Free Webinar
Cultivating Strong Communities with Strong Boards
Wednesday, July 9
2pm EST
Virtual (Zoom)
Webinar: Cultivating Strong Communities with Strong Boards
Program Overview
What makes a nonprofit board effective—and how do you build one that truly represents and serves your community? This 60-minute webinar will explore the essential elements of strong board leadership: identifying the right people to serve, fostering diversity and inclusion, and preparing board members to lead with confidence and clarity. It will also introduce a structured board leadership training that can help you unlock untapped talent in your community.
You’ll hear from a dynamic panel of community leaders from Syracuse, NY, including Sheena Solomon (Executive Director, The Gifford Foundation), Melanie Littlejohn (President & CEO, Central New York Community Foundation), and Maithreyee Dubé (Board Member, The Gifford Foundation), as they share their experiences developing board leadership programs that uplift voices, expand representation, and strengthen organizational impact.
During this session, you will:
- Understand what makes an effective board—and how to identify and fill the roles your board needs most
- Learn why diverse, community-rooted boards lead to more resilient, innovative organizations
- Hear real-world lessons from a board leadership initiative called Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders that has been successfully replicated
- Assess your organization’s readiness to invest in board development and community-based leadership
Whether you’re a nonprofit leader, a community foundation, or a community outreach advocate, this conversation will provide tools and insights to cultivate strong boards and empower local leaders.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a growing movement to nourish dynamic community leaders!
Meet the Speakers
Sheena Solomon
Executive Director, The Gifford Foundation
Sheena Solomon joined the Gifford Foundation team in 2007 and was named Executive Director in January 2019. Her prior work at the foundation was primarily focused on expanding its community impact initiatives, as well as working with the grants management team. She has been instrumental in the design and planning of Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders, a leadership development training that focuses on increasing the diversity and inclusiveness of nonprofit boards. Learn more.
Melanie Littlejohn
President and CEO, CNYCF
Melanie Littlejohn is the President and CEO of the Central New York Community Foundation (CNYCF), the Syracuse area’s biggest charitable foundation. Established in 1927, CNYCF receives contributions from donors, manages them to grow over time, and then distributes funding to address the region’s greatest needs. In her role as President and CEO, Littlejohn is focused on utilizing CNYCF’s nearly $400 million in assets to address the region’s major issues, including child poverty, racial equity, education, and workforce development. Littlejohn has a long history of community advocacy and volunteer efforts in Syracuse, and has served as a board member at organizations as diverse as the Boys & Girls Clubs and CenterState CEO. Learn more.
Maithreyee (Mai) Dubé
Director of Administration to the Chief of the Staff, Syracuse University Chancellor’s Office & Gifford Foundation Board Member
Maithreyee Dubé, a 2018 graduate of Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders, serves as an advisory member on The Gifford Foundation Board of Directors. She is among the six Gifford board members (out of 15) who have completed the program. She has worked at Syracuse University in various roles for over 13 years and currently serves as the Director of Administration to the Chief of the Staff in the Chancellor’s Office. Dubé also runs a leadership coaching business (Lasting Leaders, LLC), where she incorporates her passion for bringing out the best in others into her work with military-connected entrepreneurs. It is in this capacity that she facilitates the training and discussion for Gifford’s NTL session on “Conflict Resolution and Collaboration.” Learn more.
Where can I learn more about NTL and the NTL Toolkit?
A full overview of Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders can be found here:
giffordfoundation.org/support/ntl
Learn about the NTL program toolkit and package options here:
https://giffordfoundation.org/ntl-packages
