Tools, frameworks, and approaches for understanding the role of individual board members and the functioning of the board as whole.
The Support Center and the Grunin Foundation are working together on a two-day “governance retreat” that will offer attendees tools, frameworks, and approaches for understanding the role of individual board members and the functioning of the board as a whole.
Intended Outcomes:
The following are intended outcomes for the two-day sessions.
- Provide new board members and those looking to explore board service a better understanding of individual and collective roles and responsibilities.
- Provide existing board members (likely 3+ years of board service) with more advanced content around the elements of high-functioning boards.
- Build a baseline understanding of board culture and inclusion and identify next steps for attendees to understand and evolve the level of equity and inclusion in this function.
Registration Fee: This opportunity is being offered at a “Pay what you can” rate. What does that mean? The recommended donation is $25 but you can pay more or less based on your ability. The value of the two day series is over $350 per person. All proceeds from the event will help to support professional development scholarships and stipends for local nonprofit leaders.
If you need a free, $0 ticket, simply email [email protected] and we will be happy to assist you!
Agenda:
Day 1 (8:30am to 5pm): Two Tracks - Board Governance
For day 1, leaders will be divided by experience level to focus on learning and individual development on the topic of Board Governance:
101 Track: new board members and those looking to explore board service will better understand individual and collective roles and responsibilities.
201 Track: experienced board members (likely 3+ years of board service) with more advanced content around the elements of high-functioning boards.
Track 101
Attendees will walk away with an understanding of baseline individual board member roles and responsibilities as well as the purpose and functioning of the board as a whole. This day will cover the basics of:
- key board duties (loyalty, care, obedience)
- board structure: officers and chairs, bylaws and compliance, and Committee structures
- board logistics
- financial and programmatic oversight,
- onboarding,
- advocacy, ambassadorship,
- fundraising.
Attendees will receive templates and supporting materials to revise or establish these structures for their own boards. There will also be time for attendees to ask questions.
Track 201
The most effective boards are always identifying new talent, expanding the network, and recruiting new board members while also discussing where and how to improve the functioning of their board.
In this session, we’ll review:
- the board building cycle
- best approaches to recruitment, onboarding, and orientation.
- common challenges and obstacles to the recruitment, onboarding, and retention of board members and what steps boards can take to address those challenges.
- Reviewing conversation about the functioning of the board
- Ways that individual board members and the board as a whole can engage in self-review
- Action steps for board development and review draft board development plans
- Review sample accountability measures, and
Day 2 (9:30am to 3pm): Building a Unified and Inclusive Board Culture
On Day 2, all participants will be together in one large group to talk through building a unified and more inclusive board.
There is a body of research and examples of steps that boards are taking to create more unified and inclusive boards. We’ll walk through those steps including:
- emphasizing a greater diversity of lived experience and identity on the board
- representing the community most directly impacted
- examining board culture, history, power dynamics, and relationships
- review of working agreements, values, and expectations
The second half of the day will allow small groups from the same organization or mixed groups for peer coaching to reflect on the functioning of their board. We’ll walk through a series of focusing questions that will result in a board development plan. We’ll also discuss what additional resources and supports attendees need and how best to support efforts to create a more unified and inclusive board culture after the conclusion of the day’s session.
NJCU at Fort Monmouth provides ample free parking and ADA accessible space.
Board Retreat Facilitators:
Rodney M. Fuller, LMSW, MBA, PhD-C
Rodney Fuller is an Affiliate Consultant with the Support Center and is formerly the CEO/President at several other organizations, most notable was his tenure as the Chief Executive Officer of the Boys and Girls Club of Newark www.bgcn.org.
*Certified Board Coach (Board Source)
*Certified DEI Practitioner (Cornell University)
*Board Certified Professional and Executive Coach (The College of Executive Coaching}.
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Keith Green
An executive and leadership coach, with an in-depth consulting background in organization development: board development, change management, DEIB and human resource management. 25+ years as a Nonprofit Executive experienced in leadership and management coaching, organizational and employee development and conflict resolution.Keith believes that coaching and mentoring can help clients and increase their overall effectiveness to optimize organizational performance and create joy in the workplace, thus “leveraging” their strengths, and enhancing their leadership presence.
BoardSource Certified. Proficient in board development, fundraising, corporate social responsibility, and community impact.
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BJ Sung
BJ Sung, founder and principal of Pinnacle Social Impact Consultancy, works with corporations, nonprofits, foundations, and families/individuals to significantly impact the communities they serve. With over 20 concurrent years of experience in philanthropy, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and nonprofit management, BJ has extensive knowledge of the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors and has a keen sense of strategic opportunities for social impact.
As a CSR professional at Citi, BJ built strategic partnerships, created impact programs, worked on Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) initiatives, trained and placed executives on nonprofit boards, and managed employee volunteer programs. As the VP of Global Community Relations, she worked with national nonprofits, including LISC, NCAPACD, Habitat for Humanity, Operation Hope, Red Cross, Enterprise Partners, and other leading progressive nonprofits. During her tenure at a major utility company, she developed a hallmark STEM program, which included science festivals in the five boroughs, visits to museums, and scholarships to 14 CUNY colleges. BJ also funded and implemented capacity-building programs for hundreds of nonprofit partners, including board leadership, succession planning, volunteer engagement, organizational development, and operational excellence.
Retired as Chair Emerita of the Korean American Family Service Center, BJ grew the organization by tripling its operating budget, led a merger, and diversified the board. She is a board member & Development Chair of Nonprofit New York and serves on Manhattan Community Board 5. Appointed by Mayor Adams, she is also an ex-officio Trustee on the Board of the New York City Center, a leading arts organization. BJ is a proud aunt to twelve nieces/nephews, loves the arts, especially opera, and dreams of someday moving to Milano, Italy.
After a long career in corporate philanthropy and nonprofit, BJ now uses the breadth and depth of her experience working with organizations to develop smart, effective strategies to be inclusive with a DEI focus and achieve greater social impact. www.pinnaclesocialimpact.com
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Keith Timko
Keith Timko is Executive Director at Support Center and leads efforts to strengthen the leadership and management of organizations and advance Support Center’s vision for social change. develop and promote an integrated and collaborative approach to capacity building for nonprofit organizations and social enterprises. Prior to joining Support Center, Keith was the Director & CEO with Build with Purpose, a nonprofit real estate development organization. Keith brings over twenty five years of experience in nonprofit leadership spanning nonprofit leadership and management, community development, education, and urban policy. Keith is past co-chair with the Alliance for Nonprofit Management and former Treasurer with the NJ Center for Nonprofits and currently serves on the boards of Murray Grove, the National New Markets Fund (advisory), and the Senior Residence at St. Peter the Apostle in River Edge. Keith has a Bachelor’s degree in History and Russian from Rutgers University and a Master in Business Administration from Columbia University and is currently a part-time lecturer in social entrepreneurship at Rutgers Business School.
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Yvette R. Murry, MSW, LCSW, ICF CPC
Yvette R. Murry is the President and CEO of YRM Consulting Group, a minority and female-owned firm based in NJ. With over 35 years of experience, Yvette’s work has been a catalyst for increasing organizational agility, resilience, and operational excellence. She and her team are passionate about fostering equitable workplaces and communities domestically and globally.
Based on Peter Drucker’s adage, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast, “ her firm’s approach fosters transformative organizational and individual growth that cultivates a culture of greater belonging, amplifying individual engagement in the organization's success.
While Yvette recognizes training is essential to change, she does not believe it is sufficient. YRM Consulting’s method encompasses the entire organizational environment and supports the champions and individuals who “make it all happen.”
Yvette works hand-in-hand with C-suite executives and their teams to take advantage of an increasingly multi-racial and multi-cultural world. Her approach embeds equity, anti-racist, and inclusive policies and practices throughout an organization. Belonging becomes part of organizational DNA.
Yvette is the past board chair for the NJ Center for Nonprofits. She is actively involved with the
Center for Nonprofits’ Racial Equity Task Force, the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, the Nonprofit Professionals of Color Collective, the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond (PISAB), Undoing Racism Resource Facilitator, NJ Statewide Cultural Competency Network. Her clients have included NGOs/Non-Profits, foundations, governments, higher education, and multinational firms throughout North America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
Yvette holds a master’s degree in social work with a concentration in nonprofit management and public policy from Rutgers University. She is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) Certified Professional Coach, Fellow with the Rutgers School of Business in social enterprise and entrepreneurship, Harvard Business School in non-profit governance, 21st Century Trust in global public health, and Salzburg Global in emerging democracies.
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