See Change Program Graduates 2013 Class

Margaret Reid, See Change director, addresses the graduates and guests.

See Change graduates discuss their favorite experiences in the program.

See Change graduates discuss their favorite experiences in the program.

See Change graduates discuss their favorite experiences in the program.

Todd Shields, interim dean of Fulbright College, signs See Change certificates.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – See Change, an intensive training program for senior nonprofit managers, celebrated the graduation of its 2013 class in August. 

The 2013 See Change program graduated 10 members including Willow Fitzgibbon of the Fayetteville Public Library, Abby Foster of Mount Sequoyah Retreat and Conference Center, Missy Gipson of Young Actors Guild of Fort Smith, Melody Kouchebaugh of Arkansas Crisis Center, John Newman of Life Styles Inc., Adrienne Shaunfield of Feed Fayetteville, Jan Skopecek of Rebuilding Together of Northwest Arkansas, Serina Tustin of LifeSource International, Tina Winham of Junior League of Northwest Arkansas and Jon Woodward of Seven Hills Homeless Center.

Instructors Bruce Johanson of the Johanson Group, Denise McNerney of iBossWell in Kansas City, and Blake Woolsey of Mitchell Communications have been part of See Change since its inception in 2010. Margaret Reid, chair of the department of political science in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, serves as the program's director.

"See Change combines high-level instruction with a program philosophy that is carried through the six-month training cycle," said Reid. "Participants are challenged to question the status quo and find ways of improving their organizations with the goal of creating ­­­programs that transform lives and impact the community."

The customized instruction and evaluation is rooted in four principles: change management and the learning organization, service leadership and social innovation, accountability and ethics, and diversity and inclusion. Through these areas, the managers tackle specific organizational challenges such as strategic management, board development, individual leadership development, communication with funders and stakeholders, social innovation and marketing, measuring impact, policy advocacy and financial and human resource management. 

Each class is limited to no more than 15 participants to encourage the free exchange of ideas, deepen individual leadership and create a support group to carry them forward in their careers. Graduates are also encouraged to become part of an alumni group called Change Makers, which is designed to continue the learning process through targeted trainings.

Board members in attending the graduation ceremony included Ernie Conduff, president of LifeSource International; Vanessa Miller, president of the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas; and Denise Thomas, director of external relations for the University of Arkansas World Trade Center.

The 2013 program was made possible through support from the Wal-Mart Foundation, the University of Arkansas and many of our community partners. To learn more about the See Change program or to become a participant or sponsor, contact Margaret Reid at (479) 575-5352 or mreid@uark.edu.