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At Headwaters Foundation for Justice, we believe in the power of shared leadership to strengthen our work and deepen our impact. Our board’s decision to implement a Co-Chair model in 2023 was an early step toward embracing a collaborative approach to leadership. This shift supported our recent transition to a Co-Executive Director model—an intentional move that aligns with our values of equity, accountability, and shared decision-making. 

As Headwaters enters this new era, Communications Director Ewan Scotto sat down with Board Co-Chairs Eric Howard and Fran Hutchins (Hutch) to discuss what inspired the shift to shared leadership, the strengths they bring to their roles, and how this model is shaping the future of Headwaters. 

Ewan: Headwaters’ board implemented a Co-Chair model, prior to announcing its transition to Co-Executive Directors. What inspired you to adopt a Co-Chair model?  

Eric: Two people have two different pairs of eyes, right? You have two different perspectives on an issue. That really comes in handy when we’re troubleshooting or imagining a new vision for the work. I bring a specific skill set and a specific lens to movement work, and Hutch does too. I think that is the wisdom of the co-leadership model: you have the benefit of two different perspectives and you’re able to lean on each other and complement each other.  

Hutch: Absolutely. And realistically, part of it is also the acknowledgement that this is a volunteer position.  It takes a lot of work, and it’s easier to do when you’ve got double the capacity. 

Eric: One more thing – sometimes Hutch says or does things that inspire me to show up better at whatever I do. In co-leadership, there’s this dynamic where you hold each other up and you hold each other accountable. Doing your best work inspires the other person to do the same. 

Hutch: I totally agree – knowing Eric is there, I don’t want to disappoint my co-leader. There’s accountability in just knowing your co-leader is relying on you. 

What gifts do each of you bring to the role of Co-Chair? How does that show up in your collaboration? 

Hutch: Eric is always so on top of things and organized – that’s a real strength of his. I’m so glad he’s my partner in this work because, with my schedule, sometimes it can be challenging to set aside the time to move a process through to its conclusion. A great example of that was our recent board recruitment, which Eric led. It was just such a well-run process that brought on so many great people.  

Eric: For me, I’ve never been an executive director of an organization, but Hutch has. So, that is a background and skill set that Hutch brings to this role that is so valuable. I really rely on their perspective for some key decision making. So, Hutch, you’ve really led on the co-director search because you know a lot about that topic, and I’ve really leaned on that expertise from you.  

Hutch: There are also a lot of things we deeply collaborate on – for example, when we have our executive sessions with Bilal and listen, get updates, ask questions, and help him problem solve. 

What has the board’s role been throughout the transition to a shared leadership model?  

Hutch: Shared decision-making brought us to the decision to shift to a co-executive director model. The board was part of those conversations as equal voices to staff and being a board member meant participating fully in those conversations. That included participating in retreats, weighing in on staff’s drafts of proposals, sending questions to staff to spark conversations and bring in different perspectives. 

Eric: The whole process was a terrific example of how to do shared decision making and bring in everybody’s voice. It really demonstrated to me that the more perspectives there are in decision making, the stronger that the decision or outcome becomes. You’re able to get more buy-in to a vision when it’s truly co-created.  

How do you think transitioning to a shared leadership model will benefit the organization and our grantees? 

Hutch: Speaking as someone who’s an executive director, it’s a really full job. This structure acknowledges that reality, and I hope it will benefit the organization by creating more sustainability in that leadership position. To think about what it would be like if there were two people who could do the work – visioning, building relationships with partners, learning more about the field, and bringing in more funding – it could really take Headwaters to the next level and level up our ability to support our grantees. 

Eric: In our decision-making, we thought a lot about rightsizing the role of executive director in the context of today’s needs at Headwaters. For us, that’s the co-ED model. There’s a saying that it’s lonely at the top. Having a co-conspirator in the role makes all the difference. The rationale behind it is sound, and it’s not just a trendy idea—it has real meaning behind it. 

Last question—if you could share one message with the community about the future of Headwaters and our new leadership model, what would it be? 

Eric: The co-ED model fully aligns with our theory of change. It reflects how we engage with the community, how we perform as a board and staff, and how we share our decision-making. There is so much potential and so many new ideas and things we’ll develop as a result of this change. I’m so glad to share this news with the community and continue sharing our learnings and having that be something that community can learn from. 

Hutch: I think the key message I’d want the community to hear is that we’re doing this to be the best version of ourselves so we can support them in these extremely uncertain times. Right now, a lot of the things that have been in the works at Headwaters are being launched, and we’re prepared for what’s ahead. We’re ready to support the community, and having a fully staffed team makes that possible. We’re here for you, and we’re doing this for our community. 

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For updates, information, and news related to Headwater’s transition to shared leadership and Co-Executive Directors, visit our Shared Leadership webpage.