Board and ED/CEO Relationship Spring 2025

This workshop is part of our All About Boards four-part series. For more information and to register for the entire series please click here. Those who attend the full series are eligible for a certificate of completion and, after completeing registration, a free customizable download of Pillar’s Executive Leadership Onboarding Tool!
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All About Boards: Board and ED/CEO Relationship Spring 2025
Is the leadership of your nonprofit organization collaborative and effective or stuck in dysfunction? Perhaps it is somewhere in between. The success of your nonprofit's mission depends on the effectiveness of the relationship between your board of directors and executive director - the key leaders of your organization. So how do you optimize this relationship? There is no silver bullet or one size fits all answer to this question, but let’s explore the essential factors in an effective, productive Board – Executive Director/CEO relationship.

Join us for a workshop on building and strengthening this essential relationship. Our workshop will explore the key factors in creating a productive and collaborative working relationship that supports your organization's goals. During the workshop, you will learn about the best practices for building effective relationships between the board and executive director/CEO, how to improve communication and decision-making, and strategies for managing conflicts and building trust.

Our goal is to equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to establish a strong foundation for your nonprofit's leadership, allowing you to achieve your mission and make a positive impact in your community. Don't miss out on this opportunity to optimize your organization's leadership!

LEARN ABOUT:
  • Roles and responsibilities: Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the board and executive director, and how they can work together to achieve the organization's goals.
  • Communication: Effective communication is critical to a successful board-ED relationship. The workshop will provide tools and strategies for open and productive communication between the board and executive director.
  • Building trust and respect: Participants will learn how to build trust and respect between the board and executive director, including strategies for establishing clear expectations, setting goals, and creating a positive working environment.
  • Accountability: The workshop will cover how to establish accountability between the board and executive director, including setting performance metrics, regularly reviewing progress, and addressing challenges and opportunities.
  • Evaluation: The workshop will also provide guidance on how to conduct regular evaluations of the board’s and executive director's performance, including best practices for identifying areas for improvement and setting goals for the future.
By the end of the workshop, participants will have a better understanding of how to build and maintain a strong and effective board-ED/CEO relationship and will have the tools and strategies needed to ensure the best possible success of their organization.

GROUP DISCOUNTS:
Group discounts are available for groups of five or more attending from an organization.  Please email education@pillarnonprofit.ca for more information. 

EVENT INFORMATION:
Events are taking place online and recordings will not be available. Individual login in links will be emailed to you within 48 hours of the event. Please check your junk and spam folder if you do not receive a confirmation email and/or do not receive login details.


ABOUT THE PRESENTER:
Susan Marshall, Former Chief Executive Officer, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada
Susan Marshall first became involved with Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada in the early 1990’s when her son Brent was diagnosed with a malignant medulloblastoma. Once Brent was done with treatments, Susan began volunteering on a Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada committee that was dedicated to raising awareness about the disease. Soon after, Susan joined the Board of Directors and later served as President. Susan spent 23 years growing in leadership roles within 3M Canada Company, including Human Resources, Administration, Marketing, Media and Public Relations. The opportunity to lead Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada as the Executive Director was exciting for Susan and she was thrilled for the opportunity to apply her skills and experience to her passion. In 2002, she made the shift from the for-profit to the not-for-profit sector.

Unfortunately, in 2009, Brent was diagnosed with an aggressive anaplastic oliodendroglioma and sadly passed away on May 1, 2010. After taking some time off in 2013, Susan returned in 2015 to lead the organization once again. Susan’s involvement with Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada was sparked by her son’s diagnosis, and she has experienced the great loss of her son, but she feels great joy knowing her work has brought hope for the estimated 55,000 Canadians currently living with the disease.

Susan is a leader known for inspiring excellence and achieving sustainable growth while building impactful teams. She is a coach and mentor who recognizes and cultivates the potential in others. In 2022 Susan retired from her role as CEO and now embraces opportunities to share her story and support other leaders in achieving their goals.

Thank you to our 2025 Learning & Development Sponsors:

Western Continuing Studies and Fanshawe Employment and Student Entrepreneurial Services

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