The Nonprofit Executive Leadership Academy Program is a year-long leadership program for female nonprofit executives that includes networking with other nonprofit professionals, access to training and professional development on executive skills in social change leadership, and a chance to receive strategic support and coaching. This Take 5 series will allow us to get a closer look at our NELA Fellows as they offer insight into their experiences as Nonprofit Executives. Want to hear even more about the career journey of our fellows? Join us for our Social Change Career Series where our fellows and other nonprofit leaders share their career path to executive leadership as well as what inspires them to create social change. Visit http://sisgigroup.org/
Bethany Housman
Director, Promise Corps

One Word to Describe Your Takeaway From the NELA Leadership Institute 2017.
1. What is your leadership style?
2. What inspired you to participate in NELA?
I was inspired to apply for NELA when I learned it was a year-long commitment with other individuals from across the country in similar roles as myself willing to learn from one another. The time commitment seemed perfect to be able to get to know and learn from others and be able to keep the program open to more and more participants each year. It's also worth noting that there isn't a great amount of non-profit specific support like NELA. I appreciate the recognition that a non-profit executive deserves its own group of thought partners to collaborate with.
3. What has been one learning, takeaway or "aha" from your experience so far as a NELA Fellow?
Being an executive leader can be very lonely when you feel the weight of your responsibility to your mission and the desire to keep your team motivated and protected from any challenges you can possibly prevent. It's easy to feel as if you shouldn't reach out to another leader because we're all struggling in similar ways. I falsely assumed a majority of executives had the same strengths and growth areas in common. However, I've discovered the opposite is true! After speaking with others who want to enhance their skills with technology and another group who want to address staff retention issues I realized that being an executive leader isn't a checklist of experiences and strengths; it's much broader and more inclusive than I thought!
4. How do you believe NELA addresses issues pertaining to women and leadership in the nonprofit sector?
5. Do you have any advice for someone who is interested in one day being in an executive role in the nonprofit sector?
Bethany Housman
Bethany graduated from St. John’s University with a B.A. in Communication Arts followed by a graduate degree in Sociology at St. John’s and a graduate degree in Urban Education at Temple University.
After a short stint with Z100 radio station in her undergraduate years, she decided to continue her education in Sociology and work on issues affecting communities. She traveled to France, Germany, Panama, Canada and a variety of states for different projects. During the completion of her graduate degree she moved to New Orleans, Louisiana after a 3-week volunteer effort supporting disaster relief turned into her relocation. Bethany spent 2 years as the Program Director for City Year Louisiana, managing the New Orleans and Baton Rouge programs and eventually launched City Year New Orleans and continued as a Sr. Program Director. Bethany relocated to City Year Philadelphia in 2012 to be closer to her family. While working on her graduate degree at Temple she became an Operations Coordinator for a national charter organization and upon completion of her degree joined the Promise Corps team.
Bethany is a Cross-Fitting vegetarian and an avid New Orleans Saints fan. She can regularly be found in Roxborough, Philadelphia with her wife, their 2 cats (Senor Julio & Peyton Manning), retired greyhound (Luna) and mini-pitbull (Liberty)!
Bethany is a 2017 Nonprofit Executive Leadership Academy Fellow with the SISGI Group