Meet the Board Doctor

I'm Cathy Allen, The Board Doctor.

We all want a doctor who will listen before telling us what to do, one who takes the time to get a clear and complete picture before racing in with a costly or disruptive fix. After working with all kinds of nonprofit organizations for many years, as The Board Doctor, I believe most board members already know what makes their organization special and what challenges they face. Few have time and money to waste on a consultant with one-size-fits-all solutions.

That’s why the “diagnosis” and “education” parts of what I offer are so critically important. The tools you will find on The Board Doctor website are designed to help board members assess their organization’s needs and maybe learn some things about good board governance that will allow them to bring about whatever improvements are needed. Of course, there are “prescription” services too, where I take a more hands on approach, working directly with your group as a guide, facilitator and trainer.

Even a very healthy board can get better if the members want to. As The Board Doctor, I bring a solid grounding in nonprofit best practices and work hard to stay up to date in my field. Together, we can identify your growth path, choose a few strategies for improvement, and implement the changes. This website is designed to help you find ways to get started down the road to better board health.