The Dake Foundation

Developing a Non-Profit Narrative for a New Executive Director

THE SITUATION

The Dake Foundation for Children recently named a new Executive Director, Liz O’Brien to its board. The Foundation, which grants adaptive bikes and devices that help children gain independence, has grown and tripled in size in the last few years. This year however, they have had to cancel their fundraising events due to COVID-19 and are developing creative, smaller events that will allow them to continue to help the community during these unprecedented times. Liz wanted to develop an updated narrative for the foundation that also included her personal story of why she took on this challenging leadership role.     

THE SOLUTION

Becky Kern coached Liz as they mapped her story and pulled from her past experiences as a 9-11 widow that thrusted her into the position of leading the victim’s family fund, where she worked with other families and even testified before Congress. This mapping exercise ultimately led Liz to develop her Living Proof Advocacy’s “6 Word Reason” -- Everyone Needs Help At Some Point.  Liz was able to call on her very personal experience and connect it to the Dake Foundation and the positive work that she is currently doing.

“The training was an incredible way to connect the dots, to get from A to Z with my story. I could never have articulated my story from start to finish in an organized way. It was an ‘aha’ moment.”

Liz O’Brien, Executive Director, The Dake Foundation