Description
Succession Planning for Resilient Nonprofits
Originally Presented on February 12, 2026 | 75 Minutes | Presented by: Shannon Mason, Ph.D., Carolyn Rammel, and Ashley Tobin of Dunleavy & Associates + Melissa Sines, Interim Standards for Excellence Director, PANO
A Webinar for Nonprofit Boards & Executive Leaders
Nonprofit leadership transitions are inevitable — but crisis doesn’t have to be.
PANO, in partnership with Dunleavy & Associates, invites nonprofit executive directors and board members to a practical, equity-centered webinar focused on executive succession planning. This session is designed to help boards fulfill one of their most critical governance responsibilities: ensuring leadership continuity and organizational stability.
Whether your organization is facing a planned transition, an unexpected departure, or simply wants to be better prepared, this webinar will provide a clear, board-ready framework you can use right away. You’ll walk away with a clear executive succession planning framework, practical tools and templates aligned with the Standards for Excellence, and concrete next steps your board can act on.
Why Board Members Should Attend
Executive transitions are primarily board-led moments. This session will help board members:
- Understand their role before, during, and after an executive transition
- Distinguish between transition planning and succession planning
- Prepare for both emergency and planned departures
- Reduce risk, disruption, and loss of institutional knowledge
- Ensure transitions are equitable, transparent, and mission-aligned
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Define executive succession planning and why it matters now
- Apply a step-by-step framework for building or updating a plan
- Clarify board and senior staff roles in succession planning
- Incorporate equity into leadership transitions
- Begin a realistic succession plan within 30 days
Who Should Attend*
- Nonprofit board members (especially board chairs and governance committee members)
- Executive directors and senior leadership teams
- Organizations with founder-executives or long-tenured leaders
- Nonprofits that want to be proactive rather than reactive
*We strongly encourage nonprofit execs and at least one board member to watch this recording together to promote shared understanding, better planning, and smoother decision-making when transitions.
Once you have purchased this webinar, you will be emailed the link and password to access the video, along with a link to download any supporting materials (e.g., copy of the PowerPoint, handouts, etc.). This email will be sent to the address that you list when you check out. If you have any questions, please email info@pano.org or call PANO’s main business line at 717-236-8584.
