TRANSCEND4GOOD specializes in working with leaders serving associations and nonprofits at an inflection point. Our expertise spans start-ups to mid-sized to highly matrixed organizations—we are ready to support you where you are and to develop the strategies, people, and resources to take you where you need to be to maximize impact for your mission.
Using evidence-based methodology, we meet stakeholder needs, strengthen management skills, improve performance, and support sustainable growth through:
Organizational Assessment
C-Suite Hiring and Coaching, including Succession Planning
Board Training and Facilitation, and DEI Training
Revenue Strategy Development and Building a Culture of Philanthropy
Corporate Social Responsibility Development and Corporate Philanthropy Engagement
Mission and Program Design and Evaluation, including incorporation of DEI Strategies
Social Impact Priorities and DEI Initiatives
Operational Effectiveness Assessment
Culture Assessment and Organizational Strategy Work to Shift and Uplift Teams
Advocacy, Federal and State Policy
Alliance Development and Industry Collaborations
Internal and External Communications
“We need leaders who add value to the people and the organization they lead; who work for the benefit of others and not just for their own personal gain. Leaders who inspire and motivate, not intimidate and manipulate; who live with people to know their problems in order to solve them and who follow a moral compass that points in the right directions regardless of the trends.”
— Mary Kay Ash
Elizabeth Thompson – Chairman and CEO
A leader known for her strategic leadership and diagnostic acumen, Elizabeth builds and repositions organizations. Her experience spans global brands, national mission-driven organizations and important community initiatives with success developing and executing on solutions for start-ups, mid-life, and mature organizations with revenue bases from $300K - $450M.
Elizabeth’s reputation has been built creating stronger missions, developing vital fundraising programs, turning around cultures and operations, and strengthening governance and ethics policies. Her success is rooted in an approach that is data-driven, systems and process-oriented, and that embraces the talents, abilities, and ambitions of people. After more than 25 years leading for-profit and for-purpose organizations, she is focusing her energies on consulting and sharing the knowledge learned in creating and sustaining healthy, dynamic, organizations.
Elizabeth partners with boards and executive staff to face change and embrace the future.
The National Osteoporosis Foundation sought mission clarity, an energized fundraising base, and an operations and culture shift. In the two year assignment, she stood up the National Bone Health Policy Institute with an investment of $1.2M, brought together thirteen national organizations to work on policy and strategy for patients---a first of its kind collaboration in the bone health space, overhauled the financial and development systems producing a clean audit and a revitalized fundraising platform for individual donors, developed a social media platform that showcased the work of the Foundation, educating the target market and engaged donors, and transformed the staff structure and culture.
The Hearing Industries Association needed strategy around succession planning for the CEO, revitalizing the brand, and a policy strategy that would be structured to be positive for manufacturers and patients. Over the one year assignment, she conducted an organizational assessment producing the basis for change, worked with the executive committee of the board on a succession plan for the CEO, transitioned the organization from their association management firm to a free standing organization, led the successful search for the new CEO, initiated a brand campaign, produced a national meeting for members that was rated “best in class”, and provided coaching and leadership to new industry executives as they served for the first time as national directors for the board.
President George H. W. Bush and his wife, Barbara, contacted Elizabeth to help them determine the right structure and path for their think tank, C-Change. As a leader in the cancer nonprofit space, and a long-time member of the organization, they felt her knowledge would provide unique and important insights about its future and direction. Her assessment led to the positive conclusion of mission achieved---with assets transferred to a “sister organization,” the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. President and Mrs. Bush were grateful to know this part of their legacy had been managed responsibly and thoughtfully.
She has also served as a strategic advisor to Pink Ribbon/Red Ribbon (the first global initiative President George Bush, ’43 was involved with post office) raising $85M in 6 months to launch, the Women’s Heart Alliance (Barbara Streisand’s organization), the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, the CEO Roundtable on Cancer, Children’s National Medical Foundation, Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation, Friends of Cancer Research, and the Smith Center.
As a staff person, Elizabeth was highly successful in her role as President of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, leading the organization through its most dynamic fundraising and mission investment years (more than $1.2B invested in research, community health and global programs). At the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, she developed the National Action Plan, the research and policy strategy for the organization that was foundational for increasing federal investments in research. And, early in her career, she served as the founding Executive Director of the Susan Love Breast Cancer Research Foundation, standing up The Army of Women.
Elizabeth is quick to tell you that this success story is one that is shared---and was made possible because of the bright, committed individuals she met, was mentored by, and that she had the sense and fortune to hire. Creating leaders gives Elizabeth great joy and continues to build her personal legacy. Eighteen women from teams she built are now CEOs and entrepreneurs in their own right; more than 30 additional women and men serve in significant roles at nonprofits leading development, mission, operations, and systems roles.
At the heart of all this work are the people. Elizabeth’s relationships are dynamic and ongoing with strong bonds formed out of shared purpose, mutual integrity, and hard work.