Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership

Patton McDowell
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Looking for your next nonprofit job? Want to lead a nonprofit organization? Dr. Patton McDowell (www.pmanonprofit.com) brings the best in nonprofit career development to each episode, helping you find the perfect nonprofit opportunity and guiding you along the path to senior leadership in the philanthropic sector. Patton brings 30 years of nonprofit leadership, coaching and consulting experience, and shares best practices for individual and organizational success based on his work with over 250 nonprofit organizations and their staff and board leaders. Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership features more than 120 interviews with nonprofit leaders and philanthropy experts, as well as deep-dive solo episodes and other special editions. Hit subscribe, and accelerate your journey on a nonprofit career path that can change your life. Learn more at: https://www.podpage.com/your-path-to-nonprofit-leadership/

  1. 1D AGO

    357: Rethinking How Organizations Are Built to Change Lives (Logan Herring)

    357: Rethinking How Organizations Are Built to Change Lives (Logan Herring) Episode Summary Five years after his first appearance on Episode #128, Logan Herring returns with a dramatically expanded vision and impact. What began as an ambitious community revitalization effort has evolved into a nationally recognized model for integrated, place-based change. As CEO of The WRK Group, Logan leads a vertically integrated set of tax-exempt businesses focused on housing, cradle-to-career education, workforce development, and community wellness in Riverside, Wilmington. In this conversation, he challenges leaders to rethink how organizations are structured, funded, measured, and branded. From rejecting the term nonprofit in favor of tax-exempt business, to treating those served as customers, to measuring Net Promoter Scores and social return on investment, Logan makes the case that lasting change requires business discipline, upstream strategy, and the courage to build institutions designed to solve problems permanently rather than manage them indefinitely. About Logan Logan Herring is the CEO of The WRK Group, a collective of tax-exempt businesses in Wilmington, Delaware focused on housing, education, workforce development, and community wellness. Under his leadership, the organization has evolved into a nationally recognized model for vertically integrated, place-based revitalization. Logan oversees the strategic direction of Kingswood Community Center, The Warehouse, and REACH Riverside, aligning infrastructure, programming, and capital investment to address intergenerational poverty through upstream, systemic solutions. He is a frequent national speaker on community development, impact measurement, and sustainable social enterprise models, and continues to advocate for business discipline and long-term accountability in the social sector. Resources The WRK GroupPurpose Built CommunitiesSharehouse (technical assistance initiative of REACH Riverside)Book Recommendation: Jump by Larry MillerFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about Armstrong McGuire

    50 min

  2. FEB 19

    356: AI Without Overwhelm: 4 Insights Nonprofit Leaders Can Use Now (Mary Gallivan)

    356: AI Without Overwhelm: 4 Insights Nonprofit Leaders Can Use Now (Mary Gallivan) Episode Summary AI is already reshaping how nonprofit teams work, and leaders who avoid it risk falling behind. In this episode, Mary Gallivan, Founder of Joyline Consulting, shares a practical, nonprofit-centered approach to adopting generative AI without fear or overwhelm. Drawing on more than 25 years of experience across fundraising, operations, grant management, and partnership development, Mary explains why AI literacy is quickly becoming a workplace expectation, why adoption is primarily a people and change management challenge, and how clear guardrails can actually speed progress. She offers simple, actionable steps for getting started, from picking one tool and creating a login to using prompts for faster first drafts, better tone, and more time for the human relationships that build trust and impact. About Mary Mary Gallivan, MBA, helps nonprofits and mission-driven small businesses build sustainable capacity by improving how work actually gets done. As the founder of Joyline Consulting, she serves as a capacity partner to leaders and teams, helping them improve operations, adopt AI and modern tools, and implement practical systems that reduce friction, increase effectiveness, and support long-term sustainability. Her work is especially focused on organizations navigating growth, change, or tool overload who want hands-on support, not just strategy decks. Prior to founding Joyline, Mary held leadership roles at CNM Ingenuity, CCS Fundraising, Foundation For The Carolinas, E4E Relief, and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. She holds a BA from Duke University and an MBA from Queens University and has completed multiple leadership fellowships and civic leadership programs. Resources Mary Gallivan on LinkedinJoyline Consulting WebsiteEveryday AI One Pager (tips, guardrails, and starter guidance)SkillPop, Everyday AIBook: Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great ServiceFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA and Armstrong McGuire merger

    41 min

  3. FEB 12

    355: Thinking Differently to Solve Nonprofit Problems (Sarah Tucker)

    355: Thinking Differently to Solve Nonprofit Problems (Sarah Tucker) EPISODE SUMMARY: Nonprofit leaders are often expected to solve complex problems with limited resources, increasing pressure, and entrenched ways of working. In this episode, Sarah Tucker introduces the work of Edward de Bono and explains why better outcomes require not just harder work, but different thinking. Sarah unpacks the concept of lateral thinking and how it differs from traditional linear or vertical problem solving. She explains why the human brain gets trapped in familiar patterns and how leaders can intentionally break those patterns to surface new options. The conversation explores practical applications for nonprofit leaders, including how Six Thinking Hats can reduce groupthink, rebalance power dynamics in meetings, and make decision-making more productive and inclusive. ABOUT SARAH: Sarah Tucker is a polymath with a portfolio career spanning journalism, broadcasting, publishing, education and corporate advisory work. An award-winning presenter and lecturer, she translates storytelling and lateral thinking into commercial success for global organisations. Discover more at www.theboardroombard.com and on LinkedIn through keynote talks, boardrooms, classrooms and conferences. Resources and Links: Sarah’s WebsiteSarah’s LinkedInEdward de Bono: Love Laterally by Sarah Tucker:Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking HatsFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA and Armstrong McGuire merger

    48 min

  4. FEB 5

    354: A Lifelong Learning Framework for Nonprofit Leaders (Kelsey Picken)

    354: A Lifelong Learning Framework for Nonprofit Leaders (Kelsey Picken) SUMMARY Nonprofit leaders are surrounded by professional development options - degrees, certifications, conferences, and credentials - but many still struggle to build a learning plan that feels intentional rather than reactive. In this episode, Kelsey Picken offers a practical framework to help leaders step back, clarify their why, and make smarter decisions about how they invest in their own growth. Kelsey breaks lifelong learning into three distinct but connected areas: formal learning (degrees, certificates, and structured programs), informal learning (peer groups, mentoring, reading, and networks), and leadership as multiplication, the idea that helping others grow is one of the most powerful ways leaders deepen their own development. The conversation also explores how organizations and funders can better support leadership development, and why modeling learning from the top matters more than policies or budgets alone. ABOUT KELSEY Kelsey Picken is Senior Director of Legacy Giving at The Dallas Foundation, where she works with donors to build charitable legacies that strengthen communities over time. Based in Dallas, Texas, Kelsey brings experience across multiple nonprofit and philanthropic contexts, with a particular focus on connecting academic learning, professional practice, and leadership development. A lifelong learner herself, Kelsey regularly writes, speaks, and facilitates conversations on philanthropy, credentials, and the evolving expectations of nonprofit leadership. RESOURCES & LINKS The Dallas Foundation Kelsey Picken on LinkedInOrganization mentioned: National Association of Charitable Gift PlannersBook recommendation: Atlas of the Heart by Brené BrownFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA & Armstrong McGuire merger

    46 min

  5. JAN 29

    353: Resilience Isn’t Optional: Tools Every Nonprofit Leader Needs Now (Russell Harvey)

    Episode 353: Resilience Isn’t Optional: Tools Every Nonprofit Leader Needs Now (Russell Harvey) SUMMARY Nonprofit leaders are operating in a world where change is constant - and the pressure to react quickly can undermine clarity, trust, and team stability. In this episode, Russell Harvey explains why resilience is a leadership capability (not a personality trait) and how leaders can strengthen it without adding more overwhelm. Russell introduces the VUCA framework (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity) alongside the leadership responses that help teams navigate it (Vision, Understanding, Clarity, Agility). He also shares his Resilience Wheel - seven connected elements leaders can develop personally and organizationally, including purpose, adaptability, support networks, meaning, and energy. Throughout, Russell emphasizes reflective practice as a practical discipline: pausing regularly to identify what’s working, what isn’t, and what to do next - so leaders and teams can “spring forward with learning” rather than simply trying to bounce back. ABOUT RUSSELL Russell Harvey is a leadership coach and facilitator based in Leeds, England, and the founder of The Resilience Coach. He works with senior leaders, teams, and organizations across sectors - including the nonprofit and third sector - helping them lead themselves and others well in a “full-on” world shaped by constant change. Russell’s approach blends practical frameworks (VUCA and the Resilience Wheel) with core leadership behaviors: delegating to strengths, removing blockages that prevent performance, building resilient teams, and committing to lifelong personal growth. RESOURCES & LINKS The Resilience CoachResilience Wheel (Russell’s framework + related posts)Russell Harvey on LinkedInBook recommendation: Humankind by Rutger BregmanFollow Your Path to Nonprofit LeadershipLearn more about the PMA & Armstrong McGuire merger

    42 min

  6. JAN 22

    352: Fundraising That Works: Measure What Matters (Greg Warner)

    352: Fundraising That Works: Measure What Matters (Greg Warner) SUMMARY Fundraisers often focus on the bottom line—how much money came in—but Greg Warner argues that many nonprofit teams are still flying blind because they don’t track the few metrics that actually explain performance. In this episode, Greg (founder of MarketSmart) explains what leaders and boards miss when they focus only on transactions, and how a small set of operational metrics can dramatically improve fundraising strategy. A major focus is donor lifetime value (LTV)—what it is, why it matters, and how any organization can calculate it using donor lifespan, average gift, and giving frequency. Greg also shares why donors give in proportion to the value they perceive from the relationship, and why shifting from transactions to partnerships leads to stronger retention, smarter prioritization, and more confident, data-informed decisions. ABOUT GREG Greg Warner is the founder of MarketSmart, a fundraising technology company focused on helping organizations identify donor readiness and build stronger donor relationships at scale. He entered the sector from the perspective of a committed donor—frustrated by impersonal, transactional fundraising—and turned that experience into tools and systems designed to help nonprofits deliver more value, improve donor engagement, and raise more major gifts.  RESOURCES & LINKS Fundraising Report CardMarketSmart (resources + tools) Greg Warner on LinkedInTools mentioned: DAF widget, bequest calculator (via MarketSmart site)Book recommendation: Asking About Asking (Kent Stroman)Follow the PodcastLearn more about the PMA & Armstrong McGuire merger

    53 min

  7. JAN 15

    351: Five Finance Skills Every Nonprofit Leader Needs (Stephen Newland)

    351: Five Finance Skills Every Nonprofit Leader Needs (Stephen Newland) SUMMARY Many nonprofit leaders step into their roles with deep passion for mission, but far less confidence when it comes to finance. In this episode, Stephen Newland, founder of MoneyPath FP&A, breaks down five essential finance skills every nonprofit leader must develop to lead with confidence, reduce risk, and sustain impact. Stephen explains why financial uncertainty is so common in the sector, how organizational growth often triggers financial overwhelm, and why leaders can no longer rely on a simple “there’s money in the bank” mindset. He introduces the idea of cash flow as organizational oxygen, and shares practical ways to forecast cash, use the budget as a strategic tool, and prepare for both downside risk and upside opportunity. The conversation also tackles one of the most persistent nonprofit tensions - restricted versus unrestricted funding - and offers clear guidance on how to tell the financial story in ways boards and donors actually understand. Stephen closes with a powerful reminder: financial confidence doesn’t start with spreadsheets - it starts with curiosity. ABOUT STEPHEN Stephen Newland, CMA is the founder of MoneyPath FP&A, where he provides fractional CFO services to growing nonprofits—most often in the $1M–$10M revenue range. He helps nonprofit leaders save time, reduce financial stress, and make confident decisions through better forecasting, reporting, and financial storytelling. Stephen’s background includes corporate finance, startup advising, and leading a large-scale financial education program—experience that shaped his ability to translate complex financial concepts into practical, mission-aligned leadership tools. RESOURCES & LINKS MoneyPath (free tools, cash flow templates, nonprofit discounts)Stephen Newland on LinkedInBook recommendation: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale CarnegieFollow the PodcastLearn more about the PMA & Armstrong McGuire merger!

    42 min

  8. JAN 8

    350: What Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know About Mergers (André Anthony)

    350: What Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know About Mergers (André Anthony) SUMMARY This milestone episode is brought to you by the newly merged Armstrong McGuire + PMA Nonprofit Leadership, joining forces to strengthen nonprofit leadership across the sector. Together, we are expanding our support for organizations through consulting, executive search, leadership development, and thought leadership. Learn more at ArmstrongMcGuire.com. As we announce our own merger, it felt like the perfect moment to explore what a healthy, mission-driven merger really looks like. André Anthony, CEO of NeighborUp, helps us mark Episode #350 with a conversation every nonprofit leader should hear. NeighborUp is the result of a thoughtful, intentional merger between Dorcas Ministries and Western Wake Crisis Ministry. André explains why the best mergers don’t come from crisis - they come from vision, alignment, and a shared desire to serve communities more effectively. He walks us through the realities of merging boards, teams, cultures, branding, operations, and fundraising, and why treating this as a true merger - not an acquisition - mattered for trust and long-term success. ABOUT ANDRÉ André Anthony is the CEO of NeighborUp, the merged organization created by Dorcas Ministries and Western Wake Crisis Ministry. A seasoned nonprofit leader who began his career with the YMCA, André is known for his relational leadership style, focus on community-centered solutions, and ability to guide organizations through complex change. Under his leadership, NeighborUp has expanded its geographic reach, strengthened financial sustainability, and increased its impact through a unified service model. André frequently shares his experience with leaders exploring collaboration, shared services, and full mergers, offering practical insight into governance alignment, culture building, and community trust. RESOURCES NeighborUpCrucial Accountability by Patterson, Grenny & McMillanA Promised Land by Barack ObamaArmstrong McGuire + PMA Nonprofit Leadership – armstrongmcguire.comFollow the podcast

    59 min
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Looking for your next nonprofit job? Want to lead a nonprofit organization? Dr. Patton McDowell (www.pmanonprofit.com) brings the best in nonprofit career development to each episode, helping you find the perfect nonprofit opportunity and guiding you along the path to senior leadership in the philanthropic sector. Patton brings 30 years of nonprofit leadership, coaching and consulting experience, and shares best practices for individual and organizational success based on his work with over 250 nonprofit organizations and their staff and board leaders. Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership features more than 120 interviews with nonprofit leaders and philanthropy experts, as well as deep-dive solo episodes and other special editions. Hit subscribe, and accelerate your journey on a nonprofit career path that can change your life. Learn more at: https://www.podpage.com/your-path-to-nonprofit-leadership/

Information

  • Creator
    Patton McDowell
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    357
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership
  • Show Website
    Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership