After five years of service to the Southern Arizona nonprofit community, Paula Van Ness will retire as Director for the Center for Healthy Nonprofits, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, at the end of 2024. Rose Snyder, the Center’s current Learning and Development Manager, has been named as its next director beginning November 11, 2024. During this transition, the Center for Healthy Nonprofits will embark on an exciting planning period to enhance programming and continue its strengthening of the nonprofit community.
Paula has successfully led nonprofit capacity building programming at the foundation since 2019, following a 40-plus-year career as a nonprofit executive in CEO/Executive Director positions locally and nationally. Previously, she served in the top executive position for AIDS Project Los Angeles, National AIDS Fund, National Alliance to End Homelessness, Make-A-Wish America, and Connecticut Community Foundation.
In 2020, she helped to establish the Center for Healthy Nonprofits as an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, where she has arranged and run numerous nonprofit education programs, including the Center’s Ask an Expert sessions, Achieving Your Career Goals, the CEO Survival Series, and Team Up, which matched nonprofits with the rich resources of consulting professionals who serve nonprofit organizations in Southern Arizona.
Paula Van Ness has given the nonprofit sector in Southern Arizona a true gift in the Center for Healthy Nonprofits. Her vision and execution of the Center have supported hundreds of nonprofits to better serve our communities. It’s a legacy that Rose Snyder is uniquely prepared to continue and evolve to the next iteration. I’m so excited for the next chapter for Paula, Rose, and the Center.
— Jenny Flynn, CEO and President
Rose Snyder is a leading governance consultant for national and regional organizations across the country. Her unique experience in the Olympic sports world at USA Swimming, U.S. Figure Skating and the U.S. Olympic Committee allows her to “coach” and prepare boards, staff, and c-suite executives for high performance and achievement.
Rose’s expertise in team building and passion for excellence helps organizations advance their mission and improve effectiveness. Her cornerstone programs include team building, communication, strategic planning and performance and leadership coaching.
While Rose has enjoyed nearly 20 years as a successful nonprofit consultant, she has taken her success to the executive leadership coaching arena. She received her credentials through The Institute for Integrative Coach Training and earned her ACC (Associate Certified Coach) through the International Coaching Federation, and is a certified Organizational Culture Coach through the Maslow Research Center.
It has been my sincere pleasure to work with Paula Van Ness for the past three years. As our founding Director, Paula has made the Center for Healthy Nonprofits the hub for our community to learn, lead, grow and collaborate. She has been instrumental in the Center’s growth and impact. I’m proud to be entrusted with the leadership role and look forward to continuing to serve our nonprofits organizations and leaders.
— Rose Snyder, Director for the Center for Healthy Nonprofits
With this transition, the Center for Healthy Nonprofits is entering an exciting new planning phase aimed at enhancing its programs and services for the region’s nonprofit organizations. The initiative, which serves as a vital resource for nonprofits in Southern Arizona, will focus on refining its offerings to ensure even greater support for nonprofits working to create a stronger, more vibrant community.
During this planning period, the center will engage nonprofit leaders, partners, and stakeholders to assess current needs and identify new ways to strengthen the sector’s capacity. Through thoughtful collaboration and input from the community, the Center aims to improve its educational offerings, capacity-building programs, and resources designed to foster sustainable growth for nonprofits of all sizes. During this period, program offerings from the center will continue in a limited capacity to ensure the nonprofit community continues to be supported. The goal is to develop a more robust and tailored suite of programs, workshops, and services that meet the ever-evolving needs of the nonprofit sector. In addition to strengthening existing initiatives, the Center will explore new opportunities for collaboration, professional development, and organizational sustainability.
The Center for Healthy Nonprofits has always been committed to empowering nonprofits to thrive and better serve the communities of Southern Arizona. Under Rose Snyder’s leadership we are confident and excited that we will be able to listen closely to the needs of our nonprofit partners, continue our work of providing them with the support and resources they need, and further align the Center’s work with our broader community impact goals here at the Foundation.
— Jeaiza Quinones, Senior Director for Community Impact
The community is invited to celebrate Rose and Paula at the Center’s 5th Anniversary Celebration, a milestone dedicated to empowering and supporting local nonprofits in their vital work, on December 19, 2024 at 5:30 PM at the Community Foundation Campus.