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Leaders in the Field – March 2023

 

Read the March edition here

 

 

 

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A Community of Leaders I Could Lean On

The word “Fieldstone” means many things to many people in the San Diego non-profit world.  To those over a certain age and who grew up here, they likely remember that Fieldstone was a market-leading home builder.  To others who cut their non-profit teeth in the last thirty or so years, they’d share that Fieldstone is a place where the best non-profit leaders got equipped.  To a younger generation of non-profit workers who spend time around the first couple of groups, it could be a good name for an after-hours drinking game, as the word “Fieldstone” is uttered so fondly by so many in the nonprofit world, so often.

For me, Fieldstone was a lifeline in the first decade of my senior leadership journey, a source of critical connection and fellowship well into my second decade, and a transforming presence in my third.    Always impatient and planning for my next challenge, I was given my first executive director role at age thirty.  Having spent the early part of my career limited to coordinating events, managing small budgets, supervising teams of staff and volunteers and raising a few bucks for modest programmatic endeavors, I was thoroughly unprepared for what came next.  What was a board?  What does good governance mean?  How do you prepare for an audit?  California labor laws, GAAP standards, fiscal years, annual budgets …. It was all quite foreign to me.  One of my toughest board members, a banker and community volunteer, insisted that I go through the Fieldstone “CEO Learning Group” in 1999.  What was a homebuilder going to teach me about non-profit leadership?  I am eternally grateful that she insisted, because that was the beginning of feeling that I was not alone, and that I had a community of leaders that I could lean on, and also support.  I had a non-profit family. 

There we were, a group of ten non-profit leaders from totally different organizations and professional backgrounds.  There were a couple of therapists, a semi-retired restaurateur, a Boys & Girls Club lifer, a pastor, a dancer, a politician and a mix of other well intended and similarly unprepared leaders.  I was younger than the others, and far greener too. Over the next six months, we got to know and trust each other, and possibly even assisted with the organizational problems that we each presented as part of our program journey.  I learned about SWOT analysis and how to address challenges, but what I really got was a group of colleagues and dear friends that I could count on anytime, and every time.

So the years passed, and we all gained the requisite skills to continue to prosper in our careers, and each of us have made significant impacts in our organizations, and our region. Fieldstone continued to evolve to meet us where we were each at.  Some became Fieldstone coaches, others joined the reading group, there were retreats, and me, I participated in the Clare Rose Sabbatical, nearly twenty years after going through the initial learning group.  The sabbatical was the second lifeline that Fieldstone threw to me … and the organization that I was leading. This space is too short to tell the whole story, but suffice to say that the sabbatical had deep and lasting impacts on me personally and professionally, as well as paved the way for one of the best succession stories you’ll ever hear.

For over twenty years, about half of our original ten members have continued to meet for a monthly meal. At our lunches, we talk about our children, our grandchildren, our travels, our health challenges and believe it or not, even at times, our professional challenges.  Many of our class have retired from our paid roles, but leadership rarely has an exclusive relationship to compensation.  We all continue to influence the region in one way or another.

Leadership is a journey best done in fellowship with others. That, among many other things, is what Fieldstone has given me.

 

Christopher Sichel, President and CEO, Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

After 25 years as a non-profit CEO in the San Diego community, Chris Sichel joined the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation in 2021 as their President & CEO.  Chris is known as a culture setting executive whose career has been marked by year-over-year mission-focused organizational growth, strong boards and long tenured and dedicated staff members and volunteers. 

Chris served as the President & CEO of Make-A-Wish San Diego from 2005 to 2021, and in 2018 served in a dual role as the President & CEO for the Greater Los Angeles chapter of Make-A-Wish, overseeing a financial turnaround, staff restructure and successful CEO search.  Prior to his years at Make-A-Wish, Chris oversaw STAR/PAL, San Diego’s Police Athletic League for seven years.

Chris is well known as a thought leader within the San Diego non-profit and civic communities, and served as the 111^th President of the San Diego Rotary Club in 2020/2021, and as the San Diego Rotary Foundation President in 2021/2022. Chris was awarded  “Most Admired CEO” in 2018 by the San Diego Business Journal, a recognition that he also earned in 2011. Chris was further honored to be named by the San Diego Business Journal as one of San Diego’s 500 most influential leaders in 2020, 2021 and 2022.   

On a personal note, Chris is a native San Diegan and fifth-generation Californian and a graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.   In 2017, Chris walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain, a 500-mile pilgrimage route that dates back over 1200 years as part of his Clare Rose Sabbatical provided by Fieldstone. Chris is also a graduate of Fieldstone’s Executive Learning Group.   Chris’ favorite quote is: “Create a life that you don’t need to escape from”.

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

 

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Fieldstone Has Served Me and Literacy To This Day

In 1988, my mentor set me free. At that time, and into the mid-1990s, I was immature, not in an irresponsible way, but more in the true sense of the word. I was young and unaware. I don’t think I had the vision for myself that others had for me. I was comfortable being a humble asset to whoever the boss was.

I was a 1993 LEAD graduate. I was not looking for this opportunity and I’m still not sure that LEAD was the best thing for me. I struggled to relate. I tried hard to be liked. I tried hard to be smart. Even though there was a disconnect here, the experience contributed to my growth.

Later, the Eureka Foundation invited me to join as a fellow. It was then that I began to see who I might be in the nonprofit and leadership arena. I felt valued, respected, and a true part of a community of nonprofit executives who benefited from a family of people like them, who gave good counsel, who listened, and who were understanding. I miss Eureka. I still have healthy connections from it.

Then I joined up with the Fieldstone when, yes, in 1995, I was put into an interim leadership seat…a seat I had been avoiding for years. Here’s where I made lasting connections and where I brought my CEO challenges into a risk-free environment and got answers…where I could make mistakes and not feel alone or clumsy. The opportunities to connect and learn were frequent.

In 2013, twenty years after LEAD graduation, there were issues in my organization, and I was losing confidence. All of us were still recovering from the economic crash of 2009. Funding was an issue, and there were other challenges that were unfair and that could happen any time.

In this time, I was assigned a Fieldstone coach and went through a 360 evaluation. I received much-needed fine-tuning and had reinforced for me what I already understood as being good business practices. I gained strength from this. That intervention has served me and literacy to this day. I will forever be grateful to Fieldstone, Janine Mason, Michael Carr, Kathie Lembo, and Keith Johnson for their guidance.

Today, I am the host of a podcast called “The Gap Minders” on Cloudcast Media. My co-host, Nancy Sasaki, and I, interview our region’s top community leaders. The hosts, guests, and listeners benefit from diverse perspectives on community challenges and the role that literacy plays in solutions.

What is the ripple? I sometimes find myself being a coach to emerging stars in the world of nonprofit services. I get to pay it forward. I’m grateful to the Fieldstone Leadership Network for that too.

Sometimes I ask myself, how did I get here? I probably wouldn’t be here without the people who believed in me before I believed in myself. I would not be writing this. The Fieldstone Leadership Network made a big difference.

 

Jose Cruz, CEO, San Diego Council on Literacy

Jose Cruz is the chief executive officer for the San Diego Council on Literacy, a model urban literacy coalition.  Jose is a graduate of Fieldstone’s Executive Learning Group and was coached in the Network’s Executive Coaching Program. He has 37 of experience in the literacy field and is known for his accomplishments in supporting collaborative efforts for literacy on various scales: national (National Alliance of Urban Literacy Coalitions), statewide (California Literacy), regional (Southern California Library Literacy Network, and local.  He was the recipient of the 2003 San Diego Union-Tribune, “Educator of the Year” award.   In 2014, he was recognized by The Union-Tribune recognized as the Civic Leader of the Year via the Latino Champions Awards. In 2015), he was named to the San Diego High School, “Hall of Honor.” Cruz is a past-president of the San Diego Lions Club (2020/2021) and is the co-host of The Gap Minders, a podcast that focuses on resource issues that affect quality of life in the San Diego region. He is a native San Diegan, a graduate of the University of Southern California, and a proud product of the San Diego Community College District.

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

 

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A Life Changing Experience

Ten years ago, I participated in the Fieldstone Leadership Network’s Executive Learning Group, a fantastic program that brings new nonprofit executives together to discuss their challenges in a safe and supportive environment. With time and support from my peers, I became more confident in my ability to lead and develop my team, and I graduated from the program feeling empowered and strong.

It was the Coaching Program, however, that I found to be transformational. I vividly remember driving away from my first meeting with my coach, feeling overcome with gratitude, knowing that this person, my coach, was there to support me and only me. From that day on, I looked forward to our meetings with anticipation. No topic was off-limits. My coach always had practical solutions and advice to get me through almost any challenge I was dealing with, which ultimately helped me find more balance in my professional and personal life. To say it was life-changing is an understatement.

A year or so later, Janine Mason invited me to become a coach. I was excited and eager to have the opportunity to give back to other nonprofit professionals who were looking for the same support I had been and to guide them on their leadership journey. Since then, I have coached five nonprofit professionals and am looking forward to coaching my sixth this year. Every coaching experience has been a joy and an honor, and I’m pretty sure I get as much, if not more, out of the partnership as my coachee does.

Thank you, Janine and Fieldstone Leadership Network, for the opportunity to be a part of your mission these last ten years. The San Diego community is fortunate to have this incredible resource designed to create and sustain personal and professional relationships among nonprofit leaders. I am honored and proud to be a part of this fantastic organization. Congratulations on celebrating 40 years of making a difference in the lives of hundreds of nonprofit professionals.

 

Karen Terra, Executive Director, Emilio Nares Foundation

Karen has more than 25 years of experience in strategic planning, development and administration of start-up and non-profit organizations. Areas of expertise include board development and management, fundraising, grant writing, publication production, direct mail campaigns, website and social media development; special events, marketing, community outreach and public relations activities.  Prior to leading EMF, she worked for Special Olympics and Hubbs-Sea World Research Center.  Karen is a graduate of our 2013 Executive Learning Group, was coached in 2015 and became a Fieldstone Coach in 2018.  She is currently coaching her sixth nonprofit professional.  Karen received her degree from St. Boneventure University and has earned a certificate from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance for Coaching as a Leadership Tool. 

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

 

 

 

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Fieldstone – The Gift That Keeps Giving

 

I am frankly trying to think of a time when I wasn’t involved with Fieldstone somehow! I was exposed to Fieldstone’s work in nonprofit leadership development as far back as 1998 when I served as a program director for a large nonprofit, and I began my full participation in 2003 by participating in an Emerging Leaders learning group. Many of the intangibles so critical to our work in the sector – confidence, critical decision-making processes, network development, and marketplace reflection – have been developed through my engagement with quite a few Fieldstone programs since that time.

When I reflect on my 35-year career in the nonprofit sector in San Diego, I realize that my growth toward a nonprofit executive emerged from many opportunities to learn in the moment, and I was supported by great leaders who mentored me well. I was trained to be a therapist and substance abuse counselor, which inadvertently provided some important tools in managing people.  However, other than Fieldstone, I have received no academic training in management and leadership, so I give Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego a lot of the credit for my professional development. I went through the Emerging Leaders program first, had a Fieldstone Executive Coach in 2009, and participated in an Executive Leadership learning group in 2011. In 2017, I was able to take a 90-day sabbatical to refresh myself, but also to strengthen organizational leadership which was supported through the Clare Rose Foundation, a transformational and sustaining gift from Fieldstone. And now I have come full circle as I serve as an executive coach myself for the Fieldstone coaching program for the last five years.

In my last 15 years as a nonprofit CEO for Lifeline Community Services, I have helped facilitate and lead the organization through a period of tremendous growth.  Our budget has grown from $5 million to $15 million, the array of services have expanded to include clinical and housing services for victims/survivors of human trafficking and former foster youth, and we have had a significant expansion of substance abuse and mental health services for youth and young adults. We initiated the infrastructure and staffing to develop a private fundraising department that is now raising 10-15% of our annual budget to meet critical community needs. And finally, we have expanded our work to meet the therapeutic needs of many folks county-wide, after being solely a north county provider for our first 40 years.

While drive, teamwork and effort are mostly responsible for these accomplishments, they all required vision and strategic thinking that were highly emphasized in my work with my Fieldstone coach, Jan Giacinti, and through the group support and feedback from my executive learning group. They all nurtured my expansive ideas, gently poked holes in my plans, and helped me think through growth in sustainable, long-term ways.

To this day, my nine nonprofit executive partners in my Executive Learning Group from 11 years ago (2011) are all still my dearest friends and some are my closest confidants, who listen to me brag, whine, and tell stories, and who continue to help me to be the best leader I can be.

Thank you to the Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego for this gift that keeps on giving.

 

 

 

 

Don Stump, Chief Executive Officer, Lifeline Community Services

Don Stump has more than 30 years of experience working with nonprofit organizations that serve youth and families in San Diego County. Don holds a Bachelor’s  from Texas Tech University and a Master’s from Boston College.   He has served as the president of North County’s regional collaborative, the Alliance for Regional Solutions, and now chairs the affiliated North County CEO Alliance.

Don is a graduate of Stanford University’s Executive Program in Nonprofit Leadership, LEAD San Diego, CSU San Marcos – Leadership North County, and the Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego’s Executive Learning Group, Coaching and Clare Rose Sabbatical Programs. Additionally, Don serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for True Care a growing community clinic in the region.

Significant acknowledgements include the Aleshire Leadership Award which recognizes an outstanding regional leader in North San Diego County;  the Spirit of Carol Sigelman Award recognizing civic engagement and philanthropy in the North County; and the 2018 Uniter Of the Year Award for UNITE North County Coastal. Additionally, Don has been recognized 4 times by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the San Diego’s 500 most influential business leaders.

Don lives by the motto Work hard. Be kind. Create fun. Make a difference.

 

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

 

 

 

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A Personal and Professional Lifeline

Fieldstone has been so many things to me that I struggled to know where to start writing about what has been my professional “home”. The Learning Groups that gave me a deep sense of finding my people. The retreats that nourished a hunger I didn’t know I had. The colleagues who have become friends. The questions offered that are so rich I revisit them year in and year out.

But I kept coming back to the coaching, an experience that ended up being a professional and personal lifeline.

I applied to the 2005 coaching program and couldn’t believe my luck when I found out I would be matched with Jan Giacinti. Jan was a well-known and respected leader who I admired greatly. I was thrilled and excited. So excited, in fact, that I mixed up the time of our first meeting and showed up half an hour early. Jan graciously moved tasks around to meet with me when I arrived. It was just one way that she made space for me.

Throughout our year together, Jan was a steady support as I navigated being a new addition to the senior leadership team at Girl Scouts. She also provided encouragement to pursue one of my professional goals: becoming a nonprofit executive director. And it happened. As our time wrapped up in December, I accepted an offer to lead Volunteer San Diego. I was all set to start the new role on Monday, January 9.

But plans changed on January 7. On a weekend getaway to celebrate our 11^th wedding anniversary, my husband had a heart attack and died unexpectedly. In the space of two hours, my world turned upside down. I called my new board chair on Sunday to let her know I would have to move my first day back.

I am not sure who called Jan and Janine but they were standing by with support when the dust settled. They offered me the chance to extend coaching for another year.

As valuable as coaching had been in the first year, it was essential in the second year. Jan and I covered a lot of ground. We walked miles along the bay while talking, problem solving, and making sense of my new reality. She made space for me as a whole person, not just a new ED but also a new widow. She was a guide, companion, mentor, and friend.

Jan was there through it all, knowing when to throw me a life preserver and when to light a fire. She modeled leadership in everything she did. Better yet, she lived Fieldstone’s values of continuous learning, hospitality, and care. Her coaching directly influenced my ability to persevere through challenges and  stay in a role that was one of the best of my career. I am forever grateful to Jan and the coaching program that Janine, Michael, and Kathie steward.

Today, I am a Fieldstone coach. It is an honor to pass along what Jan gave to me to others on their leadership journeys.

Sue Carter Kahl

Sue Carter Kahl is a consultant, researcher, and writer focused on volunteerism and leadership. Her current projects include training on the value that volunteers bring to organizations, translating research on volunteer impact into practitioner-friendly resources, and blogging at Volunteer Commons. Sue has a doctorate in Leadership from USD and a long list of programs completed with Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego. She serves as a Fieldstone Coach, as well as a facilitator for  Fieldstone Retreats and Creative Encounters by Fieldstone. She loves reading, hiking, gardening, and the power of a good question.

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

 

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Leaders In The Field – February 2023

Leaders in the Field is a monthly communication celebrating Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego members,

their contributions to and achievements in our community.  You may read this month’s publication here.

If you would like to share an accomplishment or contribution of yours or of your colleagues in upcoming Leaders in the Field publications, please email Janine at [email protected] .

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Respect and a Sense of Reciprocity

I once swore to myself never to become an Executive Director again.  This was after I moved to San Diego from Des Moines, IA, in 2012, after a grueling merger of my small nonprofit AIDS service organization with our local federally qualified health center.  I took over the role of Executive Director 10 years after growing up at The AIDS Project of Central Iowa, my first real job out of college.  I had worked my way from frontline staff to the top, and the news in 2010 about Iowa’s drastic cut in its federal HIV funding broke my heart and lit a fire to make sure our services at The Project would not disappear. Merger was the smart and practical option and it did in fact save The Project. But the process was one experience I hoped never to repeat.  They don’t tell you how lonely it is to be an Executive Director.  There’s not really a person you can call who understands the frustration of a lagging board, the fear of funding cuts, the stress of layoffs, and the culmination of all of the responsibility piled on your shoulders unless they’ve worn those shoes. I left Iowa with that loneliness and needed a year and a half of just being a mom and meditating by the ocean to recover.

I went back into the workforce in 2014 doing an easy management job in HIV services for a local clinic a mile away from my house in North County.  But to be honest, I missed the responsibility, the ability to act nimbly and make impactful decisions without having to wade through red tape.  I missed being a source of inspiration and mentorship for those new to the field.  So when the opportunity arose to apply for an ED role at Christie’s Place, I applied and got the job.  It was not without trepidation.  I mentioned the loneliness, and the agency needed repair both in its morale and reputation. Luckily, I found Fieldstone Leadership Network through an invitation to their Executive Learning Group (ELG).  It was there I met eight AMAZING nonprofit CEOs/Executive Directors who helped me grow as a leader and foster a community of support with each other. Ted, Brandon, Nancy, Cat, Elly, Jamie, and Wendy – I don’t know if I could have made it through the first year at the helm of Christie’s Place without your support.  Oh yeah, did I mention we survived COVID??  It was through Fieldstone’s ELG that I formed a bond with Janine Mason, Mary Corbett, and Tom Hall.  Their patience and guidance with our ELG was steadfast despite the storm of uncertainties as we tried to wade through physical, emotional, and mental survival of COVID.  I will never forget my ELG partners.  I will forever cherish our time together, and I hope they know they can always reach out if ever they need anything.

I found other offerings through Fieldstone Leadership Network that were game-changers.  The Equity Journey training series was one of the first trainings I experienced in that true hybrid learning format.  Little did we know this would be the standard for many trainings moving forward.  The Equity Journey, a 3-month series about racial equity, social justice, and our responsibility as nonprofit leaders, was so important and timely that I sent all my staff at Christie’s Place to the training.

In the fall of 2020, I also applied for Executive Coaching through Fieldstone, to further provide guidance on how to tackle some serious challenges I was facing as an Executive Director.  In 2021, I met my coach, Sue Schaffner, who helped me grow not only as a leader, but also thrive in my personal life.  Coaching with Sue provided me with the support and clarity needed to make instrumental decisions about Christie’s Place that has fostered an incredible amount of growth in our programming, staffing, and funding that I can now build on for the future. Sue helped me recognize my vision for the agency, and her encouragement provided the safety of growing my confidence and trust in myself.  In turn, I have now become an Executive Coach for Fieldstone and hope that I can have a similar impact on nonprofit leaders in San Diego.

Fieldstone Leadership Network truly is a community.  There is respect and a sense of reciprocity that I’ve not found elsewhere in San Diego. I feel blessed and am so very proud to be part of its incredible network, and I look forward to the future of this amazing organization!

Rhea Van Brocklin, CEO, Christie’s Place

 

Rhea Van Brocklin is the Executive Director of Christie’s Place, whose mission is to empower women, children, families and individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS to take charge of their health and wellness. Rhea is a graduate of Fieldstone’s 2020 Executive Learning Group, The Equity Journey training series, and the Executive Coaching program.  She is currently a new Executive Coach for Fieldstone and is looking forward to reciprocating the support she has gained from Fieldstone with nonprofit leaders in San Diego.

 

 

 

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

 

 

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The Gift of Friendship

June 1997, first day of Fieldstone’s Executive Leadership program – and I was ready to start a new journey in leadership development.  By the end of the first day, I knew my life would be changed – and over the years, I have learned so much about myself as a person and as a leader…but during the first four hours of that first day of my leadership journey, the most important part of this journey was the beginning of a new friendship that has nurtured me, sustained me, brought me hope, has given me a someone who has been on my side for the last 25 years.

Being in leadership can be lonely, especially as a new Executive Director or leader. And I was thrilled to be a part of this network.  I have thrived on the many programs offered by Fieldstone including the Executive Learning Group, Coaching – both as a coachee and as a coach.  I have attended several retreats and have most recently joined one of the Leadership Reading Groups.

The Network has offered so much insight on how to handle my board, inspire my staff and coach other leaders.  I have been able to look deep into myself to discover what I want out of life as leader.  I have learned so much and gained so much from the experience of others. The Network is rich with those who are so willing to make being at the top a little less lonely.

Yet it was someone I met on my very first day that my life had been changed for the better.

Sharon Lawrence was Executive Director of Voices for Children and I was Managing Director of North Coast Rep. She was tall, elegant and well-spoken. I was short, bohemian and spoke in circles.  In any other world, we would not have met, would not have become friends, but Fieldstone brought us together.

Over the years, we have seen our friendship blossom. We have supported each other through several career changes (I truly believe that without Sharon’s input, I would not have my current position). We are there when there is a problem at work…” How do I handle this issue with my board…staff…client?”  More importantly, we are there for each other in life, as a confidant, companion, friend.

We have shared spa days and trips to Disneyland, many, many lunches, and a few new puppies.  We cried at those times when life throws a curve ball.  We have been able to celebrate our successes – awards and honors.  Even found a way to stay connected during the pandemic with those video conferencing happy hours. Life would not be the same without the time I spend with Sharon.

Fieldstone has given so much to me as a leader, the most important tool that Fieldstone has given me is that of a friendship, and that has made this journey a little bit less lonely -and it has been a remarkable journey, these past 25 years with Sharon.

Sue Schaffner, CFO, Serving Seniors

Sue Schaffner is the CFO of Serving Seniors. She has earned accolades for her nonprofit expertise and leadership including recognition by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the top CFOs in San Diego in 2020 and as one of the 2014 Top Women in Leadership by the East County Chamber of Commerce . In her thirty-years as a nonprofit leader, Sue has also served as the Managing Director of North Coast Repertory Theatre and the Executive Director of the local chapter of Hostelling International. Sue has been deeply involved with Fieldstone Leadership Network since 1997 when she first participated in a Learning Group. She is an active Coach in our Coaching Program with 20+ coachees! She currently serves as a Creative Encounters by Fieldstone Facilitator and is participating in one of the Network’s Leadership Reading Groups.

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

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Nothing Else Like It

When I reflect on the impact the Fieldstone Leadership Network has had over my 10+ years of involvement, I always start by appreciating the unique space it occupies.  Quite simply, there’s nothing else like it for non-profit leaders in our region.

Unlike other leadership programs, Fieldstone specifically focuses on professionals in the non-profit sector.  For both developing and established leaders in the field, it offers so many things that are hard to find—training, coaching, reflecting, camaraderie, and a true sense of belonging.

While my journey started with its flagship six-month executive leadership program, it has continued with everything from in-depth retreats to quarterly networking events to year-long coaching programs.

For me, the executive leadership program offered the first opportunity to work deeply with trusted peers on common issues of interest and deeper challenges.  It offered a safe space to both learn, share, and receive support from one another when confidentiality was ensured.  And it spurred valuable relationships that I’ve cherished for the past 10 years and will continue to cherish for decades to come.

After five years of affiliation, I became a formal volunteer coach to new and existing non-profit leaders in the sector.  This program is truly a gift!  It offers in-depth, year-long support and mentorship in a supportive, confidential environment that fosters trust and growth.  And we often find that the program is far from one-directional—coaches often find it nearly as valuable as their coachees.

For my own leadership journey, Fieldstone has been there through three very different leadership posts I’ve held over the past decade—from K-12 to broad-based health and human services to higher education.  And both the people I’ve met and the learning I’ve acquired have proven invaluable.  The simple art of listening deeply, really hearing what employees or peers have to say and what they really mean, and the patience to move slowly enough to create the space to absorb these things, has always served me well.  It has allowed me to be more effective in my work, which, in turn, improves the outcomes of that work itself…translating into better programs and services for those we serve.

But underneath all of this lies something else.  A quiet strength and commitment to the network created by Fieldstone’s leader, Janine Mason.  While she may blush when I write this, the reality is that the organization takes on the attributes of its leadership.  Unmistakably so.  So the quiet sense of caring, of support, of thoughtfulness at every turn, at the core belief that the work we all do is worthy of every ounce of energy that goes into creating and sustaining these programs, all of this is palpable in every meeting Fieldstone holds, in every debrief we do, and in every training or networking event we attend.  This, quite simply, wouldn’t be possible without the care and nurturing of Janine at the helm.

In closing, it’s interesting to note during this 40^th anniversary year of Fieldstone’s impact that my own involvement and that of some of my closest peers only spans a quarter of the history of the network’s impact.  Multiply this four times over, add all those who have been directly served by the organization, and consider the countless clients of each of those non-profits made just a little bit better by their affiliation, and you begin to grasp the breadth and depth of the difference Fieldstone has made over its tremendous history.  And for that, I am incredibly grateful.

 

Valin Brown, CEO, Alliant Educational Foundation

Valin currently serves as the CEO of the Alliant Education Foundation, having previously worked as the CEO of the Carlsbad Education Foundation and as the Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer for United Way of San Diego County. Valin was selected as a Livingston Fellow by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation while serving as the Executive Director of Bright Beginnings in Colorado.  He is a graduate of Northwestern, receiving both his BA and MA from the university. 

Valin is a graduate of Fieldstone’s Executive Leadership Group in 2012. He has also been an active member of Fieldstone’s Coaching Program since 2017.  He regularly attends Fieldstone @ 4 and has participated in the Network’s Leadership Retreats. 

 

Each week during our 40th anniversary year, a member of our Network will share what Fieldstone means to them and how being a part of this learning and leadership community has impacted them and the work they do to serve the community.

If you have a story you would like to contribute to our collection, please contact Janine Mason.

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