"I did not know what I was getting into at the beginning of the year,
but now I can say that I have used absolutely everything
I have learned through the Academy!"
—Gail Haworth, executive director, The Servant Center; member of first Academy class
Executive Director Academy
The Executive Director Academy is a nine-month training session designed to build the leadership capacity of the local nonprofit sector by providing a unique opportunity for executive directors to gain world-class leadership and coaching skills. The program matches participants with professional executive coaches and provides a collaboratively designed curriculum to meet the specific needs of the class. A requirement of acceptance to the Academy is that participants are willing to consider becoming coaches/mentors for new or less experienced executive directors in the community.
Partners in this effort are:
• Discovery Learning Inc., which worked closely with Consortium staff and the Program Committee to design the program. Discovery Learning leads the curriculum development and recruits and gains the commitment of professional coaches for the Academy. Discovery Learning also provides assessment and learning tools as well as faculty and meeting space.
• The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) which provides meeting space and a number of professional coaches.
• Joseph M. Bryan Foundation; Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro; Cemala Foundation; and Weaver Foundation provide the funding that enables the Consortium to operate, including Academy expenses.
• The Guilford Nonprofit Consortium raises funds to support the Academy and Consortium staff and volunteers provide administrative support for the program.
Graduates of first academy class, 2009. Left to right, front row: Jodi Schibley, Sanctuary House; Blair Benson, Mental Health Association; Jeni Kirk, Bell House, Inc. Second row: Gail Haworth, The Servant Center; Nancy McLean, Joseph’s House; Wendy Rivers, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Piedmont; Ashley Brooks-Reckard, Women’s Resource Center; Ruth Anderson (facilitator), The Servant Leadership School. Top row: Winston McGregor, Habitat for Humanity; Claudette Johnson, Partners for Health Management; Joan Tavares (facilitator), retired from CCL; Darryl Kosciak, Youth First; Jennifer Gore, Reading Connections; and Tom Campbell, Family Service of the Piedmont.
