Building Resilient Nonprofits Through Interim Leadership (David Harris)

This episode is brought to you by our friends at Armstrong McGuire & Associates. Check them out for your next career opportunity OR for help finding an interim executive or your next leader.

Leadership transitions can be a pivotal moment for any nonprofit, yet many organizations rush to fill the gap without assessing their true needs. In episode #306 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, we explore the critical role of interim executive leadership with David Harris, and how it strengthens nonprofits during times of change. David is a national expert in interim leadership and shares insights on why nonprofits should resist the urge to hire quickly and instead use transition periods to build resilience. Learn how skilled interim leaders address financial stability, talent development, board engagement, and operational adaptability—ensuring the next executive is set up for success.

"Interim leadership isn’t just a bridge, it’s a blueprint for a stronger, more resilient nonprofit."

ABOUT DAVID

David is the Managing Director of Interim Executive Solutions, and has extensive experience working with for-profit and nonprofit organizations to develop and implement strategies to improve operations, marketing, board governance, and leadership team effectiveness. He served as co-chair of Community Action Partners where he provided strategic planning, marketing and other services to Boston area nonprofits. In that capacity, David has led projects with nine different organizations. Most recently, he served as the interim Executive Director of the Springfield Empowerment Zone in western Massachusetts and the Landing School in Maine. David spent five years as Deputy Director of Teachers21, a professional development service provider, and provided coaching and consulting services to school and district leaders on business strategy and organization. David is currently Clerk of YouthBuild Boston. David holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MAT from Simmons College and a Sc.B. in Biochemistry from Brown University.

EPISODE TOPICS & RESOURCES

• Want to be an Interim Executive? Visit our partners at Armstrong McGuire
• Check out David's Rethinking Nonprofits blog: https://substack.com/@npinterim?
• Wait, What? And Life’s Other Essential Questions by James Ryan
• Have you gotten Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership: Seven Keys to Advancing Your Career in the Philanthropic Sector – Now available on Audible
• Don’t miss our weekly Thursday Leadership Lens for the latest on nonprofit leadership

Leave us a comment below! We would love to hear from you!