BIO
I've devoted my career to enhancing opportunities for people and communities, with an emphasis on the rising generation.
A graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School's Mid-Career Masters program, I've worked for nonprofits in a variety of capacities over the last two decades. As a leader, manager, and consultant, I have experience in organizational growth and change efforts. In assisting a variety of organizations—international and neighborhood, nonprofit and forprofit, political and educational—I work with a variety of people, settings, and resource bases.
Most recently, I served as CEO of the Junior State of America Foundation, where I helped an 85-year-old, $6 million nonprofit that supports teen civic leadership development. We navigated JSA through significant turbulence to: develop a theory of change, overhaul governance, change its name, develop new programs and impact measures, realign its strategy and organization, receive the largest donation in the group’s history, build alliances, and enhance stakeholder engagement—while dramatically improving JSAF’s financial health.
Immediately prior, I served as Associate Director of the Post Carbon Institute, a leading-edge think tank focused on energy, environment, economy, and equity.
Previously, I was the Coordinating Director of the Chaordic Commons, Inc., a group created by Dee Hock, the founding director of VISA, to develop new forms of organizations in pursuit of a healthier world.
I served as Executive Director of Common Cause Massachusetts, a citizen-led organization working for representative and inclusive government. One of my significant achievements at Common Cause was co-leading a broad coalition of organizations that successfully passed a Clean Elections Law via ballot initiative, and then mounted an equally effective legislative and legal strategy to uphold and implement that law.
I spent the mid-1990s as the Director of Communications for the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and the Coalition of Essential Schools. Immediately prior to that, I held similar posts with Oxfam America and the Institute for Defense and Disarmament Studies.
I've also been a consultant to numerous nonprofit and forprofit organizations, and I'm trained as an Interim Executive Director and a mediator.
I've been a spokesperson for several organizations and coalitions, making numerous appearances on television and radio. I have led discussions and workshops on a variety of topics, including democracy, adult development, intergenerational collaboration, communications, and faith and politics.
I began my career as a journalist—reporting for a local daily newspaper, writing feature stories and commentary for national publications, and serving as Editor and other roles for several magazines.
As an editor, I help writers/speakers find their authentic voices and engage readers/listeners in productive,respectful conversations that lead to intended outcomes.
I'm also an effective, drama-free writer, fluent in a variety of writing styles: blogs, reports, op-eds, and more. I've written and had published hundreds of pieces, and have edited four books, countless reports, letters, articles, and more.
I am trained as a mediator and an Interim Executive Director.
I live in Richmond, CA, with my wife, Brooke Deterline. I love community-building, coaching high school mountain bike riders, trail running, and meditating.
RESUME (SEE ALSO LINKEDIN PROFILE)
Chief Executive Officer: Junior State of America Foundation
* Turned around a $6 million teen civic leadership organization
* Reduced debt from $775,000 to $200,000; freed up endowment assets; transformed $300,000 in negative net assets into $1,000,000+ under investment
* Secured largest donation (a multi-year, $1 million capacity-building investment) in JSAF’s 85-year history
* Revamped strategy, governance, programs, and impact measures—within serious financial constraints
Associate Director, Strategy & Development Director: Post Carbon Institute
* Led Theory of Change and strategy alignment for $1 million think tank
* Developed award-winning video with more than 1.7 million views, and www.resilience.org
* Set and delivered on ambitious fundraising strategy, broadened (by more than 50 percent) base of support
Interim Managing Director: Chaordic Commons
* Guided a nonprofit through a strategic crisis and reorganization; developed social networking platform
Executive Director: Common Cause Massachusetts
* Co-led passage (via ballot initiative) and defense (via Supreme Court) a groundbreaking Clean Elections Law
* Increased fundraising income by 75 percent while rebuilding organizational infrastructure
Director of Communications: Annenberg Institute for School Reform
* Built out $1.2 million strategic communication strategy for $10 million, 900+ school network nonprofit
Director of Education, Outreach & Communications, Director of Publications: Oxfam America
* Redesigned 18-person, $1.3 million communication strategy for $14 million economic justice nonprofit
Director of Publications: Institute for Defense & Disarmament Studies
* Produced rigorous, influential publications for progressive think tank and advocate on arms control issues
Editor, Managing Editor, and Writer
* Redesigned gray tabloid into a color glossy magazine; authored, edited, published hundreds of articles
Consultant on Growth, Strategy, and Impact
* Assisted nonprofits like Harvard Kennedy School, Americans for Safety & Justice, Urban Tilth, Center for Ecoliteracy, New Profit, Conservation Law Foundation, Boston Natural Areas Network, Tikkun, among many
Education
* Harvard Kennedy School, MPA
* University of Virginia, BA
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