More From Bonnie

324716796_565585258770216_3767086694744479843_n

I absolutely love nonprofit organizations and have dedicated my life’s work to them. But nonprofits come with the big challenge of constant change: leadership transitions, funding shortfalls, changes in the external social and political environment. Just think about the difference between how nonprofits responded to the racial reckoning in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder by police to the Hobson’s Choice facing many nonprofits in the current political environment.

Change – even when unwelcomed - creates opportunities for new possibilities and innovation. It helps us get unstuck in comfortable but limited patterns of individual and organizational behavior.

Here is what I have learned from decades of leading nonprofit organizations and watching others lead:

HOW we manage change and HOW we communicate it are critical to success. When people affected by change do not feel heard or valued, morale and performance suffer, regardless of the outcome. In my experience, open, honest, and inclusive processes – along with a healthy dose of vision and accountability - produce better results.

"ORGANIZATIONS CONFRONTING CHANGE TEND TO FOCUS ON PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS, QUANTITATIVE METHODS, AND TECHNICAL APPROACHES ...

IMG_1152

My dad was my first leadership role model. He became the president of a company at a young age. Dad would bounce out the door of our house early each morning to walk the halls to greet his employees as they started their day: truck drivers, warehouse stockers, secretaries, and managers. 

Dad’s mantra was: “You have to take care of your people.” He truly loved his employees and I think they loved him back. All while making tough decisions, including closing down a division and ultimately selling the company. Dad also got the importance of personal relationships. I would often tag along as he made personal visits each summer to his small business customers up and down both coasts of Florida.  

I haven’t always gotten it right. But throughout my career,  I have tried to take my father’s advice to heart and lead with a “people first” approach. As a consultant, I offer practical tools to help leadership teams and boards develop processes and practices to navigate change in ways that build relational trust.

Whether you are in the start-up stage, a period of growth, re-imagining, or transitioning an organization, I would be honored to partner with you as you navigate change with clear eyes, big hearts, and the courage to make tough decisions.

BUT THE HUMAN ELEMENT - THAT IS SO OFTEN OVERLOOKED - IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUCCESS AND FAILURE."

- Foreword by Pat Lencioni in Managing Transitions, by William Bridges and Susan Bridges

Experience & Credentials

Bonnie brings over 30 years of experience as a social justice lawyer and leader to her consulting practice. As an organizational coach and change specialist, she draws upon her past experience as a nonprofit executive director, development director, program developer, and facilitator in organizations committed to advancing economic, racial, and social justice.

Bonnie’s previous roles include Executive Director at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Development Director at the Mississippi Center for Justice, and President of the Center for Law and Renewal at the Fetzer Institute.

She currently is the Interim Executive Director at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services. Bonnie also has served on numerous nonprofit Boards of Directors. She holds a J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law, a Master’s in Theological Studies from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, and a B.A. from Rhodes College.