A Letter from Our President

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back. - Dr. Maya Angelou

As we close our 2013-14 fiscal year, we have much to celebrate. AABLI's pioneering work, for example, has attracted outstanding African American professionals to its leadership programs. We've also welcomed committed member organizations (organizations seeking qualified board members).

But there's more. We are forging a distinctive AABLI signature with programs, workshops and seminars that empower leaders who will, as board members, enhance the quality of life for communities in California and beyond.

And in just two and a half years, AABLI has conducted five major leadership programs and seven workshops/seminars, certified 157 board leaders, accepted 87 nonprofit organizations as members and assisted with more than 40 board placements and eight commission appointments.

The challenge is to keep improving. We're brainstorming ideas on how to make our communications even more timely, relevant, interesting, and useful for all AABLI alumni, member organizations, partners, donors and friends. In the next few months, we'll be exploring new ways to improve our website resources, social media presence and alumni networking opportunities.

The extraordinary work of the board of directors, committee members and staff make it possible for AABLI to move forward. As our program associate, Ashley Blakeney has been a key role player in all we have done. Ashley soon will head for the East Coast to experience another chapter in her career, so even as we congratulate her and wish her great success, we find it difficult to bid her farewell. We will miss her strong work ethic, her input (especially in a draw) and her delightful spirit.

All the best,

Yvette Chappell-Ingram

President & CEO

Farewell, AABLI Family!

At the start of September, I will be moving to the East Coast to focus on my photography work and prepare for graduate school. Thank you all for the support and encouragement you have provided throughout my time at AABLI! I have learned a great deal from my incredible staff members, from our incomparable board and from the hard working professionals who participate in our programs. Thank you all for the constant inspiration to reach higher!

If you would like to stay connected and see where my next journey takes me, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and visit my photography website: ashleyblakeney.com. I hope you have enjoyed receiving our email blasts as much as I enjoy making them!

--Ashley Blakeney

Last Call! Register Now:

"Pathways to Corporate Boards"

Only One Week Remains to Register!

Only One Week Remains to Register!

Interested in learning how to make yourself a credible candidate for a corporate board seat? Many professionals think about serving on a corporate board, but election to one is no simple matter.

* Is it best to first serve on a nonprofit board?

* Should I expand my network?

* Must I send my CV to a search firm?

The answer could be none or all of the above. Experienced corporate board leaders at the "Pathways to Corporate Boards" workshop will demonstrate how to chart your course.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

8:00 AM - 10:30 AM

The California Endowment

Room: Yosemite B

Click here to register.

$40 - Member Rate

$75 - Non-Member Rate

Recap: AABLI's Recent Workshops

"Understanding Non-Profit Budgets and Business Plans"

In June, AABLI hosted the finance workshop, "Understanding Nonprofit Budgets and Business Plans." Taught by Paul Hudson, the workshop covered how budgets and business plans are created, what to look for in these documents, and why they are useful tools in managing an organization.

"CA State Boards and Commissions"

In July, Michael Martinez, Deputy Appointments Secretary in the Office of Governor Jerry Brown, shared information with AABLI participants about the application process, the interview process and the vetting of potential candidates seeking State Board and Commission appointments. AABLI alum George Davis offered his own candid insights and vital information about service on State Boards and Commissions.

Placements


Sheri Betts President & Executive Coach at Maximum Impact was elected to serve on the Board of the Bloom Again Foundation.	Sierra Smith External Relations Manager at Antioch University was elected to serve on the Board of Economic Resources Corporation.


Karen Peterkin Producer at Karen Peterkin Consulting was elected to serve on the Board of the Alcoholism Center for Women.	Camille Donnell Best Start Communities Program Resources Manager at First 5 LA was elected to serve on the YMCA Early Childhood Education Board of Managers.


Charles Alexander, Ph.D. Associate Vice Provost for Student Diversity, Director, Academic Advancement Program, Associate Adjunct Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) was elected to serve on board of Friends of Jazz at UCLA.	Ebony Lewis Residency Program Administrator at Kaiser Permanente was elected to serve on the Junior Board of Imagine L.A.


Delise Tanks Assistant Vice President, Finance at ExEd was elected to serve on the board of Great Beginnings for Black Babies.	Yvette Chappell-Ingram President of The African American Board Leadership Institute was elected to serve on the board of the Special Needs Network.

Spotlights

Member Organization Spotlight

Starlight Children's Foundation partners with experts to improve the life and health of kids and families around the world. Starlight originally launched as a wish granting organization and rapidly expanded its services to include an extensive menu of unique, groundbreaking and trendsetting family-centered programs. Starlight has maintained its leadership in helping families with hospitalized children cope with the challenges of a medical journey through programs such as Starbright World, the first-ever online social network for teens with chronic and life-threatening medical conditions and their siblings, and the newly debuted Starlight Wish Lists, a cutting edge technology platform that enables donors to fill specific unmet hospital needs directly and efficiently. For more than 30 years, Starlight has been a leading global charity improving the life and health of kids and families. Starlight partners with experts and innovators in healthcare, entertainment and technology to create a unique blend of family-centered services from hospital to home. Today, Starlight partners with more than 1,750 healthcare facilities and major pediatric hospitals around the world, serving millions of children every year.

Board Member Spotlight

Reveta Bowers is Head of School for The Center for Early Education. A leader in her community and in the field of education, Bowers currently serves on the Board of Governors of the UCLA Health Care Systems, Common Sense Media and Fedco Corporation Foundation. Bowers has served as a member of the Klingenstein Center Advisory Council at Columbia University, was an outside director of The Walt Disney Company, and is past President of the Fulfillment Fund and the California Community Foundation boards?. A partial list of her other past board memberships includes The Educational Records Bureau (ERB), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS), Harvard Westlake School, Brentwood School, and Windward School. After earning her degree in Humanities from the University of Southern California, she continued her graduate work, completing a master's degree in Developmental Psychology and three California teaching credentials.

"Building a Forward Looking Board"

Article by Christian Casal and Christian Caspar for Mckinsey Quarterly

Debate over the role of company boards

invariably intensifies when things go wrong on a grand scale, as has happened in recent years. Many of the companies whose corpses litter the industrial and financial landscape were undermined by negligent, overoptimistic, or ill-informed boards prior to the financial crisis and the ensuing deep recession. Not surprisingly, there's been a renewed focus on improved corporate governance: better structures, more rigorous checks and balances, and greater independence by nonexecutives, for example... click here to continue reading.

Organizational Opportunities

Apply now for the 2015 Wells Fargo Executive Directors Leadership Institute

Executive Service Corps's Wells Fargo Executive Directors Leadership Institute (EDLI) combines interactive seminars, a supportive peer network, and a full year of individualized coaching to help you develop your leadership skills and bring your nonprofit to new levels of success!

The application deadline is Friday, October 3. Onsite interviews will be conducted at applicants' offices during the month of October. Applicants will be notified of admission and matched with their coaches in November and December.

Only this one-of-a-kind leadership development program specifically designed for nonprofit executive directors offers: