The Board Pro

The Board Pro We believe that successful organizations are led by leaders who will transform the world. We coach

This smile says it all. ❤️Children connect with Mac and Cheez because the story helps them understand something importan...
06/05/2026

This smile says it all. ❤️

Children connect with Mac and Cheez because the story helps them understand something important:

Different doesn't mean wrong.
Different means unique.
Different means God was creative.

Grab your summer reading copy today.

📚 Available on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737588676
📚 Available through my publisher, https://www.littlebuttonz.com/
📚 Signed copies available directly from me, DM me

Summer is here ☀️Calendars get lighter.People take vacations.Meetings slow down.And honestly? Good.Rest matters.But this...
06/04/2026

Summer is here ☀️

Calendars get lighter.
People take vacations.
Meetings slow down.

And honestly? Good.

Rest matters.

But this season also reveals a lot about board culture.

Who stays engaged?
Who communicates consistently?
Who takes ownership?
Who disappears completely?

Strong boards don’t have to operate at full speed during the summer.
But they do stay connected.

The organizations that maintain communication and relationships now are usually much more prepared for fall fundraising, recruitment, and strategic planning season.

Leadership doesn’t pause.
It shifts intentionally.

Learn more about my services at www.theboardpro.com

As nonprofit leaders, we spend a lot of time talking about belonging in our boardrooms, workplaces, and communities.But ...
06/02/2026

As nonprofit leaders, we spend a lot of time talking about belonging in our boardrooms, workplaces, and communities.

But what if belonging starts much earlier?

What if it starts on the playground?

My children's book, Mac and Cheez: Being Different Is Okay, was inspired by the same values that guide my work through The Board Pro: inclusion, acceptance, empathy, and creating spaces where everyone feels they belong.

The way children learn to treat people who are different from them today shapes the leaders, board members, volunteers, and community members they become tomorrow.

This summer, I hope you'll consider sharing this story with a child in your life.

📚 Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1737588676

📚 Available through my publisher: https://www.littlebuttonz.com/

📚 Want a signed copy? Send me a DM!

My goal is to sell 100 books this summer. Thank you for helping me spread a message that is at the heart of everything I do:

Being different is okay. Everyone deserves to belong. ❤️

One thing I know for sure:A nonprofit can have a strong mission, committed staff, and passionate board members… and stil...
05/28/2026

One thing I know for sure:

A nonprofit can have a strong mission, committed staff, and passionate board members… and still struggle because the board-CEO relationship is unhealthy.

Too many organizations operate in cycles of:

• unclear expectations

• micromanagement

• silence instead of honest communication

• fractured trust

• and power dynamics nobody wants to address

That’s why this conversation from The Board Shake-Up Podcast still matters deeply.

In this episode, Rachel L. Castillo and Carla Lavender shared powerful insights about what it takes to build a healthier, more aligned relationship between nonprofit leadership and boards.

One quote that stayed with me:

“How can we service them if we don’t reflect them?”

That question challenges boards and leadership teams to think beyond governance checklists and toward culture, representation, trust, and accountability.

As my work evolves toward deeper partnerships with boards and CEOs, I keep coming back to this truth:

Healthy governance is human work.

If you’re a nonprofit leader, board member, or fundraiser navigating board dynamics right now, I think this episode will resonate with you.

🎙 Listen here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/07QokM5eaBopcUzuTQ7pby?si=26lXICvQQZauIWvlvNP7nw

Before I was The Board Pro, I was simply someone who wanted to help people.I’m a native New Yorker, adoptive mom, Yorkie...
05/26/2026

Before I was The Board Pro, I was simply someone who wanted to help people.

I’m a native New Yorker, adoptive mom, Yorkie poo owner, Leo born in August, breakfast lover, eldest sibling, and a proud “put me out in front” Type A personality. 😂

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to help people. I thought I’d become a teacher, social worker, or pastor. Instead, I found a way to support not only individuals, but entire communities and ecosystems through my work as The Board Pro.

For nearly 7 years, I’ve had the honor of supporting nonprofit CEOs, executive directors, and board members across the country. Together, we work through leadership, governance, fundraising, engagement, communication, accountability, and all the very human dynamics that shape nonprofit organizations.

And lately, I’ve realized something:
This work cannot always be “one and done.”

Real board transformation takes time.
It takes trust.
It takes listening.
It takes honest conversations.
And it takes action.

So, while I’m still teaching, facilitating, coaching, and learning, my work is evolving.

I’m shifting more intentionally toward long-term partnerships with boards and CEOs who are ready to do meaningful governance work that actually lasts.

That process often starts with:
• a diagnostic
• a 60-minute listening session
• an assessment
• and then a deeper engagement rooted in strategy, accountability, and relationship building

I’m also building something new that I’m incredibly excited about:
A certification program for board leadership and a book focused on boards, belonging, and building healthier leadership cultures.

This next season of my work feels more aligned, more intentional, and more impactful than ever before.

Still governance.
Still people-centered.
Still heart work.
Just deeper.

Thank you to everyone who has trusted me, referred me, challenged me, learned with me, and grown alongside me over these years.

I’m excited and ready to evolve.

And you’re invited to join me on this new journey. Learn more at www.theboardpro.com.










"Take Your Seat" was created to help Black women and Women of Color feel more confident, prepared, and empowered to lead...
05/24/2026

"Take Your Seat" was created to help Black women and Women of Color feel more confident, prepared, and empowered to lead in nonprofit boardrooms.

Hearing feedback like this reminds me why this work matters so much.

“Participating in Take Your Seat was more than a training. It was a sacred space created specifically for Women of Color to learn, grow, and feel seen.

The training deepened my understanding of board service while strengthening my confidence in how I can contribute meaningfully to mission driven organizations.

I’m incredibly grateful to Christal Cherry and the sponsors who made this opportunity accessible.”
— DeShantis Huff

Thank you to everyone who helped make this experience possible. 💛

Thank YOU DeShantis!

Honored to have my recent reflection on belonging on boards featured in Train Your Board’s newsletter today.Big thanks t...
05/15/2026

Honored to have my recent reflection on belonging on boards featured in Train Your Board’s newsletter today.

Big thanks to Andy Robinson for creating space for this conversation and for continuing to challenge nonprofit boards to think deeper about culture, leadership, and what real inclusion actually looks like in practice.

That’s the heartbeat behind my upcoming book, No More Folding Chairs.

If you’ve ever sat in a boardroom where people were invited into leadership but still felt like outsiders, this one is for you.

Read here:

https://trainyourboard.com/why-belonging-is-the-core-work-of-boards-not-the-extra-stuff/















Everybody keeps saying their board members are disengaged.But I don’t think disengagement is the real problem.I think ma...
05/13/2026

Everybody keeps saying their board members are disengaged.

But I don’t think disengagement is the real problem.
I think many boards are operating without:
👉🏾 clear expectations
👉🏾 accountability
👉🏾 healthy communication
👉🏾 shared ownership
👉🏾 and a real understanding of what governance actually means

So, what happens?

The whole board is frustrated.
Meetings are boring.
Fundraising is not happening.
Joan and Bob are doing all the work.
Kevin is asleep at the wheel.
And Tina, the ED is overwhelmed

And the good news?

Those things can be fixed.

If your board feels stuck, disconnected, overwhelmed, or confused about its role, let’s talk.

https://www.theboardpro.com/contact

Send me a message with the word RESET and I’ll share next steps for assessing what’s really happening inside your boardroom.

https://www.theboardpro.com/contact

Is your nonprofit board exhausted? 😮‍💨People are juggling work, caregiving, family responsibilities, stress, and volunte...
05/13/2026

Is your nonprofit board exhausted? 😮‍💨

People are juggling work, caregiving, family responsibilities, stress, and volunteer leadership all at once. Then they walk into board meetings that feel tense, confusing, draining, or disconnected.

That catches up with people over time.

For Mental Health Awareness Month, I wrote a blog about healthy board culture and why strong governance is also about creating environments where people can lead, contribute, ask questions, and stay connected to the mission without burning out.

One thing I know for sure:

Healthy boards require intention and care. Take a read and let me know what resonates with you.

Read my blog:

https://www.theboardpro.com/post/healthy-boards-don-t-burn-people-out

Last week in Fargo, I spoke at the WellTold Conference about something I believe nonprofit boards desperately need more ...
05/07/2026

Last week in Fargo, I spoke at the WellTold Conference about something I believe nonprofit boards desperately need more of: story.

Not performative storytelling.

Not trauma storytelling.

Human storytelling that helps boards lead, fundraise, connect, and make better decisions.

Because boards don’t fund spreadsheets. They fund stories they understand.

I pulled together a few reflections from the session in my latest article. I’d love to hear what resonated with you.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/boards-dont-fund-spreadsheets-stories-christal-m-cherry-0axle/











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