Leading Through Transition: A Practical Guide to Interim Executive Directors
Executive Director transitions are pivotal moments for nonprofit organizations. Whether driven by a planned departure, unexpected vacancy, or organizational reset, the interim period can either steady the ship, or quietly erode trust, momentum, and culture.
This interactive training equips boards of directors and exiting Executive Directors with the clarity, structure, and tools needed to successfully navigate an interim ED period. Participants will gain a clear understanding of the interim role, the board’s evolving responsibilities, and how to intentionally prepare the organization for long-term leadership success.
The session blends best-practice frameworks, real-world scenarios, and hands-on tools to help boards move confidently from transition to onboarding, search, and ultimately the right long-term fit, without burning out staff or overburdening volunteers. Attendees will leave with practical tools that can be implemented immediately
Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
Understand the purpose and value of an interim Executive Director
Clarify the distinct roles of the board, interim ED, and outgoing ED and talk through transition steps
Identify what stability looks like during a leadership transition for a thoughtful, values-aligned search for a permanent ED
Support effective onboarding and authority-setting for an interim ED
Avoid common pitfalls that derail interim leadership periods
Facilitator
Kourtney McCauliff, Purple Ink
Kourtney McCauliff, SHRM-CP, is the Vice President of Consulting Services at Purple Ink. She loves to cultivate cohesive teams and develop strong leaders to lead them. Throughout her HR career, Kourtney has assisted clients with several training topics. She loves to help clients with her expertise in general HR best practices, such as HR assessments, cultivating a great employee experience and compensation. She is a SHRM-CP and has a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion for HR from eCornell. Kourtney is also DiSC Certified and a Mental Health First Aid instructor. She has volunteered with the HR Indiana SHRM State Council, East Central Indiana HR Association, Cornerstone Center for the Arts, Non-Profit Support Network, and Kenmore Neighborhood Association in Muncie.