Looking to get to the next level in your nonprofit career? At YNPN Twin Cities' Leadership Breakfast series, nonprofit leaders will share with you exactly how they did it, what they learned and what they're looking for in a rising nonprofit leader.

This April, we're talking with Alissa Light. With over 18 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Alissa is an adaptive and heart-connected strategist partnering with change agents in the nonprofit sector. Alissa's approach is focused on deep listening, activating community-led solutions, developing and supporting the visions and skills of staff and board leaders, and holding complexity. Alissa loves fundraising, major donor work, board governance, organizational development, coaching, strategy development and planning for impact. She is a fierce advocate for racial justice, anti-oppression, equity and inclusion.

From 2010-2022 Alissa served as the Executive Director of Family Tree Clinic, a nationally recognized sexual health and education center in the Twin Cities. During her time at Family Tree she spear-headed an $8 million capital campaign to build an innovative, trauma-informed, healing-focused health center in the heart of Minneapolis. Alissa also supported and catalyzed significant organizational transformation expanding Family Tree into a regional leader in LGBTQ inclusive health care and integrated sexual health care in the Upper Midwest. In September 2022, Alissa joined the incredible team at The Bakken Museum as their President & CEO. In this role Alissa collaborates with the staff, board and community to continue to advance The Bakken Museum’s mission to inspire a passion for innovation by exploring the potential for science, technology, and the humanities to make the world a better place. Through an internationally recognized collection at the intersection of health, wellness and medical innovation, a one of a kind STEM museum experience, and powerful community-based education and outreach programs, The Bakken Museum is a change agent sparking inquiry-based mindsets and supporting inclusive participation in STEM.

Alissa serves on the Twin Cities Advisory Task Force for Macalester College and is an affiliate of the University of Minnesota, Program in Human Sexuality, serves as Treasurer and member of the board of directors of The PFund Foundation, the only LGBTQ+ community foundation in the Upper Midwest and is a member of the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable. She lives in Minneapolis, with her partner Crystal, two kids Ada & Perrin, and dogs Cookie & Ru.

Leadership Breakfast with Alissa Light