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leadership development

Our five week leadership development program is here to support you, no matter where you are on your career path. We will explore theoretical concepts as well as the tactics and tools that you need to increase your leadership potential.

 

Registration is kept to a maximum of 12 participants, which allows our instructors to get to know you and personalize their approach to the workshop content, allowing plenty of time for discussion and questions. Each of our instructors has curated content that relates to the leadership journey within the non-profit industry. They understand your unique challenges. They want to see you not only succeed, but thrive!

who is this PROGRAM for?

This program is ideal for anyone in the non-profit industry who is interested in exploring, developing and nurturing their leadership potential. We have not identified a required number of years in our industry - or even years in leadership positions - because everyone is on their own journey. This program will resonate with you when you need it!

what we'll cover

week 1: meet and greet with mingler

Let’s get to know each other and spend a bit of time with each of our leadership instructors!

week 2: Leading with Purpose and Intention

Instructor: Michelle Fuko

 

As leaders, we are constantly shaping the cultures we inhabit—whether we intend to or not. In this opening session of the series, you will explore how your personal values form the foundation of your leadership ethos and how to carry them forward with purpose and intention. Together, we’ll explore how culture is not merely a backdrop to strategy but its heartbeat- shaping every decision, behaviour, and outcome- and discover how purposeful, relational leadership can forge the culture you aspire to create for your team or organization.

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This workshop invites you to reflect deeply on the connection between who you are, how you lead, and the environment you cultivate. You’ll identify practical ways to align your decisions, actions, and communication with your core principles so the culture you model as a leader is not accidental but deliberate, inclusive, and sustaining, leaving you with a clear, values-anchored approach to leadership beyond this program.

week 3: Leading Through Change & Transition

Instructor: Shobna Kannusamy

 

Change is a given in the non-profit world, from shifting priorities and funding to team transitions and evolving community needs. How do you navigate change as a leader and support your team through the human experience of transition? Having explored the core of how you lead in the previous modules, this session widens the lens to consider how your leadership shapes the culture, resilience, and future-readiness of your organization.

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You will learn tools and strategies to help you lead through uncertainty with clarity and care. You’ll explore how to guide yourself and your team through the emotional side of transition, while staying grounded in purpose and possibility.

 

You'll walk away with:

  • A practical model to guide your team through change with more clarity and confidence
  • Tools to navigate resistance, foster resilience, and lead through uncertainty
  • Increased awareness of your role as a systems-minded leader and how your presence influences team culture, trust, and change-readiness

week 4: TBD

Stay tuned as we revamp our week 4 session!

 

week 5: panel q&a and mingler

Enjoy an engaging Q&A conversation with industry leaders sharing insights and perspectives shaped by their experience in executive leadership, entrepreneurship, consulting, and community impact.

 

These are our panelists:

  • Nneka MacGregor — Founder & Managing Partner, Nneka & Co.; Executive Director, WomenatthecentrE
  • More panelists TBC

how is this delivered?

We will be meeting by Zoom each week, so a video connection is required.

instructors

Shobna Kannusamy

Leading Through Change & Transition

Shobna Kannusamy is a certified organizational leadership coach and consultant with an illustrious background in engineering, entrepreneurship, and hospitality. She works with leaders and teams to build trust, navigate change, and lead with courage and clarity. With over 25 years of cross-sector experience, Shobna brings a systemic lens to leadership, helping individuals and organizations strengthen emotional intelligence and future-readiness to build high value-creating teams. Her approach is rooted in connection, purpose, and values.

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Shobna has served on various non-profit boards in leadership roles, and mentors through the Canadian Prosperity Project, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society, and WeBC, with a passion for supporting equity-deserving voices in leadership. She is a certified Systemic Team Coaching Practitioner and holds a Graduate Certificate in Organizational Coaching from the University of British Columbia, and a degree in Engineering from the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

Michelle Fuko

Leading with Purpose and Intention

Michelle Fuko (she/her) is a relational researcher, fundraiser, and values-driven leader who brings clarity, care, and a fierce sense of purpose to everything she does. She currently serves as Chief Advancement Officer at Queen’s University. With over two decades of experience in fundraising, Michelle brings deep experience in organizational leadership, strategy, and the ethical tensions that arise at the intersection of philanthropy, purpose, and power.

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Michelle's research explores how fundraising professionals navigate institutional norms while staying connected to their values, relational commitments, and integrity. Michelle leads with care- anchored by her experiences as a mother, a settler on Indigenous lands, and a professional who has learned to listen for what goes unsaid. She believes leadership is a deeply ethical and relational practice, not a performance. Whether working with teams or teaching, Michelle creates spaces that honour discomfort, tend complexity, and invite purposeful, accountable action.

our next cohort

April 14, 2027: 10:00am - 11:00am PT

April 21, 2027: 10:00am - 12:00pm PT

April 28, 2027: 10:00am - 12:00pm PT

May 5, 2027: 10:00am - 12:00pm PT

May 12, 2027 10:00am - 12:00pm PT

register now

You will receive a Zoom link for this program 36 hours in advance. Please be sure to check your spam or junk folders for this follow up e-mail. Adding admin [at] nsof [dot] ca as a safe sender will also help!

investment

$850 per participant

 

The New School of Fundraising is committed to reducing barriers to access our programming. If you are unable to pay a registration fee please reach out directly to Rowena at rowena [at] nsof [dot] ca to discuss options.

"The New School of Fundraising five-week Leadership Development program was a meaningful reminder that strong leadership requires constant growth and adaptability in an ever-evolving world. It has provided new tools to adapt to different needs, communication styles, and moments of change beyond my control. I have walked away with a refreshed confidence and skills to support my ongoing growth as a leader."

Caitlyn Kerr

Philanthropy Manager

Indian Residential School Survivors Society

"This program gave me the opportunity to step back and really reflect on my leadership, what skills I’ve developed, and where I still want to grow. It was a safe and supportive space to ask questions, learn from other leaders, and hear different perspectives that challenged and strengthened my thinking. I walked away with practical takeaways I could apply right away and a stronger sense of confidence in my own leadership journey."

Jennifer Robins

Executive Director

Launch Okanagan

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