Reflections on FINE’s Leadership Transition

Leadership transitions can be tricky - to say the least. This is especially true when leaders have been around for a while. Transitions raise all sorts of questions about vision, equity, organizational finances, and the interests of staff who will continue on after the transition. It is not unusual for transitions to take place with short notice and/or in the context of turbulent dynamics between staff, partners, or funders. As such, sometimes transitions appear to be “back room” decisions. Fortunately for FINE, we had a longer runway and fewer undercurrents in our process, allowing us to have a more deliberate and transparent approach. 

We want to share this behind-the-scenes look at how our 2025 leadership transition came to be, in the hopes that it is of value to others contemplating their organizational shifts.

As FINE began our most recent strategic planning process in the fall of 2023, I also began to think about my ongoing role in the organization. I’ve been with FINE since its inception in 2011, and, for better or worse, my fingerprints are visible in many aspects our structure and program.  I have loved my job and the FINE network, and am proud to have been part of its development. As the staff has grown and taken on greater responsibility, I felt it was a good time to step aside and pass the baton to new leaders to guide the organization in its next chapter.

I was fortunate that my journey coincided with the start of a new What’s Next Leadership Transition Cohort hosted by FINE's fiscal sponsor TSNE. Along with a dozen other executive directors who were considering similar moves, we met monthly and in person over four months. We were guided by a team of skilled facilitators who provided readings, shared lessons, and led discussions on a wide range of issues related to non-profit transitions. We each also had the benefit of 10 hours of individual coaching for up to 18 months after the course ended—support that proved invaluable as we began mapping out what this transition could look like.

At that time, I shared my plans to step down by the summer of 2025 with FINE’s staff and our Network Advisory Council (NAC). While we did not keep that decision a secret, we did not communicate it widely until we knew more about the direction we were headed. I also began reaching out to current and former NAC members and other key partners to gain their insights on the transition.

At our June 2024 NAC annual meeting, the council began to design a participatory process that aligned with our values and organizational commitment to center the voices of those most impacted by inequities in the food system. We started by forming a committee to pick a committee. Our goal was to determine the right leadership structure for FINE’s next chapter—and then to implement it, either through external hiring or internal promotion. We wanted a group that was both familiar with FINE and represented diverse perspectives to engage in that process. 

We were fortunate that longtime advisor Christine James volunteered to facilitate the Leadership Transition Committee (LTC), which was selected through a nomination and application process over the summer. Staff and NAC members sent the application to individuals whom they thought would add valuable perspective to the process. In parallel, staff and the full NAC participated in two virtual workshops with the Anti-Oppression Resource & Training Alliance (AORTA) to learn more about democratic workplaces and shared leadership models.

Eight people, including current and former NAC members as well as other partners, were selected to be on the LTC. Sarah Lyman, our Communications Director, served a critical role as staff liaison, and I also participated in the meetings. The original construct was to divide the process into two phases: the first to evaluate and recommend a structure; the second to recruit and select the new leadership team.

The LTC Phase 1 group considered a wide range of options: hiring a new Executive Director, forming a two, three, or four-person co-executive director structure, or moving to a fully worker self-directed model. Members shared experiences from their organizations, and we dug into articles, case studies, and strategic planning documents—including FINE’s.

To inform this process, Christine conducted one-on-one interviews with each staff member about their interests and vision for the organization’s structure. Staff were intrigued by the idea of formally distributing leadership, but also felt they needed more skills and training before proceeding with a fully self-directed model. Based on this input, the LTC Phase 1 group ultimately recommended a three-director model: promoting Hannah Leighton and Tania Taranovski to co-directors and hiring a third person to bring in new perspectives and lived experience from communities most impacted by food systems inequities. The recommendation was presented to the full NAC in late 2024, who asked some insightful questions about decision-making and accountability to the LTC. After some back and forth, the full NAC accepted the recommendation.

Before moving forward with the Phase 2 recruitment process, funding realities shifted and prompted us to reassess. The NAC Finance and Steering Committees reviewed FINE’s financials, taking into account changes in federal funding commitments and opportunities, and felt it was fiscally responsible to postpone any new hires. The revised recommendation—supported by the Steering Committee and full NAC—was to offer the co-executive director roles to Hannah and Tania as part of a stepwise approach to a more distributed leadership model.

The Steering Committee met with Hannah and Tania in March 2025 to offer the promotion, and we were thrilled when they accepted.

While we had initially budgeted for a consultant to support a formal search process, we were fortunate to have strong volunteer leadership from Christine and committed engagement from the LTC, the FINE Finance and Steering Committees, and the full NAC. This saved resources and allowed for a highly values-aligned process. Most importantly, FINE’s staff—Sarah Lyman, Dana Stevens, and Britt Florio—had the opportunity to weigh in every step of the way.  

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who contributed their time, perspective, and care throughout this transition. I leave with full confidence in Hannah and Tania—and in the strength and dedication of the rest of the FINE team. I’m proud of how we approached this change: collaboratively, intentionally, and in service to the network.

I’m sure we could have done some things differently, and we know that our approach would not work for all organizations. Our hope in sharing this story is that it provides some useful ideas for others who are navigating similar moments of change. Yes, transitions are tricky; however, thoughtful leadership transitions are possible—and they’re better when they’re shared.