What is Leadership Development

In the United States, nonprofit organizations exist in varying sectors of society. These nonprofits are headed by leaders who play an important role in combating social justice issues like xenophobia, inequality, patriarchy, misogyny, and racism to name a few. However, little is known about how these leaders come into formal leadership positions in such agencies. Using case-study approach, this chapter addresses this gap by profiling two women leaders of small community-based nonprofit organizations based in Central Illinois. Each of the women profiled made mid-career transitions into their current roles in full-time nonprofit leadership and had worked for less than two years at the time they were interviewed.