Meet Faculty Member, Suzanne Elliott

The basics!

Suzanne Elliott, Principal, Envision Consulting

How long have you been a member of the Center for Nonprofit Leadership faculty? What do you enjoy most about serving as faculty?

I’ve served on the faculty since September 2016. I love meeting nonprofit professionals and board members from our community and learning about their accomplishments and challenges. It’s fulfilling to establish a connection through a workshop and then stay in touch and build relationships through the Nonprofit Leadership Council and other activities. This network of colleagues and friends also helps me stay on top of the trends affecting nonprofit organizations in the field.

What workshop do you have coming up?  What can attendees expect?  Why should people register to attend?

My next workshop is Establishing Your Board Development Plan on July 11 from 9:00am – 12:00pm. Board development is absolutely critical for a healthy, high-performing board of directors, but it’s too often the piece of the puzzle that falls through the cracks because it’s misunderstood or not prioritized. Through my work, I’ve seen that nonprofit board members truly want to be contribute and serve in meaningful ways, but they don’t always have the tools and support they need to be effective. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to assess your board’s performance and identify development needs – and then create and implement a board development plan that will work for your organization.

How would you describe your teaching/facilitation style?  What do your students say about you?

I’ve been told by groups recently that I ask great questions to prompt discussion, and I connect on a personal level with people in my workshops. That feedback made me smile because I’ve worked hard over the past few years to create workshops that are interactive, memorable and valuable experiences for adult learners… which are much more fun than boring PowerPoint lectures!

Anything additional you would like to add?

I encourage everyone involved with nonprofit organizations in Ventura County – staff, board, volunteers – to join the Center for Nonprofit Leadership and take advantage of the incredible resources and network. Your organizations will grow stronger and your personal and professional experience will be richer by participating in this community of do gooders!