April 8, 2026
CNPL, Dena Jenson, Brewster King, Sam Thomas, others
Submitted by Robin Wallace
There are not enough minutes in the day or days in the year for me to fully describe what an incredible gift Cal Lutheran University is to our community. In fact, the University is so dedicated to the community that … don’t laugh … I actually assumed the instructors, lecturers, program leaders and professors were incentivized to be of service!! But no!! It’s just part of the mindset and the culture imbued by CLU’s core values.
Our kids have benefitted from the STEM, writing workshops, and Kingsman Shakespeare programs in the summer.
Our family was *saved,* not exaggerating, because of the grant-funded trauma therapy that CLU Psych rising seniors provided to victims of the Mountain Fire. My brother and sister in law, who are artists and musicians and lost everything, found their dream therapists and stayed with them as long as they could. It literally saved them, physically and mentally, and in their marriage, I’m sure.
My husband and I have benefitted from Philosophy on Tap, led by Brian Collins, and the free faculty concerts.
We’ve been admirers of the SEED Garden founded by Sam Thomas and the nonprofit leadership efforts that Vic Thasiah, Robert Dull, Julia Fogg, and Sam Thomas have exemplified via Los Padres Forest Watch, Runners for Public Lands, The Abundant Table, and others. These people are the kind of leaders we need in this moment. They are giants in their fields and treasures in our community. They braid their strands of academic and personal interests into bidirectional connections of inquiry, practical application and engagement between their authentic selves, the wider community and their students. They are role models for all of us, and the real-world response to existential questions of academic relevance.
Personally and professionally, the benefits of the training and resources provided by the Center for Nonprofit Leadership is invaluable. The care, compassion, expertise and efficacy of CNPL is unparalleled, and the fact that it’s all here in Ventura County is miraculous.
Anyway, here’s the story in response to the prompt: late at night a few years ago when I was brand new to board service, I was fumbling around asking myself all kinds of basic and searing bureaucratic questions about our nonprofit organization. Out of desperation I googled “nonprofit management help near me” and guess what …. up popped the Center for Nonprofit Leadership. LIKE A BEACON IN A STORM!!
My first thought was: Well, of course, that makes perfect sense. It’s a CLU program. They are so committed to community.
And my second thought was: Well, that’s a relief! Now we don’t have to reinvent the wheel! It’s already here and rolling along in our back yard!!
And my third thought was: Wait, is this something I have to apply and enroll for?! No?! Wow, that’s even more amazing. I can continue working and still get what I need.
My fourth thought was: Is this affordable? And of course, it is.
Since then, I’ve taken several workshops that have changed the course of our organization. One of the first ones I attended reinforced our inkling that galas are outdated and that mission-focused events are more satisfying for everyone involved. So we changed the entire format of our main fundraiser and we are not going back! Occasionally, I’ve also reached out to friends who’ve given me salient advice: Call Dena Jenson!!! See? All roads lead back to CNPL.
Thank you, thank you, Cal Lutheran and CNPL. We heart you a whole lot.