Shifting Power, Strengthening Trust: An Executive Director’s Reflections on a Reimagined Board 

By Dana Guy, PEPS Executive Director (Reading time: 6 min) 

At our final board meeting of the year in December 2024, we celebrated outgoing board members, reflected on our year’s accomplishments, and set our course for 2025. This meeting marked three years since we had reimagined our Board structure, shifting to a smaller Governance Board and creating an Advisors and Ambassadors Network. 

At the time, shifting to a different governance structure felt like a leap into the unknown, but one guided by thoughtful discussions, contingency planning, and a commitment to improving how our board and staff work together. Now, three years in, the benefits of this new approach are much clearer – the path to get here required time, trust, and persistence. 

Reimagining our board structure has shifted power dynamics, strengthened relationships, and made board service at PEPS more accessible and inclusive.  

Challenges with board dynamics are one of the most frequent topics I hear about from fellow executive directors, so I wanted to share some learnings, benefits we’re seeing, and steps that helped us get there.  

Shifting power dynamics 

As part of the process, our Board and Leadership Team came together to develop Guiding Principles for the Board. We reviewed PEPS Staff Agreements and talked about how to weave our culture and commitment to inclusive practices.  

One principle that stands out to me is how our transformation has shifted the way our board shows up: 

“We recognize that the Executive Director and staff have deep knowledge and understanding of the organization, and will apply a trust-based approach to address areas of concern.” 

When we started from a place of trust, the power dynamics began to shift, which has led to more balanced and effective governance. This started early in the process by simply talking about the fact that nonprofit boards are flawed. We consistently named that while the people on our board were amazing, supportive humans, it simply doesn’t make sense for a group of volunteers to have broad decision-making power when staff members are doing the work every day who are much closer to the issues. Being open about this helped right-size the decision-making process. We talk to potential new board members about our structure and guiding principles, so they know coming in that this is how we’re asking them to show up. 
 
As part of this shift, we also worked together to refine the Executive Director performance review process, making it more inclusive and transparent. Instead of a small committee handling the review, we now invite the entire PEPS staff to share feedback. One board member facilitates the process, but the entire board participates in sharing feedback, reviewing input, and identifying key themes. This approach provides the board with a deeper understanding of the organization’s work throughout the year—what’s going well and where I need to grow. It has also created a valuable feedback loop, giving staff a voice in leadership evaluation and strengthening trust and accountability between the board and me. 

Strengthened relationships and shared leadership 

With a smaller board, the reality is that everyone will need to step into a leadership role (President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer) at some point. We wanted it to be less overwhelming for board members to step into a leadership role. Just as we work to strengthen shared leadership with our staff, we’ve worked to ensure nobody feels like they must carry the work and weight of the responsibility on their own on our board. 

We have monthly Board and Executive Director Thought Partnership meetings on Zoom on Fridays at lunchtime, which are a more informal space for me to share what’s on my mind, keep the board connected to what’s happening, get advice, and ask for support. We’re intentional and clear — this is not a place for performative presentations; it’s a place where I can be honest about what’s keeping me up at night. We invite the entire board to this space, not just the Board President or an Executive Committee as we had in the past. This means everyone who participates gets a sense of leadership roles and what’s happening in the day-to-day. They also all get a chance to hear about areas where I’m asking board members for support or thought partnership.  

One of the arguments or worries that Executive Directors and Board Members have about moving to a smaller board is that there are not many people to draw on for subject matter expertise, perspective, and more. While having all types of experts and humans on your board can be beneficial, I don’t believe that a big board is the only way to go about bringing in that expertise. My vision at the start of this process was not just to make the board smaller but to make the board make sense and build new, meaningful opportunities for people to engage with our organization. 
 
The Advisors and Ambassadors Network is a new way for folks to start engaging with PEPS that is growing and thriving. Advisors collaborate closely with PEPS staff, offering their expertise to support key projects and initiatives. Ambassadors actively promote PEPS programs, opportunities, and calls to action within their communities. The added benefit is that it’s become a pipeline for new board members. By starting as Advisors and Ambassadors, we get to know one another and work together. Folks who start as advisors and become board members have worked with our staff and have a sense of our goals, strategies, and organizational culture before they commit to joining the board. 

Making board service more accessible and inclusive 

Parents, in general, are isolated, stressed, and overwhelmed — and that’s the problem PEPS is constantly working to address and create meaningful change. Given that focus, many of our staff, volunteers, board members, and more tend to be just that: busy parents who are passionate about making change to solve that problem, but who also have a lot on their plate! Our new structure of a Governance Board plus Advisors and Ambassadors Network offers flexible, meaningful roles but also better accommodates the realities of busy parents.   

Our Board meets four times a year. These are in-person meetings, our entire Leadership Team participates, and we always make time for connection and sharing dinner before we get started. All members of the Board are also invited to Finance Committee meetings. Attendance is optional but a great way for new board members to learn about PEPS’ finances and strengthen their understanding of their role in fiduciary oversight.  

By streamlining the board, we have also streamlined the processes and procedures that we hold ourselves accountable to. There is no more work for the sake of doing work. This frees up staff to focus where their energy is most needed and board members to contribute in meaningful ways. 

We’ve heard from several newer Board Members that, in general, Board service wasn’t something they thought they had capacity for — but the structure of the PEPS Board made it feel more doable. Others feel more comfortable plugging into the Advisors and Ambassadors Network, which is a more flexible commitment. Several folks have shared with me that they didn’t feel “qualified” to join a board, but coming in as an advisor helped them overcome that barrier or worry. I can tell you that these same people who hadn’t felt qualified have brought important and impactful perspective and experience into our organization. In the process, we’re helping folks overcome that sense of imposter syndrome. 

When we have the opportunity to connect with more people, the more people who care about improving the well-being of children and families will have places to engage that are invigorating for them and supportive to PEPS. 

Good governance is built on trust, partnership, and shared purpose. 

At PEPS, we believe that connection changes everything. When we create opportunities for people to engage, we build a stronger community of individuals committed to improving the well-being of children and families. Our reimagined board structure has not only strengthened governance but also expanded meaningful ways for people to contribute. 

Three years into this new approach, the impact is clear. These changes have fostered more balanced governance, deepened relationships, and made board service more accessible. The transition wasn’t immediate—building trust and rethinking long-standing practices required time and a steadfast commitment to our values. But the results speak for themselves: a board that is more connected, confident, and capable of supporting the PEPS mission, an expanding Advisors and Ambassadors Network, and an Executive Director who feels both supported and strengthened by these shifts. 

I know that many nonprofit executive directors struggle with sustainability and that unhealthy board dynamics are a major contributor to burnout and turnover. For those considering a similar transformation, my advice is this: start with one step that feels right for your organization and move forward. Meaningful change takes time, and you can’t solve every possible scenario before taking the leap. Good governance is built on trust, partnership, and shared purpose—and when you center those values, the right path will become clear. If you’d like to get involved, you can apply here. If you have questions or want to explore what a reimagined board could look like for your organization, I’d love to connect — find me on LinkedIn or email me at danag@peps.org. 

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