Graduates of a NeighborWorks® America program are starting the year with new skills and determination.
The graduates, all from the Northeast Region, were part of a nine-month Strong Leaders Program for Middle Managers. The program, funded with generous support from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, focuses on the long-term professional growth of middle managers.
Students in the program found not only targeted training but a group of peers who will support each other long after the end of the program.
Thea Moss, managing director of Community Empowerment at La Casa de Don Pedro in Newark, New Jersey, signed up for the cohort because she wanted to increase her skills now that she manages an entire department of more than 30 individuals.
“It’s been absolutely phenomenal,” she said. “So supportive for my foundational leadership skills. This cohort has been so meaningful for me.”
The peer support, especially, has been invaluable, she added. “It shows that we’re all going through similar things and we’re helping each other to work through some of the challenges by listening to each other.” Just having someone listen and validate your concerns is helpful, she said. “I'm so much more confident and grounded in who I am as a leader for my organization. This cohort has really anchored me.”
The group met in person for the first time at NeighborWorks America’s New York office in March. Their bond has only
increased.
Marco Fiallos, director of Lending Operations at Renaissance Economic Development Alliance, a subsidiary of Asian Americans for Equality, said he was immediately interested in the opportunity to grow his skills. “The more tools I have in my toolbox, the better,” he said.
He also thought the support aspect of the program was instrumental. “When you’re managing and in the position of leadership, it’s sometimes a little lonely,” he explained. “Growth is something we don’t do alone. When I think of leadership now, I think of connection, reflection and community, not just responsibility. I’m not leaving just with skills but a network, a support system and friends.
Another benefit of the program: Being able to learn new things and then apply them in real time. “What I learned here helped me pause and see a situation differently. I started to understand the larger context, the pressure and humanity underneath it all. That shift reminded me that leadership isn’t about proving yourself. It’s about showing up with clarity and compassion even when it’s hard.”
Joanie Straussman Brandon, NeighborWorks’ regional vice president of the Northeast Region, told the crowd at the graduation ceremony in December that NeighborWorks had been hearing for a long time how difficult it can be to retain staff at a nonprofit. Meanwhile, those nonprofits already have staff that they want to promote, but who need just a little more training to move up with the resources they need. “We started asking ourselves: How can we at NeighborWorks America develop the next generation of community development leaders? How do we support the critical role of middle management?”
NeighborWorks studied programs for middle managers across the country before identifying the four tenets that made the most excellent programs: Organize the program as a cohort, provide formal training, provide a mentor and make sure the experience is applicable and real.
“That’s how we came to this program,” Straussman Brandon said. “It started with vision and a goal.” She expressed gratitude to the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLBNY) for making that goal possible.
Peter Grof, community investment officer for FHLBNY, also addressed the cohort during the graduation. “Nine months ago you began this journey and chose to immerse yourself in the program,” he said. “You balanced your everyday work with the demands and requirements of this program. Week in and week out you have persevered … And you’re here to celebrate the investment you made in yourself, your organization and your community.”
He told the group that he hoped when they looked back on their meaningful, successful careers, they will find that this program played a significant part.
Passion is what gets many of us through each day, Eileen Anderson, senior director of the Northeast Region for NeighborWorks, said during the ceremony. “To hear your voices and hear you speak, to watch you think is a beautiful thing to see.”
NeighborWorks Senior Vice President of Field Operations Kathryn Watts also expressed appreciation to the cohort, the funder and the middle managers. “Leadership is a journey,” she said. “You started the program already as strong leaders. Hopefully as you graduate, you’re even stronger.”
Vanessa Quijano, Senior Regional Public Affairs and Communications Advisor of the Northeast Region, contributed to this report.
