DANA’s Communities of Practice are offered as a way to build relationships and share best practices between and among staff who hold similar positions. They are offered free of charge as a benefit to DANA members. 

The Executive Director/CEO Group is for those nonprofit professionals who are Executive Directors or CEO of their organizations. Though there is no cost to participate, registration is required. 

Our next session will focus on Ready, Not Reactive: Simple Steps Every Nonprofit Leader Can Take to Prepare for Uncertainty What should you do when an unexpected government inquiry, policy development, funding disruption, or public issue lands on your desk? 

Join DANA's Executive Director Community of Practice for an interactive conversation facilitated by Melissa Hopkins, CEO of DANA, featuring Sarah Saadian, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Campaigns at the National Council of Nonprofits. 

Sarah brings more than 15 years of national advocacy experience and extensive experience advancing federal policy on Capitol Hill. Together, we'll separate what has happened from what is emerging, explore what nonprofit leaders should be watching, and practice a simple Know / Pause / Connect / Respond framework for navigating unexpected situations. This isn't about creating alarm—or developing an elaborate crisis plan. It's about knowing what you have, what you need, what to do first, and where to turn for help. 60-minute interactive virtual session | Exclusively for Executive Directors/CEOs of DANA member organizations.

By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Understand what is happening and what is emerging in the federal nonprofit environment and identify potential implications for their organization.
• Apply a simple response framework—Know, Pause, Connect, Respond— when faced with a government inquiry, public scrutiny, funding disruption, or other unexpected situation.
• Assess their organization’s readiness and identify practical next steps, including one gap they can address and where to turn for trusted support when additional expertise is needed.

Presented by Sarah Saadian, National Council of Nonprofits, Senior Vice President, Public Policy and Campaigns

About Sarah | Sarah Saadian is Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Campaigns with the National Council of Nonprofits. She has more than fifteen years of experience with national advocacy campaigns and has successfully advanced federal policies on Capitol Hill. Prior to joining NCN, Sarah served as Senior Vice President at the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and she worked as a senior analyst at Enterprise Community Partners and as policy counsel at Rapoza Associates. She graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Law after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, and she is a member of the Virginia State Bar.