Too many nonprofits struggle to find qualified board members who bring the appropriate skills, temperament, expectations, and passion to the organization they serve. Once you have strong board members, you want to keep them motivated and engaged. This workshop will take you step by step through the “science” of the process to achieve the dual goal of getting the right people on the bus who do their job well, while also noting the “art” that is equally necessary. By the end of the workshop, participants will know exactly what they need to do to build a strong and engaged board, from identifying their gaps to designing good on-boarding and orientation processes to selecting the right board leadership.

Laura Otten, Ph.D., Executive Director, The Nonprofit Center, La Salle University

Laura has been director of The Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University’s School of Business, a management support organization that enhances the management and governance capacity of nonprofit organizations throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, since 2001. A Nonprofit Center consultant and instructor since 1985, Laura served as director of evaluation and research, prior to becoming director. In 2013, she developed and became the first director of La Salle University’s Master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership, and is an associate professor.

She has since led The Nonprofit Center in developing innovative and expanded programs to meet changing community needs, raising quality standards, and fostering the development of applied research on nonprofit management issues. Laura also continues to work in the areas of board development, succession planning, and coaching directly with clients.

Laura also served as director of La Salle’s Criminal Justice Program and its Women’s Studies Program and Project on Justice and Society. She gained tenure in 1988 and has been recognized for distinguished teaching. Laura has several publishing credits, including the book, Women’s Rights and the Law (Praeger, 1993).

Laura received her Ph.D. in Sociology and her M.A. in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania and her B.A. in Sociology from Sarah Lawrence College.

Her weekly blog, Nonprofit University (nonprofituniversityblog.org), is read in over 155 countries.