Mike Gurtler, ARM

Risk Management and Safety

Mike has been working with youth-serving organizations for over 25 years. He began his career in resident camping and held a variety of program and administrative positions before becoming a YMCA CEO in 1994. After a successful term as CEO, Mike joined the national YMCA staff as a safety & risk management consultant with YMCA Services Corporation in 2000; later becoming the Director of Risk Management providing strategic risk management direction for the organization and working closely with YMCAs throughout the country.

Mike currently serves as a manager and consultant for Safe-Wise Consulting (www.safe-wise.com) and is an associate staff member for the Nonprofit Risk Management Center. He holds the prestigious Associate of Risk Management certification.

Mike has been instrumental in developing the Rescue Ready Program, resident camp review programs, Safe-Pool networks, staff training programs, youth protection training and many nonprofit risk management publications. His timely and effective development of resources for the Safe-Wise library is an example of his understanding of the ever-changing needs of organizations.

Mike resides in Bar Harbor, Maine with his wife and son. He actively participates in the Rotary Club, YMCA, Congregational Church, Town Government, Little League, Boy Scouts and other local efforts.

Melanie Lockwood Herman, Esq.

HR, Financial, Risk Management, Safety

Melanie is the Executive Director of D.C.-based Nonprofit Risk Management Center (www.nonprofitrisk.org). The Center provides training, technical assistance and informational resources to help nonprofits take a practical approach to managing risk so that they can fulfill their missions and stay out of trouble.

A prolific author of a more than a dozen comprehensive (and comprehensible!) guides on various risk management topics, Melanie has delivered countless workshops, seminars, and keynote presentations for organizations simply unwilling to leave success to chance. Melanie earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Urban Affairs from American University (Washington, DC) and a Juris Doctor from George Mason University (Arlington, VA). She is a member of the District of Columbia Bar Association.

In August 2007 Melanie was named to the 10th annual NonProfit Times Power & Influence Top 50, a list of “executives and thinkers … selected for the impact they have now and for the innovative plans they are putting in place to evolve the charitable sector.” 

A calculated risk taker, Melanie loves raw fish, scalding coffee, and riding her 1964 Norton Electra or 1970 BSA Bantam motorcycles (she always wears her helmet). To be on the safe side, she also serves as Lay Leader and organist of her church.

Jennifer Chandler Hauge, Esq.

Corporate Governance, Risk Management

Jenny is the Senior Counsel and Director of Special Projects at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center (www.nonprofitrisk.org). She is the type of person you want advising your senior management team, board or risk management committee.

Jenny spots the issues and works with you to find practical and feasible solutions based on more than 16 years’ experience delivering technical assistance to tax-exempt organizations on legal and board governance issues, and hands-on board experience as a trustee of numerous public charities and foundations. Her prior senior management roles - for a statewide nonprofit during its start-up years, for a community development corporation during a turn-around, and most recently working on public policy and best practices models at the national level - give her a broad perspective.

Originally educated as an employment lawyer, Jenny is the co-author, with Melanie Herman, of Taking the High Road: A Guide to Effective and Legal Employment Practices for Nonprofits. She also designs and presents workshops and Webinars on employment, governance and finance topics for the Center. She received her undergraduate degree in French and English with Distinction from Dartmouth College (Hanover, NH) and her JD from Boston College (Newton, MA). Jenny’s a member of the New York, New Jersey and American Bar Associations.

Adrienne N. Newsom, Esq.

HR, Risk Management

Adrienne is our HR instructor, as well as our employee handbook consultant. Working as the associate general counsel for an international denominational office, Adrienne spent over eight years providing legal services to churches and missions organizations around the world. As a result, she brings her experience and expertise to bear in nearly every legal and risk area affecting nonprofits, including formation and tax-exempt issues, governance, youth protection, litigation, insurance, and general risk management.

Adrienne has been practicing law in California since 1993 (www.annlaw.com), currently with a focus on providing counsel and training to nonprofit and religious organizations on formation and tax-exempt issues, governance, employment practices, and risk management strategies. She also has extensive civil litigation experience with expertise in claims handling and insurance issues.

Adrienne graduated from Tufts University (’90) and UCLA School of Law (’93). She and her husband lead their local congregation’s singles ministry. Adrienne also enjoys learning to golf with her daughters and occasionally appearing with them on a few TV sets as “an extra”.