
Podcast
Podcast
From MTV to the fight for marriage equality, Joan Garry has spent her life building communities and organizations that make the world more fair, just, and beautiful.
In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Joan shares her journey from the early days of MTV to leading GLAAD, founding the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, and coaching thousands of nonprofit leaders around the world. She opens up about family, health, longevity, and what it means to live with clarity, conviction, and joy.
Joan Garry is an internationally recognized champion for the nonprofit sector and a highly
sought after executive coach for CEOs at some of the nation’s largest organizations. Joan’s firm
offers high-end strategic advisory services with a unique combination of coaching and
management consulting. Joan is also the founder of the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, a worldclass
online educational membership organization for board and staff leaders of small nonprofits.
Joan is the go-to resource for hundreds of thousands of nonprofit leaders worldwide.
Through her blog, podcast and book, Joan Garry’s Guide to Nonprofit Leadership, she has become the
‘Dear Abby’ of the nonprofit sector, advocating for the success of nonprofits, large and small.
As a columnist for the Chronicle of Philanthropy, contributor to Harvard Business Review and
Forbes Magazine, among others, Joan is a preeminent media spokesperson and thought leader
on the role of the nonprofit sector in our society and is a sought after voice on issues facing the
sector today.
Joan Garry began her career in 1981 as part of the management team that launched MTV. She
followed this successful eight-year tenure as an executive at Showtime Networks. Then, in 1997
while either having a midlife crisis or avoiding one, Joan left the corporate world and became
the Executive Director of GLAAD, one of the largest gay rights organizations in the U.S.
From MTV to the fight for marriage equality, Joan Garry has spent her life building communities and organizations that make the world more fair, just, and beautiful.
In this episode of A Founder’s Life, Joan shares her journey from the early days of MTV to leading GLAAD, founding the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, and coaching thousands of nonprofit leaders around the world. She opens up about family, health, longevity, and what it means to live with clarity, conviction, and joy.
• Early Career: Helped launch MTV before transitioning into nonprofit leadership.
• Big Challenge: Navigating advocacy during a time of limited LGBTQ+ rights.
• Turning Point: Becoming the first legal same-sex adoptive parent in New Jersey.
• Personal Growth: Built balance through health, music, and family connection.
• Business Success: Founded the Nonprofit Leadership Lab, serving 6,000+ members worldwide.
• Future Vision: Championing leaders who make the world more fair, just, and beautiful.
👤 Connect with Today’s Guest – Joan Garry
• Website: joangarry.com
• Podcast: Nonprofits Are Messy
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joangarry/