Wednesday May 13, 2026

Leadership Coaching with Kendall Clawson | Episode #119

In this episode, we sit down with Kendall Clawson, founder of NW Leadership Consulting and a three-decade veteran of nonprofit leadership, for a conversation that is equal parts honest, warm, and revelatory. Kendall shares the origin story that changed her life's trajectory and takes us inside the early days of building an LGBTQIA+ community center in Portland. She also introduces a perspective that will stop you mid-scroll: the wolf pack model, where the strongest leader leads from the back, not the front. If you've ever answered "how are you?" with a five-minute rundown of your organization's priorities, this episode will feel like someone finally handed you a mirror.

From the myth of the martyred nonprofit leader to the quiet crisis in board-ED relationships, Kendall delivers hard truths with the kind of care that makes you feel seen rather than called out. She breaks down why the average nonprofit leader burns out in three to four years, and why vulnerability isn't a liability, it's the very thing that opens the door to the support you've been white-knuckling through without. If you lead, serve on a board, or have ever felt like the mission's weight rests entirely on your shoulders, this one's for you.

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This Episode Brought to You by:

Swaim Strategies: https://swaimstrategies.com

Utilizing over 20 years of nonprofit event strategy and production expertise, Swaim Strategies coaches and teaches organizations how to increase the impact of their fundraising events.

The AV Department: https://theavdept.com/

As a full-service event AV and video production partner, The AV Department’s technical event production and media content generation provide you with a range of experience and talent from a partner who wants to know you and work together year after year.

Bloomerang: https://bit.ly/4hLqLVw

Create the ideal giving experience with integrated fundraising tools and automated insights that maximize your impact. Keep donors close to the cause with mean-ingful outreach at the right time. Increase retention, major gifts, and all-around impact. Turn supporters into action-takers with tools that make it easy to recruit, organize, and engage volunteers at every level.

Feathr: https://www.feathr.co/

Feathr is a marketing platform built specifically for mission-driven organizations, offering simple tools for digital advertising, email campaigns, and audience engagement. The platform uses real-time insights and AI-powered segmentation to help you reach the right people at the right time—whether you’re nurturing existing supporters or discovering new ones who share your values. It’s marketing that meets people where they are, building relationships that last beyond a single click.

Speakers

Samantha Swaim

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-swaim-a28a9a4/

Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies

Kristin Steele

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-steele777/

Substack: https://substack.com/@swaimstrategies

Kendall Clawson

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-clawson-169b235/

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