Leadership Lessons: Practical Wisdom for Today’s Nonprofit Leaders
Friday, September 25, 2026
9:00 am - 11:30 am
VCCF Community Room
4001 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo (1st Floor)
Individual Members: No Additional Fee
Organizational Members: No Additional Fee
Non-Members: $55
About this event
Overview:
Exceptional leadership is rarely about having all the answers—it's about creating the conditions where people, teams, and organizations can thrive. Drawing on more than four decades of executive leadership experience, this engaging and discussion-based workshop explores the practical leadership lessons that have shaped successful organizations through periods of growth, uncertainty, and change. Participants will examine the habits, mindsets, and leadership practices that foster high-performing teams, resilient organizational cultures, and mission-driven decision making.
Through real-world examples, memorable leadership principles, and interactive discussion, participants will explore how leaders intentionally shape organizational culture, empower others through shared leadership, and navigate complexity with confidence. The workshop also introduces practical frameworks for understanding organizations from multiple perspectives, distinguishing between technical and adaptive challenges, responding effectively during times of crisis, and making thoughtful decisions when the path forward is uncertain.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Intentionally shape organizational culture by applying leadership practices that strengthen trust, accountability, shared values, and employee engagement.
- Apply multiple organizational leadership frameworks to better understand challenges, improve decision making, and lead more effectively across diverse situations.
- Lead change and uncertainty with confidence by distinguishing between technical and adaptive challenges, selecting appropriate change strategies, and responding effectively during times of disruption.
- Strengthen leadership influence and organizational impact through effective communication, shared leadership, purposeful decision making, and techniques that inspire commitment to mission and organizational goals
Who Should Attend:
Designed specifically for nonprofit executives, managers, and emerging leaders, this workshop provides immediately applicable strategies that strengthen leadership effectiveness while inspiring participants to think differently about their role. Attendees will leave with practical tools to build stronger teams, communicate purpose more effectively, lead organizational change with greater confidence, and create a culture where both people and mission can flourish.
Faculty
Steve Elson
Steve is and independent consultant and the CEO Emeritus of Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Family -- an organization he lead for over 26 years.
Steve spent thirty-five years in executive leadership roles of not-for-profit organizations providing mental health and residential services to children and youth with complex trauma and/or presenting challenging and disruptive behavioral/emotional issues. These organizations provided services to more than 50,000 vulnerable children and youth and their families in a highly regulated, compliance driven industry that was funded through both public (Medicaid) and private (commercial insurance and private pay) payers and involvde multiple and complex funding streams.
In his executive roles, Steve enabled significant organizational growth and new lines of business while achieving state and national recognition for training and service excellence. He has had active involvement in virtually all significant public policy initiatives affecting child welfare and mental health in California.
His ongoing consultation and training services have directly impacted organizations in 15 states and seven foreign countries. Steve has sat on Boards of five state-wide and one national association and was elected/served a term as President in each of the six associations.