How We Run Podcast

We think the best way to learn about running a non-profit is by hearing from other leaders and practitioners who have been there! The How We Run podcast explores tips and tricks for leading non-profit organizations. Join us for semi-regular conversations with non-profit experts who share their challenges and solutions for making change.

How We Run Episode Archive

We’re grateful to all the people who make this podcast possible, especially our guests and co-hosts, Lisa J. Baxter and Trent Stamp.


  • Building Teams with Kamilah Martin
    Episode 42 | How We Run Podcast In this episode, we speak with Kamilah Martin, founder and CEO of Katalyst Consulting. Kamilah discusses her journey from a VP of a humanitarian organization to creating a consulting firm that supports black and brown women transitioning from corporate roles to independent consulting. In this episode:Discover the mission of Katalyst Consulting and how Kamilah organically… Read more: Building Teams with Kamilah Martin
  • Building Social Capital with Amir Whitaker
    Episode 41 | How We Run Podcast In this episode, we speak with Dr. Amir Whitaker, educator, author, human rights lawyer, and artist. He is the founder and director of Project KnuckleHead, a nonprofit organization empowering youth through music, art, and educational programs since 2012. Amir Whitaker builds relationships to create impact In this episode:Discover the mission of Project Knucklehead and how… Read more: Building Social Capital with Amir Whitaker
  • Prospect Research with Celeste Davies
    Episode 40 | How We Run Podcast Celeste Davies, an experienced and dynamic fundraiser, shares her talent for prospect research with us. As the Director, Prospect Management and Advancement Services at MLK Community Health Foundation, Celeste knows what it takes to understand donors, build connections, and create relationships that raise funds. Celeste Davies discusses the pivotal role of prospect research Prospect researchers… Read more: Prospect Research with Celeste Davies
  • Nonprofit Growth with Richard Reyes
    Episode 39 | How We Run Podcast In this episode, Richard Reyes, founder and executive director of PLUS ME Project, shares his inspiring journey from being a first-generation college student to establishing a nonprofit organization focused on building confidence in youth through personal storytelling. Richard Reyes shares his organization’s growth strategy Richard discusses the origins of the PLUS ME Project, the challenges… Read more: Nonprofit Growth with Richard Reyes
  • What’s Next for The Nonprofit Sector with Trent Stamp
    Episode 38 | How We Run Podcast Trent Stamp joins to talk about the future of the nonprofit sector. Trent shares his views on good board meetings, big funders, and what’s next for intergenerational programs. Highlights of this conversation with Trent Stamp “There are a lot of organizations that are out there hoping for this Hail Mary from Mackenzie Scott, but they… Read more: What’s Next for The Nonprofit Sector with Trent Stamp
  • Changing Minds and Building Relationships with Tera Hilliard
    Episode 37 | How We Run Podcast Our guest is Tera Hilliard from Forgotten Children, Inc., a nonprofit organization on a mission to combat human trafficking through rescue, restoration, education, and hope. Founded in 2006, Forgotten Children, Inc. offers a range of programs, including case management, educational curricula, and a safe house for survivors. In this episode, Tera shares: How the organization… Read more: Changing Minds and Building Relationships with Tera Hilliard
  • Season 6 preview
    Episode 36 | How We Run Podcast Welcoming Season Six with Co-Host Lisa J. Baxter: A Dive into Authentic Fundraising and Community Building In the debut episode of Season Six, we meet co-host Lisa J. Baxter. Lisa shares her extensive experience in nonprofit fundraising, emphasizing community building and authentic relationships. We discuss the importance of shifting from a scarcity mindset to an… Read more: Season 6 preview
  • Leading with Confident Honesty with Jessica Aronoff
    Episode 35 | How We Run Podcast Our guest is Jessica Aronoff, the CEO of the Cayton Children’s Museum. After only eight months in their new facilities, the Cayton Children’s Museum faced the pandemic and subsequent reopening. In this episode, Jessica, who has worked as a funder and a non-profit executive, shares tips for talking to funders and how she leads her… Read more: Leading with Confident Honesty with Jessica Aronoff
  • Reinventing an organization with Nichol Whiteman
    Episode 34 | How We Run Podcast Our guest is Nichol Whiteman, the CEO of the Dodgers Foundation who shares with us how she led a turnaround to build an organization with a deep understanding of its mission and goals. Nichol shares: “It was very important for us to focus first on youth and families who we know needed us most, who… Read more: Reinventing an organization with Nichol Whiteman
  • Growing by Merging with Elizabeth Forer
    Episode 33 | How We Run Podcast We are joined by Elizabeth Forer, CEO Venice Family Clinic, who tells us about the recent successful merger of two nonprofits: Venice Family Clinic and South Bay Family Health Care. Elizabeth talks through how the board started planning and coordinating this merger for almost two years and what she feels makes it successful. “Sometimes it… Read more: Growing by Merging with Elizabeth Forer
  • Succession Planning with Jenna Hauss
    Episode 32 | How We Run Podcast Jenna Hauss started as an intern at ONEgeneration and today she is the President and CEO of this $9 million organization in Southern California. Jenna shares what she’s learned about the importance of succession planning and how she views it as a tool for the whole organization, not just executive roles. “Succession planning is also… Read more: Succession Planning with Jenna Hauss
  • Highlights from Season 4
    Episode 31 | How We Run Podcast Since we’re giving thanks this week, we thought we’d look back on all the fantastic guests we’ve had on Season 4 of the How We Run podcast and share what we’ve learned from them. Leslie Ito of Armory Center for the Arts, Tony Brown from HOLA, Johng Ho Song from KYCC, Roger Castle from the… Read more: Highlights from Season 4
  • Leading Through Crisis with Leslie Ito
    Episode 30 | How We Run Podcast Before Leslie Ito was the Executive Director of Armory Center for the Arts, she assumed the leadership at an organization that was struggling. Leslie shares with us how she approached that turnaround and what she learned about leading during a crisis (something that may have come in handy in 2020). Leslie shares with us what… Read more: Leading Through Crisis with Leslie Ito
  • Embracing Community-Centric Fundraising with Molly Marsh-Heine
    Episode 29 | How We Run Podcast Mollie Marsh-Heine joins us to talk about how and why the fundraising department at Earthjustice has embraced the principles of Community-Centric Fundraising. From conversations on race, inequality, and historic injustice with donors, to examining the ways they work together as a team, Mollie’s team has taken a thorough and methodical approach. Although they acknowledge this… Read more: Embracing Community-Centric Fundraising with Molly Marsh-Heine
  • Transitioning from Fiscal Sponsorship with David Diaz
    Episode 28 | How We Run Podcast David Diaz shares his organization’s culture building strategy David Diaz is the Executive Director of Active San Gabriel Valley who has recently transitioned his organization from fiscal sponsorship to being an independent 501c3. He details how and why his organization made the leap. For him, it’s a matter of building the collaborative culture that best… Read more: Transitioning from Fiscal Sponsorship with David Diaz
  • An Unexpected Leap to Virtual Programs with Sarah Walzer
    Episode 27 | How We Run Podcast Sarah Walzer leads a pivot to virtual programs and gets unexpected results Never in a million years did Sarah Walzer believe that virtual visits with parents and families would ever yield the same high-quality results at ParentChild+. But in March 2020, the organization was forced to go virtual anyway. Sarah was pleasantly surprised and she… Read more: An Unexpected Leap to Virtual Programs with Sarah Walzer
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