MACC Conversations

Tune in to hear from Sipra Jha, the Executive Director at Asian Women United of Minnesota and Laurel Hansen, MACC's Program Manager as they dive into the importance of cultural practices and supporting one another. Sipra shares her story of growing up in India and how her early experiences shaped her passion for helping others. She talks about her journey as an immigrant and how she found her purpose working with women and families facing domestic violence. Opening up about her background, she shares how her organization supports people from many different cultures and backgrounds. Sipra also shares what leadership means to her, including caring for her team and working together. They'll discuss the highlights and the challenges of nonprofit work, especially during difficult times for immigrant communities. Sipra helps us learn the importance of compassion, teamwork, and staying committed to helping others.

MACC is celebrating AAPI Heritage Month with our recurring series Powerful Voices, Lasting Impact! In this first episode Jennifer So, the Director of Community-based Evaluation and Impact from Neighborhood House, joins Mya Corbin, MACC's Communication's Specialist! Jennifer shares her story working with immigrant and refugee communities. Jennifer talks about how Asian communities are often seen as one group, even though they are very different. She explains how smaller communities can be overlooked and not get enough support. Listeners will also learn why language access and better data are important for fairness. This kickoff episode shows how nonprofits can listen, support, and stand up for all communities. By recognizing past and ongoing exclusion and truly listening to diverse Asian community voices, nonprofits can build fair systems that support all communities.

Tune in to hear from Sook Jin Ong, consultant and poet-storyteller and MACC's Program Director, Laurel Hansen. They discuss rest, equity, and caring for people who do hard work in their communities. Sook Jin Ong is a coach and storyteller who helps people think about rest in a deeper way. She explains that rest is not just sleep, but also feeling safe, seen, and at peace in your body and life. She says rest is also connected to fairness, because systems like racism and capitalism can make it harder for some people to rest. Sook Jin believes rest should be shared, and that communities can support each other like a network. Putting emphasis on creating workplaces where people feel valued and cared for gives leaders the opportunity to listen, be honest with their employees. Sook Jin suggests small ways to feel better, like using your hands for simple activities to calm your mind and body. It's important that we don't abandon our wellness so we can show up as our best selves in everything that we do.

Tune in to hear from Chief Program Officer at FamilyWise Services, Brittany Seidel, and MACC's Program Director, Laurel Hansen, as they discuss how to help employees grow and become strong leaders. They talk about how FamilyWise creates a positive and safe workplace where everyone feels supported and has a chance to learn new skills. They encourage and are committed to advancement and Brittany shares her story of moving up from an entry-level position to an executive leadership role and how teamwork and trust made that possible. She shares that mistakes should be treated as learning opportunities rather than punishment when it comes to employee development in the workplace. Seidel explains why it’s important for leaders to listen, encourage others, and help their staff reach their goals. At FamilyWise they prioritize that staff feel valued and supported so everyone can succeed.

For this Black History Month, tune in to hear from Khadijah Cooper, the Education Director at Annex Teen Clinic and Laurel Hansen, MACC's Program Manager! Khadijah talks about being a Black woman leader while facing challenges in our communities in Minnesota. Right now, a lot of people are feeling fear and stress, she explains that oppression has always existed, but right now it feels more visible and intense. She explains that her main focus is caring for her team and making sure they feel safe and supported at work. The Annex Teen Clinic helps young people by offering sexual health care, teaching about healthy relationships and consent, and supporting parents and other adults. To feel joy when dealing with unrelenting circumstances, Khadijah also shares that she does stand-up comedy, and she believes laughter and joy help people stay strong during hard times. Khadijah’s story shows that strong leadership, community care, and moments of joy can help people stay hopeful and united even in the hardest times.

Tune in to hear from Simpson Housing's Steve Horsfield, Executive Director of Simpson Housing, and Christina Jacobson, Equity and Human Resources Director joining MACC's Program Manager, Laurel Hansen about their work to end homelessness one household at a time. They share how Simpson Housing is building a new shelter and housing space designed to treat people with dignity and help families move into stable homes. They focus on why paying staff a living wage matters and how fair pay supports both workers and the people they serve. Steve and Christina explain what “true cost” funding means and why government contracts should cover the real cost of doing the work. Together they highlight how fair wages, equity, and strong partnerships can lead to better outcomes for staff, participants, and the community.

Tune in to hear from Sharon Day, Executive Director of the Indigenous Peoples Task Force, and MACC's Program Manager, Laurel Hansen, joined by MACC's Communications Director, Clara Owen! The three talk about how to support young people, building strong communities, and staying connected to culture and identity. For this Native American Heritage Month, Sharon shares the story of how the Indigenous Peoples Task Force began in 1987 during the AIDS epidemic. She goes further to explain how storytelling and theater became powerful ways to teach, heal, and inspire the Native youth around her. Sharon talks about how Indigenous Peoples Task Force emphasizes how caring for youth workers, building lasting relationships, and honoring Indigenous practices can help create healthier and stronger communities.

In this episode of Powerful Voices, Lasting Impact, Hispanic Heritage Month edition, Michelle Sanchez, MACC Human Resources Generalist, holds an insightful conversation with Claudia Lainez, Director of the Workers' Center at COPAL. She shares her story of moving from El Salvador to the U.S. and how her childhood shaped her belief in working together as a community. Claudia explains how these values help her support Latino workers and immigrant families in Minnesota. She also talks about challenges she has faced, like not always being listened to, and how teamwork and new tools can make communities stronger.

In this episode of Powerful Voices, Lasting Impact, Hispanic Heritage Month edition, Michelle Sanchez, MACC's Human Resources Generalist, holds an insightful conversation with Rosa Gomez, the office manager at COPAL. Rosa shares her story of growing up in a blended, multi-ethnic family and how her identity shaped her passion for helping communities. She explains how education and collectivist values taught her to use her opportunities to support others, not just herself. Rosa also talks about the importance of working together, while reminding us that growth and change can happen without losing our culture or community values.

In this episode of Powerful Voices, Lasting Impact, Hispanic Heritage Month edition, Mya Corbin, MACC's Communication's Specialist, holds an insightful conversation with Victoria Campoverde, manager of Latino Leadership at Neighborhood House. Victoria shares her journey as an immigrant from Peru and how her cultural identity has shaped her career in nonprofits supporting immigrant and refugee families. She highlights the importance of collectivism, collaboration across departments, and leadership that listens to community voices. They emphasize the communication, cultural respect, and the value of building supportive, connected communities.

Tune in as Laurel Hansen, MACC program manager, talks with Francisco Segovia, the leader of COPAL, for Hispanic Heritage Month! Francisco tells the story of moving from El Salvador to Minnesota and how his culture has shaped the way he leads at his organization. Francisco shares why he started COPAL, to give Latinos a stronger voice through community work, jobs, and policy change. Francisco also explains the struggles many Hispanic workers face, like unfair treatment and not being able to use all their skills, and how nonprofits can help by standing together and supporting immigrant communities. They'll discuss the importance of staying connected to your roots, leading with care for others, and building communities where everyone belongs. 

Tune in to hear from Warren Duncan from People Incorporated Training Insititute, and Laurel Hansen, MACC's Program Manager. In this episode they discuss the burnout, compassion fatigue, and mental health challenges that nonprofit staff face, especially in uncertain times with limited resources. Duncan speaks on how organizations can better support staff by implementing psychological safety, normalizing conversations around stress, and addressing increased burnout due to poor communication or toxic work culture. He emphasizes the importance of naming and addressing emotional strain stating, “name it to tame it," to build trust with teams and strategies for balance. Prioritizing well-being and open communication allows individuals and organizations to remain resilient, effective, and committed to their mission.

In this recruitment-focused episode, Cheryl Jensen from Strategic Consulting and Coaching talks with Laurel Hansen, MACC's Program Manager, about how to lead nonprofits during times of big change. Cheryl discusses building and leading strong teams and shares what she's learned when guiding organizations through leadership change. She shares that it’s important to listen to each organization’s needs, build trust, and create a strong team where people feel supported and can grow. The two of them talk about helping leaders plan for the future, take care of themselves, and work together to keep serving their communities well.

Tune in to hear from Ashley Burris, MACC's HR Business Partner and DHop, Director of Youth Programs and Best Buy Teen Tech Center at PCYC! DHop discusses how his work resists the erasure of Blackness by ensuring that Black communities lead youth programming, not just participate in it. He reflects on growing up with Black mentors and emphasizes the importance of representation in leadership. He also highlights his organization's deep connection to its community, centering local voices and needs in all programming. They reflect on Juneteenth’s legacy and a call to continue uplifting Black communities with purpose and intention.

Tune in to hear from Ashley Burris, MACC's Human Resources Business Partner, and Sherri Green Director of Family Services from Sabathani Community Center about preserving Black history through intentional staffing, community events, and centering Black voices. Sherri highlights events like Black Wall Street and Community Day, which showcase Black-owned businesses and uplift local culture. She emphasizes the importance of leadership that reflects the communities for better support. It's important to continue celebrating Black joy and community strength.

Tune in to hear from Mya Corbin, MACC's Communications Specialist and Amondo Dickerson, Managing Director of Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, about preserving Black history and building community resilience. Amondo highlights the Center’s 100-year legacy of uplifting Black voices and serving youth. He stresses the need for nonprofit solidarity and shared resources, especially as funding decreases. This episode encourages unity, support, and continued investment in Black communities.

Tune in to hear from host, Mya Corbin, MACC's Communications Specialist and Karen Bauer, The Forum's Design Strategist to discuss the experience of being the only Black woman in mostly white academic and professional spaces. Karen shares the importance of uplifting diverse Black voices, resisting erasure, and creating spaces that honor both the pain and joy of Black history. The episode highlights Juneteenth as a time for reflection, resilience, and celebration, with Black joy and healing as key to building a more equitable future.

Tune in to hear from Laurel Hansen, MACC's program manager, and Jean Loyd, founder of Real Life Real Talk, to discuss how our values can support our boundaries and safeguard our identities in today's challenging world. In this conversation, Jean shares her journey as a transformational coach, speaker, and facilitator, and dives into how Real Life Real Talk began as a space for women to process their stories and take ownership of their choices. She reflects on how values like family, spirituality, and curiosity serve as a compass, especially in human service and nonprofit work. Jean explores how aligning with your core values promotes self-awareness, connection, and resilience, and how organizations can foster deeper trust, collaboration, and community by creating space for real, honest conversations. We hope you feel inspired, enjoy!

Tune in to hear from MACC's Program Manager, Laurel Hansen, joined by Lisa Negstad of Negstad Consulting, to discuss what makes for successful leadership transitions, why investing in shared leadership practices is essential, and how funders can support these efforts. Drawing from the experiences of MACC and Negstad Consulting, they highlight practices and frameworks that support collaborative leadership models—and the organizational and cultural shifts needed to sustain them. Listen now!   *Correction: in this Podcast recording we accidentally misstated author Lisa Feldman Barrett's name. We apologize for the error! You can find more information about Lisa Feldman Barret and her books on her website: https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/

Tune in to hear from MACC program manager, Laurel Hansen, joined by Drake Powe, professional public speaker, meditation instructor, life coach, and stress reduction consultant, as they talk about handling stress and staying healthy, especially in busy jobs like nonprofits. Drake shares how meditation has helped him feel better and manage stress. They talk about simple ways to calm down, like changing how you think and getting support from others. The 2025 MACC Summit is coming up fast and Drake's session will provide a space where people can learn easy tricks to feel better and work better with others. It explains how noticing our feelings can stop stress from getting worse. Some helpful tips include deep breathing, sitting up straight, and drinking water. Leaders should use these ideas too, so workplaces feel supportive and happy. Staying strong means paying attention to good moments, staying mindful, and using small habits to make life better at work and home. Listen today!

Tune in to hear from meditation facilitator and co-founder of Black Zen, Jasmine Johnson and MACC's Program Manager, Laurel Hansen to discuss how mindfulness uplifts the BIPOC community and fosters a more just society. She explores meditation’s role in reducing stress, enhancing empathy, and even decreasing prejudice. As she prepares to lead a mindfulness session at MACC Summit 2025, Jasmine shares practical strategies for integrating mindfulness into workplaces and managing the pressures of human services work. She also offers insight into Black Zen’s future and its mission to expand its impact. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on mindfulness as a tool for personal and social change.

Tune in to listen to Executive Director of V3 Sports, Malik Rucker, as he sits down with MACC's Communication's Specialist, Mya Corbin. Malik discusses growing up in North Minneapolis, and how his journey began in the community spaces that shaped him—entering into a position where he oversees an organization that offers a sense of community for others. He'll go into why there's value in Boards investing and preparing for Black leaders to both welcome them and help them feel supported in their position. In this episode, we dive into his transition from athlete to nonprofit leader, from his early career at Big Brothers Big Sisters to becoming the first employee and now Executive Director of V3 Sports. Listen Now!

Tune in to hear from host, Mya Corbin who is joined by Kendrick Walton, a Policy Entrepreneur Fellow from The Forum. Kendrick shares his experience as a teacher, debate coach, and supporter of fair justice. They talk about why it's important to have leaders who reflect the community and how Black women bring valuable ideas to nonprofits. Kendrick also shares what he's learned from working with Black women leaders and how their ideas can solve problems in new ways.

In this episode, host Mya Corbin, MACC's Communications Specialist, speaks with Tanika Fears, Assistant to the President at Neighborhood House, about her journey from administrative assistant to executive leadership. They discuss the challenges of navigating predominantly white workspaces, the isolation that can come with it, and the importance of diversity in the workplace. Tanika shares how Black women's lived experiences offer valuable perspectives for client and community engagement. Together, they emphasize why representation matters and the need to see people who look like us in leadership roles. Stay tuned for Tanika’s insightful closing remarks.

In this episode, Laurel Hansen, MACC's program manager, talks with Jaralyn Roberts, Leadership Development Director at The Forum, about her journey to finding the right career fit and stepping into leadership. Jaralyn shares how being authentic, especially as a Black woman in leadership, has shaped her approach to work. She highlights the importance of building meaningful relationships and ensuring employees feel supported. They discuss staying connected as a leader while maintaining a human-centered focus. Jaralyn also emphasizes the need for leaders to prioritize self-care.

Tune into our first installation, this Black History Month, with MACC member, Hamm Clinic's Executive Director, Maisha Giles! Maisha goes into what it means to be supported in the workplace and how that feeds into her making a lasting impact at her organization. She highlights the importance of policies in place to receive black leaders and more specifically lack women who are stepping into leadership positions, and focusing on inclusion and not just diversity.   Tune into this special podcast episode all the other installments coming out this Black History Month!

Tune in to hear from Vega Mala, Mala Nagarajan, of Vega Mala Consulting, and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager as they talk about wages and benefits. Mala’s company helps organizations treat their employees fairly and improve workplace practices. They talk about the importance of fair pay, a "thriving wage," and how it affects hiring, promotions, and job satisfaction. Mala suggests tools like budgeting rules to figure out what this wage should be. Employers can also help workers by offering financial advice, fair pay practices, and better retirement savings plans. Listen in on this conversation to hear all about clear polices for employers to show that they value their employees.

Tune in to hear from Chamille Edmonds, Program Manager of DARTS, and MACC's Senior Human Resources Consultant, Diane Seep, joining Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager as they talk through challenges in retaining employees in the workforce, finding the right candidates, and pinpointing those community connections. They discuss the importance of networking and employers recruiting with new methods in mind. This podcast emphasizes the idea of pursing partnerships to benefit everyone.

Tune into hear from Executive Director of Avenues for Youth, Katherine Meerse, and Program Manager, Laurel Hansen, putting a magnifying glass on pay equity in regards to youth experiencing homelessness. Katherine goes into Avenues wage equity journey and implementing new practices like succession planning. They discuss the importance of laying the foundation for new hires to come into a position with a standard for what their position will entail. They highlight the importance of uplifting and investing in your workforce and considering why adequate pay is essential for our whole workforce.

Tune in to hear Holly Henning, Executive director of Women's Advocates joining MACC Program Manager, Laurel Hansen, for this all-new culture episode! Hear how one organization intentionally develops a team-centered workplace culture, how they make the commitment to their staff's well-being, and making sure to value its importance for a better workplace culture. They discuss the intentionality behind trainings and discuss boundaries for the purpose of improving self-care in the non-profit sector. They dissect what it means to center the well-being of a team and create space for more staff voices to be heard. 

Tune in to hear Amanda Golly, Vice President of Human Resource Services and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager on why centering employee mental health and overall well-being is so important. This conversation goes in depth on organizations creating spaces for employees to take some downtime and have spaces for people to be their whole selves will promoting a healthy work environment. This session dives deeper into workplace culture and encouraging managers to dig deeper and get to know their employees and overall how to make an organization that's grounded in well-being.

Tune in to hear Amanda Golly, Vice President of Human Resource Services and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager for this session on Culture. Employers need to be looking at everything in order to retain high performers and identify and emphasize why your organization is so important. This session further Discusses how manager's role in maintaining a healthy organizational culture.

Tune in to hear MACC Program Manager, Laurel Hansen and Co-Founder and President of Team Dynamics, Alfonso Wenker dive into new ways of thinking about workplace culture and how people leaders are using their power. They talk through why it's important to be honest about hierarchy and different types of power, and how re-balancing power in the social sector economy will help our workplaces.

Tune in to hear Katie Berg, Human Resources Consultant and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager. In this session the difficulty to keep workforce positions filled is highlighted. Nonprofits have to remain competitive with for profit organizations and emphasize the importance of the work that nonprofits do hold on to the workforce. Some tactics presented are making benefits more of a status quo, discussing higher wages, and making it so workers can have a healthy work life balance.

Tune in to hear members of MACC's social enterprise cohort talk through the challenges of running a business within a nonprofit. They discuss the multiple hats they wear, hurdles in hiring, keeping positions filled, and fueling volunteers so they see the value in their work. Hear from Amy Haddy, Director of Thrift Business of PRISM: Shop for Change, Marge Sutcliffe, Manager of Thrift Business of Valley Outreach: StyleXchange, Sonja Carr, Manager of Thrift Business of Interfaith Outreach: Resale Select, Yudi Montes, Manager of Thrift Business of Neighbors Inc.: Clothes Closet,

Tune in to hear Jamie Hawkins, Human Resources Coordinator and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager look closer at accessibility to increase diversity in the recruitment process. What having a skill-based recruitment process to encourage this would do. Some tactics include identifying the changes in language to attract applicants and being careful to not push forth bias.

Tune in to hear from Ingrid Sabah, the Managing Director of Impact, Evaluation, and Learning for the African American Leadership forum and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager to discuss the importance of marketing your organization, benefits flexibility, and how your people can be recruiters. Sabah shares her perspective on how shaping culture around an organization' talent and creating a healthy culture that really listens to employees can impact recruitment early on and improve retention. They'll remind us not be afraid of an unseen or unknown outcomes when you're making positive changes in recruitment strategies.

Tune in to hear Jamie Hawkins, Human Resources Coordinator and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager. This session goes into how to retain and sustain recruitment in an effective manner going into why less people are participating in the labor force and what challenges are presenting themselves. This discussion goes into how skill-based hiring/recruiting process can increase the candidate pool and overall being more flexible and center skill-based hiring and recruiting processes.

Tune in to hear from Ignite After School Staff: Kari Denissen-Cunnien, Ignite Executive Director, and Darian Lofton, Ignite Program Associate and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager, on how to cultivate leadership development in youth. They'll touch on how to build opportunities for youth leaders by increasing their skills. This discussion will focus on why it's important to have development that's impactful for young nonprofit leaders. Young people can change the world and having that knowledge base is powerful and brings forth change in the nonprofit sector.

Tune in to hear Diane Seep, Senior Human Resources Consultant and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager. This discussion goes into how to find the right tools to remain sustainable and competitive. The benefit of investing in skill building to provide opportunity to learn and grow with the end goal to retain employees. The Importance of employee to employer communication and evaluating the roll to make the best candidate match up.

Tune in to hear from Ingrid Sabah, the Managing Director of Impact, Evaluation, and Learning for the African American Leadership Forum and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager where they'll discuss building a skills-based workplace. Sabah shares why learning and skill building goes hand-in-hand are foundational to organizational professional development. Dig into how self-taught experts can sometimes be a better fit for a position instead of gauging qualifications with a college degree, and how this opens up the opportunity to more potential candidates. Organizations can learn to rethink about what is really needed to reduce barriers in the hiring process in this episode.

Tune in to hear Diane Seep, Senior Human Resources Consultant and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager talk through why managers having the tools to build skills in a leadership role can fulfill that responsibility of being a manager. In order to lead a team, managers need those resources to manage a team first. The go on to discuss that investing time and space to develop managers creates room for people to grow.

Tune in to hear Theresa Bernard, Human Resources Generalist and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager discussing how to increase value proposition as an employer to increase recruitment and retention. This session answers the question of: Are compensation amounts reflecting the skill level and position and duties? And, what are the benefits of doing a compensation analysis? 

Tune in to hear Theresa Bernard, Human Resource Generalist and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager speak on the importance of implementing IDEA in an organization. This session takes a dive into what can be done for organizations that want to implement IDEA so it works with their mission as an organization; highlighting the value proposition of IDEA and how it has positive impacts on an organization.

Tune in to hear from Quinn Daley, Human Resources Specialist and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager in the episode of Ask MACC. This session dives into compensation looking past just the rates and salary. Benefits packages are becoming something that people are looking at ad using as consideration when looking at a position. They further discuss applying real-life experience to a benefits design.

Tune in to hear Julie Bluhm, Interim CEO of Bluhm Forward and Laurel Hansen, MACC Program Manager. They'll discuss what methods can help nonprofit leaders succeed and working to make leadership transitions as smooth as they can be. They go over the steps that new leaders can take to have strong start and make the onboarding process less stressful.

Tune in to hear from Mandy Ellerton who spent nine years leading critical work at the Bush Foundation. Now she is a founder and principal consultant at dawn:dusk, who will present a Shared Leadership virtual session with the MACC network on October 23rd, 2024! She joins Laurel Hansen, MACC's Program Manager, to discuss the state of employee burnout, resource scarcity, and historical wrongs, all to show the need for stronger leadership and reimagining what that looks like for our organizations. They discuss making efforts to increase the durability of our nonprofit organizations. Dive into this conversation to get into building trust between colleagues and leaders and truly believe in the people that you work with.

Tune in to hear from Molly Peterson, Director of Adult Mental Health Programs at NAMI Minnesota, joining MACC Program Manager, Laurel Hansen to talk about the importance of overall mental health and how it relates to the workplace. Peterson explores what it means to set boundaries for your well-being and that it's okay to uphold them in the workplace. It's okay to say "no" if it means the overall health of your well-being Being conscious of your own mental health and what capacity you have to keep it healthy is what matters most and that shouldn't stop at work. Learn more about practicing mental health and what that looks like in the workplace.

Tune in to hear MACC Program Manager, Laurel Hansen in conversation with Carl Schlueter, Executive Director of Banyan Community as he talks about the power of intentionally cultivating workplace relationships. Learn how he builds relationships to strengthen his organization for the long run.  

Tune in to hear from Claudia Waring of AWUM and Diane Seep, MACC's Senior Human Resources Consultant, as they discuss with MACC's Program Manager Laurel Hansen all about highlighting the employees doing the work and making sure to accurately compensate them and center pay equity. Wages have a large part in whether employees choose to stay with an organization or not and making those wages competitive and equitable is a strong benefit to appealing to employees.