About Leading with purpose: Practical tips for purpose-driven work
Strong and adaptable leadership is essential for nonprofits and public sector organizations to thrive.
Each episode of our limited podcast series brings you in-depth interviews with accomplished leaders in nonprofit governance and public service, focusing on different topics.
These conversations will bring you actionable insights, fresh perspectives and proven strategies to strengthen board leadership and tackle the challenges your board faces.
Protecting your mission through stronger financial oversight
As funding pressures, rising costs and growing accountability demands reshape the landscape for mission-driven organizations, strong financial oversight has never been more important. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, Ryan Alexander, founder of RA Partners and author of Protect your mission The finance framework for nonprofit leaders, and Hannah Romick, co-founder and CEO of Conscient Strategies, explore how boards and leadership teams can use financial oversight as a strategic tool to strengthen governance and protect their mission.
The conversation covers the questions every board should be asking about cash flow, revenue and financial sustainability, how organizations can build transparency and trust through stronger governance, and why internal controls are critical for reducing risk and protecting resources. Ryan and Hannah also discuss funding complexity, mission drift, scenario planning, board education and the role of technology in helping leaders make more informed financial decisions.
Stay tuned to the end to hear Ryan and Hannah's advice on the single most important thing boards can do to strengthen financial oversight, improve decision-making and better safeguard their mission.
Further resources on financial oversight and governance
Financial oversight & risk management: A 5‑step guide for nonprofit boards (https://www.boardeffect.com/guides/financial-oversight-guide)
A practical guide to mastering financial oversight for public sector boards (https://www.diligent.com/resources/guides/financial-risk-oversight-public-boards)
Protect your mission The finance framework for nonprofit leaders by Ryan Alexander (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Protect-Your-Mission-framework-nonprofit/dp/1781339686)
Conscient Strategies (https://conscientstrategies.com/)
4 Aug 2026
Aligning storytelling with mission metrics for impact
As nonprofits and other mission-driven organizations face growing pressure to demonstrate impact, boards need more than just numbers. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, Jennifer McKenzie, founder of Organised Synergy, and Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of the Diligent Institute, explore how storytelling and mission metrics work together to help boards communicate impact with greater clarity, credibility and confidence.
The conversation covers how boards can identify the right mission measures, use data more strategically, strengthen fundraising and donor engagement, and build trust through authentic storytelling. Jennifer and Dottie share practical advice on board development, the role of technology in supporting mission impact, and how nonprofits can approach AI responsibly while uncovering new insights from their data.
Stay tuned to the end to hear Jennifer and Dottie's advice on the single most important thing boards can do to better connect mission metrics, storytelling and mission impact.
Further resources on board mission measurement and advocacy
How to leverage data for your mission-driven organization's success (https://www.boardeffect.com/guides/guide-using-data/)
How nonprofit boards can unlock digital advocacy and crush it on Linkedin (https://www.boardeffect.com/blog/boards-can-unlock-digital-advocacy/)
27 Jul 2026
How school boards benefit from student voice through representation
Student voice is most powerful when it’s more than feedback but actually part of governance. In this episode of Leading with Purpose, Zachary Patterson, co-founder of the National Student Board Member Association and former student board member, explores how school boards can meaningfully include students in decision-making.
We discuss the unique perspective student board members bring, why representation matters, and what separates genuine participation from a symbolic seat at the table. The conversation also covers practical ways boards can better support student board members through onboarding, training, access to information and technology, and stronger relationships with board leaders.
Be sure to listen to the end, where Zachary shares the one action every board can take in the next 30–60 days to better support and empower its student board members.
The Edvanced Cohort
Diligent, the National Student Board Members Association (NSBMA) and the Consortium for State School Boards Associations (COSSBA) are proud to collaborate on a national professional development initiative to support students serving on district governing boards called The Edvanced Cohort. Inquiries from districts that wish to submit their student representative for consideration for the 2026-2027 cohort are currently being accepted, find out more here (https://learn.diligent.com/Edvance_Cohort_Inquiry.html).
Who has been a guest on Leading with purpose: Practical tips for purpose-driven work
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Ben Niehaus
Cheretta Clerkley
Dr Audrey Young
Julie Castro Abrams
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
11 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 11 / 100
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Quality
22
Social presence
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YouTube
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Engagement
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