Post by John Lockhart

Our next episode of People Media Video Podcast will feature in depth interviews and a roundtable discussion on how nonprofits can nearly fail, then successfully turn around with good leadership Featured Guests: Elena Brokaw, CEO, Museum of Ventura County Eric Knight, Former Executive Director, Humane Society of Ventura County, now CEO of Aspira Moderator: Van Lai DuMone, TEDx speaker, CEO of worksmart Advantage and author of “What if Pigs Can Fly?.” More on our Guests: Elena Brokaw, CEO, Museum of Ventura County — Elena Brokaw has led the Museum of Ventura County since being named interim director in 2016, a role that was later made permanent. A Harvard-trained art historian, she previously held leadership roles with the City of Ventura — including launching its Parks, Recreation and Community Partnerships Department — and worked as a cultural planning consultant for cities across the country before returning to lead the Museum through a period of institutional renewal. Eric Knight, CFRE Former Executive Director, Humane Society of Ventura County; CEO, Aspira Philanthropy — Eric Knight led the Humane Society of Ventura County from 2022 to 2024, overseeing $45 million in assets and a turnaround initiative that generated $19.6 million in revenue while expanding adoption rates and animal care capacity. He now serves as CEO of Aspira Philanthropy, advising nonprofit organizations on fundraising, governance, and leadership transitions. MODERATOR Van Lai-DuMone, TEDx Speaker; Founder & CEO, worksmart Advantage; Author, “What if Pigs Can Fly?” — Van Lai-DuMone is the founder of worksmartAdvantage, where she designs learning and leadership development programs for organizations including Google and LinkedIn. Her TEDx talk, “What If? The Life-Changing Power of Curiosity,” and her book, “What if Pigs Can Fly? A Practical Guide to Follow Your Curiosities to Achieve Impractical Possibilities,” explore how curiosity and creative problem-solving drive people and organizations through change.

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