Lead for Good

What happens when a nonprofit founder, a school superintendent, a police lieutenant, and a retired Army colonel walk into a podcast?

It sounds like the beginning of a joke. Instead, it became a powerful conversation about what can happen when leaders from very different worlds come together around a shared purpose.

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Julie Hudash, Founder and CEO of Team Kids, along with t...

What really happens when you become a nonprofit CEO for the first time?

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with David Nungaray, President and CEO of the California Council on Economic Education, for a candid conversation about David’s first 100 days in the CEO seat.

David stepped into the role ready to hit the ground running. He l...

Lead for Good with Lisa Wood | Why the Best Nonprofit CEOs Lead Through Relationships

What if one of the greatest competitive advantages a nonprofit CEO can have isn't strategy, operations, or even fundraising?

What if it's relationships?

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Lisa Wood, CEO of Casa Teresa, to ...

From borrowing $50 and selling Rice Krispie bars at quarterly bake sales to leading a nonprofit organization that now generates more than $1 million annually through a single auction event, Billy Henry shares one of the most inspiring grassroots nonprofit growth stories you will hear.

In this episode of Lead for Good, Billy reflects on founding the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes at just 15 years old while navigating life ...

Cybersecurity is no longer a side conversation for nonprofit organizations. It is a core leadership and governance responsibility.

In this episode of The Nonprofit Edge Podcast, Chris Looney sits down with Jeff Steadman of RSM for a practical and timely discussion on fiduciary duty in the digital age.

Together, they explore why nonprofit leaders and boards m...

Leadership is not something you take. It’s something you give.

In this powerful episode of Lead for Good, we sit down with Edward Amey for a deeply practical and inspiring conversation about how nonprofit leaders can build genuine loyalty within their organizations in ways that develop future leaders, reduce turnover, and dramatically strengthen mission outcomes.

Edward shares his remarkable personal leadership journey, inclu...

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Ronnetta Johnson for a thoughtful and deeply relevant conversation about leading teams through emotionally heavy work while sustaining personal resilience as a leader. Drawing from more than three decades of nonprofit leadership and her experience leading Waymakers, Ronnetta shares practical wisdom on how leaders can support their teams with empathy without sacrificing a...

Lead for Good Podcast | John Kobara: Getting Unstuck, Rediscovering Purpose, and Leading with Proximity

What does it really mean to feel stuck as a leader and more importantly, how do you move forward with clarity, energy, and purpose?

In this powerful episode of Lead for Good, host Chris Looney sits down with longtime nonprofit leader and thought partner John Kobara for a deeply reflective and practical conversation on what it tak...

Lead for Good with Burgandie Kuuipo Onekea Episode Title: Confusion Is Expensive: The Leadership Discipline of Clarity

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Burgandie Kuuipo Onekea, Chief Regional Officer and Executive Director of Junior Achievement of Southern California, for a candid and deeply practical conversation about one of the most underused leadership advantages in the nonprofit sector: clarity.

Wi...

Every leader will face a moment when the ground shifts.

A financial shortfall. A reputational threat. An external shock no one saw coming.

The question is never if a crisis will come. It is how you will lead when it does.

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Tom West, Executive Director of Atlanta Ballet, to explore what it truly means to manage through crisis when the stakes are real and the responsibility...

Can two CEOs really lead one of the most complex nonprofits in the country?

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Steve Delgado, Co-CEO of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention and re-entry organization in the world.

With 10,000 people walking through their doors each year, 16 social enterprises, 300 staff members, and a powerful mission rooted in radical kinship, Homeboy Industries is no small o...

Leadership Is Not Meant to Be Lonely with Robin Sinclair

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney welcomes Robin Sinclair, Executive Director of the Fieldstone Leadership Network, for a powerful conversation about camaraderie and connection in nonprofit leadership.

Robin reflects on:

• The moment she was told to “get your running shoes on” and step into leadership

• Leading during the Great Recession and learn...

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney interviews Art Groeneveld, CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley, about culture, values, and leadership growth.

After years of investing in staff development and rebuilding post COVID, BGCHV formalized a new organizational values framework developed by its management team. Art explains how the organization identified four cultural pillars, engaged staff through a values exer...

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney speaks with Jennifer Wise, Vice President for Regional Development in the Southeast for the National MS Society. Jennifer brings more than twenty years of experience in fundraising, volunteer leadership, and organizational development, and she shares a thoughtful look at what it takes to build strong boards and activate them in meaningful ways.

Jennifer begins by reflecting on her lead...

What does it look like to truly invest in people as a leader?

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with Christy Ward, CEO of Share Ourselves, for a thoughtful conversation about one of the most important responsibilities of leadership: helping people grow, develop, and find the roles where they can truly thrive.

Christy shares her own leadership journey and the mentors who helped her see potential in herself tha...

What does it take to lead a creative organization where artistry, business discipline, and community impact must all coexist?

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney is joined by Lacey Huszcza, President and CEO of the Richmond Symphony, for a thoughtful and practical conversation on leading creative teams. Drawing from her experience as both a musician and nonprofit executive, Lacey shares how effective leadership in the ar...

In this episode of Lead for Good, nonprofit strategist and executive coach Nancy Batterman shares a rich set of lessons shaped by more than three decades as a CEO and six years of coaching leaders across the sector. Nancy reflects on her early journey in special education, her unexpected rise to leading a large nonprofit organization, and the mentors who shaped her approach to leadership. She emphasizes how confidence, curiosity, a...

Leadership is not about having all the answers. It's about creating clarity, listening well, and building trust that endures through both success and crisis.

In this episode of Lead for Good, Chris Looney sits down with John Kozyra, President & CEO of Avera St. Anthony's Hospital in Nebraska, for a thoughtful conversation on what it means to lead with vision while remaining deep...

What happens when a nonprofit leader takes a growing organization, applies business discipline without sacrificing mission, and creates extraordinary clarity across the entire team?

In this episode of Lead for Good, I sit down with Erin Rank, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, to explore how her organization used the Entrepreneurial Operating Syst...