MACC Conversations

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 chang...

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 share...

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 inv...

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 Bla...

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 Blac...

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 ensurin...

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 leader...

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 bu...

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 i...

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 w...

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 behi...

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...

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, dis...

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 V...

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...

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 o...

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'...

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 m...

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 sometim...

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...

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 organizati...