The Executive Certificate program exceeded my expectations. The balance between leadership development and practical application was well executed.
The Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership is a comprehensive program that offers experienced nonprofit professionals the opportunity to increase their capacity for effective entrepreneurial leadership through applied theoretical studies, executive skills training, and reflective practices in an interactive learning environment. Through this innovative curriculum, participants will:
As result of their participation, graduates will be better able to:
Graduates of the Executive Certificate program will return home equipped with the knowledge, skills, and inspiration to manage in fast-paced, resource-constrained, mission-driven environments that characterize today’s nonprofit sector.
For those who have earned the Certificate in Nonprofit Management and are ready to advance their skills with our Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, we are pleased to offer an $800 scholarship that is automatically applied upon admission.
The Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership program was created in direct response from senior nonprofit managers, board members, and many of the over 2,000 graduates of Duke University’s Certificate in Nonprofit Management program. Composed of nationally known experts from Duke University and leading practitioners, our faculty provides interactive instruction, practical resources, and targeted feedback to enhance and expand participants’ skills in entrepreneurial nonprofit leadership.
Mary Sherk, Associate Director, Duke Nonprofit Management Program, mary.sherk@duke.edu
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Following a welcome by program leaders, introductions, and an onboarding activity, we will discuss participants' expectations for the 2025 Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and identify norms and standards for our learning community. We will conclude with an overview of the curriculum.
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
In this session, we will engage in a lively discussion of what leadership means for each of us. Together, we will examine the special challenges of leadership in the nonprofit sector. Finally, we will share the leadership development goals that each of us bring to the Executive Certificate program.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Nonprofits occupy a unique position in the organizational landscape of the U.S. To be a successful nonprofit leader, a strong understanding of the origin story behind the social sector and how it is evolving in the 21st century is vital. Although many of the fundamental principles and practices of effective leadership apply across all sectors and forms of organization, nonprofit leaders face a distinctive set of opportunities and challenges in comparison with their counterparts in the business and government sectors. Moreover, recent research reveals a set of promising practices for high-impact, high-performance nonprofits.
Key Learning Objectives:
Emma Browning, MBA; Founder & Managing Director – Paradox Consulting Partners, ebrowning@paradoxcp.com
Each of us has a unique combination of leadership characteristics and traits, as well as the capability to practice and apply new strategies and tools. No two leaders are exactly the same. This session begins with building self-awareness about our particular leadership strengths, dispositional qualities, and tendencies for responding to situations and challenges through a customized leadership self-assessment. Then we'll explore ways to leverage our individual leadership assets and manage our potential blind spots or shortcomings. We will explore how to assess the type of leadership an organization or team needs at a point in time and learn ways to respond to those needs while staying aligned with our leadership profile and strengths.
Key Learning Objectives:
Julie Kosey, MS, MCC, CMT, NBC-HWC, RYT; Owner - Integrated Mindful Solutions, LLC, julie.kosey@gmail.com
Mindfulness makes you more productive. The secret to productivity lies in learning how to work skillfully with yourself and others to create positive organizational outcomes. The benefits of regular mindfulness practice include feeling calmer, being more open, and learning how to reduce distractions so your mind is more focused and clearer. In addition, regular mindfulness practice develops greater self-awareness and stronger relationships. Learn how powerful pauses throughout your workday help focus your time and energy as a leader and make space for powerful conversations that get results. Discover how intentionally slowing down enables you to go faster.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Mary Sherk and Suzanne Smith
Gabriela Norton, SPHR, MBA; CEO - People Performance Resources, gnorton@pprhr.com
An immersive journey into the forefront of HR trends. In this presentation, we will delve into four critical topics shaping the modern workplace: 1) understanding the signs and solutions for burnout, 2) the importance of establishing succession planning as part of healthy mission continuity, 3) learning the latest in compliance.
Key Learning Objectives:
Gabriela Norton, SPHR, MBA; CEO - People Performance Resources, gnorton@pprhr.com
In this presentation, we will discuss key topics, including navigating the complexities of fast-moving, constantly changing strategic initiatives and the price your culture may be paying for this; the criticality of employee well-being; addressing the diversity word with intention; and uncovering the keys to elevating employee experience and engagement. You'll gain actionable insights that empower you to navigate these transformative challenges effectively.
Key Learning Objectives:
Moderator:
Suzanne Smith
Now that there are four different generations in the nonprofit workplace, it is imperative for leaders to cultivate those who will succeed them. In this session, a panel of emerging leaders will engage the participants in a dialogue on the motivations, ways of working, and aspirations of the rising generations.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA – Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
The overall landscape of nonprofit governance has changed with regulators, stakeholders, and the public demanding increased accountability to ensure that nonprofit organizations achieve results. To be successful, a nonprofit organization requires strong leadership from its board of directors in close partnership with the organization's senior leaders. In this session, we will consider how to forge effective relationships, given the asymmetries in the knowledge, information, and incentives among these groups. We will also discuss how to increase board member commitment to the mission of your organization and how boards must be active and engaged to fulfill their legal and governance duties.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Nonprofit organizations are navigating tectonic shifts in the social sector that require new skills and strategies to create long-term impact. The complicated challenges facing contemporary nonprofit organizations demand a dynamic brand of leadership. An entrepreneurial outlook can help to transform the culture of nonprofits by meaningfully engaging the abilities, talents, and passions of board, staff, and supporters.
Key Learning Objectives:
Erin L. Worsham - Executive Director, Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, erin.worsham@duke.edu
Innovation is a term that seems to be popping up everywhere – RFPs, mission statements, job descriptions, websites, and more. But is it a powerful tool or a passing fad? Learn how effective impact leaders can leverage innovation to drive greater impact.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
In the face of increasing competition for limited and volatile philanthropic funding, many nonprofits are turning to earned income ventures as a potential alternative to traditional nonprofit fundraising strategies. While this can create a sustainable stream of unrestricted revenue, there are inherent risks as well.
Key Learning Objectives:
Moderator:
Suzanne Smith
A panel of nonprofit social entrepreneurs will engage participants in a lively conversation and dialogue on the opportunities and challenges of social enterprise, including the strategy, operations, and culture.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Mary Sherk and Suzanne Smith
Thomas A. Kelley, JD; James Dickson Phillips, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of the UNC School of Law Institute for Innovation, takelley@email.unc.edu
Nonprofit leaders must manage the affairs of their nonprofit corporation in an evolving legal landscape. As nonprofits become more entrepreneurial and explore M&A, they need to be mindful of legal and regulatory regimes that were designed for an earlier era. In this session, participants will have an opportunity to discuss these and other burning questions with an expert in nonprofit law.
Key Learning Objectives:
Ashley Smith; STEM Learning Technology Analyst – Duke Learning Innovation & Lifetime Education, ashley.smith@duke.edu
This session will equip participants with practical strategies for leveraging generative AI to streamline workflows, improve communication, and increase organizational capacity. From drafting donor communications to summarizing meeting notes and generating visuals for reports, AI can become a powerful partner in advancing your mission.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Collaboration is not new to the nonprofit sector, but there is new research on how to make it truly work for your nonprofit. Whether you call it a collaboration, a coalition, or collective impact, this session will share tips and templates to ensure your collaborative work is productive, including how to best structure meetings, build trust using charters and ground rules, and measure your existing collaborative efforts. We'll also discuss how to take your collaborative efforts to the next level through honest conversations on building trust, creating meaningful value for all partners, and managing conflict and power structures.
Key Learning Objectives:
Suzanne Smith, MBA; Founder & CEO - Social Impact Architects, suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com
Mary Sherk and Suzanne Smith
Erin L. Worsham - Executive Director, Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, erin.worsham@duke.edu
Scale is often seen as the "holy grail" for nonprofit organizations, but what does that mean in practice and how can you achieve it? In this session, we will build on years of research and lessons learned from nonprofits to discuss best practices for creating sustainable impact in the communities that we serve.
Key Learning Objectives:
Moderator:
Suzanne Smith
A panel of past alumni of this program will share their lessons learned after they went back to their organizations and began to implement change. It will be a lively discussion geared toward their advice on how to best navigate the change ahead.
Key Learning Objectives:
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM The One Leadership Skill No Nonprofit Can Succeed Without: How to Build Trust
Dr. Yoram Solomon, PhD – Author of The Book of Trust and Can I Trust You? Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship, SMU Cox School of Business, and global authority on trust-building in leadership, organizations, and communities. yoram@yoramsolomon.com
In nonprofits, leadership success is not measured by authority but by the trust you inspire in others—your staff, board, donors, volunteers, and community. Trust is the foundation that makes collaboration possible, drives resourcefulness, and sustains mission impact even in times of chaos and constraint.
This interactive session will explore the principles and practices of trust-based leadership, giving you both the mindset and the tools to strengthen your influence and your organization.
Participants will discover how to:
Key Learning Objective: Gain the knowledge and practical tools to become the leader your people—and your community—choose to trust and follow.
Mary Sherk & Suzanne Smith
In this session, we will bring closure to the Virtual Duke Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership program by reviewing and discussing the key themes of the week. We will also share their top professional leadership development and organizational goals that each participant will commit to pursuing in the months ahead.
*Schedule is subject to change
Participants will complete the Executive Certificate in five consecutive days – October 6-10, 2025. The Executive Certificate is a 50-hour program that meets Monday-Friday. The program will be held as a series of live interactive classes via Zoom. Participants must attend all sessions to earn the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership.
Individuals who apply and are accepted into the Executive Certificate will participate in its comprehensive program that offers experienced nonprofit professionals the opportunity to increase their capacity for effective entrepreneurial leadership through applied theoretical studies, executive skills training, and reflective practices in an interactive learning environment.
The Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership is designed to deliver high impact training for seasoned nonprofit professionals whose leadership transforms organizations, communities and lives.
Applications for the 2025 program will be accepted beginning January 13, 2025.
In addition to completing the online application, you will need to upload the following documents:
Browning, Emma, MBA, ebrowning@paradoxcp.com, is a management consultant, business leader, and social entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in organization design, team effectiveness, and people strategy. She is currently Managing Director at Paradox Consulting Partners, a management consulting company and Certified B Corporation that aligns talent strategy with business strategy to create high-performing, great places for all to work. Prior to founding Paradox, she spent almost a decade with a national HR consulting firm. She has advised hundreds of clients including multiple Fortune 100 and 500 companies, large health systems, universities, and international NGOs. Prior to business school, she worked in the nonprofit sector in Washington, D.C., leading communications for a community-based arts organization and developing earned income business strategies. She is a frequent speaker on topics including organization productivity and equitable design. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards in the areas of education, business, and the arts. She has her MBA with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and BA from Wake Forest University.
Kelley, Thomas, JD,takelley@email.unc.edu, joined the Carolina Law faculty in 1999. He serves as the James Dickson Phillips Distinguished Professor of Law, and is the Director of the UNC School of Law Community Development Law Clinic. His teaching and research interests include nonprofit organizations (with an emphasis on nonprofit social entrepreneurship) and international law (with an emphasis on Africa). His scholarly work has appeared in such publications as the Fordham and Tulane Law Reviews, Global Jurist, and the American Journal of Comparative Law. His article, “Unintended Consequences of Legal Westernization in Niger: Harming Contemporary Slaves by Reconceptualizing Property,” won Carolina Law’s 2009 Chadbourn Award for outstanding scholarship. In 2003-2004, Kelley was a Fulbright Scholar and visiting professor at Abdou Moumouni University (University of Niamey) in Niger. He has also served as a visiting lecturer at Universite Jean Moulin 3 in Lyon France and visiting academic at University of Cape Town in South Africa. During the summers of 2013 and 2015, he led summer study abroad programs in Rwanda and The Hague, focusing on genocide, human rights, and international criminal law.
Dr. Kelley earned a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law. Before attending law school, he served as United States Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Niger. After law school, he clerked for James Dickson Phillips on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, then practiced law at Foley, Hoag & Eliot in Boston.
Kosey, Julie, MS, MCC, CMT, NBC-HWC, RYT, julie.kosey@gmail.com, is a Master Certified Coach (ICF) and Certified Mindfulness Teacher (IMTA). She is the owner of Integrated Mindful Solutions, LLC, which specializes in coaching leaders and teams to peak performance by leveraging mindfulness. Her experience with leaders in nonprofit organizations spans more than 30 years.
Norton, Gabriela, SPHR, MBA, gnorton@pprhr.com, established People Performance Resources (PPR) as a full-service Human Resources consulting firm in 2010, focusing on excellence and dedication to the nonprofit business sector. Gabriela has over 20 years of subject matter expertise in human capital. She is a passionate and strategic professional who, together with her team, delivers best practices in high-level decision-making, culture alignment, bilingual/bicultural expertise, board governance support, CEO succession planning, human capital analysis, executive placements, operational change management, and more. Gabriela holds an Executive MBA from The University of Texas at Dallas, is an active Society for Human Resources Management member, and supports several local and national causes that empower low-income communities, women’s causes, children at risk, and conservation efforts. She also serves on local (Dallas area) and national boards.
Sherk, Mary, mary.sherk@duke.edu, Associate Director of the Duke Nonprofit Management Program. Mary has 25+ years of hands-on training and experience in the nonprofit and private sectors.
Smith, Ashley C., ashley.smith@duke.edu, is a STEM Learning Technology Analyst with the Learning Technology Services and Strategy team at Duke’s Learning Innovation and Lifetime Education. She supports the teaching and learning mission of Duke University by providing technical support, service management, and functional leadership of STEM-focused learning technologies, including AI. With over 1,000 attendees participating in her AI sessions, Ashley has presented to the American Academy of Neurology, Science Communicators of NC, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke Health Education Grand Rounds, Duke Divinity, and Duke at large. Ashley's work is characterized by a commitment to leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences.
Ashley first developed her passion for education as an elementary school educator, where she gained valuable classroom experience before transitioning to higher education, taking on instructional, support, and advisory roles at various institutions.
Ashley earned a master's degree in Instructional Technology Education from East Carolina University and is currently working towards a doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Illinois State University. Follow and connect with Ashley on LinkedIn.
Smith, Suzanne, MBA, Suzanne@socialimpactarchitects.com, serves as a coach and consultant for social organizations seeking to maximize the impact of their social strategies and achieve real, measurable results. For nearly three decades, she has generated innovative and breakthrough social ideas. With deep national social sector expertise, she has been widely recognized for her success in building and implementing award-winning programs and initiatives within the sector. Suzanne holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she was a CASE (Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship) scholar and studied under Greg Dees. Outside of Social Impact Architects, Suzanne is an adjunct professor in the school of management at The University of Texas at Arlington and SMU. She is also a member of the prestigious Society of Organizational Learning (founded by Peter Senge) and National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers. She is also honored to serve on the board of Aileron to help entrepreneurs go to the next level. Suzanne also authors Social TrendSpotter (@socialtrendspot), one of the sector’s top blogs according to the Huffington Post. Known for its relatable way of blending important concepts and new ways of working with storytelling, Social TrendSpotter has been hailed by readers as “the only blog I read each week.” She is frequently interviewed by regional and national media on social issues and social entrepreneurship and has published articles in Forbes, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, See Change, Nonprofit Business Advisor, Upstart and Grantmakers in Health. For her outstanding work as a leading thinker, she was recognized with the Next Generation Social Entrepreneur Award by the Social Enterprise Alliance. Suzanne is a dedicated community leader and has worn many hats, including serving the City of Dallas on over seven boards and commissions and working pro-bono/low-bono with many projects and nonprofits across Texas.
Solomon, Yoram, Ph.D., yoram@yoramsolomon.com, is a global expert on trust, author of The Book of Trust and Can I Trust You?, and a professor of entrepreneurship at the SMU Cox School of Business. He has published 22 books and more than 400 articles on trust, innovation, and leadership, and is a frequent keynote speaker for corporations, associations, and nonprofits. A former special forces soldier, high-tech executive, and elected official, Yoram brings a unique, no-nonsense perspective to leadership. His work helps leaders in mission-driven organizations build the trust that makes people choose to follow them.
Worsham, Erin L., MBA, erin.worsham@duke.edu , is a social impact leader, speaker, coach, and professor helping individuals and organizations unlock their potential and more effectively drive social and environmental change. Erin currently serves as the Executive Director of the award-winning Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and as an Adjunct Professor with Duke University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship (I&E) Initiative. As CASE’s Executive Director, Erin sets vision and strategy, develops partnerships with funders, enterprises and networks around the world, teaches the next generation of impact leaders, and contributes to thought leadership on social innovation, scaling, and impact leadership. Her work has been published in Forbes, Stanford Social Innovation Review; Huffington Post, Academy of Management, Learning & Education; NextBillion, DevEx, and more. Prior to her work at CASE, Erin was a cross-sector leader with a unique combination of work experience in the private, public and nonprofit sectors. She served as a consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, advising clients on strategy, business process, and organizational design. She helped develop public-private partnerships at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and worked on private sector development issues at the World Bank. She began her career working for a nonprofit think tank in Washington D.C. Erin has an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a BA from Duke University. Follow and connect with Erin on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/erinworsham.
2025 Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership, Course ID: 0461-017
Class Date: October 6 – 10, 2025
Application Period: January 13 –September 12, 2025
Registration Begins: March 3, 2025
Registration Ends: September 12, 2025 (or until class is full)
Location: Live Virtual Program via Zoom
Once accepted in the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Program, participants must register to guarantee their seat. Payment is due upon registration. At the close of registration, the cohort receive a link to materials.
For more information, email Mary Sherk.
REGISTER ONLINE for a free video conference information session scheduled for Friday, April 18, 2025 from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. (ET). Join us for a live, interactive webinar on Zoom where key staff will discuss nonprofit executive education and answer questions about our 2025 program.
Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Information Session via Zoom
Friday, April 18, 2025, 12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m. (ET)
Course ID: 0462-013
Cost: Free
Video conference details sent to registered participants 24 hours prior to the session.
Email Mary Sherk with questions about the Executive Certificate program.
2025 Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Program will be offered virtually as a series of live, interactive classes via Zoom.
To ensure an optimal online learning experience, please ensure that you have access to the following:
· Note taking materials
Payable at the time of registration.
Duke Employee Discount
Discount must be requested and applied during the registration process.
Our Nonprofit Management Programs (Intensive Track and Executive Certificate* in Nonprofit Leadership) are non-credit (not degree applicable); therefore, they are NOT eligible for federal loans. DO NOT SUBMIT FAFSA FORMS for these programs. Please see individual program web pages for those details. You may qualify for other loan options. Please see info below.
*Students must apply & be accepted into the Executive Certificate Program before registering.
No loans (Wells Fargo Graduate loan, Sallie Mae Smart Option Undergraduate loan, etc.) can be construed to imply any degree-seeking status for students of Duke Continuing Studies. Duke Continuing Studies courses are non-credit.
Your local bank may offer other options for loans or a "line of credit" service. Contact your bank for more information on financing choices.
The funding options listed below may not be applicable to all programs at this time. Please contact the organization offering the funding to see if you qualify and if the funds can be used for the program in which you are interested.
To apply for this private student loan, visit Sallie Mae’s website, and click the I’m ready to apply button. The following application should populate with the pertinent information for Duke Continuing Studies.
Please note that Wells Fargo is no longer accepting new applications for their private student loans. However, students with an outstanding balance on a Wells Fargo private student loan may be eligible to be borrowers on a new private loan. See here for details.
The WIA provides professional and basic skills training services to those who have been unable to find employment. Please keep in mind that this process can be lengthy, so plan to apply well in advance of the program start date. For more information on eligibility, the application process, or to find your local Workforce Development Board, visit the NC JobLink Career Center website.
AmeriCorps Education Awards are available only for AmeriCorps volunteers and can be used for educational expenses for non-degree courses, such as Continuing Education courses offered by qualified schools. For more information on qualified schools and programs, contact the National Service Trust at 1-800-942-2677, or visit the FAQ page of the AmeriCorps website.
The Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Program will offer a $800 scholarship to Duke Certificate in Nonprofit Management graduates. To apply, indicate that you have the Certificate on your application. Staff will verify and contact you. Please apply early to guarantee consideration.
$200 of your tuition for the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership is nonrefundable. To receive a refund minus a processing fee for class cancellation, we must receive your written cancellation request by Friday, September 12, 2025.
To submit a cancellation request:
Email: learnmore@duke.edu
Please include your name, address, phone number, and program title (Executive Certificate). Refunds will be made in the manner you paid. Failure to attend the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership class does not entitle you to a refund or replacement class.
