Elyzabeth Joy Holford

Elyzabeth Joy Holford

Assistant Executive Director, Nonprofit Risk Management Center

Elyzabeth recently joined the NRMC team as Assistant Executive Director. Her career has been anchored by a deep commitment to social justice and driven by curiosity about ways to support strategy, operations, equity and collaborative growth and success. She has worked as a consultant to nonprofits, for-profits, public entities and academic institutions.

She began her career as a trial attorney focused on racial, social, and economic justice cases. She taught and obtained tenure at Virginia Tech where she later became a campus administrator. After starting and selling a new technology company, she began consulting as an itinerant international strategy and operations professional. Her work has taken her around the globe, and she has never looked back. For example, she served as founding senior executive for the Digital Living Research Commons in Denmark where she created and led a dynamic space for artists, researchers, business leaders, and policymakers to explore research and practice at the intersections of culture, technology, art, human interactions, social media, and infrastructure. She is an alum of Indiana University, the University of Dayton, and the Ohio State University.

When she’s not working, Elyzabeth loves to cook, travel, swim, play music, do tai chi, and enjoy the outdoors. Above all, her favorite pastime is playing frisbee with her dog.

Sessions

Roundtables

RLCP: Learn About NRMC’s In-person, Risk Leadership Intensive

8:00 am - 8:45 am
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Basics, How To

How to Handle Hard Conversations

11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Unresolved workplace conflicts can gain momentum, drain productivity, and expose organizations to potential legal, financial, and reputational risks. Discover tools you can use to handle difficult workplace conversations, focusing on conflict resolution, communication strategies, and emotional intelligence.

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How To

Using Humor to Build Risk Engagement and Insight

4:15 pm - 5:15 pm

Humor can relieve stress, brings people closer together, and even be persuasive. Explore how to use humor to reduce resistance and increase engagement in risk communication. Learn what types, tips, and examples of humor to apply in different situations to foster a positive culture in your nonprofit while addressing serious issues.

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Basics

Reputation Risk

1:45 pm - 2:45 pm
Grand Ballroom A

This session is designed to help you help your organization take a fresh look at the bridge that connects you to every touchpoint your nonprofit has: your reputation. A nonprofit’s reputation is simultaneously its most valuable, and most vulnerable, asset. Learn strategies to help you build a strong yet flexible understanding of how to manage […]

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How To

Risk Communication

9:15 am - 10:30 am
Grand Ballroom A

How risk is communicated is a foundational element in building the bridge that allows a nonprofit’s internal and external constituents to understand risk management. This session provides insights into  identifying and understanding different audiences, creating platform specific messaging, and evaluating the effectiveness of your communications.

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