Transition Success Stories
Read about current nonprofit practitioners that successfully moved from a for-profit to a nonprofit career.
Searching for the right fit
Janice Bigelow, CPA: Becoming the First CFO at Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools hired Janice Bigelow as its first full-time CFO in January 2005. Prior to accepting the position, she conducted a thorough assessment of whether the organization was ready to hire a CFO, and whether she was the right fit for the position.
Mike Dunn, CPA: Consolidating Financial Operations at Outward Bound Inc.
Mike Dunn used his experience merging three geographically dispersed family-owned businesses to become a key player in the consolidation of seven independent, regional Outward Bound schools into one national organization.
Emily McCann: Navigating an Organization's Decision to Create the COO Position
Emily McCann was a self-proclaimed “outside-the-box” candidate when Citizen Schools hired her as chief financial officer. Less than two years later, she became the organization’s first chief operating officer. While this was a relatively quick transition for McCann, the organization’s decision to create a COO position took some time and consideration.
David Nelson: Scaling the Wall into the Sector
After a 30-year career at IBM, David Nelson left his job to search for a nonprofit management position. He discusses how he decided to make such a big change and how he found his way to the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship as their COO.
Ruth Passo: Discovering the Role that Is the Right Fit
Finding the right nonprofit role can be challenging. Learn how Ruth used online resources to refocus her job search efforts and find the nonprofit role that was the best fit as she transitioned from for-profit to a nonprofit.
Tess Reynolds: A Journey Through Tragedy and Faith to the Nonprofit Sector
The death of her young son prompted two years of reflection by Tess Reynolds and ultimately resulted in her becoming CEO of New Door Ventures (formerly Golden Gate Community, Inc.).
Bruce Skyer: Finding a Professional and Personal Fit at Nonprofit Finance Fund
Bruce Skyer knew he wanted to transition from the for-profit sector to a nonprofit organization, but he had no nonprofit work experience. Through extensive networking, he discovered a field that perfectly complemented his skills and experience.
Making the transition
Brenna Copeland: Staying Focused on Your “Value-add”
When Brenna Copeland decided to shift her career from the for-profit to nonprofit sector, her primary motive was to make a difference. But rather than framing her career switch in largely altruistic terms, Copeland focused on the specific skills that could help a nonprofit better serve its mission.
D. Brian Collier: Stepping Out of Legal Shoes into the Nonprofit Sector
For Brian Collier, transitioning from being an attorney in a law firm to a legal position in a nonprofit was relatively easy. The hard part came when he had to step out of his legal shoes into general management positions.
Phil Cunliffe: Transitioning from Money Management to Helping the Poor and Disenfranchised
Phil Cunliffe, a successful investment manager, was surprised to find how much he loved the interim leadership role he’d assumed at a small nonprofit. He became the director of financial services at the $17 million nonprofit St. Anthony Foundation in 1998 and has been helping people who are poor or disenfranchised ever since.
Sid Johnston: Leveraging Political Savvy in a Nonprofit Career
Sid Johnston credits a string of political experiences—in the for-profit world, and on the campaign trail—for giving him the skills to work with disparate groups on charged issues.
John B. Latchford, CPA: From Board Chair Through Catastrophe to CFO and CEO
John Latchford followed an atypical career path: originally serving as board chair and then CFO of San Francisco Goodwill Industries, he then moved across the Bay to become CEO of its sister organization, Goodwill Industries of the Greater East Bay.
Christy Lueders: From Volunteer Fundraiser to a Decade as Full-time CFO
Christy Lueders quickly rose through the ranks as a volunteer fundraiser while working as a commercial lender. When the Seattle Y asked if she would be interested in interviewing for the CFO position, she jumped—and over the past 10 years she has played a key role in growing the organization from $27 million to $57 million in revenues.
Kym Luqman: Focusing on Transferable Skills
Kym Luqman, executive director of Rebuilding Together Oakland, shares how she leveraged her for-profit skills to land a senior nonprofit position.
Ross Maund: Doing Your Homework to Smooth the Transition
Ross Maund, CEO and President of Junior Achievement Canada and the Canada Business Hall of Fame, shares what he wishes he had known before taking his current nonprofit role.
Elizabeth Ortiz: Balancing Mission and Margin at a Fast-Growing Nonprofit
Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) was on the cusp of a major growth phase when Elizabeth Ortiz came on board as chief operating officer. Ortiz, whose work experience was primarily in the for-profit sector, helped NFF increase the staff’s focus on economics without sacrificing the organization’s core values.
Jaymie Saks: Bringing a Business Perspective to the Jewish Women’s Archive
Jaymie Saks found herself running home after work to do what she really cared about: her nonprofit work. After more than 15 years in management consulting and business development roles, she shifted sectors and became chief operating officer of the Jewish Women’s Archive.
Gail Snowden: From Banking to a Community Foundation
A longtime activist who led the community investment activities of the First National Bank of Boston, Gail Snowden describes how she joined The Boston Foundation.
Dana White: Being a Mom and Being an ED
Dana White was formerly a banker and high-tech executive. She talks about her path to becoming the part-time executive director of WiredWoods and a full-time mother.
Kathy Heagney Williams' Path to the Nonprofit Sector: The Power of Networking
Kathy Heagney Williams, chief financial officer of Zoo Atlanta, shares how her networkin skills helped her find her current position, and how they continue to help her build her nonprofit career.
Being a nonprofit leader
Marshall Chapin and Envision Schools: Reflections on Hiring a Bridger as a COO/CFO
A bridger and the nonprofit CEO who hired him share their perspectives on the process of hiring and transitioning a bridger.
John Tarvin, CMA: An Opportunity to Take on a Broader Role
John Tarvin transitioned from the private sector early in his career. From his vantage point as senior vice president of Jumpstart, he strongly recommends the nonprofit sector for managers who like to take on multiple roles.
Sandra Timmons: From COO to Chief Executive
After five years as chief operating officer of Girls Incorporated, Sandra Timmons was enjoying her job, but an unexpected conversation caused her to consider a chief executive position. In 2003, she became president of A Better Chance.
David Williams: Reflections on the COO Position
David Williams worked at Habitat for Humanity International for more than ten years, five of them as executive vice president and COO. In that position he ran the internal side of a very large, complex organization, working under its high-profile founder.
Frederica Williams: Transitioning to Fulfillment
After growing up in Sierra Leone with a rich sense of community, Frederica Williams felt detached and unfulfilled working at a large hospital. By switching to the nonprofit sector, and working at a community health center, she has found both her biggest challenges and her biggest rewards.