How do you position your nonprofit CEO as a recognized expert and thought leader using their unique identity?

I'm an experienced strategic communications consultant with over two decades of experience. I've spent over a decade specializing in elevating the voices of nonprofit leaders with customized executive communications strategies. My unique blend of practical expertise and academic research positions me to craft impactful strategies that resonate with diverse audiences and drive meaningful change in the opportunity finance sector. 

That positions me well to help nonprofit executives, especially CEOs, execute personal branding strategies driven by thought leadership to position their organization to convey impact that attracts necessary attention and resources.

You need someone who's collaborative in this effort, however. My approach to executive branding and thought leadership is rooted in genuine partnership. I work alongside you as a dedicated thought partner, jointly developing strategies aligned with your unique voice, identity, and organizational goals. Our partnership evolves through ongoing dialogue, allowing us to refine and adapt our approach as needed.

My experience spans crafting strategic communications for mayors, corporate executives, and religious figures. Three notable achievements include:

• Writing all speeches and remarks as part of a run-of-show (event schedule and script) I created for the 32nd Annual Drum Major for Justice Awards Ceremony, including for the then-mayor of Atlanta. I used personality research to write the speeches and other remarks for the run of show for each speaker, which included eight speakers.
• Serving as Communications Director for a Georgia state legislator's campaign and training other state legislators on communications. I worked seamlessly with her campaign staff to create and execute a political communications plan that helped her win re-election.
• Advising the Archbishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta and his strategic communications leadership on a communications strategy to reposition the church for the digital age. He had just assumed leadership as the first Black Archbishop in the diocese's then-106-year history.

I've also worked with other state and local politicians, nonprofit leaders, and business owners on their executive branding activities.

My strategic communications experience is enhanced by master's work in corporate communications and doctoral research on financial sector discrimination. This provides unique insights into challenges faced by nonprofit, particularly in the opportunity finance sector, and the political landscape they navigate. 

Blending practical experience with academic expertise, I develop resonant messages that effectively counter misperceptions about nonprofits that focus on supporting low-wealth and marginalized communities and their CEOs. 

My research offers forward-thinking and solution-oriented insights to help nonprofit leaders shape public discourse and articulate complex concepts to diverse audiences.

I understand nonprofit executives prioritize sharing their organizations' impact stories rather than focusing solely on their personal narratives. So, I center my nonprofit communication strategy on developing interesting, impact-driven narratives illustrating your organization's transformative community initiatives. 

I help you quantify economic uplift, highlighting job creation, business growth, affordable home ownership, and increased property values from nonprofit investments. My messaging showcases broader economic benefits, demonstrating how opportunity finance sector nonprofit activities contribute to overall community health. 

While executive branding and nonprofit impact communications strategies can be implemented concurrently, we prioritize the nonprofit’s story to ensure alignment with organizational goals and values.

Drawing from years of experience and a deep understanding of relationship dynamics, I offer communication strategies that transcend formulaic approaches. My expertise is established on emotional intelligence and the ability to navigate complex social landscapes, ensuring adaptability in the expanding world of nonprofit communications.

As your communications partner, I bring:

1. Strategic Insight and Adaptability: Assessing stakeholder perspectives and adjusting messaging strategies in real-time, applying a nuanced understanding of community needs and concerns. 
2. Genuine Stakeholder Engagement: Crafting communications that resonate authentically with audiences, drawing on real-world experiences to create meaningful connections across diverse communities. 
3. Cross-Cultural Expertise: Leveraging deep understanding of diverse cultural contexts from lived experience to ensure inclusive and effective communications across different groups. 
4. Agile Issues Management: Proactively identifying and addressing potential challenges, and developing and implementing strategic communications to navigate complex landscapes with political acumen and innovative solutions.
5. Ethical Guidance and Contextual Analysis: Developing communication strategies aligned with organizational missions and community expectations, informed by a comprehensive understanding of the opportunity finance sector's historical, social, and political context.

This holistic approach helps ensure your organization’s message not only reaches its intended audience but connects deeply with them, fostering genuine connections and driving meaningful change. 

This communications strategy can also amplify your mission, enhance your impact, and position your nonprofit executive as a thought leader in the opportunity finance sector.

Overview:

This solution is customized to elevate the personal brand and thought leadership of key executives within your opportunity finance sector organization or other nonprofit. I’ll work closely with your leaders to create strategic impact communications that position them as influential voices on financial equity, social and economic justice, and sector innovation.

Strategic Components

I'll partner with your organization to create a comprehensive executive communications strategy. This customized plan will include thought leadership content and content mapping to maximize the executive’s visibility. It will leverage your website and external platforms like LinkedIn, and industry publications, and conferences. What else we build into the plan will depend on what we identify during our discovery project. But, it can include:

• Executive Profile Features: In-depth articles or profile pieces that highlight your executive’s thought leadership, achievements, and vision for the sector, positioning them as industry leaders.
• Signature Opinion Pieces: Creation of ghostwritten cornerstone articles under the executive’s byline, focusing on sector challenges, innovative solutions, and strategic perspectives that reinforce their influence.
• Short-Form Content: Series of supporting blog posts or LinkedIn articles to amplify key messages and maintain a consistent executive presence across platforms. 
• Executive Speech Writing: Craft compelling speeches or provide support for them so they capture the executive’s voice and expertise. These are tailored for industry conferences, panels, and other speaking engagements. 
• Presentation and Webinar Content: Develop presentation decks, talking points, and supporting materials for webinars, panels, and public speaking engagements to enhance audience engagement and reinforce your executive’s authority.
• Multimedia Support: Data visualizations, infographics, script writing for videos and podcasts, and social media content to enhance your executive’s narrative and engagement.

I also offer change and issues management communications, board of director reports and communications, case studies, and internal communications support

Expected Outcome: Enhanced Executive Presence and Branding

This engagement can elevate the visibility of your leaders, positioning them as authoritative voices within the sector and trusted experts in their field. By strategically crafting executive communications, this offering enhances their influence on critical sector conversations, helping them shape discussions, set agendas, and drive thought leadership in key areas of opportunity finance or other nonprofit sectors.

Your investment in executive branding, thought leadership, and impact-driven narratives shapes your organization's future and community impact. But, what we'll do depends on your available resources.

Once we determine that, we'll partner to customize a strategy aligning with your leadership goals and organizational mission. Explore our "How We'll Collaborate" section for insights into our partnership process.

My aim is to amplify your mission, elevate your leadership voice, and spotlight your nonprofit's transformative impact. Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation to discuss your vision for executive branding and impactful storytelling. 

Let's collaborate to shape a narrative that positions your leaders at the vanguard of the your nonprofit sector.

(c) 2022-2024. Dahna M. Chandler for UpThink Strategic Communications, a division of Thrive Media Collaborative, Inc. All rights reserved. This page content may not be reproduced or reposted in whole or in part or used for AI applications without express written permission from the author.