Mar 24, 2026
Many nonprofit leaders today feel lost in the weeds. They're stuck reacting, caught between expectations from donors and demands from the board to do more with less. When everything feels urgent, leaders lose focus, putting organizational stability and donor trust at risk. In today's episode, Melissa Cowley Wolf interviews Daniela Bryan about grounded leadership — why it matters now more than ever, why leadership development is no longer optional, and how consistency can be a leader's greatest advantage. If you're an overwhelmed nonprofit leader (or team member who supports one), tune in for practical insights on building a leadership culture that strengthens your fundraising and better prepares your organization for the future.
Want to suggest a topic, guest, or nonprofit organization for an upcoming episode? Send an email with the subject "NPFX suggestion" to contact@ipmadvancement.com.
Additional Resources
[NPFX] Rethinking How We Do Good:
What We Can Learn from This Funding Crisis
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/rethinking-how-we-do-good-what-we-can-learn-from-this-funding-crisis
[NPFX] The Intersection of
Organizational Wellness and Impact
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/the-intersection-of-organizational-wellness-and-impact
[NPFX] The Future of Museums: A
Crisis of Relevance
https://www.ipmadvancement.com/npfx/the-future-of-museums-a-crisis-of-relevance
Monterey County Gives
https://www.montereycountygives.com/
Guest
Daniela Bryan, Chief Vision
Officer at Lonely At the Top, is an executive coach and
leadership strategist who works with senior leaders in nonprofits,
credit unions, and purpose-driven organizations. She helps
executive teams strengthen trust, break down silos, and lead with
clarity in complex environments. With decades of experience
advising CEOs and boards, Daniela designs year-long leadership
development journeys that blend 1:1 coaching, 360 assessments, team
facilitation, and immersive offsites. Her work focuses as much on
what leaders must stop doing as what they should start — an
approach that sharpens judgment and strengthens culture. In
addition to her advisory work, Daniela is exploring storytelling
and visual art as powerful tools for leadership reflection and
reinvention. Her coaching results in conscious, enlightened
leaders who care about what difference they make in the world while
positively impacting the bottom line.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dbcoach/
https://lonelyatthetop.com/
Host
Melissa Cowley Wolf is a strategic
advisor, executive coach, author, and speaker working at the
intersection of leadership, organizational impact, and
philanthropic strategy. She is the founder of MCW
Projects LLC, an advisory firm focused on next-era executive
development and mission-driven strategy for leaders seeking
meaningful impact. With more than 20 years of experience in
philanthropy, leadership coaching, and campaign strategy —
including work on campaigns up to $4 billion — Melissa has
partnered with leading cultural, corporate, and academic
institutions, philanthropists, and changemakers. Her coaching
approach integrates wellness and somatic practices to help
executives build clarity, groundedness, and strategic insight in a
volatile environment. Named a Global Innovator Transforming
the Art Industry, Melissa also directs the Arts Funders Forum, a
platform advancing private support and new financial models for the
cultural sector.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-cowley-wolf-6440a79/
https://www.mcw-projects.com/
Connect with NPFX
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https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/npfx/
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