your pain.What you will explore:🕯 The Deathbed Promise That Changed EverythingHow a final conversation with her mother Pamela ignited a life mission to uplift minority women and youth🏚 Building a Nonprofit With No AddressThe untold reality of founding Pamela's Big Heart Foundation Inc. while living with abusive in-laws and surviving homelessness⚔ When Community Becomes the EnemyHow character attacks, gatekeepers, and institutional resistance could not stop a woman anchored in purpose💡 The Daughter Who Became the ReasonThe moment a single look at her child became the most powerful leadership strategy of her lifeIf you are a nonprofit leader, social impact changemaker, community advocate, survivor rebuilding your life, or anyone who believes service can coexist with struggle, this conversation will permanently shift how you see resilience. You can get in touch with Minister Dr. Maddie Cheatham here on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/minister-dr-maddie-cheatham-14516562/Website: https://www.pamelasbigheartfoundation.orgThe world does not wait for perfect conditions to need you. Neither did she. 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.

    32 min

  8. Apr 28

    SE01E28 - Nonprofits Fail When They Compete:Real Growth Comes From Collaboration | Christine Faressa

    One mother's love for her son became a lifeline for hundreds of families navigating autism, and the ripple effect is still growing. Christine turned the everyday challenge of raising a neurodivergent child into Sun, Moon, and Stars & Company, a nonprofit built on joy, community, and the radical belief that no family should ever feel alone. In this deeply moving episode of What Works, host Marla Moody sits down with Christine, a full-time medical device sales executive, elected Board of Education member, Connecticut Autism Spectrum Advisory Council member, and founder of one of the most community-driven autism nonprofits in the state. What began as a simple supper club for families craving a judgment-free dinner has evolved into sensory-friendly train rides, adaptive sports, swim safety programs, and a statewide network of nonprofits lifting each other up. 🌟 From Diagnosis to Community — How One Family Changed EverythingHow a diagnosis at age three and a half sparked a decade-long movement for autism families. 🤝 The Power of Nonprofit Collaboration — Grow Together, Not ApartWhy ditching competition and embracing partnership transformed Sun, Moon, and Stars & Company. 🎯 Building Sensory-Friendly Events That Actually WorkThe frameworks behind capacity control, judgment-free spaces, and real family inclusion. 🌊 The Starfish Swim Club — Safety, Confidence, and JoyHow Christine launched an autism-specific swim safety program and why it changes lives. Whether you are a nonprofit founder, a parent of a neurodivergent child, a community leader, or someone who believes in the power of collective impact, this episode will leave you inspired to act, collaborate, and lead with heart. You can get in touch with Christine here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/Website: https://www.sunmoonandstarsco.org This one is for every parent who ever felt invisible, every founder who ever felt alone, and every community that is ready to rise together. The stars are just getting brighter. 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.

    30 min
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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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