Written by: LaVada English, MBA
Founder and Owner, LaVada English Consulting
AABLI Alumna, Class #10
As regulatory and other pressures increase, boards are expected to become more deeply involved, taking on a strategic role to ensure that organizations thrive. Traditionally, boards have become involved in strategy when there were specific reasons to do so, such as the retirement of an incumbent CEO, a major investment decision or an acquisition proposal.
Written by: LaVada English, MBA
Founder and Owner, LaVada English Consulting
AABLI Alumna, Class #10
One day you are in the office, happily functioning within your “society-defined” normal. You are scheduling meetings and lunch engagements, preparing to jet off to business conferences and longing for upcoming getaways and milestone celebrations with friends and families.
Written by: Pamela Huley, MSN, RN
Healthcare Business Consultant
AABLI Alumna, Class #11
This much we know: COVID-19 is a disease caused by a new strain of coronavirus. ‘CO’ stands for corona, ‘VI’ for virus, and ‘D’ for disease.
This much we are finding out: COVID-19 does not affect everyone equally. As the reported cases of COVID-19 increase world-wide, evidence has emerged that this pandemic is disproportionately affecting people of color, especially African Americans. As the number of cases in the U.S. rises, inequities within the country’s health system are dramatically exposed.
Written by: Susan Taylor Batten
President and CEO, ABFE
It is fitting that Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE), formed in 1971 as the first affinity group of the Council of Foundations, would be the first philanthropy-serving organization (PSO) in the U.S., to host its multi-day, concurrent-session, annual conference Harambee, as a virtual meeting during a global pandemic April 15-17th of 2020.
Written by: Trella R. Walker, JD
Associate Director for Advisory Services
Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF)
AABLI alumna, Class #9
All good board members know it is our job to make sure our organization has a solid budget that supports the organization’s ability to meet both its short and long term goals. So we do our due diligence and pass a responsible budget that can be used to guide the organization for the year.
Written by: Thyonne Gordon, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor
Antioch College
AABLI alumna, Class #3
Celebrations are in the air these days: Graduations. Juneteenth. Fourth of July. But let’s not overlook our celebration of how far we’ve come with our boards and organizations.
Written by: Monique Stennis
Adjunct Professor
University of Redlands
AABLI alumna, Class #6
For nonprofit organizations, building trust with communities is golden. It offers much more value than a brochure, advertisement or other marketing material. Integrating video into its social media program can help a nonprofit build trust as it shares its story.
Written by: Loren M. Hill, Ph.D.
AABLI alumna, Class #6
Summer is the season for mid-year reviews. For many of us, that may mean mid-year job performance reviews, or perhaps our summer portfolio review. If we are serving on boards, we may be reviewing the mid-year performance of our organizations.
Written by: Gregory C. Scott
President & Chief Executive Officer
Community Action Partnership of Orange County
AABLI alumnus, Class #4
Women are dramatically outnumbered on the boards of the nation’s biggest companies. In 2018, California passed a law (California Senate Bill 826) trying to change that. The law, SB 826, requires at least one woman on boards that have four members or less, two women on boards of five people and three women on boards of six or more.
Written by: Thyonne Gordon, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor
Antioch College
AABLI alumna, Class #3
March Madness is one of the biggest, most exciting and entertaining events in all of sports. Sixty-eight teams compete in seven rounds for the national championship. The final four go up against each other to arrive at a reigning winner. Why is March Madness such an exhilarating competition? My guess is because it’s an opportunity to showcase young college players for the ultimate prize: the NBA.