Little Bit of Good Presents

How do we move from micromanagement and mistrust to clarity, collaboration, and care? In this episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, we explore the challenges and wins of board/CEO dynamics, and what it takes to build healthier, more effective leadership relationships.Rachel L. Castillo, President & CEO of Advocates for Children, brings over 20 years of leadership experience in family and youth homelessness, including service with The Salvation Army, Inspiritus, and MUST Ministries. A dedicated advocate, board leader, and community voice, she pairs her professional expertise with a deep commitment to her family and faith.Carla Lavender, Vice President of Fundraising at Advocates for Children, is a seasoned fundraiser with more than two decades of experience leading major gift campaigns and driving transformational growth at institutions like Spelman College, Kennesaw State University, and Georgia State University. She has raised millions for organizations across Atlanta and continues to champion equity and expansion in nonprofit leadership.Together, Rachel and Carla reimagine the board–executive relationship with honesty, empathy, and boundaries, charting a path toward trust and shared purpose.Find out more about Advocates for Children Georgia here!---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

This episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up is a love letter to Black women in governance, those claiming their space, shaping culture, and bringing others along. Guests Aquanetta Betts and Kenya Roberts open up about what it means to lead boldly and authentically in rooms that weren’t built with them in mind. From navigating bias to building community, they share stories of grace, grit, growth, and how they’re redefining professionalism on their own terms.Together, they explore the power of showing up fully as yourself, the importance of mentorship and sponsorship, and what it looks like to build boards that truly reflect the communities they serve. It’s a conversation about leadership, liberation, and legacy, and a challenge to every board to make room for the brilliance of Black women.About the Guests:Aquanetta Betts, JD, CAP®, AEP®, CFRE, is the Director of Planned Giving at George Mason University and an accomplished philanthropic strategist. A former estate planning attorney, she’s a national leader in charitable gift planning and serves on multiple boards advancing equity and inclusion in the sector.Kenya Roberts is a results-driven fundraising executive with more than 20 years of experience leading development teams and campaigns that pair strategy, storytelling, and authentic connection. Passionate about social change, Kenya believes collaboration and bold leadership are the keys to creating lasting community impact.---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

Why do board members check out, and how do you bring them back? In this episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, Dr. Renee Rubin Ross gets real about turning seat-warmers into co-owners of the mission. We dig into meeting design that sparks participation (think small-group connection, not endless reports), onboarding that builds belonging from day one, and practical accountability, like clear expectations, attendance tracking, and term limits that actually mean something.Renee breaks board engagement into three levers: formal structures (role clarity, job descriptions, commitments), informal practices (relationship-building, story-sharing, culture statements, meeting agreements), and equity (who’s at the table, whose voices shape strategy). We explore “power with” instead of “power over,” keeping trustees connected between meetings, and why a strong board chair can make, or stall, momentum. Plus, a real-world case of a board shifting from policy-only to true governance by co-creating an authentic ambassador pitch with staff.About Dr. Ross:Founder of The Ross Collective, Renee is a strategist, facilitator, and educator who designs inclusive, participatory processes for boards and staff. She directs Cal State East Bay’s Nonprofit Management Certificate program, teaches Strategic Planning and Board Development, and is a former board member of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. Her work centers racial equity, community engagement, and governance that drives social change.If your board meetings need less rubber-stamping and more shared ownership, this conversation is your playbook.---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

What happens when boardrooms make space for humanity? In this transformative episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, Ananda Valenzuela challenges the traditional nonprofit power structures that keep governance tied to hierarchy and distance from community. Ananda explores what happens when leadership becomes collective, care-centered, and accountable to the people it serves.Drawing on years of experience as an interim executive director, facilitator, and coach, Ananda unpacks how organizations can move from “power over” to power with, fostering equity, trust, and liberation in practice, not just in mission statements. Together, we explore what community-led leadership really looks like when boards share decision-making, reimagine accountability as love in action, and build governance ecosystems that reflect the communities they serve.About Ananda:Ananda (any pronouns) provides interim executive leadership, facilitates organizational transformation, and coaches values-aligned leaders. They are passionate about building joyful, equitable, and liberatory organizational cultures. With over a decade of experience supporting nonprofits, Ananda currently serves as Practitioner-in-Residence at the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and has served as interim executive director for multiple organizations. A native of Puerto Rico, Ananda brings a global, justice-rooted perspective to leadership, governance, and organizational care.---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

“I hate asking for money.” Brian Saber has heard it all, and he’s here to turn that anxiety into confident, values-aligned engagement. In this episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, Brian reframes board fundraising as long-game relationship-building and true mission ownership. From introverts to natural networkers, he shows how every trustee can play a meaningful role, cultivating, thanking, inviting, and (when it’s right) asking with clarity and care.About Brian:Brian has spent his entire career raising major gifts and leading nonprofits, from student caller to two-time executive director to overseeing major and principal gifts across the Midwest for Brandeis University. Today, he trains boards and staff, builds major-gift programs, runs campaign studies, and coaches executives around the world. As co-founder of Asking Matters, he created an accessible, web-based training hub built especially for small and mid-sized organizations. He’s the author of Asking Styles: Revolutionize Your Fundraising and Boards and Asking Styles: A Roadmap to Success, with Rubber Stamps Don’t Fundraise out this fall. When he’s not teaching, Brian’s a proud dad, yoga and puzzle devotee, volunteer CASA, and active arts/community advocate.Listen in for practical ways to activate your board, without cornering friends and family, and build loyal, long-term support for your mission.---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

Money talk doesn’t have to be scary. In this episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, Germeen Y. Guillaume, CEO and Founder of Visionary Accounting Group, breaks down what true financial stewardship looks like for boards, from budgets to audits and everything in between.With experience spanning public accounting at Ernst & Young, internal audit management at a major Canadian bank, and nearly a decade leading Visionary Accounting Group, Germeen has helped nonprofits across the country strengthen financial oversight, recover millions in receivables, and prepare for long-term sustainability.This conversation dives into the essentials of board financial leadership: budgeting, reserves, grants, approvals, and strategic planning. Germeen makes it clear, accessible, and actionable, empowering board members to step into financial oversight with confidence and clarity.Get connected with Germeen on Linkedin and learn more about Visionary Accounting Group here!---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

Burnout is plaguing the nonprofit sector, but what if boards and leadership roles were designed to restore instead of deplete us? In this episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, we’re joined by two powerhouse leaders challenging the way we think about wellness in leadership.Tesha McCord Poe, J.D./M.B.A. has raised over $100M across K–12 education and nonprofits, serving in senior leadership roles with organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula and Castilleja School. A sought-after speaker, TEDx presenter, co-author of Beyond Widow, and Founder + CEO of Joy-Raising, Tesha brings decades of fundraising, strategy, and board leadership experience to this conversation.Mallory Erickson is an executive coach, fundraising consultant, and host of What the Fundraising. As CEO of Practivated, an AI-powered donor conversation simulator, and creator of the Power Partners Formula™️, she’s trained over 60,000 fundraisers with her unique blend of executive coaching, behavioral science, and fundraising strategy.Together, Tesha and Mallory invite boards and executives to rethink what leadership can look like when wellbeing is prioritized, and how policy, practice, and mindset shifts can transform burnout into balance.Check out Mallory here and connect with Tesha here!---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

In this powerful episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, April Walker, MSW invites us to rethink how we lead, build culture, and care for ourselves in systems that were never built for us. Drawing on her deep expertise in philanthropy, equity, and nonprofit leadership, April unpacks the myths, motivations, and missed opportunities surrounding Black philanthropy.As the founder of Philanthropy for the People and a seasoned leader with experience spanning fundraising, consulting, and grant making roles across organizations like the American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, and CCS Fundraising, April brings a wealth of perspective on building cultures of belonging.Born and raised in Baltimore with a Master’s in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago, April is a board member, writer, and equity champion committed to advancing racial justice in philanthropy.This episode calls on boards, fundraisers, and community leaders to confront bias, embrace relationship-centered engagement, and take tangible steps toward equity-driven action.Connect with April on Linkedin here---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

In Loving Memory of Sabrina Walker HernandezIn this powerful episode of Little Bit of Good Presents: The Board Shake Up, we sit down with the late Sabrina Walker Hernandez- a transformational leader, consultant, and bestselling author who dedicated her life to strengthening nonprofits and mission-driven organizations.With 25 years of experience and a legacy of turning vision into measurable impact, Sabrina shares her wisdom on breaking free from the “friends and family” model of board recruitment. She offers practical, actionable strategies to help organizations find mission-aligned, qualified, and community-connected board members who reflect the communities they serve.Sabrina’s life was defined by generosity, leadership, and a belief in the power of nonprofits to change the world. We honor her memory, her insights, and the countless organizations transformed by her work.To continue her legacy, please consider donating to the Village in The Valley fund in her honor: https://givebutter.com/swh.---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠⁠Follow us on social!⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠Linkedin⁠⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

In a time when generosity is politicized and care is too often undervalued, H. Art Taylor, the first Black CEO of AFP Global, offers a bold vision for the future of fundraising. In this conversation, Art challenges the profession to center dignity, trust, and equity in every interaction with donors and communities.Whether you’re a fundraiser, board leader, or nonprofit changemaker, this episode explores how reimagining giving through an equity lens can push the field forward and create more meaningful, lasting impact.---Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good⁠Follow us on social!⁠Instagram⁠⁠Linkedin⁠Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

Shortchanged is back! And we’re doing things a little differently. After seasons of uncovering how communities, especially BIPOC communities, are underfunded, overlooked, and shortchanged, Monique and Taylor are passing the mic in a brand-new way.From now on, Shortchanged will run as a limited-series podcast. Each season will have its own theme and host, bringing fresh energy and new perspectives to every chapter.In this trailer, Monique and Taylor introduce the first guest host of the new format: Christal Cherry, founder of The Board Pro and the “Beyoncé of Board Development.” Christal is a coach, facilitator, and racial equity advocate who inspires boards to become movements, not just meetings. This season, she’ll guide us through powerful conversations about all things Boards, the challenges, the opportunities, and the transformation they can inspire. Listen in to hear Christal share what drew her to this season, the stories she’s most excited to tell, and what she hopes you’ll take away.

#Healthy Grant Pro is a small group of grant professionals who came together to study the impact of burnout in the grants profession. Together, we unpack the impact the lack of investment in infrastructure increases burnout and why the nonprofit sector is so vulnerable to work/life imbalance. We discuss the strategic investments funders can make in order to reduce burnout for organizations and the over all ripple effect it has on our communities. Powered by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Purpose Possible⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out Purpose Possible on instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@purposepossible⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on social Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@shortchangedpod⁠⁠⁠ Keep up with ⁠⁠⁠Little Bit of Good ⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: @littlebitofgood_ Did you enjoy todays episode?! We'd love your thoughts. Don't forget to rate, review, subscribe and SHARE!

Sabrina Walker Hernandez, Bestselling Author and President/CEO of Supporting World Hope, joins Monique and Taylor on the mic! Sabrina gives a powerful reminder to those working in the sector to remember their value. We discuss the vital need for unrestricted funding in the nonprofit sector, especially if the goal is to solve world problems. Powered by ⁠⁠Purpose Possible⁠⁠ Check out Purpose Possible on instagram: ⁠⁠@purposepossible⁠⁠ Follow us on social Instagram: ⁠@shortchangedpod⁠ Keep up with ⁠Little Bit of Good ⁠ Instagram: @littlebitofgood_

Mitch Stein, Head of Strategy at Chariot, joins Monique and Taylor on the mic. This season, we're taking on the overhead "myth"! Listen in as Mitch leads us in an insightful discussion around what the overhead myth is, how the philosophy came about and what it means for nonprofit funding. Powered by ⁠Purpose Possible⁠ Check out Purpose Possible on instagram: ⁠@purposepossible⁠ Follow us on social Instagram: @shortchangedpod Keep up with Little Bit of Good Instagram: @littlebitofgood_

Monique and Taylor reflect on the first season of the Shortchanged Podcast. Listen in to catch all the takeaways they wanted to be sure to remember, to learn actionable ways you can engage in the work, and to get a sneak peek of what's coming next for the Shortchanged Podcast. Here’s your open invitation to join us in compounding your generosity and impact through the Shortchanged Fund. Follow along with us on Instagram @littlebitofgood_

Heather Infantry, Interim CEO at Giving Gap, joins Monique and Taylor on the mic. She honors the creativity, commitment, and brilliance of Black-led movements. We have spent much of this season uncovering the structures that slow down for-good movements, but we also want to celebrate the work being done that simply can’t and won't wait around.  Here’s your open invitation to join us in compounding your generosity and impact through the Shortchanged Fund. Follow along with us on Instagram @littlebitofgood_

Dirrick Butler, Founder and Executive Director of Project OneTen, joins Monique and Taylor on the mic. He shares with us what happens when brilliant, innovative organizations are trusted and supported to do the work they were made to do. Here’s your open invitation to join us in compounding your generosity and impact through the Shortchanged Fund. Follow along with us on Instagram @littlebitofgood_

Laura Hennighausen, Director of Strategic Philanthropy at Purpose Possible, joins Monique and Taylor on the mic. Today she sends us back to the past so we can understand how we got here. Here’s your open invitation to join us in compounding your generosity and impact through the Shortchanged Fund. Follow along with us on Instagram @littlebitofgood_

Pam Benson Owens and Terry P. Mitchell, Co-Chairs of The Black Fund, join Monique and Taylor on the mic. Today, they share a new way of philanthropy that is inclusive, relational, and deeply impactful, especially to the Black community. We hope you feel ready to do that “heart work.” Here’s your open invitation to join us in compounding your generosity and impact through the Shortchanged Fund. Follow along with us on Instagram @littlebitofgood_ 

Lisa Sullivan, Founder of LS Ventures, joins Monique and Taylor on the mic. Today she is walking us through the obstacle course that is applying for a grant and lays out a new path that is wider and smoother that will work better for everyone. We hope you discover the power of seeing people as they are and meeting them where they are. Here’s your open invitation to join us in compounding your generosity and impact through the Shortchanged Fund. Follow along with us on Instagram @littlebitofgood_