MDK Board Taps Vice Chairman Fernando Aguirre to Lead Efforts to Increase Diversity

WASHINGTON - Oct. 18, 2020 - PRLog -- MDK has been tracking the demographic composition of nonprofit boards since 2018 through its signature research project — Leading with Intent: A National Index of Nonprofit Board Practices. In 2019, we learned that nonprofit boards are making little progress in diversifying their composition despite reporting high levels of dissatisfaction with current board demographics. This lack of progress and disconnect alarmed MDK and led the firm to issue a clarion call to action: Nonprofit boards must act now to provide stronger leadership on diversity, inclusion, and equity.

"As stewards of the public good, social sector organizations must act, must make progress in diversifying their leadership, and MDK is eager to step up our work in this area under my leadership."

Among Vice Chairman Aguirre's professional accomplishments are leading strategies for achieving measurable growth in outreach and impact in the minority community of age 50+. He worked to ensure that minorities throughout the country had greater access to programs and information to improve their health, wealth, and quality of life. MDK Vice Chairman Aguirre also developed and implemented community development strategies in seven key U.S. markets that resulted in 65 percent of its employees in those markets donating 170,000 hours to nonprofit partners.

"I know first-hand how important the board's leadership is to the success of an organization – including the board's leadership on diversity, inclusion, and equity," said MDK Vice Chairman Fernando Aguirre. "And I know what it takes to create change from the inside out in our work across the nonprofit sector."

"The nonprofit sector is a key player in efforts to create a world that is more just and equitable, and that addresses the needs and challenges faced by the full diversity of our society," said Aguirre. "We cannot do that well without boards that are diverse, inclusive, and focused on equity. I look forward to helping boards deepen their understanding of and commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity – and to supporting them as they work to make change happen."

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