Honoring women in nonprofits

For United Way of Central Indiana, Women’s History Month is a time to celebrate the women who shape our communities.  

From Frances Wisebart Jacobs – the only female founder of what would become the United Way movement almost 140 years ago – to the women who give generously, serve in boardrooms and boldly lead our nonprofit partners today, we honor a legacy defined by compassion, collaboration and courageous leadership. 

To mark the month, we invited four leaders from our accredited network of community partners to reflect on two questions: What advice would you offer women who aspire to work in and lead nonprofits? And what do you wish people understood about your journey to where you are today? 

Marina Keers 

Executive Director, Hendricks County Senior Services 

What advice do you have for women who want to work for, and lead, nonprofits? 

John Maxwell's concept of the “lid lifter” has been a guiding principle for me. The idea is that a leader's job is not simply to rise — it's to raise the ceiling for everyone around them. 

In the nonprofit space, that means investing in your team, amplifying voices that might otherwise go unheard, and creating cultures where people are empowered to do their best work. When you lift the lid for others, you expand what's possible for the entire organization and, ultimately, for the people you serve. 

To women specifically: Don't apologize for caring deeply. Empathy is not a weakness in leadership. Pair it with strategic thinking, operational discipline, and a commitment to continuous learning, and you will be an extraordinary force for good.  

Seek mentors. Be a mentor. Read voraciously. And never stop asking the people closest to the mission what they need. 

What is something you wish people understood about your journey to get where you are today? 

Like many, my journey included being present at every level of an organization. I answered phones. I sat in intake meetings. I drove program participants to appointments. I stayed late to help a colleague work through a problem that wasn't technically mine to solve. I did those things not because I was required to, but because I believed — and still believe — that you cannot lead people well if you don't understand what their daily reality looks like. 

I also want people to understand the deep honor of this work. When a family stabilizes after a period of crisis, or when an older adult gains the tools to remain independent in their own home — those moments are not small. They are the whole point.  

My journey is ongoing. I am still learning. I am still growing. And I think that is exactly as it should be. The day I stop being curious is the day I stop being effective. I hope that is something other women in this space carry with them too — the joy of becoming, season by season, the leader you were always meant to be. 

Marina Keers has led Hendricks County Senior Services since 2012. The organization has empowered older adults for personal independence, healthy aging, social connection and lifelong learning in Hendricks County since 1977. 

Ruba Marshood 

Chief Executive Officer, Indy Reads 

What advice do you have for women who want to work for, and lead, nonprofits? 

Nonprofit work is inspiring and challenging, particularly in precarious times. Stay grounded in your (and your organization’s) purpose and vision and stay open to listening and learning. We do better when we work together — not in duplicative, but in complementary ways — so nurture meaningful collaboration and partnerships.  

Be kind to yourself. If you, like many professional women, juggle multiple roles — as a daughter, a mother, a friend, a partner, a mentor, and a leader — it can be easy to put yourself last and to feel guilty about not meeting all the expectations you set for yourself in fulfilling all those roles. Remember your why, take care of yourself, ask for help when you need it, and take the time you need to breathe. We can’t be or achieve what we hope to if we don’t take care of ourselves.  

What is something you wish people understood about your journey to get where you are today? 

As a Palestinian American, daughter of immigrants, with a varied, international background spanning shark research, youth development, maternal and infant health, and informal education, who had never been to the Midwest before ... I did not see myself holding the title: CEO. It took others seeing it in me and inviting me to see it in myself.  

I also was at a point in my life and career where I had felt I had to hide parts of myself and my values to make others comfortable. I decided when interviewing for this role, that would require an interstate move with my children, that I will no longer do this. In the end, I was met with a Board that valued and welcomed me. When you find the right role and the right team, it feels natural. 

Ruba Marshood was named chief executive officer of Indy Reads in 2021. Indy Reads has worked for more than 40 years to build literacy, English language and job readiness skills to empower adults and families to reach their full potential.  

Akilah Webster 

Executive Director, Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center (INRC) 

What advice do you have for women who want to work for, and lead, nonprofits? 

If you want to lead in the nonprofit sector, anchor yourself in both mission and management. Passion is essential, but so are budgets, systems, governance, and sustainability. Learn how organizations actually function. Understand revenue streams. Ask hard questions about impact and infrastructure. 

Also: build relationships early and often. Nonprofit leadership is deeply relational. Your credibility and influence will come as much from trust as from title. 

And finally, don’t wait until you feel “ready.” Many women over-prepare and under-apply. Leadership is not about knowing everything, it’s about being willing to learn publicly, make decisions with integrity, and stay steady when things get hard. 

What is something you wish people understood about your journey to get where you are today? 

I wish people understood that leadership journeys are rarely linear, especially in community work. 

My path has included stepping up, stepping back, rebuilding, navigating financial uncertainty, leading through organizational transitions, and making hard decisions to preserve mission and people. There have been seasons of visible success and seasons of quiet resilience. 

From the outside, leadership can look polished. From the inside, it often looks like persistence, humility, self-doubt, recalibration, and faith in the long game. 

What got me here wasn’t perfection. It was staying committed to community, continuing to grow, and being willing to evolve. 

Akilah Webster joined the Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center as its executive director in February 2025. The INRC works to strengthen neighborhoods through leadership development, resident engagement and strategic collaboration.  

Debra White 

Chief Operating Officer, Flanner House 

What advice do you have for women who want to work for and lead nonprofits? 

Be true to your values and let your passion for the mission guide your decisions. Center your leadership on empathy, humility, and the people your organization serves. Seek mentors who can push you to grow and, at the same time, pour into you so that you are better for the work.  

Identify leaders who inspire you and study their leadership traits. Another reason for connecting with mentors and sponsors is that it can help open doors to new opportunities.  

Most importantly, set boundaries, practice self-compassion, and prioritize work-life balance, but also know “I don't have to live up to that Superwoman myth. I can cry, be human, and lean on people who can take care of me. That can be very liberating," says political activist Assata Shakur. 

As we celebrate women this month, my advice is to have confidence in your belonging and leadership at the table and within the agency or organization. 

What is something you wish people understood about your journey to get where you are today? 

I show the importance of serving as a leader. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, famously stated, "Service is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth."  I never took opportunities to serve for granted and remained humble.  

Many people see my quietness as a lack of leadership. Being vocal does not prove my ability to lead; my actions have been my voice. From my undergraduate to my master's, what led to my leadership assignments on campus, in the classroom, in boardrooms, and in the positions I showed up for and did.  

I have always focused on impact, centering my leadership on empathy, humility, and the people I serve. I have never been in a leadership position where I did not do the work to understand the importance of connecting with those I would lead.  

Currently serving as chief operating officer at Flanner House has been truly rewarding, working with a CEO (Brandon Cosby) who has supported me and stepped aside to allow me to lead, and who comes to work daily to “live and serve within the Flanner House of Indianapolis, 128-year history” for the benefit of an awesome staff and the community.  

I conclude with this quote by Macy L. Freeman: "While the world does not always support Black women the way it should, we show up and show out, consistently rising above any negativity and vitriol that may come our way. We run for office, we innovate, we shake things up, we soar, and we advocate on behalf of our culture and community."  

Debra White has served at Flanner House for more than 14 years. In her current role as chief operating officer, Debra manages the day-to-day operations of the organization, which is the epicenter of helping people in its community move to a place of self-reliance and self-sufficiency.