Unlocking Leadership Growth: Naomi Asher’s United Way NEXT Experience
United Way NEXT is proud to recognize the accomplishments of our members, and today we’d like to celebrate Naomi Asher's recent graduation from the Interim Executives Academy, a legacy program of Third Sector Company.
Naomi’s United Way journey began in 2015 as the Executive Director of UW of Anderson, Campbell, Morgan, and Scott Counties in Oak Ridge, TN. After 9 years with UWACMS, she went on to serve as the Chief Development Officer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley before transitioning to full time entrepreneurship with her company, The Maven Consulting. Self identifying as a “Passion Driven Professional” Naomi has various certifications she utilizes throughout her work as a Speaker, Author, and Trainer to help create pathways to success for all people. She’s also a Doctoral Candidate at Carolina University and volunteers as a Board Member for the City of Oak Ridge.
After more than 10 years of nonprofit experience, Naomi joined the UW NEXT community in 2023. Having connected with Carole during her time at UWACMS, she said she was "so helpful and UW NEXT provided invaluable resources, so connecting when I transitioned out of that role was an easy decision!" As someone committed to making the biggest impact, she recognized the value of engaging with fellow United Way professionals for years to come. Since joining UW NEXT, Naomi has volunteered as a Guest Presenter, joined the Consultant Collaborative Leadership Team, and most recently joined the Interim Executive Academy!
In this insightful Q&A, we dive into the motivation behind Naomi’s decision to join IEA and her most valuable takeaways from the program. Join us as we uncover her passion for leadership, her love for United Way, and what she’s doing NEXT!
Q&A with Naomi Asher
What inspired you to enroll in the Interim Executive Academy?
I was drawn to the Interim Executive Academy because of its focus on adaptive leadership, transition management, and systems-level thinking. As someone who frequently supports organizations through change, I wanted to deepen my understanding of interim leadership and strengthen my ability to lead, and support others, through periods of uncertainty and transition. I have watched the chaos that leadership transition can cause for an organization and am always looking for ways to increase my skills to help build stability with organizations walking through change. Over and over I hear outgoing leaders say they have left everything they can for a smooth transition and incoming leaders say they felt thrown into the deep end with no life vest - I wanted to learn how to stand in that gap!
What were some of the most valuable takeaways from the program?
The most valuable takeaways were learning how to step into complexity with clarity, balance urgency with trust-building, and assess organizational health quickly and effectively. Of course, the connections made are invaluable!
How do you see your new skills benefiting local United Ways and nonprofit organizations?
United Way organizations are so different from other nonprofits and having someone who understands the specific challenges is so helpful, however, adding these skills as a leadership coach will even further help me in stabilizing organizations during change and protecting staff and mission during uncertain seasons. Strong interim and transition leadership reduces burnout, improves continuity, and allows organizations to remain focused on community impact rather than disruption. Whether serving as a consultant, coach or interim, these skills will be so important.
What advice would you give to other United Way NEXT members considering the academy?
If you are interested in Interim work on any level, this is a great starting place. In addition, if you are consulting / coaching, The academy prepares you not just for interim roles, but for leading through complexity in that role as well. The program will sharpen both your strategic lens and your confidence.
What other UW NEXT benefits are you looking forward to exploring?
Connecting with others is always so important!! I love having opportunities to hear about what is going on in the UW network across the country and learning from peers. UW NEXT is a wonderful people convener as well as a huge resource for professional learning and development.
What’s NEXT for you in your leadership journey?
My next chapter includes concluding my doctoral research on burnout and leadership sustainability, expanding my consulting and coaching work, and supporting nonprofit leaders and boards in building healthier, more resilient organizations! I hope to travel more, find more speaking opportunities and help communities grow and thrive.
Unlocking Your Member Benefits
With nonprofit leadership transitions on the rise across the country, this valuable resource of experienced professionals serving as interims brings tremendous value to local United Ways. United Way NEXT members receive an exclusive 30% discount on the academy, making it an excellent investment in professional growth and community impact.
“The Interim Executive Academy strengthened my confidence to lead in complexity and reminded me that thoughtful, values-driven leadership matters most during times of transition,” said Naomi.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Interim Executive Leadership Academy or leveraging this resource for your local United Way, contact Carole Peters at Carole.Peters@uww.unitedway.org.
PS. Keep an eye on their page for complementary introduction sessions too!