Laura Zumdahl

Laura Zumdahl

Laura Zumdahl is the president and CEO of New Moms. New Moms is a Chicago-based nonprofit that works to interrupt the cycle of poverty for both mothers and their children by providing stable housing, job training and family support. Its program model is unique, and it’s one of the only nonprofit organizations in the U.S. caring for women and children in this way. This year marks the organization’s 35th anniversary.

Laura has nearly 20 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, and she has a Ph.D. in leadership as well. Under her leadership, New Moms has doubled in size, expanding its geographic footprint and capacity to transform the lives of mothers and children in Chicago.

3 Things Every Nonprofit Leader Needs to Know About Using Data to Show Impact

As a self-proclaimed data nerd, I love digging into a piece of research or sifting through the latest social science data to glean insights that I can apply to my work. But I know that’s not the case for everyone. Over time, I’ve learned that people often fall into two camps when it comes to facts and figures...

A Successful Nonprofit Merger Is Like a Good Marriage—A Relationship Built on Compromise and Mutual Respect

A successful nonprofit merger looks a lot like a successful marriage. Stick with me for a minute here. In both instances, there is an initial "getting-to-know-you" period. You’re both trying to determine if you’re a good fit. After you both agree there’s mutual chemistry, you move into the dating phase, sharing more information and growing in understanding of each other...

3 Essential Abilities for Social Enterprise Success

Despite consistent growth in Americans’ charitable giving, depending solely upon the generosity of private donors and government contracts often leaves our programs in precarious circumstances. For these reasons, launching or acquiring a social enterprise to develop a source of earned revenue can be a tempting idea...