Dr. Kyla Stripling, Ed.D., is the Senior Director of Strategy and Transformation for Amsurg and a graduate of the YLC 2023 Junior League of Nashville Cohort. Kyla is currently serving her YLC board internship with The Well Coffeehouse, an organization committed to Turning Coffee Into Water and focused on finding sustainable solutions to poverty. The Well Coffeehouse turns profits into hope by using its revenue to make a difference in local and global communities.

We recently caught up with Kyla, who also serves as a board member for a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Council, to learn more about her experience as a board internship work for The Well Coffeehouse and how it differs from the work of the for-profit board she supports.

In what ways has your YLC training helped prepare you for success as a nonprofit board member?

YLC helped hone my leadership abilities, deepen my understanding of nonprofit operations, and enhanced my community engagement skills. Through YLC, I learned valuable project and volunteer management techniques and how to foster effective teamwork and collaboration. The training emphasized adaptability, problem-solving, and reinforced a strong commitment to ethics and social responsibility as a board member. These skills are critical for navigating the challenges of nonprofit governance and help to ensure that I effectively contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.

You also serve as a for-profit board member for the DEI Advisory Council. How has that experience been different or similar to your experience as a nonprofit board member for The Well Coffeehouse?

Serving on a mission-driven nonprofit board differs from a for-profit company’s DEI board mainly in focus and objectives. Nonprofit boards are dedicated to advancing specific social, environmental, or humanitarian goals, measuring success by their impact and community service. In contrast, DEI boards within for-profit entities balance promoting inclusivity and equity with achieving business goals, aiming to enhance performance through diversity. Thus, the nonprofit board experience centers on mission fulfillment, while DEI board service intertwines social justice with business outcomes.

How can other YLC alumni support the mission of The Well Coffeehouse?

I encourage YLC alumni to support The Well Coffeehouse by following the organization through social media, patronizing one of its five Nashville area locations, shopping in the online store, or donating to support an upcoming water project.