Who to Follow on LinkedIn To Be A Future-Ready Leader

When I first stepped into the Executive Director role, “keeping up with innovation” meant downloading a couple of glossy trend reports each year. They were interesting — but by the time I finished reading, the sector had already moved on.

Fast forward to today: every corner of nonprofit strategy — fundraising, marketing, tech, staff culture — is evolving in real time. And the most efficient way to keep up? Not conferences, not 200-page PDFs. It’s LinkedIn.

Over the past few years, LinkedIn has quietly transformed from a networking site into the nonprofit sector’s hub of innovation. Experts across every niche are sharing insights daily — often building on each other’s ideas — creating a kind of rolling “innovation lab” right in your feed.

The best part: with a little intention, you can turn LinkedIn into your daily snapshot of the entire sector’s evolution. Five minutes of scrolling becomes a panoramic view of what’s working now, and where the future is headed.

This post is your guide to curating that feed — plus a cheatsheet of experts to follow if you want your organization to stay future-ready.

Why LinkedIn Is the New Nonprofit Innovation Hub

For most of its history, LinkedIn was about connections — collecting contacts, swapping résumés, and maybe checking in when you were job hunting. But in the last few years, something shifted.

Today, LinkedIn is just as much a content platform as it is a networking one. The “follow” button now matters as much as “connect.” And that simple evolution has turned the platform into a living, breathing hub of nonprofit innovation.

Every day, leaders from across the sector — and from adjacent fields like tech, marketing, and design — post ideas, frameworks, and lessons learned. Even better, they respond to each other. One expert’s take on AI fundraising sparks another’s perspective on ethical governance. A marketing pro reframes how you think about donor journeys, and a tech strategist jumps in to show how automation can make it real.

The result? Your feed becomes a rolling innovation lab. Instead of waiting for annual reports or conference panels, you can see sector-wide ideas forming in real time.

“Five minutes of scrolling today = more innovation insight than five reports a decade ago.”

And for busy Executive Directors, that’s a game-changer.

How to Curate Your Feed for Innovation

Your LinkedIn feed is only as valuable as the voices you choose to let in. The good news? A little intention goes a long way.

Follow experts across diverse niches

Don’t just stick to fundraising or marketing. The most future-ready EDs pull ideas from every corner of nonprofit strategy — from tech and culture to governance and major gifts. When you see how different disciplines overlap, you’ll spot opportunities for innovation that others miss.

Mix in sector outsiders

Some of the best insights come from people not working inside nonprofits. Think brand designers, tech ethicists, or operations coaches. They bring fresh language, frameworks, and approaches that can reframe how you tackle sector challenges.

Be intentional about what not to follow

If your feed feels cluttered with generic motivational posts or surface-level hot takes, it’s time to unfollow. Every scroll should feel like you’re in a room full of people pushing your thinking forward.

When you treat LinkedIn less like background noise and more like a curated classroom, it shifts from distraction to daily leadership development.

The Cheatsheet of Experts to Follow

To make it easier, I’ve pulled together a starting list of nonprofit innovators who consistently share smart, practical insights on LinkedIn. Each one represents a niche that’s shaping how modern EDs think about leadership, fundraising, and growth.

👉 Think of this as a living resource. Follow a few from each category, then add your own favorites to build a feed that reflects the full spectrum of nonprofit innovation.

Technology & AI

• Afua Bruce – Nonprofit tech, AI governance frameworks

• Mallory Erickson – AI-based fundraising

• Mike Slaughter – AI segmentation strategies

• Nathan Chappell – Responsible AI in fundraising

Fundraising & Donor Journeys

• Mitch Stein – Donor Advised Funds (DAFs)

• Rhea Wong – Major gifts with a modern twist

• Dana Snyder – Monthly giving programs

• Sal Salpietro – Mapping donor user journeys

Leadership, Boards & Culture

• Sean Kosofsky – ED and board processes & policies

• Sabrina Walker Hernandez – Board facilitation

• Katrina Van Huss – Board management

• Evan Wildstein – Staff retention and well-being

• Jon McCoy & Becky Endicott – Culture & storytelling

• Christina Blacken – Equitable, story-driven leadership

Marketing & Brand Strategy

• Lauren Atherton – Visual branding + websites that save staff time

• Julia Campbell – Nonprofit social media strategy

• Jess Campbell – Email marketing & fundraising

• Cameron Ripley – Big-picture nonprofit marketing

Community & Movement Building

• Floyd Jones – Community building for growth

• Tasha Van Vlack – Nonprofit networking and collaboration

• Michelle Flores Vryn & Meena Das – Community-centered AI

Strategy & Sustainability

• Brooke Richie-Babbage – Planning for sustainability

• Rachel Bearbower – Automation & efficiency tools

• Bobby Powers – Onboarding & management training

• Veronica (Brown) LaFemina – Change management

• Spencer Brooks – Web accessibility & digital strategy

This isn’t a complete list — and that’s the point. Innovation thrives when we share more voices.

Help Expand the List

This list started with experts I’ve personally learned from — then grew through research into who they engage with and recommend. But no single list can capture the full scope of voices shaping nonprofit innovation.

That’s where you come in.

If there’s someone whose posts regularly shift how you think about leadership, fundraising, or growth, tag them in the comments or share this post with their name added. Not only will you help other EDs discover their work, you’ll also spotlight the kind of voices that deserve more visibility in the sector.

The more perspectives we share, the more powerful LinkedIn becomes as a collective innovation hub. Together, we can turn a simple feed into a daily, crowdsourced strategy lab.

“Innovation scales faster when it’s shared.”

So — who else belongs on this list?

Conclusion & Next Steps for Future-Ready Leader

Staying “future-ready” as an ED doesn’t mean blocking off hours for dense reports or waiting for the next big conference. It means building habits that put fresh ideas in front of you every day.

LinkedIn has become the nonprofit sector’s hub of innovation — and with a little intention, your feed can give you a panoramic view of where the sector is headed. Five minutes of purposeful scrolling each day can fuel bold visions, sharper strategies, and smarter decisions for your team.

The experts in this cheatsheet are just a starting point. Expand it. Share it. Curate it into something that challenges and inspires you daily.

And if you want more strategies to keep your organization future-ready, join the Proimpact Newsletter. Every week, I share practical tools and bold ideas to help EDs lead with clarity and vision.

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