NPO 010: Chris Stout (Center for Global Initiatives)
Today's Guest: Dr. Chris Stout
Chris Stout is a licensed clinical psychologist and has a diverse background in various domains. He is the founding director of the Center for Global Initiatives which was ranked as a Top Healthcare Nonprofit by GreatNonprofits.org (2011 -16). He also is a faculty member in the College of Medicine and Advisory Board Member to the Center for Global Health, and was a Fellow in the School of Public Health at the University of Illinois, Chicago. He served as a Non-Governmental Organization Special Representative to the United Nations. He was appointed by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce to the Board of Examiners for the Baldrige National Quality Award. He holds the distinction of being one of only 100 world-wide leaders appointed to the World Economic Forum’s Global Leaders of Tomorrow 2000 and he was an Invited Faculty at the Annual Meeting in Davos. He was invited by the Club de Madrid and Safe-Democracy. He is Vice President of Research and Data Analytics for ATI, a national orthopedic rehabilitation and sports medicine organization.
Dr. Stout is a Fellow in three Divisions of the American Psychological Association, past-President of the Illinois Psychological Association, and is a Distinguished Practitioner in the National Academies of Practice. He is the Series Editor of Contemporary Psychology (Praeger) and “Getting Started” (Wiley & Sons). He produced the critically acclaimed four-volume set The Psychology of Terrorism and more recently, the highly praised and award–winning three volume set, The New Humanitarians, and is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author. His works have been translated into 8 languages. He was noted as being “one of the most frequently cited psychologists in the scientific literature” in a study by Hartwick College, and has won five Humanitarian Awards, four honorary doctorates, and is an inaugural inductee into his high school’s and Purdue University’s Hall of Fame.
Nonprofit Spotlight: Center for Global Initiatives
The mission of the Center for Global Initiatives is to help in the creation of self-sustaining programs that improve access to healthcare in underserved communities throughout the world. To visit their Facebook group, click here!
Lessons Learned:
After receiving many requests for involvement that spread their all-volunteer board too thin, the board re-evaluated. Recognizing their strengths, the Center for Global Initiatives was able to build out their website to share resources and tools that would be useful for other nonprofits. These tools include their quarterly newsletter, their Facebook group and the excel sheet that Chris explained in detail. The excel sheet in particular is an incredible treasure trove of information that CGI has gathered over the years regarding which websites are best for different fundraising efforts, etc.
Chris also spoke to the importance of creating long-standing relationships with local communities rather than "parachuting" in or assuming that we know best on how to address an issue. Sometimes this requires really listening and understanding what gaps in services actually exist. Always, it includes recognizing that we're a guest in their home. That sense of deference and respect for the local culture and professionals there was evident in Chris' attitude.
Story of Good: A Surprising Warden
In La Paz, Bolivia, Chris encountered an amazing warden of the women's maximum security prison. The warden made arrangements for her inmates to engage in work, which gave women the ability to generate income and provide additional support for their families (that were living with them in the prison). Chris was impressed by her entrepreneurial spirit, but also the level of regard she had for the inmates and the way that was passed down to the rest of her guard staff.
Other great resource worth checking out: The Philanthopy Podcast!
Next Guest: Monika Jones, Executive Director of the Brain Recovery Project
NEVER MISS AN EPISODE OF THE NONPROFIT OPTIMIST PODCAST BY CLICKING THE LINKS BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE!
