Meet our interim executive director, David Perry

When Elaine Charpentier Philippi resigned as the Executive Director, the In4All Board of Directors quickly reached out to David Perry to see if he would be interested in serving as our interim director while we conducted a full search for a new leader. Fortunately, he was interested and has been serving as our Interim Executive Director since November of last year. I talked with David about the role of an interim E.D. and what he has learned about In4All that he will take with him in his work with other non-profit organizations.

Grant Kimball: David, how did you did you get started in interim executive director work?

David Perry: The first time I served as an interim executive director was at an organization where I was on the staff during a transition in leadership and I took on some additional duties to help them get through that period. Following that, I worked as a permanent executive director for five years at another organization and then started consulting which has allowed me to work with new organizations on a regular basis.

Over my 28-year career, I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of different roles in non-profit organizations, including executive leadership. When I come into an organization as an outsider I call on a lot of those experiences to help organizations on an interim basis. It’s a good alignment with my jack-of-all-trades mentality.

Do you find there are some common challenges in non-profits that you are addressing each time you take on an interim role?

Absolutely. All non-profits have some similar struggles. Funding is obviously one where non-profits always have to really think through their revenue plan. Tied to that is non-profits tend to be a little resource constrained. I focus mostly on smaller non-profits where there tend to be capacity limitations, especially in staffing where everyone is wearing multiple hats and backing each other up to get things done.

That means a lot of non-profits have a list of what I would call “deferred maintenance” items that have been pushed off because the staff is too busy. One of the things I like about this role is that I can look around at small things that might need to get tweaked like a policy improvement, a change in process, a technical system, or other things that can just help things run a little smoother.

When you are looking where to spend your time, what do you look for in an organization that tells you it’s a place where you can help?

When I get involved as an interim executive director or in a consulting role, there is always some sort of a change they are going through. It might be an executive transition, a new facility, a new major program, or anything else where they need help managing the change.

The mission of the organization is also a factor. I come from a background of working in education-related organizations, so I have context, the ability to connect program staff, and an understanding of the issues they face working in the education sphere. I also exclusively focus on organizations that are working toward a future that is more equitable – such as those looking to close opportunity gaps like In4All.

So, how did you find this opportunity to serve as the interim executive director at In4All?

Elaine and I had connected previously working in similar spheres and our organizations actually shared office space years ago. During the pandemic, we connected several times to talk about how we were rethinking our programming to maintain our impact. When she got the opportunity to work for the Murdock Charitable Trust she reached out to see if I was available to take on an interim role while the board searched for a new leader.

Coming into In4All, what did you see as the priorities for this role?

The main priority for me as an interim is to provide some stability by helping everyone – including staff and board members – understand the process and what to expect, and to maintain a level of basic functions to provide some normalcy. My role is also to give the organization time to make a hiring decision without feeling rushed and without feeling like it’s an emergency. I can keep things moving when it comes to things like relationships with funders, writing grants, and maintaining the connection between the board and staff.

When you take on an interim role, do you just try to maintain what’s there or do you try to make changes based on your experience in the field?

It’s a balance of how much to do. I try not to make any large decisions about things that will take longer to execute than I’ll be in the role. Anything that takes longer, I’ll add to a list of suggestions for the new executive director and the board – unless there is an acute need that needs to be addressed.

There are always a few things, however, where I see something that can work better, and I’ll either make those suggestions or go ahead and make the changes needed. My overall goal is to make the landing for the new executive director as smooth as possible. I don’t want to leave a lot of loose ends that add to the list of things the new leader has to take care of.

Now that you know more about In4All, what do you see as its strength?

Right off the bat, I saw this is a very well-run organization with great staff, great board, strong culture, and doing some really great work in the community. It’s a bit of a best kept secret where its impact is bigger than people would expect. The way In4All supports students and teachers is huge and is a testament to the top-notch staff that delivers some really great programming.

I also give a lot of credit to the board which is structured well, has a lot of expertise, and is very giving of their time and energy to support the organization. I will definitely use In4All as a model as I go into other organizations.

What have you learned from this experience that you’ll take to other places?

In4All has a great structure around the way companies engage as partners. What I really value about that model is companies are not just engaged as sponsors providing funding, but they are also engaged in the classroom as co-learners where employees are taking time away from their job responsibilities to get involved in the classroom. It’s a great model of connecting students with professionals, which we know is a great way for students to see future career paths, and it gives employees a learning opportunity as they engage in the classroom.

How long do you plan to be in this role?

The short answer is as long as needed. When I take on an interim director role like this, I want to make sure I can stay with the organization until they get somebody hired and help with the transition as much as needed after that. The In4All board is making great progress in its search for a new leader and the staff is doing an outstanding job delivering programming for the 2023-2024 school year. We’re all excited for the next steps.