Board Consulting

Shane Kinkennon helps nonprofit boards of directors provide consequential leadership.

 I help Boards navigate complex moments.

I help nonprofit boards when their organizations are in periods of significant change, leadership transition, and even board dysfunction, or when in strategic-planning cycles.I provide expertise to strengthen board performance, structure, and governance, helping boards meet their legal, fiduciary, and strategic responsibilities in such a way that individual members may derive joy through board service.

Services for boards

  • Board development: Help boards develop and execute recruit strategy, attract optimal new members, and onboard those new members well.

  • Governance structure and best practices: Help boards evaluate their performance and keep their roles, responsibilities, and policies aligned with what the organization truly needs.

  • Strategic planning and support. Assist boards in playing their optimal role in generating high-value insights and informing long-term strategy. 

  • Board-management relationships. Help boards forge high-functioning, high-value relationship between board and staff, and design succession planning.

  • Conflict resolution. Provide meditation and guidance amid internal board conflict and related people-dynamics challenges.

  • Fundraising. Help boards understand and embrace the role they can play in helping organizations hit their financial-development targets.

  • “Members of my Board of Directors are telling me that the planning retreat Shane and his team designed and facilitated for was truly a wonderful experience and the most productive RBFF gathering they have ever been to. I couldn’t agree more.”

    — Dave Chanda, President & CEO, Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation

  • “Investing in continuous learning and up-skilling is critical for personal and organizational growth. I’ve been a CEO for many years, yet since I invested in working with Shane, I find myself scaling my own value to my business. Our executive team will climb higher mountains thanks to subtle but crucial calibrations resulting from working with Shane.”

    — Virgil Bretz, CEO, MacroHealth

  • “Shane’s approach to facilitation is thorough, and his style is energetic. He can keep a tough group of busy, hard-charging people moving and really drive to consensus. He is excellent.”

    — Faryar Shirzad, Chief Policy Officer, Coinbase

I Get Called In When...

A founder is leaving, and the board’s not sure what’s next.

  • Strategy feels fuzzy—or is long overdue for a refresh.

  • Board dynamics are strained and everyone knows it.

  • The board wants to be more than a rubber stamp but isn’t sure how.

  • Fundraising needs a boost and no one’s raising their hand.

I’ve seen these scenarios play out more than a few times. I know how to bring the temperature down, get people aligned, and turn forward-looking plans into action.

Meetings feel like they matter.
People show up prepared, engaged, and clear on why they’re in the room.

  1. Conversations get real.
    No more nodding through discomfort. The real talk becomes normal.

  2. Everyone knows their lane—and drives in it.
    Governance, management, fundraising, strategy—we sort out who holds what.

  3. The board stops being a bottleneck.
    Decisions flow faster. Trust gets built. Work moves.

  4. Leadership transitions feel grounded.
    Whether someone’s stepping in or stepping out, the plan is clear and the vibe is steady.

What Changes When We Work Together?

Here’s how I help.

  • Executive Coaching

    For C-suites and senior managers

    Unlock new mindsets and methods to inspire teams, equip them to lead change, and actually hold them accountable for results.

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  • Management Consulting

    For nonprofit leadership teams

    Devise and lead change in response to intractable organizational challenges, aligning strategy and function for mission delivery.

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  • Board Consulting

    For nonprofit boards of directors

    Sharpen focus on those activities and areas that deliver the absolute highest value to management of the organization you govern and serve.

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  • Planning Facilitation

    For boards, coalitions, and more

    Have structured, disciplined conversations about where your organization needs to go, how it will get there, and what measurable outcomes it will achieve.

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  • Strategic Communications

    For senior teams that need to break through

    Craft and deliver messages and narratives to favorably influence staffs, policymakers, and other stakeholders, in change-leadership scenarios and far beyond.

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  • Fractional Executive

    For short-term leadership needs

    Occasional interim or fractional executive leadership for organizations that need someone to engage easily, learn quickly, and bring a facilitative-leadership touch.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What types of boards do you work with?
    Nonprofit boards of all kinds—especially those navigating change, strategy, or tension.

  • Do we need to be in crisis to call you?
    Not at all; the best time to strengthen your board is before the storm hits.

  • How long does a typical engagement last?
    Anywhere from one session to a few months, depending on what you need.

  • Do you only work with full boards?
    Nope—I often start with chairs or committees when that makes sense.

  • Can you help if our board is in conflict?
    Yes, I specialize in guiding boards through tough dynamics with clarity and care.

  • What’s the first step?
    Book a quick call—we’ll talk through your needs and decide what’s next.