Guilford County Nonprofit Executive Directors Receive World-Class Coaching and Leadership Development Thanks to Local Organizations

Twelve Guilford County nonprofit executive directors become the first graduates of the Executive Director Academy, a nine-month leadership and coaching program created specifically for nonprofit executive directors through the collaborative efforts of 11 Greensboro businesses, nonprofits and foundations.

Greensboro, NC (PRWEB) May 18, 2009 -- This month, the executive directors of 12 Guilford County nonprofits become the first graduates of the Executive Director Academy, (http://www.discoverylearning.com/Documents/ExecDirAcadFactSheet.pdf) a nine-month leadership program created specifically for nonprofit executive directors through the collaborative efforts of 11 Greensboro businesses, nonprofits and foundations.

"Nonprofit executive directors tend to be alone at the top with no peers, only direct reports and board members, which often leads to frustration and burn out," says Ruth Anderson, Director of the Servant Leadership School of Greensboro, (http://www.servantleadergreensboro.com/) Past Chair of the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium, and a primary force behind the inception of the Academy. "The Academy is a response to this need for support that is unique to nonprofit executive directors."

Valued at $12,000 per participant, the nine months of world-class leadership development and personal executive coaching provided by the Academy costs participating nonprofits $500 - a cost most nonprofits can afford.

This affordable fee is possible thanks to significant in-kind donations from Discovery Learning, the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium, Moxley and Associates, the Servant Leadership School of Greensboro, and the Center for Creative Leadership, along with financial grants from American Express, Joseph M. Bryan Foundation, Cemala Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, and Weaver Foundation. GammaSeven, a graphic design firm based in Greensboro, donated the Academy's logo design.

According to Chris Musselwhite, President of Discovery Learning and Academy Curriculum Director, a primary responsibility of Academy graduates is that they use this training to coach and mentor new and less-experienced nonprofit executive directors in the community.

"The Academy's mission is to build the leadership capacity of the nonprofit sector, which in a time of uncertainty and turmoil in the private and public sectors, is more important than ever," says Musselwhite.

In addition to monthly daylong development and peer review/mentoring sessions, the Academy pairs each director with a personal executive coach, simultaneously providing mentoring and training in a coaching management style.

"Directors also act as peer coaches for each other on a regular basis, giving them the opportunity to immediately put what they learn into practice," says Musselwhite, who recruited the coaches and faculty for the Academy's premier session.

In addition to his part in delivering the program, Musselwhite is one of five people behind the Academy's creation. Fellow creators include Ruth Anderson, Director of the Servant Leadership School of Greensboro; Russ Moxley, President, Moxley and Associates; Karen Dyer, Center for Creative Leadership; and Kevin Gray, Program Associate, Weaver Foundation. Joan Tavares, 22-year staff member at the Center for Creative Leadership, acted as Academy Facilitator for the premier session. Donna Newton, Executive Director, Guilford Nonprofit Consortium, serves as the Academy Program Coordinator and Administrator.

To ensure the Academy is meeting objectives, the program will be evaluated using a two-fold process: a graduate class from UNCG will do an initial evaluation, and Karen Dyer (Center for Creative Leadership) will conduct follow-up interviews with each of the 12 participants.

The 2009 graduates of the Executive Director Academy are: Blair Benson, Mental Health Association in Greensboro; Ashley Brooks Reckard, Women's Resource Center of Greensboro; Tom Campbell, Family Service of the Piedmont; Jennifer Gore, Reading Connections; Gail Haworth, The Servant Center; Claudette Johnson, Partnership for Health Management; Jeni Kirk, Bell House; Darryl Kosciak, Hope Project; Jodi Lorenzo-Schibley, Sanctuary House; Winston McGregor, Habitat for Humanity; Nancy McLean, Joseph's House; and Wendy Rivers, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont.

For more information about the program contact the Guilford Nonprofit Consortium (http://www.guilfordnonprofits.org/) at 336-544-0565.

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