Meghan Grady joined YWCA Rhode Island as its chief operating officer in 2011. She is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and internal operations of the organization, which has an annual budget of $2.8 million and locations in Woonsocket, Central Falls, Providence and Coventry.
She received her master’s degree in public administration from Roger Williams University and bachelor’s degree from Merrimack College. In 2015, Grady was awarded a Hassenfeld Public Service Fellowship and completed Harvard University Kennedy School of Government’s Leadership Decision Making program.
In addition to being named to Providence Business News’s 40 Under Forty, Grady’s leadership has earned her the United Way of Rhode Island’s SPARK! Young Leader Award and Roger Williams University’s Young Alumni of Achievement Award.
PBN: Why did you apply for the Allstate Foundation Greater Good Nonprofit Leadership program?
GRADY: As a nonprofit leader, I am committed to continuous self-improvement. I feel that participation in this program will allow me to make a larger and longer-lasting impact within YWCA Rhode Island.
The All State Greater Good Nonprofit Leaders program is attractive because it provides a combination of cohort-based academic instruction, one-on-one executive coaching and individual development opportunities outside the classroom at no cost to the participant. I am excited by the idea that leaders emerge from the Greater Good program positioned to further transform their organizations, their communities and the nonprofit sector as a whole.
PBN: You were one of 31 recipients chosen out of 400 applicants, how does that recognition make you feel?
GRADY: It was an honor to be selected for this elite leadership program in partnership with the prestigious Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. The 2018 Class of Greater Good is comprised of a diverse range of leaders from organizations with annual budgets between $1 million and $20 million from across the nation. I have the privilege of learning alongside two other YWCA leaders, Lindsy Carpenter, chief operating officer of YWCA San Francisco & Marin, and Amberlie Phillips, chief development officer of YWCA Utah.
PBN: How do you plan to implement the leadership and development information you will learn as a participant in this program?
GRADY: The Greater Good program has given me the opportunity to participate in a Korn Ferry’s Emotional and Social Competency Inventory, otherwise known as a 360 Leadership Assessment. Twenty-one people I work with internally and externally completed an online assessment to help me identify my strengths and areas of growth. I’m now working with a leadership coach who is helping me identify a skill-development plan to help me take my leadership skills to the next level.
PBN: What do you hope to learn about leadership and development in the nonprofit sector?
GRADY: In our first session at Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, we learned about brave leadership, leading vibrant teams, nonprofit board governance, persuasion and influence, and emotional intelligence. These topics are all relevant to nonprofit leadership and it is my goal to use this newfound knowledge to benefit my organization and community.
PBN: How will this experience enhance your leadership of the YWCA?
GRADY: It is my hope that YWCA Rhode Island and the nonprofit sector will benefit from my participation in the Allstate Greater Good Nonprofit Leaders program. I know this program will help me grow as an emerging leader and assist in implementing YWCA’s mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
I understand that nonprofit leaders need to be able to make solid strategic decisions to avoid potential challenges and maintain vibrancy. I recognize that to be successful as a leader, I need to be agile and adapt to the changing landscape of the nonprofit sector. Participation in this program is helping me better understand how to employ my strengths as well as understand my weaknesses and opportunities for growth.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
