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Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications

Nonprofits Are Messy: Lessons in Leadership | Fundraising | Board Development | Communications

Hosted by Joan Garry

Episodes

258

Latest episode

Jun 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Joan Garry: Nonprofit Leader and former Executive Director of GLAAD helps fellow CEOs, Boards and Board Chairs, Fundraisers, and Nonprofit Marketers

Listen to episodes

60 recent
June 8, 2026Episode 125 min

Ep 255: Managing Across Generations: What Nonprofit Leaders Need to Know with Jason Burlingame

Managing a team that spans five generations isn't a Gen Z problem. It's a leadership challenge. In this episode, I sit down with Jason Burlingame to talk about the workplace tensions that seem to resurface with every generation and what it takes to lead through them.

May 23, 2026Episode 125 min

Ep 254: Building Belonging When DEI Feels Like a Four-Letter Word with Dr Kiki Ramsey

I sat down with Dr. Kiki Ramsey, positive psychologist and CEO of the Positive Psychology Coaching and Diversity Institute, to have an honest conversation about DEI that nonprofit leaders need to hear right now. We’re covering what’s changing and how nonprofits can keep building belonging even in a hostile climate.

May 9, 2026Episode 125 min

Ep 253: Still Figuring It Out: An Honest Take on People Pleasing and Leadership

For a long time, Glennda Testone’s people-pleasing nature shaped – and sometimes complicated – her leadership. In this honest, personal solo episode, she shares her journey from people pleaser to recovering people pleaser. Plus, five practical strategies for leading well when you’re wired to make everyone happy.

April 25, 2026Episode 147 min

Ep 252: CRM Matchmaking: How to Ensure the Right Fit for Your Nonprofit with Julia Gackenbach

Think of finding the right CRM like matchmaking – it takes time, self-awareness, and knowing what you actually need versus what just looks good on paper. Glennda Testone sits down with Julia Gachenbach of DonorPerfect to walk through the do’s and don’ts of the matchmaking process to help your organization find the right fit.

April 11, 2026Episode 151 min

Ep 251: Reimagining Nonprofits: The Uncomfortable Conversation We Need to Have with Vu Le

What if the rules we’ve built our sector around are actually holding us back? I sat down with author, blogger, and nonprofit rabble-rouser Vu Le to dig into the uncomfortable truths behind his new book, Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy, and why the sector’s greatest threat may be its own suppressed imagination.

March 28, 2026Episode 158 min

Ep 250: The Power of Neighbors: A Leadership Story from Minneapolis with Emilia Gonzalez Avalos

When crisis hit Minneapolis, nonprofit leaders and neighbors didn’t wait for rescue. In this episode, Emilia Gonzalez Avalos of Unidos Minnesota shares what it took to build a rapid-response infrastructure, protect communities, and turn terror into collective action.

March 14, 2026Episode 144 min

Ep 249: Financial Resilience Isn’t Luck – It’s Strategy with Bethany Maki

In a nonprofit, revenue often feels uncertain. But here’s the secret: financial resilience isn’t luck – it’s strategy. In this episode, Glennda Testone and Bethany Maki of Progressive Multipliers explore how nonprofits can build independent revenue, diversify funding, and strengthen long-term sustainability.

March 2, 2026Episode 151 min

Ep 248: Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: Simple, Agile, and Real with Sophia Shaw and Adam Wolford

Strategic planning doesn’t have to be expensive, exhausting, or end up on a shelf. In this episode, Glennda Testone talks with Sophia Shaw and Adam Wolford of PlanPerfect about a smarter, more accessible approach to nonprofit strategic planning – especially for small to mid-sized organizations.

February 14, 2026Episode 152 min

Ep 247: A Volunteer’s Guide to Major Donor Conversations with Eileen Opatut

In this episode, I’m joined by my wife Eileen Opatut, a volunteer fundraiser who landed a yes on her first major ask! Together, we break down what actually works and walk through the real mechanics of successful fundraising.

January 31, 2026Episode 120 min

Ep 246: If You Believe Leadership Matters, Prove It!

Nonprofit leaders aren’t burning out because they’re incapable. They’re burning out because we’re not setting them up for success. In this episode, I make the case for why leadership development is not optional – and why investing in leaders is one of the most powerful retention strategies our sector has.

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