Governance can sometimes feel like a bore or a chore, yet can be at the root of some of the most common challenges private foundations face as they try to make a difference. These can include confusion about basic roles and responsibilities, disempowerment in decision making, tense power dynamics, and board composition and succession issues. This session will explore the things that private foundation boards MUST do, but also the things they can CHOOSE to do to make board service and the engagement of family members, colleagues, or employees more meaningful, and the work of the foundation more inclusive and impactful.
The session is geared towards family members, individuals, and company employees who serve as board directors of private foundations, professional staff of private foundations, and advisors to generous families.
About Dr. Sharilyn Hale, C.Dir, MFA-P
Dr. Sharilyn Hale helps those who give, give well. She works with leading philanthropists, generous families, and charitable organizations internationally to unearth and achieve their philanthropic goals, and deepen their performance. With a career spanning the philanthropic sector, she draws on expertise in strategy, governance, family engagement, and organizational development.
Author and educator, Sharilyn’s doctoral research focused on governance and family philanthropy in Canada, shedding new light on how families approach giving together. She was among a group of leaders to initiate Canada’s first graduate degree program in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership at Carleton University, where she is a member of the Advisory Council; and she serves as Vice Chair of the Toronto Public Library Foundation.
Sharilyn is a Chartered Director, a BoardSource governance advisor and trainer, an advisor with 21/64 to support multi-generational family philanthropy, and holds the Master Financial Advisor – Philanthropy (MFA-P) credential.