Podcast Alert: The Art of the Nonprofit Turnaround

Live roundtable examine crisis, governance, and the leadership decisions that determine whether a nonprofit recovers or closes its doors

VENTURA, CA, UNITED STATES, July 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- People Media today announced its next Video Podcast episode, “The Art of the Turnaround: How Nonprofits Can Nearly Fail, Then Successfully Turn Around with Good Leadership,” featuring in-depth interviews and a roundtable discussion with nonprofit leaders who have led organizations through crisis and back to stability. The episode explores the warning signs boards and executives often miss, the leadership decisions that separate recovery from collapse, and how organizations can make hard choices without losing their people or their mission.

Nonprofits rarely have the clear financial alarm bells of a for-profit business, and by the time a crisis is visible from the outside, a board may already be facing difficult decisions about leadership, governance, and survival. This episode brings together leaders who have lived through exactly that — and came out the other side.

FEATURED GUESTS

Elena Brokaw, CEO, Museum of Ventura County — Elena Brokaw has led the Museum of Ventura County since being named interim director in 2016, a role that was later made permanent. A Harvard-trained art historian, she previously held leadership roles with the City of Ventura — including launching its Parks, Recreation and Community Partnerships Department — and worked as a cultural planning consultant for cities across the country before returning to lead the Museum through a period of institutional renewal.

Eric Knight, CFRE Former Executive Director, Humane Society of Ventura County; CEO, Aspira Philanthropy — Eric Knight led the Humane Society of Ventura County from 2022 to 2024, overseeing $45 million in assets and a turnaround initiative that generated $19.6 million in revenue while expanding adoption rates and animal care capacity. He now serves as CEO of Aspira Philanthropy, advising nonprofit organizations on fundraising, governance, and leadership transitions.

MODERATOR

Van Lai-DuMone TEDx Speaker; Founder & CEO, worksmart Advantage; Author, “What if Pigs Can Fly?” — Van Lai-DuMone is the founder of worksmartAdvantage, where she designs learning and leadership development programs for organizations including Google and LinkedIn. Her TEDx talk, “What If? The Life-Changing Power of Curiosity,” and her book, “What if Pigs Can Fly? A Practical Guide to Follow Your Curiosities to Achieve Impractical Possibilities,” explore how curiosity and creative problem-solving drive people and organizations through change.

QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED AND ANSWERED

1. What are some of the best practices you’ve seen nonprofits use to execute a successful turnaround?
2. A for-profit company knows it’s in trouble when cash flow turns negative or payroll is at risk. When does a nonprofit need to sound the alarm?
3. Is the board worried about its legal liability during a crisis — and should it be?
4. An executive director can be fired and replaced. What about board members?
5. How do you successfully offboard toxic or underperforming board members who are actively hindering a turnaround?
6. During a turnaround, how can an organization make hard, necessary choices while still maintaining a people-first culture and retaining key talent?

Have a question for the panel? You can ask us in the chat!

FREE TO REGISTER
Registration is free. When you register at www.peopletalentagency.com, People Media’s producers will make a $10 donation in your name to the Museum of Ventura County.

ABOUT PEOPLE MEDIA
People Media produces the People Media Video Podcast, a series of in-depth interviews and roundtable discussions exploring leadership, talent, and organizational culture across the nonprofit and business communities.

John Lockhart
People Media Worldwide, Inc.
+1 800-600-7111
email us here

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.