197: Building a New Community as a Nonprofit Leader (Sherri Chisholm)

197: Building a New Community as a Nonprofit Leader (Sherri Chisholm)

SUMMARY

Stepping into a new leadership role is an exciting challenge, but doing it in a new community can create new complexities. In episode #197 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, seasoned nonprofit leader Sherri Chisholm shares how she navigated a new community while maintaining her personal and professional connection to the cause. She shares the steps she took to hone the organization's vision and message, and how each of her colleagues plays a role in advancing it. Traversing the nuances and politics of any community presents its own set of opportunities, and Sherri gives practical examples about how she established and developed these relationships. We also take a deep dive into economic mobility and the methods and resources available to individuals and organizations to increase the outcomes for all children.

ABOUT SHERRI

Sherri Chisholm joined Leading on Opportunity as its new director in September of 2020, bringing nearly a decade of experience as an educational and nonprofit strategist to the role. She has worked in senior leadership at national nonprofits and major school districts across the country, where she drove transformation through strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, and leadership development. Prior to joining Leading on Opportunity, Sherri served as the founding Executive Director of Urban Alliance Detroit, a national youth workforce development nonprofit that aims to expand access to economic opportunity for youth from under-resourced neighborhoods through paid internships, job skills training, and mentoring. She is also the founder and CEO of FreeSpace Consulting Group where she has worked to guide and support districts and nonprofit organizations across the country seeking to effect positive change in public education. Sherri holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Organizational Studies and Spanish from the University of Michigan; a Master of Arts degree in Education from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education; and a Master of Arts degree in Education Leadership from the Los Angeles-based Broad Center for the Management of School Systems.

EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES 

• The Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom: Build Wealth, Retire Early, and Live the Life of Your Dreams by Paris Woods
• Learn more about Sherri and Leading on Opportunity here
• Check out Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector