Board Role During Crisis 

Overview 

   Buddy Teaster 
   CEO
   Soles for Souls
   

Soles4Souls is one of the top-rated nonprofits in the country, empowering people to break the cycle of poverty. But their path to success was a rocky road. After launching in 2006, Soles4Souls found itself in trouble in early 2012 when the founding CEO abruptly left the nonprofit - resulting in several damaging stories in local and national press. Nearly every aspect of the once thriving organization worsened by the day. When Buddy Teaster was hired as the new CEO, no one realized just grim the state of the organization truly was. As Buddy turned things around, in 2020 they faced yet another crisis when their COO (and Buddy’s dear friend) was diagnosed with cancer and died just five months later. Now 10 years into the CEO role, Buddy shares his journey from an organizational tailspin to a tailwind, full of personal and professional joy and insights into how to lead with integrity and resiliency.

Interviewer

Debra Sunderland CEO Sunderland Coaching