CEO Sabbatical
Our CEO is taking a sabbatical and our Interim will be stepping in.
Read more about our Interim CEO, why sabbaticals are so important to us, and what our organization is planning for the future.
10 Years Ago, A Nonprofit Was Born
Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank was founded in 2015 by our CEO & Founder, Megan Milstead. When she realized diapers weren’t covered by government assistance programs like SNAP or WIC, she decided to start a nonprofit to help Cincinnati families. She started collecting diapers and distributing them from the basement of her home.
1 in 2 families cannot afford enough diapers to diaper their baby, so the organization very quickly grew. Now, we distribute 2.5 million diapers per year through this program
In 2018, we realized that caregivers often have to make the choice between buying diapers for their babies or period products for themselves, so Tidal Babe Period Bank was born. Today, we distribute over half a million period products into the community each year.
Our third program, Fly & Dry Basic Needs Bank, helps seniors who cannot afford adult incontinence products.
All of these products are essential hygiene items and we want everyone to have access to them so they can live healthy and dignified lives.
Time For Some R&R
Starting a nonprofit (or any business) takes a lot of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears…literally. After 10 long years of building a nonprofit from the ground up, it’s time for our CEO to take a much-needed rest.
Okay, but what is a "sabbatical"?
Going on sabbatical means taking an extended break from work, typically for study, travel, or personal growth.
Why are sabbaticals important?
We could write a book about this question, and in fact, there are several great books and resources out there! Sabbaticals are gaining more traction, especially in the nonprofit sector, because nonprofit workers tend to experience higher levels of burnout and stress. We recommend diving into this study: The Nonprofit Sabbatical as a Catalyst for Capacity Building: A 5 Year Evaluation Summary of the Fieldstone Leadership Network San Diego’s Clare Rose Sabbatical Program. Download the study.
After 5 years of researching sabbaticals, the data shows:
- Executive Directors (ED, and in our case we use the title CEO) experienced increased well-being and renewed energy.
- Interim leaders and other staff increased their understanding about the organization and their own leadership approach. They built functional skills and learned how to lead others. Other staff also learned new skills and took on new responsibilities, sharing leadership.
- Boards deepened their relationships with staff, increased collaboration, and developed a broader understanding of the organization and the ED role.
- Following the sabbatical, organizations made changes to existing structures and created new policies with the intention to communicate value to employees.
- EDs and Interim leaders reported both deepening existing and creating new relationships as a result of the sabbatical.
- Awareness about nonprofit sabbaticals increased.
Who is the Interim CEO?
Our Interim CEO is Rachel Moon and she’s worked at COVERD for almost three years now! She has a TON of nonprofit experience and is very qualified to fill in while Megan is out. Read more about her qualifications and bio below!
We can't imagine Sweet Cheeks without Megan!
EXACTLY.
One of the reasons a sabbatical is so important for our CEO is because she is the face of the organization. Sweet Cheeks (COVERD) needs to be able to stand on its own without using Megan’s voice, founding story or face (although she is very flattered you love her face so much). It is part of our current strategic plan to make sure that COVERD can survive ANY change in staffing or leadership structure so that the mission (THE most important thing!) is never in jeopardy.
Won't the organization burn down if Megan isn't there?!
Luckily, COVERD has a team of very talented staff members who promise not to let the building burn down! MANY months of prep work have gone into ensuring the sabbatical is a success. In fact, the Board of Directors approved a sabbatical for Megan in August 2023 when the current strategic plan was created. We have been working internally since early 2024 to make sure that our community barely notices the transition to our awesome Interim CEO.
What happens after the sabbatical?
We are very excited to learn from the sabbatical and look at our operations with fresh eyes. Our Interim CEO will be documenting challenges, goals, and ideas that come up while Megan is away. After the sabbatical, she will work with Megan, the staff, and Board to make sure we have proper emergency plans, cross-training, and staff structure in place so that executing our mission is never in jeopardy. The goal is to make our organization stronger so we can grow and ensure sustainability!
And of course, we’re hoping to be able to share our experiences with the rest of our nonprofit (and especially Basic Needs Bank!) community to help other leaders and founders prevent or recover from burnout. Our entire team is passionate about sharing any resource we can to help make our entire sector stronger.
How long is the sabbatical?
Megan will be away beginning April 7th and back in the office on June 23rd. If you have any questions, feel free to email our Interim CEO, Rachel Moon, at rachel@coverdgc.org!
What's Megan going to do while on sabbatical?
REST. But seriously, Megan has never been able to take a vacation with NO work for at least 10 years now.
She’s also going to spend 3 weeks in Italy!
Introducing Our Interim CEO
Rachel Moon
Rachel is an experienced professional working over a decade in the nonprofit sector. She has a Master’s in Public History and has worked much of her career in the museum field as an educator, program manager, curator and college professor, with a focus on social justice initiatives.
In 2018, she won “Conflict Resolution Educator of the Year” from Ohio State’s University’s Conference on Conflict Resolution Education. This conference brings together hundreds of educators and scholars – including diplomats from the United Nations, Peace Corps, and Universities from around the world.
She started at COVERD in 2023 and is passionate about helping the community have access to the essential items they need to thrive. She is excited to use her expertise to help the organization become stronger and grow!
On the side, she travels the world as a guest speaker on Viking Cruises and gives lectures on a range of topics like art history, cultural sites, and more.
Connect with Rachel on LinkedIn.
Questions? Want to grab coffee? Email Rachel at rachel@coverdgc.org!
