The Emerging Leaders hosted their most recent “Lunch & Learn” seminar March 5, with the help of Essex County Community Foundation’s Beth Francis, President & CEO, and Carol Lavoie Schuster, Vice President for Programs and Nonprofit Services.
Local young professionals gathered in the Chamber’s Education Center to gain the knowledge and tools needed to find the board leadership role that is the best fit for them. Francis and Schuster not only discussed the roles and responsibilities of a board member, but also dove into what is most important – finding an organization that you’re passionate about, and pinpointing what skills you can bring to the table to help benefit that organization. They emphasized the importance of aligning personal values with the mission of the nonprofit in question.
This interactive session provided attendees with practical tips and tangible resources for identifying suitable board opportunities and making compelling pitches to prospective organizations. Participants were encouraged to fully research an organization and test the waters to determine if the board position is a good fit all around.
Throughout the seminar, Francis and Schuster underscored the value of diversity and inclusion within nonprofit boards, emphasizing the need for varied perspectives and backgrounds to drive innovation and sustainability. A notable observation was the need for a younger perspective on these boards – such as that of an Emerging Leader. As the nonprofit sector continues to evolve, the hope is that seminars like this can be the catalyst for young professionals to dive deeper into making a meaningful impact within their communities by taking on these board roles.
ECCF also shared their invaluable resources such as BoardCONNECT, a program that connects talented community members who are interested in board service with local nonprofits who are seeking candidates. For those interested, the next BoardCONNECT meeting will be in April in the Merrimack Valley. For more details, click here. There are also plans in the works for a BoardCONNECT event soon on the North Shore.
The Emerging Leaders want to thank both Beth Francis and Carol Lavoie Schuster for taking the time to share this invaluable information with the group. We also want to thank our platinum sponsor, M&T Bank, for making these events possible.