Nonprofit Board Consulting
Helping nonprofit executive directors and their boards clarify roles, align expectations, and build the partnership that lets both sides do their best work.
Schedule a Conversation
A nonprofit board filled with accomplished, well-intentioned leaders should be a tremendous asset. And it can be.
But when the roles between board and staff aren't clearly defined — when governance blurs into operations, or when board energy isn't pointed in the right direction — even the most talented people can work against each other without realizing it.
That's not a failure of character. It's a failure of structure. And structure can be fixed.
I work with nonprofit executive directors and their boards to clarify roles, align expectations, and build the kind of working relationship that lets both sides do their best work.
My approach starts with assessment — understanding your organization, your board composition, and where the friction is coming from. From there, we build a practical path forward together.
Engagements are customized to your situation. Some organizations need a single facilitated session. Others benefit from ongoing partnership. We'll determine what's right for you.
I work with clients nationwide — in person and via video.
I've served on multiple nonprofit boards and understand what it feels like to want to contribute — and to not always know how.
As President of the Junior League of Orange County, I led a board of twelve and an organization of over 600 women. I know what it takes to keep a board focused, engaged, and accountable.
Twice — once at a large, established nonprofit and once at a smaller, growing one. I know what it's like to lead an organization while managing up to a board, and what makes that relationship thrive or break down.
Over twenty years in corporate America, including leading international marketing divisions for a medical device company. I understand how high-performing organizations are structured — and how to bring that discipline to mission-driven work.
MBA, Harvard Business School · BA, University of California, Berkeley
For Kathryn's broader writing on leadership, judgment, and standards, visit The Kathryn Standard.
I work best with executive directors who are serious about their mission and ready to invest in getting the board relationship right — and with boards that want to show up as the strategic asset their organization needs.
If you're navigating tension between staff and board, struggling with engagement, or simply want to build a stronger foundation before problems develop, I'd like to hear from you.
If you're ready to strengthen the relationship between your board and your organization's leadership, I'd like to hear from you.
Get in Touch