Thirteen community members complete Board Leadership Training Program
The United Way of Denton County (UWDC) Board of Directors recognized the dedication of thirteen community members recently as graduates of Project Blueprint: Board Leadership Training.
Created in 2009, Project Blueprint is a course series designed to train potential nonprofit board members across the community. In the ten years since inception, Project Blueprint has trained and certified over 160 residents of Denton County to better serve on nonprofit boards across the region.
“The dedication of the participants to the Project Blueprint course shows that effective and efficient nonprofit leadership is important to their organizations,” said Guy T. Phillips, Project Blueprint Steering Committee Chairman. “The participants in every Project Blueprint program have shown they understand their responsibility to deliver for their clients, providing for a better Denton County."
Thirteen 2018 graduates were recognized for their dedication in completing the board training: Heather Barahona, Tanya Blixt, Rodney Coe, Marsha Cooper, Karla Fopiano, Cynthia Gill, Angela Grubke, Jessie Hendrickson, Jamel Jackson, Alysia Jordan, Nia Simmons, Kim Vaughn, and Jodi Vicars-Nance. More details on each graduate are below.
“From our very first meeting, this class was incredibly engaged, asking hard questions and digging into what it takes to run an effective nonprofit,” said Leah Jordan, Senior Director of Community Impact with United Way of Denton County.
The Project Blueprint training program is offered in the fall and taught by local experts in each field. Topics include: Board Operation and Governance, Fundraising, Strategic Planning, Conflict Resolution and Advocacy, among others.
“Our work with our network of nonprofits across Denton County tells us that the highest performing nonprofits are governed and led by trained volunteers engaged in achieving the missions of their organizations,” said Gary Henderson, President & CEO of United Way of Denton County. “Conversely, our nonprofit partners who struggle are lacking those same trained volunteers to lead strategically, understand the complexities of nonprofit accounting and compliance, and have the confidence to advocate for the needs of their clients across the community.”
Applications for the 2019 Project Blueprint: Board Leadership Training class will be available in June.
Fall 2018 Graduates
Heather Barahona – (Denton) Director of Koan School, Executive Director for Texas Association for Behavior Analysis; Tanya Blixt – (Denton) Donor Engagement/Public Relations Director for Good Samaritan – Denton Village, member of RSVP board, Kiwanis member, Alzheimer’s Denton Committee, Denton Heart Walk and Communities in Schools North Texas Lunch with a Leader mentor; Rodney Coe – (McKinney) Vice President/Financial Advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services. Inc. - volunteer with Shared Hope International, Firm Foundations Romania, and Minny’s Food Pantry; Marsha Cooper – (Denton) Business Banker/Commercial Lending at BBVA Compass Bank - volunteer and former President for Rejoice Lutheran Church and two-year board member for Angel Unaware; Karla Fopiano – (Highland Village) works in Technology Sales - Riding Unlimited volunteer and board member; Cynthia Gill – (Denton) retired from a career in corporate insurance and legal and corporate management - Denton Christian Preschool board member and Denton Quilt Guild member; Angela Grubke – (Corinth) small business owner and hairstylist - First United Methodist Church Lewisville administrative board, Our Daily Bread volunteer and board member; Jessie Hendrickson – (Fort Worth) recently relocated to Texas but served with numerous organizations in Colorado including Habitat for Humanity and Homeward 2020 (a plan to prevent homelessness); Jamel Jackson – (Irving) administrative specialist at the University of North Texas - Interfaith Ministries board member; Alysia Jordan – (Denton) Pre-Accredited Early Learning Specialist with Educational First Steps - volunteer with Filling the Void/Dallas, Salvation Army and multiple early childhood organizations; Nia Simmons – (McKinney) Resource Development Manager for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County – previous volunteer with Christian Community Service Center and the American Red Cross; Kim Vaughn – (Denton) Executive Director for Denton City County Day School - previous board member for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Wichita Falls; Jodi Vicars-Nance – (Denton) Admissions/Placement Coordinator for Denton State Supported Living Center - volunteer for Friends of the Family, Our Daily Bread and a member of the Community Development Advisory Committee.