Clients

There are no words I can use to express my thanks for all you [Beth] have done for The Gardens. Your skills, expertise, objectivity and ability to handle difficult personnel were so outstanding and a gift to us all and the organization. Thanks to you we are on the right track and believe me, we have every intention of making you proud of all that you have started.

 

Darci did a great job helping us through a pivotal leadership change …. As Board chair, I found her very open, transparent and collaborative. She would take the initiative to sit down with board members, and in a very organized way, talk us through an issue and then draw out the best answer from us collectively with her guiding questions. Darci was definitely a solutions-oriented person, who listened openly to all ideas, and was not hesitant to deftly push back on suggestions from different constituencies. Overall, Darci delivered results as our interim executive director – she was productive, reliable and easy to work with.

As the Interim Executive Director at Fair Housing of Marin, David provided phenomenal guidance and support to the staff and board members of our agency during the transition following the retirement of our founding E.D. David was able to present our board with an assessment and set of recommendations, as well as implement changes addressing policy, practices and structure.  In addition to tactfully addressing several challenges, he left us with a thorough analysis and suggestions regarding the inner workings of the agency that have been helpful to us moving forward. We were very fortunate to have David guiding and moving the organization forward during this transition period.

Louise has strong critical thinking skills, and the ability to analyze problems and develop effective solutions.  In addition, she has a warm, welcoming personality and a quiet strength that helped engender trust with both the community and the staff.  Her communication with the board was timely, clear, and thorough.  She has the magic combination of competence and caring that is needed for any organization undergoing this transition.

Beth was excellent as an Interim ED and just what Garrison Institute (GI) needed. I cannot think of anything she could have done better - she engaged with Staff and Board at an appropriate level, was adept at dealing with complex interpersonal issues that emerged, and kept GI stable and on track as we regrouped and searched for our new ED. Many thanks to you and the Center for your help with this process, and for recommending such an excellent person.

I want to acknowledge the tremendous job Darci has done for us as interim executive director. Her competence and professionalism was outstanding. Moreover, her ability to adapt to our specific situation and embrace our unique culture was truly remarkable. In addition to getting us well on our way to the kind of operational excellence we needed for survival, she gave great support to our board and community. Thank you for all you have done.

David stepped into our organization at a turbulent time to facilitate the transition from our founding ED. He rapidly made an assessment and offered recommendations to the board.  He implemented key changes effectively, based on his depth of experience and best practices in the crucial areas of finance, risk management, fundraising, personnel, and systems. He revised or budgeting and financial reporting processes effectively, took steps to reduce our exposure, improved our donor relationships, and mentored key staff.  David worked effectively with our board and staff, as well as with our donors and partners. David also facilitated our board retreat, helping the board to focus on crucial governance issues. We appreciated David’s professionalism, excellent communication and transparency throughout the interim period, even in the face of many unforeseen challenges.  He is a pleasure to work with and someone I now consider a friend.

I don't think we would have survived without all the wonderful work you've done for the organization.  I enjoyed working with you, and we will miss your steady, wise, and confident leadership.

As president of the board, I worked closely with Louise for six months and I highly recommend her for your interim executive director position. When Louise began work at Lindsay Wildlife Museum, there were financial and staffing issues.  She jumped right in to address both.  Also, working with the board of a nonprofit can be a challenge. Louise blended in seamlessly with our board from the very beginning,   Additionally, Louise worked directly with various board committees, particularly in the area of fund raising.  She has helped our development staff and committee members become more effective at meeting our funding needs through better public relations, donor solicitations and grant writing.

If we were to find ourselves in a similar situation in the future, I would not hesitate to hire Louise as our interim executive director.  Her calm yet firm approach helped us through some very rough waters, and she is leaving the organization in a much better position for our incoming executive director.

Everyone at the East Bay Agency for Children is grateful to Beth Schecter for her many contributions to the agency as our ten month interim CEO. While the agency was relatively stable when she stepped in during our search for a new, permanent CEO, we all knew that we would benefit from a review from an objective third party. And that she did: a comprehensive review and assessment of virtually all functions, ranging from the Board operations and policies to organizational policies and procedures to the day-to-day activities of key staff and departments. We ended up with a thorough first time ever manual of policies and procedures for the board as well as clarity about where we were doing well and where we could benefit from changes. During it all, Beth worked with integrity and professionalism, bringing to bear her vast knowledge and experience. All in all, it was an extremely positive experience. I highly recommend Beth!

Darci stepped in as Interim Executive Director when the founding director went on sabbatical. From the start Darci didn’t miss a beat, having attended preliminary transition sessions with the E.D. and board, and having invested time in getting to know the staff personalities, work styles and culture. Part of Darci’s charge was to streamline internal systems, which she did, and so much more. She kept all the trains running on time, helped avoid a minor funding crisis, and put the organization in the position to have one of its best ever funding years! The E.D. returned refreshed, with improved systems in place, and today the organization is stronger than ever. I would recommend Darci in a heartbeat for Interim Executive Director.

David did such an amazing job guiding us through a very challenging time and process.  His commitment to the agency and deep appreciation of the work had been very clear and helped us trust his leadership through very difficult decisions.

David led us through an internal analysis and process so that both board and staff could see a clear path to a successful future. He worked effectively with our entire community, our donors, partners, etc. and expanded our capacity to serve families.

Thank you is not enough and it is so hard to say goodbye to someone who has really become part of the BBF family.  You will be missed.

With skillful management and vision, Louise patiently and systematically brought people together in a caring and cooperative way.  She creatively restructured staff and improved our budget and led us into a new cycle of growth.  She has prepared us well for our next capital campaign and future growth.  All the while, Louise has gained the valued respect of staff, colleagues and directors.

Beth stepped into the Interim Director position with SFGC as the organization faced several significant challenges. She immediately began work on a detailed analysis of our strengths and weaknesses, worked with the Board to clarify priorities and developed an aggressive workplan, all of which empowered the staff and engaged the Board. Beth’s leadership resulted in positive changes and a much healthier organization – and she was a joy to work with throughout!