A Note From the President and CEO
Reflecting on a Year of Impact: My Journey as President and CEO of The Assistance Fund
Reflecting on my first year as President and CEO of The Assistance Fund (TAF), I am thankful for the achievements the TAF team has accomplished together and for the valuable lessons I’ve learned in my new role. Our dedicated employees, generous donors, and — most important — the patients we serve have made the beginning of this leadership journey remarkable. But before I highlight our successes, I want to first reflect on the challenges I’ve experienced and how they have helped me grow as a leader. I hope other new CEOs can learn from my experience. Below are a few of the key lessons I learned:
- To Shift My Focus From Working In the Organization to Working On It: When I took the helm as President and CEO, I had to learn to let go of my former responsibilities as COO. After so many years managing the minutiae of TAF’s daily operations, it wasn’t easy to shift my focus from the trees to the forest. But building a trusted team of subject matter experts and empowering them to own their roles has allowed me to concentrate on strategic oversight of the organization and to drive TAF’s vision and long-term goals. Bonus: Trusting your team to do their jobs fosters innovation, accountability, and a sense of pride in your collective achievements.
- To Build Trust Through Visibility and Accessibility: Trust is the cornerstone of any successful organization. By encouraging open communication and demonstrating reliability, I have worked to build and maintain trust within our team and with our stakeholders. As an introvert, this sometimes meant getting outside my comfort zone to ensure I prioritized being visible and accessible to employees and Board members. Regular interactions, whether through employee events, meetings, or casual check-ins, have helped create a sense of unity and shared purpose.
- To Fight Imposter Syndrome and Know My Worth: Like every leader, I have faced moments of self-doubt. And as any young, female CEO can attest, I sometimes worried about whether I deserved to be the top decisionmaker in the room. According to a 2020 KPMG study of 750 high-performing executive women, 75% experienced similar doubts. Recognizing and addressing imposter syndrome has been critical to my personal growth and effectiveness as a leader. Seeking out a mentor, allowing myself to make mistakes and to learn from them, and acknowledging and celebrating my wins have helped me to muffle the occasional negative voice in my head.
The best part about experiencing challenges in your journey is how much sweeter they make the wins. The Assistance Fund team has had several notable achievements over the past year, all of which have contributed to our ability to serve a continuously growing number of people living with life-changing diseases:
- Donations Increase: Thanks to the generosity of our donors, in the first quarter of this year, we saw a 121% increase in donations from the same period last year. This incredible support enables us to provide even more children and adults access to critical treatment for a life-threatening, chronic, or rare disease.
- Forbes’ Largest 100 Charities: We proudly joined the ranks of Forbes’ 100 Largest U.S. Charities for the third year in a row. This recognition is a testament to our commitment to transparency, efficiency, and impact.
- Best Nonprofits To Work For: We were honored to be recognized by The Nonprofit Times as one of the best nonprofits to work for the third year in a row. This accolade underscores our commitment to creating a supportive and engaging work environment.
- National Media Recognition: Our dedicated team of Patient Advocates was highlighted on CBS Sunday Morning, bringing national attention to the critical support TAF provides. And Spectrum News featured the inspiring story of Kanwar, a patient in our Parkinson’s Disease Copay Assistance Program, showcasing the real-life impact of our disease programs on individuals and families.
- Accreditation and Top Ratings: For the first time, TAF was accredited by the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, ensuring the highest standards of governance and transparency. And we continued to receive top ratings from Charity Navigator, GreatNonprofits, and Candid. These ratings signify our good standing to donors, enabling us to serve more patients in need.
- National Health Council Membership: We were thrilled to become a member of the National Health Council, furthering our commitment to improving health outcomes for all.
- New Board Members: We welcomed three new board members, Linda Howard, Dan Klein, and John Rushing, each bringing invaluable expertise and passion to our organization.
Looking Ahead
These achievements are more than milestones — they are stepping stones toward a brighter future for The Assistance Fund. I am excited for what lies ahead as TAF continues to grow, innovate, and make a difference in the lives of the children and adults we serve. Thank you to everyone who has supported TAF along the way. Together, we are making a profound impact!
