Find out who we’re celebrating as this month’s Community Champion
Our featured champions are dedicated leaders working in nonprofits who have been nominated for their innovation, resilience, dedication and empathy in the face of a complex and ever-changing world. Bing Goldsworth is recognized as October’s Community Champion. Find out more about this month’s Community Champion:
Would you like to nominate someone for our Diligent Community Champions? Nominate them here!
November’s Community Champion
Name: Cindy Fornash
Title: Foundation Administrator
Organization: McCoy College Foundation
Cindy Fornash is the Foundation Administrator for the McCoy College Foundation at Texas State University. She joined the foundation in 2004 and has facilitated many advances in governance, audits, and board management. Previously, she was Vice President of Administration of a manufacturing company in Central Texas.
Cindy earned her BBA from Texas State University and a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from LSUS. She understands the administration of both for-profit and non-profit organizations.
Congratulations Cindy on your Community Champion award!
October’s Community Champion
Name: Bing Goldsworth
Title: Executive Assistant
Organization: Organically Grown Company
Bing Goldsworth is a Portland-based business professional specializing in project management and coordination. They have an extensive background in nonprofit social work as well as experience in managed healthcare, construction and consulting for a major bank.
Currently, Bing is the Executive Assistant to the CEO of Organically Grown Company, a purpose trust-owned organic produce wholesaler. In this role they also support the executive management team and three separate governing bodies in addition to serving on the DEIB, sustainability and employee recognition committees.Bing is passionate about creating a sense of community and belonging in the workplace, recycling and promoting organic agricultural practices for a healthier planet.
When they aren’t tinkering with new recipes to share with coworkers, they can be found wandering around a garden nursery, in a yoga class, on a paddleboard or being dad to the two best orange cats in the Pacific Northwest.
Bing recently spoke at Diligent Elevate 2024 about enhancing governance communication within their organization.Organically Grown Company faces a unique challenge with many dispersed board members and multiple governing bodies. They implemented centralized, organized information and communications, along with surveys and polls to gather feedback from governors. This has allowed the organization to tackle the unique governance and communication challenges it faced as it has transitioned from a traditional profit-focused structure to a purpose-driven model.
Bing says, “Our trust supports the efforts of independent values aligned organizations that advance sustainable agricultural practices and food systems. We reinvest in our farmers, and then some of our buyers and our sellers who we work with in the produce industry.”
September – Celebrating our Diligent Modern Governance 100 Award winners
We are so pleased to announce the Diligent Modern Governance 100 Award winners. The MG100 Awards is a recognition program celebrating the exceptional contributions of governance, risk, audit and compliance professionals around the world. Find out who our nonprofit MG100 winners are here.
August’s Community Champion
Name: Melissa Wilmoth
Title: Executive Assistant to the CEO
Organization: OrthoVirginia Inc.
Prior to joining OrthoVirginia, Melissa was with VCU Health for sixteen years, working within the Emergency Medicine, Information Technology, Office of Clinical Transformation, Performance Improvement, and the Clinical Enterprise Administration departments where she had a long involvement with strategically managing different departments, projects and helped build relationships.
Melissa specializes in managing projects and identifying priorities for the Chief Executive Officer. She is active in the American Society of Administrative Professionals, serving as a liaison to OrthoVirginia to keep the administrative roles within the company up to best practice standards. Her extensive work in the healthcare field has given her a unique and important view of transparency and compliance practices.
We celebrate Melissa for her outstanding contributions and commitment to governance excellence and best practice.
In September, Melissa will be speaking at Diligent Elevate on the topic of “The power of impactful surveys and polls.” Register now to hear Melissa and other inspiring speakers including Erin Brockovich!
July’s Community Champion
Name: Dani Glascock
Title: System Director of Governance & Office of the General Counsel
Organization: Hospital Sisters Health System (“HSHS”)
About our Community Champion
We are delighted to recognize Dani Glascock as one of our MDO Community Champions. Dani currently serves as the System Director of Governance & Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Operations for HSHS, a not-for-profit healthcare system headquartered in Springfield, Illinois. HSHS operates a network of 13 hospitals and other healthcare facilities across Illinois and Wisconsin.
Throughout her 14-year tenure, Dani has exemplified unwavering commitment and excellence by providing invaluable support and partnership to the HSHS OGC, numerous boards and committees, and executive leadership. Her focused efforts on preserving the mission, vision and values of HSHS through governance modernization and meaningful oversight have significantly impacted her organization.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Dani is a devoted grandmother who cherishes spending time with and spoiling her two granddaughters, Nola and Ella.
Please join us in celebrating Dani for her outstanding contributions and her unwavering commitment.
Dani will be speaking at this year’s Elevate (formerly Modern Governance Summit) conference on the topic of “Boosting board meeting efficiency: Optimizing preparation & productivity”, register now and join us to hear Dani and other inspiring speakers including Erin Brockovich!
June’s Community Champion
Name: Ruth Shirley
Title: Executive Administrator & Board Liaison
Organization: CUES
About our Community Champion
Ruth is a highly skilled executive assistant and board liaison who has served CUES, the Credit Union Executives Society, for seven years. She cultivated her talents in governance management, budgeting, event planning and customer service during her time in the financial services and nonprofit sectors.
Ruth also serves on the board of Share Inform Enlighten, Inc, a New York-based nonprofit that empowers families through education. In her spare time, Ruth is a self-proclaimed foodie who loves to cook, dance and travel.
As a leading talent development organization, CUES helps credit union boards achieve peak governance practices through events, offerings and online learning tools. Ruth’s contributions are instrumental to its success.
“Good governance fosters public confidence and is vital to building a strong foundation for future success,” Ruth says. “Good governance encapsulates a company’s mission. It includes open and transparent practices, robust risk management, legal compliance, guidelines for ethical conduct and decision-making and more.”
May’s Community Champion
Name: Beth Finch
Title: Founder, Executive Director
Organization: CharterSource
About our Community Champion
Beth Finch is one of the founders of Lake Country Academy, a Pre-K4 through 8th-grade school in Wisconsin. She is also the former Board Chair of KIPP Minnesota, serving for over five years, supporting the growth and facilitating the strategy to launch the opening of the KIPP elementary school. As Founder and Executive Director of CharterSource, Beth leads the organization in its mission to create more high-quality education options for communities.
Beth has served on multiple other boards including Lake Country Academy, Mounds Park Academy, Wilderness Inquiry and the founding board of Great MN Schools, and she continues to serve on the Great MN Schools Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the College of St. Benedicts and resides in the east metro with her husband and children.
Beth’s commitment to fostering opportunity and equality in education along with her role on the boards of several educational and community organizations showcases not only her willingness to serve, but also her exceptional ability to lead with compassion and foresight. We acknowledge her dedication and the profound impact she has had on ensuring that education remains an equal playing field for Minnesotan students.
Beth says, “I believe good governance comprises collaboration, transparency, and accountability. It must encompass bringing all stakeholders together around the mission and strategy with a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Equally as important is striving to gain deeper skills and practices to be most effective including the space for generative discussion and a strong leadership and board chair thought partnership.”
April’s Community Champion
Name: Carissa Burgett
Title: Executive Assistant to the President and Board Administrator
Organization: Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
About our Community Champion
Carissa is a dynamic and dedicated C-suite assistant and board administrator with a passion for board governance and a relentless drive for excellence. As an active member of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), she proudly serves as a director-at-large on the IAAP Foundation Board, contributing to the advancement of administrative professionals worldwide. In recognition of her outstanding contributions within her organization and across her profession, she was honored to be a finalist for three prestigious administrative awards, two of which were international, including the Assistant of the Year and Strategic Partnership awards. A significant focus of her work is dedicated to board governance and managing a board of 65 directors. As an ambassador for her profession and in her quest to empower others, she has been interviewed for multiple podcasts and magazines and actively trains and speaks on behalf of the admin community, board secretaries and administrators across the world.
We are delighted to announce Carissa as one of our Community Champions, for her unwavering commitment to excellence and her exceptional contributions to the realm of board governance and administrative professionalism. Her dedication to managing a board of 65 directors showcases her capacity to lead with grace. Carissa’s passion for empowering her peers, coupled with her contributions to the profession through speaking engagements, podcasts and articles, embody the spirit of Diligent Community Champions.
March’s Community Champion
Name: Ericka Rodriguez
Title: Executive Assistant to the CEO
Organization: YMCA of the USA
About our Community Champion
Ericka Rodriguez is an experienced and highly motivated administrative professional with advanced skills in project management, board governance and best practice implementation. She enjoys managing large projects within innovative, community-based organizations, using her skills to effect positive change.
Ericka received her BA in Social and Cultural Analysis from New York University and has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago, with a concentration in Non Profit Management. She has worked at YMCA of the USA for eight years supporting its national governance system, particularly as it involves the Y-USA National Board of Directors, its standing committees, advisory committees and task forces.
Good governance means creating an atmosphere where board volunteers are fully equipped with the resources and information necessary to lead the strategic vision of the organization – Ericka Rodriguez, Executive Assistant to the CEO, YMCA of the USA
Ericka’s motivation, advanced skills and dedication to bettering the communities served by YMCA are an inspiration to other nonprofit leaders. Ericka exemplifies the qualities of a true community champion. Congratulations on this well-deserved honor!
February’s Community Champion
Name: Elizabeth Thompson
Title: Executive Assistant, Corporate Secretary & Corporate Compliance Officer
Organization: Presbyterian SeniorCare Network
About our Community Champion
Elizabeth Thompson is an executive assistant with over 38 years of experience in corporate, nonprofit, foundation, and healthcare environments. She is skilled in board governance and support, C-level executive assistance, supervision, office management, project coordination, presentation design and meeting planning. Since October 1999, she has been the Executive Assistant to the President of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, she was appointed Secretary to the Board of Directors in May 2019, and she became the Corporate Compliance Officer in April 2022. She holds certification as an Officer of Healthcare Compliance by the American Institute of Healthcare Compliance, Inc. Elizabeth previously worked at The Pittsburgh Foundation and Federated Investors, and is a graduate of Bradford School of Business, Pittsburgh, PA.
Elizabeth is being recognized as we believe she embodies the true spirit of a Community Champion. She has been a pillar of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network for 25 years. After she took on the crucial role of Corporate Compliance Officer, she has demonstrated her unwavering commitment to ethical and responsible practices. Elizabeth is always happy to share her experience for the benefit of others, including speaking and sharing tips at Diligent’s 2023 user conference.
We celebrate Elizabeth as a true champion who embodies excellence, dedication and a commitment to positive impact. Thank you for being a shining example of leadership and community spirit!
January’s Community Champion
Name: Kara Klement
Title: Director, Governance Services
Organization: Texas Health Resources
About our Community Champion
Kara Klement is a corporate governance professional with over ten years of experience working with nonprofit boards and committees. She currently serves as the Director of Governance Services for Texas Health Resources, a large nonprofit health system in North Texas, overseeing over 40 boards and committees. Kara holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees from Baylor University and resides in the Dallas metroplex with her husband and two active children.
Kara is being recognized for her dedication to her role but also, we particularly love that Kara is keen to share best practices with other nonprofits, often speaking at events to share her experience. For the BoardEffect team, Kara models good governance and is integral to the success of her organization and delivering its mission.
We are a large healthcare system. We have about 29,000 employees and 14 wholly owned hospitals with around 400 points of service for our consumers, and we are invested in improving the lives of people in the communities we serve. Our mission is always to improve people’s health and wellbeing. And I support our boards and entities that do that. – Kara Klements.
Congratulations Kara!
Would you like to nominate someone for our Diligent Community Champions? Nominate them here!
