After a 16-month search and a turn of events, Leadership Clark County (LCC) recently offered Tina Krause the position of executive director for the nonprofit leadership program. Having served as the organization’s interim executive director from 2014-2015 and again from 2017-2018, combined with her nearly 10 years chairing the curriculum committee, Krause’s “experience and dedication to the vision and values of the program made her a stand-out candidate,” according to a news release from LCC.
Krause, who is a 2012 graduate of the LCC program, said she was working for First Independent Bank that year, and they sponsored her to go through LCC – an opportunity that she said she is still so thankful for.
“The program was very eye opening and life changing for me,” Krause said. “I have lived in Clark County my entire life and there were so many things I learned about the community that I had no idea even existed. LCC connected me to so many individuals doing amazing things in the community that I fell in love with the mission of the organization.”
After graduating from LCC, Krause joined the curriculum committee and became chair a year later, a role she served in for nine years. She simultaneously served on the executive board for six years, and also had the opportunity during that time to serve as the interim executive director on two separate occasions while the program transitioned.
Krause said that her career at First Independent Bank was amazing, but eventually the owners old the business and she decided the timing was right for her to stay home with her three kids. She said going through LCC also helped her decide what she wanted to do going forward, so for the past 10 years, she’s been a full-time stay-at-home mom and community volunteer – two valuable roles that she said she thinks helped her in the selection process.
“One of my passions during this time was serving as president to multiple parent-teacher associations (PTAs) groups in the Ridgefield School District raising money to support student events and staff grants,” she said. “A skill that I took seriously and will serve me well as LCC’s chief fundraiser now.”
Krause said that another reason she became a stay-at-home mom 10 years ago was because her mother had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and her health was declining. Krause’s father was her mother’s full-time caregiver and she said she wanted to be able to help him as much as possible. At the time that LCC announced the open executive director position, Krause said her family had recently made the difficult decision to place her mom in an assisted living facility, which she said took her full attention.
“Once we were able to acclimate to such a big change as a family and knowing my children were older, I decided that the timing was finally right for me to apply and step into the ED role,” Krause said.
Krause said her first goal as LCC’s new executive director is to kick off the Class of 2023. She said they are back to in-person sessions this year and are super excited to celebrate the new class at orientation on Sept. 13. She said she is also eager to welcome new alumni to the organization’s various volunteer committees and continue the development of leaders in Clark County. Krause said their board has a strong commitment to equity and inclusion across the organization and they will be working together in the short and long term to ensure the program is moving forward in a way that supports emerging leaders from all types of backgrounds.
“We are thrilled Tina has agreed to officially join LCC as our Executive Director,” said Shara Wokal, current board member (Class of 2019) and chief financial officer at LSW Architects, in a news release. “Tina brings with her a unique balance of the historical perspective regarding where the organization has been, as well as the passion and desire to innovate and transition LCC into the future.”
“I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve our community in a way that moves us forward in a positive and inclusive manner,” Krause said. “I am so proud that this wonderful organization that I love so much respected my experience as a volunteer, understanding my dedication, experience and knowledge of the organization was a huge asset to jumpstarting our post-pandemic outreach and fundraising efforts.”
LCC’s leadership development program engages current and emerging leaders in Clark County, challenging them to increase their knowledge of the area and deepen their community engagement. Since its founding in 1993, LCC’s leadership development program has graduated more than 800 leaders, representing more than 100 employers and community organizations as key staff members, volunteers, board members and elected officials. If interested in applying for the program, visit LCC’s website at https://www.leadershipclarkcounty.com/leadershipprogram/. The program is still accepting applications for in-person classes beginning in September.
