The Unfair Scrutiny of Non-Profit Leaders: A Call for Fairness and Understanding

Recently, The New York Times published an article by Emily Steel about GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, and it got me thinking about a trend that drives me crazy: the unfair scrutiny of non-profit leaders. These articles often paint CEOs or Executive Directors (EDs) as villains, accusing them of misspending donations and grant funds. Many times, these alarm bells are sounded by disgruntled ex-employees or misguided former board members. It seems that journalists rarely take the time to truly understand the non-profit sector beyond getting a response quote to specific questions from the organization.

Don't get me wrong, genuine wrongdoing should be exposed and punished. However, these exposés often do a hatchet job on the individual and the non-profit, leaving lasting scars on both that can take years to heal. In the case of GLAAD, the criticisms aimed at Sarah Kate Ellis seem unfounded.