Valtas

For many nonprofit boards, the challenge isn’t a lack of dedication—it’s a misalignment between where conversations focus and where they should focus. When board meetings become consumed by operational minutiae or abstract discussions disconnected from measurable outcomes, organizations lose their strategic compass. The solution lies in deliberately aligning board conversations with both mission and metrics. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gMHzrbgM #Valtas #Nonprofit #Nonprofits #NFP #NonprofitBoards #NonprofitStrategy

Peter Bloch Garcia is passionate about advancing racial equity and helping the nonprofit sector to become authentically anti-racist. We sat down with him to find out more about the work he does!   Q: Why do you love working with nonprofit organizations? A: There are three key values that guide everything I do: integrity, equity, and love. The nonprofit world is where I can lead with those values and strengthen organizations.   Q: Is there one engagement that has particularly stood out as a time of growth for you? A: All of them have been instrumental in my own growth and learning, particularly around how to improve organizational culture so that staff can thrive and make a positive mission impact internally and externally in the community. When I step into an organization as an interim leader during a disruption, I’m able to recognize the challenges in the situation and identify the opportunities quickly. Then I can take those observations and use them to right the ship and facilitate a healthier culture. With each new engagement I develop new tools and it confirms that I’m having a positive impact.   Q: Do you have a favorite project or assignment that you’ve worked on? A: In an interim role you really get to see the shades of complexity across the organization. I love facilitating all learning, but specifically consciousness around racial bias and how to undo that. I help make what is invisible visible. I focus on fostering a culture of leadership at all levels because every staff member contributes to the culture of the organization. I help to instill that belief in them and teach them how to create the culture they want. When I facilitate visioning conversations in board development workshops or staff meetings I ask them things like, “If you could make wishes come true, what would you want this organization to look like in 3 years or 5 years?” The kind of conversation that results is such a joy to be a part of because people come out on the other side happier and healthier.    Q: What kind of leadership approach do you bring to your work? A: I’ve been both a student and a teacher of leadership and seeing both sides of the coin has shown me that the word leadership is frequently misunderstood. When people say “leadership” they’re usually referring to the person at the top of the leadership structure but that’s not really leadership – that’s positional authority. I’m a practitioner of something called practices and commitments from Kouzes and Posner’s 30 years of research. The five practices in this approach are: modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act, and encouraging the heart. If you do these things, that’s leadership regardless of what position you’re in and that’s the approach I take as well.   Q: Do you have any hidden talents? A: Not many people know this but I’m an award-winning poet.   Every day we are thankful to have Peter and his many skills on our team!

📢 Recently our own Hannah Cavendish-Palmer, Quinn Finnigan from TheASPTeam, and Becky Todd from CFO Selections teamed up for a nonprofit webinar titled “Attracting and Retaining Talent and Navigating Leadership Transition.” They shared strategies for attracting great people, keeping top talent, and handing the baton off well when it’s time to go. We have their insights and key takeaways summarized here: https://lnkd.in/gdnyyF2b #Valtas #Nonprofit #NFP #NonprofitLeadership

Wave Aquatics provides inclusive, high-quality aquatic programming that promotes safety, health, and belonging for youth and families. Valtas supported Wave Aquatics through interim executive leadership (with Amy Wasser serving as Interim Executive Director—helping the organization navigate transition while maintaining strong community-centered programs) as well as in the search for their next Executive Director. #CommunityWellness #ValtasImpact #InterimED

What should your board members be doing on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis? https://lnkd.in/gKb-BRkQ #Valtas #Nonprofits #NonprofitBoards

Elizabeth Lunney is an accomplished business and community leader, with deep roots in the outdoors and conservation sectors. We sat down with her to find out more about the work she does! Q: Why do you love working with nonprofit organizations? A: Making the world a better place, of course! But really, I also appreciate other people that are drawn to mission-centered work. At nonprofits that I work with, regardless of mission, it’s that sense of community that truly inspires me. Q: Which area of nonprofit work do you specialize in and what is it about that kind of work that ignites your passion? A: My family has always given me grief about being a treehugger. I am happiest outside, and I deeply appreciate being able to work with nonprofits that are engaged with the land in some way, whether that’s wilderness protection, outdoor recreation, farming or gardening. Q: Is there one engagement that has particularly stood out as a time of growth for you? A: Someone asked me this the other day, and I realized that the answer is always, “the most recent one.” One of things that I love about consulting is that it demands constant learning and growth. Every new interim assignment comes with a steep learning curve. Most recently, I’ve been working a project to bring together two separate organizations, which involves lots of deep thinking about culture, change management and communications, as well as the nuts and bolts of how you build out infrastructure and governance to stand up what is essentially a new organization, ready to function at a completely different scale than either of the two component parts. Q: Do you have a favorite project or assignment that you’ve worked on? A: My favorite projects are the ones where I’ve been able to revisit, sometimes years after the fact, and see the fruit from seeds I helped plant. Recently, I visited with a former board member of small land trust I worked with. At the time, this group had a vague idea about needing to fund long-term stewardship and maintenance. I helped them set up a policy and governance framework for a revenue-generating fund and told them to keep it in their back pocket. “Some day,” I said, “Someone is going to give you a million dollars, and you need to be ready for it.” Two years later, someone gave them a million dollars. They were ready for it. And then they got a second million-dollar gift. Q: What kind of leadership approach do you bring to your work? A: I am one of those quiet, lead-from-behind sorts. I help people see patterns and opportunities and then support them in problem-solving or planning once they see the picture differently. Every day we are thankful to have Elizabeth and her leadership style on our team!

So much great work being done here!

EarthCorps brings together emerging leaders from around the world to restore ecosystems while developing the next generation of environmental changemakers. Their programs blend hands-on environmental restoration with cross-cultural leadership development. Valtas supported EarthCorps through interim executive leadership, with Hannah Cavendish-Palmer serving as Interim Executive Director. This partnership helped sustain organizational performance and strategic focus while EarthCorps continued delivering global environmental and leadership impact. #EnvironmentalRestoration #GlobalLeadership #ValtasImpact

💡 Nonprofit boards occupy a unique position in organizational fundraising—simultaneously serving as fiduciaries, ambassadors, and advocates. Yet many board members remain uncertain about their fundraising responsibilities, and many nonprofits struggle to articulate clear expectations. Understanding the board’s multifaceted role in fundraising is essential for building sustainable organizations... https://lnkd.in/gNYsBg4q #Valtas #Nonprofits #NonprofitFundraising #NonprofitBoards #BoardLeadership

📢 New job search announcement: CEO at Boyer Children's Clinic Learn more about this exciting leadership position: https://lnkd.in/gbDRTy8R #Valtas