How military skills shape nonprofit leadership

Challenges, uncertainty, and high expectations are natural components of nonprofit. Its leadership is shaped by mindset, resilience, and action by focusing on what they can control, staying present, and fostering momentum over perfection. Join with us and explore how purpose-driven focus and practical strategies transform challenges into opportunities for growth, impact, and meaningful connections.

Trish Davis has been working as the Vice President of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation for the last 6 years. As a former Air Force veteran, she discovered her passion for fundraising through lifelong volunteering, inspired by her mother’s nonprofit work. At the foundation, she supervises a team driving major gifts, planned giving, mid-level, foundations, and donor stewardship. As a lifelong volunteer, she combines a passion for service with a love for fundraising, turning purpose-driven work into meaningful donor impact.

In this episode, you will be able to;

• Learn how to apply strategies for staying resilient and positive in the face of nonprofit challenges.

• Recognize how to manage fear, stress, and perfectionism to maintain authentic donor connections.

• Understand the importance of celebrating wins no matter big or small.

• Learn why it’s important to focus on what you can control.

• Figure out how to avoid getting stuck in negativity.

Get all the resources from today’s episode here. 

Support for this show is brought to you by Practivated. Practivated delivers AI-powered donor conversation simulations that let fundraisers practice in a private, judgment‑free space—building confidence, refining messaging, and improving outcomes before the real conversation even begins. Developed by fundraising experts with real‑time coaching at its core, it’s the smart way to walk into every donor interaction calm, prepared, and ready to connect. Learn more at practivated.com.

Connect with me: 

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@malloryerickson7946

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/mallory-erickson-bressler/

Website: malloryerickson.com/podcast

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If you’re looking to raise more from the right funders, then you’ll want to check out my Power Partners Formula, a step-by-step approach to identifying the optimal partners for your organization. This free masterclass offers a great starting point