Chicago Booth Magazine A Passion for Board Service

Photograph by Heidi Zeigler

The Rustandy Center's annual On Board conference convenes hundreds of business and nonprofit leaders.

Hosted by Chicago Booth’s Rustandy, the fifth annual On Board conference on April 13 in Chicago convened a crowd of nearly 500 Booth alumni and students, as well as business and nonprofit leaders. Attendees learned key trends in nonprofit board service, gained insight from faculty into how research and other academic tools can be applied in the nonprofit sector, and connected with others looking to make an impact in the social sector.

Keynote: Martin Nesbitt, ’89

During the keynote at On Board 2018 in Chicago, Martin Nesbitt, ’89, chairman of the Obama Foundation and co-CEO of the Vistria Group, LLC, shared his experiences serving on a nonprofit board and working to achieve the balance between mission and management. Making an impact is central to any nonprofit’s mission, and it’s often what draws people to nonprofit board service. But of equal importance, Nesbitt said, are the management team and strategy behind the organization.

Booth in the Boardroom: Using Data to Measure Impact

As organizations place more emphasis on developing data-driven strategy, nonprofits are struggling with how to quantify their impact. During a Booth in the Boardroom session entitled “Using Data to Measure Impact,” Marianne Bertrand, Chicago Booth’s Chris P. Dialynas Distinguished Service Professor of Economics and Faculty Codirector of the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, shared ways nonprofits can use data to demonstrate their value and to improve their work.

Keys to Evolving Your Board: Driving Long-Term Success

Mary Lou Gorno, ’76, (center) managing director of Ingenuity International, LLC, participated in an On Board panel discussion on “Keys to Evolving Your Board: Driving Long-Term Success,” where she fielded questions related to adjusting the structure of a board based on the changing needs of an organization. Gorno (center) was joined on the panel by Andreason Brown, Tim Dugan ’90, and moderator Caroline Grossman, '03.

Untangling the Purse Strings: How Board Governance Impacts Under Decisions

“Impact measurement and evaluation are really key to making funding decisions,” said Lynne Herer Smith, ’86, director of business design at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Herer Smith (center) shared insight during a panel discussion at On Board that offered tips for securing funding for your organization while considering the role of board dynamics.

Getting On Board: Finding and Joining the "Right" Board

Before you join a nonprofit board, you should think about what social issues you care about, what skills you can bring to the table, and what diligence questions to ask before joining, according to Gayle Haller, ’87, senior vice president of arts and culture at National Executive Service Corps. She led a session on the topic at On Board Chicago called “Getting On Board: Finding and Joining the ‘Right’ Board.”

Nonprofit Networking Fair

On Board attendees took a break from sessions during the conference-wide lunch and nonprofit networking fair. Nearly 50 Chicago-area nonprofits addressing a range of social issues hosted booths in an effort to connect with Chicago Booth alumni and students looking for board positions or other volunteer roles.

Paving the Way: Nonprofit Board Service as a Career Strategy

Serving on a nonprofit board of directors can be a great way to bridge a career gap or facilitate a transition into a new role while applying the business skills you gained at Chicago Booth. At On Board, a panel of alumni shared how board service has helped them facilitate a career transition or advancement.

Booth in the Boardroom

Booth Professor Robert H. Gertner (right) answered questions after his Booth in the Boardroom session at On Board. During his session, Gertner focused on the evolving landscape of social sector institutions. Beyond traditional governmental agencies and philanthropy-funded charities, the social sector space is rapidly growing to also include for-profit social business, nonprofits with sustainable business models, public-private partnerships, and government services provided by for-profit firms.

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