Written by: Steven Tolbert
Vice President of Finance and Administration,
Loyola High School of Los Angeles
AABLI Alumnus, Class # 17
The African American Board Leadership Institute (AABLI) was instrumental in facilitating my appointment to the board of Chrysalis, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless and low-income individuals prepare for, find and retain employment.
In response to my request for board placement assistance, AABLI provided me with a list of organizations that matched my interests, along with supporting materials. Ultimately, I asked AABLI to introduce me to Chrysalis. AABLI immediately connected me with Chrysalis’ CEO, Mark Loranger, who responded with a warm hello. That’s when the fun started.
Chrysalis’ vetting process was incredibly thorough, and time well spent. By design, it was a transparent, two-way process. For Chrysalis, it was an opportunity to learn about me and my suitability for governance within its organization. For me, it provided a comprehensive view of Chrysalis’ internal workings.
When cohorts in AABLI’s Board Leadership Program (BLP) convene to evaluate board governance and nonprofit business models, the Chrysalis process definitely merits consideration as one of AABLI’s case studies.
At my initial Zoom interview, Mark and I were joined by Molly Moen, vice president of Development and Communications. Molly followed up with a plethora of “light” reading for me: Chrysalis’ board member position description; its strategic plan; its diversity, equity and inclusion action plan and its annual report. For good measure, Molly presented me with some short videos highlighting the stories of staff and clients.
It was even more reassuring to see Chrysalis’ historical audited financial statements and tax returns posted on the organization’s website.
More interviews followed, with members of Chrysalis’ senior staff, board treasurer, governance committee and board chair. In May, I was officially elected to the board. A founding board member’s offer to serve as my first year mentor was icing on the cake.
The period beginning with AABLI’s placement support and culminating in Chrysalis board membership took approximately four months. As a former institutional investor and now as a finance officer, I consider it time well spent. It resulted in a terrific match. I have already collaborated with Chrysalis on a few projects.
Thank you, AABLI, for laying the groundwork. Your efforts will lead to an exciting future for me, serving on the board of a dynamic organization.
Steve Tolbert
Chrysalis Board Member
Vice President of Finance and Administration
Loyola High School of Los Angeles
This blog is not written by aabli.org or The African American Board Leadership Institute. The author is solely responsible for the content.
