Diversity in Nonprofit Boards
Angela Logan is an associate teaching professor of Management & Organization and the St. Andre Bessette Director of Nonprofit Professional Development (NPD). As academic director, she leads the team that manages both the Master of Nonprofit Administration degree program and the Nonprofit Certificate programs. Angela joined the College in the summer of 2013. She has over 20 years of experience in higher education and philanthropy, with a particular focus in the areas of education and diversity. Angela holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication from the University of Toledo, a Master of Business and Organizational Leadership from Defiance College, and is the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Ms. Logan recently created their BRITE Program to train and advocate for women to serve on nonprofit boards.
The University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business is launching a new initiative aimed at increasing gender diversity on nonprofit boards. The BRITE Women Project (Board Readiness Initiative to Empower Women Project), sponsored by Mendoza’s Nonprofit Professional Development, seeks to equip women with the skills they need to provide transformational nonprofit board leadership that benefits their communities.
“Diversity of thought and perspective helps nonprofit boards and their associated organizations serve their communities better when all the voices are around the table,” said Angela Logan, the St. Andre Bessette Director of Nonprofit Professional Development.
“Many women have extensive professional leadership experience that would be a great asset to a nonprofit board, yet they may be uncertain about how to leverage those skills to obtain a seat at the table,” said Joan McClendon, operations program director for Nonprofit Professional Development. “The objective of BRITE is to help women broaden their understanding about nonprofit boards and how they might participate.”
In addition to offering educational opportunities to women, the BRITE Women Project is working to launch a resource to connect nonprofits seeking female board members with women who are interested in serving.
McClendon says the BRITE Women project is a natural outgrowth of Mendoza’s mission and NPD’s servant heart and business mind focus. “This is another way we are living out our mission to be a force for good, by improving how nonprofit boards operate. We are thankful for the support of Mendoza’s new dean, Martijn Cremers. He listened to our vision for our game-changing project, and his leadership caused the vision to be reality.”