Welcoming Sheila Hennessey, Interim CEO

​I want to send greetings and good wishes to the members, stakeholders, and supporters of the Idaho Nonprofit Center. I have the honor of leading the Center for the next few months as its Interim CEO, providing management oversight as well as leading the search for the Center’s permanent CEO.
 
As Amy Little writes in her piece in this issue of CenterView, the decision to hire an Interim CEO was an intentional and well-considered plan for successfully navigating this leadership transition. While we have all been humbled by change and uncertainty in the last year, we have also seen organizations and individuals use this time of transition to reassess, to innovate, and to emerge stronger. 
 
I like this quote by Idaho’s own Kristin Armstrong:

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Times of transition are strenuous but I love them. They are an opportunity to purge, rethink priorities, and be intentional about new habits. We can make our new normal any way we want. 

​As we launch the search for the new CEO, I’ll work closely with our board, staff, members, and partners to understand the vision and priorities of the Idaho Nonprofit Center, and the important qualities, skills and experiences we’re seeking in the next CEO. Next month, we’ll send out our annual member survey, and those results will also help guide the search.
 
I share the Idaho Nonprofit Center’s commitment to a thriving nonprofit sector. For more than a decade, I have worked as an executive recruiter focused exclusively on serving clients in the nonprofit and higher education sectors – both with national firms and as an independent search professional serving the Boise region. In addition to my work as a search professional, I have long worked as an executive, artist, volunteer, and board member within the nonprofit arena. I am deeply committed to the importance of nonprofit organizations in improving lives and communities.
 
Born and raised in Boise, I lived and worked in many parts of the country before returning to my hometown three years ago. It has been a joy to reconnect with my Idaho roots, and plant them more firmly through my work – I placed chief executive officers with the Idaho Youth Ranch (IYR), Make-A-Wish Idaho, and Family Advocates – and volunteer commitments. After leading IYR’s CEO search, I joined the board of directors. I also serve on the Idaho Commission on the Arts, the Southwest Regional Council of the Idaho Community Foundation, and as a member of the Idaho Women’s Charitable Foundation. Early in my career, I served as the second Executive Director of the Downtown Boise Association, where I spearheaded the creation of First Thursday. 
 
I look forward to connecting with as many of you as possible over the next few months. It’s a privilege to support you in your mission-critical work.