This is my story that is eerily similar to thousands of people’s stories from nonprofits across America. We are in a time of disinvestment in our workforce. I know this, yet I was still surprised and heartbroken when I got the call that I was laid off.

Let’s start at the beginning…

On April 28th, my Co-President for AFP Advancement Northwest Hong and I welcomed 3,000 attendees of the AFP ICON conference to our host city of Seattle. It was the largest stage of my career and my first time reading off a teleprompter. Hong and I spoke with passion, honesty, and humor to the crowd. Even when we were asked to remove the section about our fellow international fundraisers feeling unsafe about traveling to the U.S. for the conference, we stayed true to our values and kept it. The response from attendees was exciting and humbling.

Back at work after the conference, the vibe was weird and proceeded to get weirder IYKYK. Within two weeks, I was officially laid off along with my development staff. Cue bed rotting, feeling sorry for myself, and wondering what the hell happened. Shout out to the friends and colleagues and semi-strangers who reached out with the most beautiful notes of support and encouragement. Your words helped more than I can ever say.

But let me back up to those weird two weeks. At first we are in a rush to put together these important board presentations, and as usual, my work is a flurry of emails, calls, projects, Teams messages, and collaborations…and then one day, it’s silent.

The silence is unnerving. Where did everyone go? Texts stopped mid-sentence with board members. These important projects? Suddenly abandoned mid-email.

And then I knew. I’m cut.

→ In the end, none of us are valued people to our employers. We are all just budget line items that need to be “dealt with.”

→ Yes, this is depressing.

→ But there is also power in knowing this. 

2025 will be the year that we collectively lose faith in our employers ability to take care of us. So many people are losing their jobs suddenly with little-to-no severance, or are being asked to cut or defer pay, or being furloughed.

In the last two weeks alone, I’ve heard horror stories of 60% of staff being laid off and the remaining team members struggling with survivors’ guilt, and of receiving a flat out lie to get staff to come into the office to terminate them and walk them out the door. I’m seeing brave employees speaking online about being gaslit about the “reasons” they were let go to call bs on financial mismanagement and toxic leadership instead. 

We are in a watershed moment where leaders will be judged by how they make these hard decisions. You can treat people like budget line items and invest in your lawyers to CYA or you can take the time to plan out how to lay people off with humanity and care. More to come on this in the future, but as I emerge from a very difficult and tender time, I have struggled with the lack of care and wondered how we could do this differently.

Does that mean that we should stop applying for jobs and stop hoping the next one will be better? No way. I coach people through the job search process and I see the joy of landing a job that aligns with your passion, fuels your purpose, and lights up your bank account.

If you are laid off, remember that one job does not determine your entire career trajectory. You define what your strengths are and how they show up in your career arc. And, the boss who laid you off does not get a say in what job you pursue next. You can take your career into your own hands:

• Worried that you will be laid off without severance? Nothing is stopping you from starting a side business that will buoy your spirit and your bank account if you lose your 9-to-5.
• Want to shift the focus of your career or the sector you work in? Go for it.
• Ready for a break for reflection, rest, and enjoying time away from a computer? Do it.

I’m so grateful that I had my side-business Monsoon Leadership, not just for the extra help in income, but for when I was doubting if I was good at anything (IYKYK laid off friends!). Even in the bed rotting/self-pity phase, I would jump on a coaching call and help a client perform the best they ever had in an interview, or get a text that a client received two job offers after being out of work for a year, or an email about a client successfully negotiating the salary and work schedule they needed for their family. My business gave me purpose and joy during a dark time. 

Build your life raft, because your employer is not building one for you. I say this with love, but they will send you out to sea with a lone plank of wood to float on. I know this, because as a former Chief, I’ve been in the rooms where they make these decisions. It’s not pretty.

→ We are all just line items in the end to our employers.

→ But we define our value for ourselves.

→ It’s time to live up to that power.

I’m ready to share so much more about the truth of C-Suite leadership and what it means to truly lead from your values with intention, what it means to bet on yourself, and how to build an unshakeable sense of self-worth that will carry you through any and all challenges. Join my email list and let’s dig in deep and light it up together!

About Monsoon Leadership + How I Can Help You Build a Career You Love

Through honest, deeply supportive coaching, I help clients to identify and embody their strengths, speak confidently about their value, and make powerful moves toward careers that truly fit who they are now—emotionally, financially, and culturally. 

Whether you’re navigating a transition, figuring out if it’s time to leave, or ready to grow into a new role, I’m here to help you find clarity, build a healthier relationship with work, and create a career—and life—that feels energizing, aligned, and 100% yours.

As a career advancement coach, job search strategist + salary whisperer, I offer:

Dream Job Coaching to support you every step of the way through your job search to sharpen your resume + cover letter, shine in interviews, and nail your salary negotiation. My clients increase their salary by an average of $30k+ and retain in their new job.

90-Day Support Plan to give you a custom roadmap of how to be successful in your new job tailored to you based on personalized insights from your coaching journey plus weekly reflections, videos on goal setting, and customized reports that highlight your growth.

Executive Coaching to help nonprofit leaders identify and lead from their values, navigate interpersonal politics, and build a high-performing team. I’ve truly seen it all and am here to help you lead with intention.

Career Support Coaching to help you navigate tough work situations or find clarity in your career. Whether you’re feeling stuck, burned out, in conflict with your boss, or just feeling unsure what’s next—coaching helps you get clear, grounded, and moving forward with confidence.

Salary Negotiation Coaching to help you negotiate the best off possible! Message me when you have an offer on the table or are ready to advocate for a raise or promotion and we will strategize together to get you the most money possible.

My coaching is built on my Ignite Framework that is a unique blend of rich coaching conversations, thoughtful surveys, personalized coaching summaries, custom insights, and individualized reports to guide progress and to document growth. In all coaching services, you’ll receive a personalized report that summarizes your personal and professional evolution through coaching. This tailored report describes how you authentically show up at work, how to embody your secret sauce of strengths, and how to curate a long-term career that fuels your passions.

As I tell my clients: be picky | be expensive | be brilliant

Clients leave my coaching sessions feeling grounded in their strengths, confident in how to authentically tell their story, ready to talk money without fear, and 100% prepared to enter the next phase of their career. Grab a FREE Discovery Call and let’s chat about your career goals!