April 9, 2025
MENTOR is proud to welcome Rob Acton as one of many latest members of our nationwide board of administrators. Rob brings many years of expertise in nonprofit management, youth growth, and board growth. He’s the Founder & CEO of Trigger Technique Companions and creator of a guide entitled, Changing into a Causie: Champion Your Trigger Via Nonprofit Board Management, revealed by ForbesBooks, a #1 Amazon finest vendor within the charity and philanthropy class. Via his agency’s signature program BoardLead, Trigger Technique Companions has positioned almost 3,000 professionals in the US and the UK on nonprofit boards, whereas coaching tens-of-thousands extra in high-impact nonprofit board service.
Rob has lengthy been a passionate advocate for mentorship, and his insights and experience might be invaluable to our mission. Not too long ago, MENTOR’s Chief Improvement Officer, Nicki Ruiz de Luzuriaga, had the chance to take a seat down with Rob to debate his private mentoring journey and what impressed him to hitch MENTOR’s board. Right this moment, we’re excited to introduce Rob’s story and his imaginative and prescient for a way mentorship may help unlock alternatives for younger individuals throughout the nation.
What impressed you to hitch the board at MENTOR?
It’s a return to my roots. The primary 10 years of my profession I spent working with younger individuals in numerous low-resourced neighborhoods in cities like Camden, New Jersey; in Jackson, Michigan; and Harlem and Brooklyn in New York Metropolis. Via that work, I had the chance to instantly spend money on the lives of lots of and lots of of younger individuals. I additionally represented kids in household courtroom who have been affected by abuse and neglect. It was devastating to me when my shoppers could be emancipated as younger adults with out the protection internet of organic or adoptive mother and father. In such circumstances, what might be extra highly effective than a caring grownup ready to stroll shoulder-to-shoulder with a teenager?
I even have a deep ardour for constructing the capability of nonprofit organizations. These are providers MENTOR gives in a high-quality approach. I imagine within the crucial significance of capability constructing for the sector and acknowledge that an ideal deal could be completed after we strengthen nonprofits with needed providers and help.
What are you most trying ahead to as one of many latest members of MENTOR Nationwide board of administrators?
MENTOR is the primary group I’ve been part of that engages in coverage and advocacy at a nationwide stage. I jumped on the alternative to serve – not solely as a result of I’m passionate in regards to the trigger – but additionally as a result of I used to be so impressed by the work MENTOR does at a techniques stage. MENTOR’s annual day of advocacy, Capitol Hill Day, was significantly motivating. I imagine this proactive mentoring advocacy work might be so essential over the following few years.
I’ve been actively concerned in mentoring through the years, however with MENTOR, I’m trying ahead to taking a extra macro-level method and studying finest practices within the area. On the Nationwide Mentoring Summit I noticed firsthand how so many small mentoring organizations depend on new evidence-based learnings from MENTOR to strengthen their core work.
I additionally look ahead to working alongside MENTOR CEO Jermaine Myrie and the group as a useful resource. I hope to leverage my expertise in nonprofit management, social affect, and board governance to assist proceed to strengthen this excellent group.
What position do you are feeling that MENTOR as a company performs in advancing alternative for younger individuals?
On the Nationwide Mentoring Summit I used to be struck by how small so many of those nonprofit mentoring organizations are, juxtaposed towards the outsized affect they can make. Mentoring is occurring on the grassroots stage, but so many of those organizations and people don’t entry to best-in-class sources, studying, and coaching. MENTOR gives construction to those organizations and has entry to useful information and analysis that we are able to all be taught from.
How do you are feeling that mentorship has performed a job in your individual private or skilled journey?
Mentorship has been deeply impactful in my life. In actual fact, I thanked quite a lot of key mentors within the acknowledgements part of my guide. So many mentors have impacted me alongside my journey at numerous levels of my life together with Rod Matthews, my youth pastor who invested in me and strengthened my journey within the tumultuous teenage years. There was additionally Dwight Robertson, the speaker at a camp I attended in Michigan referred to as Covenant Hills Camp. As a result of I used to be the camp director’s son, I had uncommon entry to Dwight through the week. He form of took me underneath his wing and invested his time and power in me over many, a few years. Thirty years later, I nonetheless get texts and cellphone calls from Dwight – encouraging me, lifting me up, inspiring me.
In my early years as a nonprofit chief govt, I met Dr. Charles Middleton, on the time President of Roosevelt College in Chicago. Recognizing that he had immense knowledge and expertise that I may be taught from, I pestered him till he agreed to develop into my mentor. Chuck’s funding in me was transformative to my profession trajectory.
As I look again, I understand that the important thing factor my mentors gave me was their time – their most beneficial asset. My mentors believed that I may go additional than I ever imagined attainable.
How have you ever acted as a mentor to others?
I’ve very a lot endeavored to spend money on quite a lot of youthful pals and workers in the identical approach I skilled from my mentors. Solely they’ll say if I’ve been useful, however I’ve tried to carve out time, provide recommendation, ask questions, problem assumptions when applicable, and lift their websites on what is feasible for his or her lives, supporting them of their journey. I realized from the perfect. I hope I’ve been in a position to share a few of these learnings with others.
We as soon as once more welcome Rob Acton to the MENTOR Board of Administrators.