Dr. Laura Deitrick: Strengthening Nonprofits, Shaping Leaders

Behind every strong nonprofit sector is a thinker, builder, and believer — someone who doesn’t just lead, but elevates the entire field. In San Diego and beyond, that person is Dr. Laura Deitrick. As the Executive Director of The Nonprofit Institute and a Professor of Practice in Leadership Studies at the University of San Diego, Dr. Deitrick has spent more than two decades advancing the people, organizations, and networks that drive social change.

A scholar-practitioner in the truest sense, she has served as a nonprofit executive director, board member, consultant, evaluator, strategist, and educator — making her one of the most trusted voices in the nonprofit and philanthropic space.

A Champion of Research and Real-World Impact

For over 15 years, Dr. Deitrick has led some of the region’s most influential research on:

• The strength and challenges of the nonprofit workforce
• The economic and social impact of the nonprofit sector
• Nonprofit finance, governance, and strategy
• Grantmaking trends and philanthropic effectiveness

Her findings don’t stay in reports — they become tools for nonprofit professionals, boards, funders, and policymakers to make smarter decisions and drive deeper impact. She is also the co-author of Cases in Nonprofit Management: A Hands-on Approach to Problem Solving — a widely adopted textbook that brings theory into practice for nonprofit leadership students across the country.

The Nonprofit Institute: Building Capacity, Advancing Equity

Since 2002, The Nonprofit Institute (NPI) at USD — under Dr. Deitrick’s leadership — has grown into a nationally respected hub for:

• Transformational leadership education
• Capacity building for nonprofits, government, and philanthropy
• Cutting-edge research, policy insights, and civic engagement
• A powerful network of social impact professionals

Programs like the San Diego Nonprofit Academy, which Dr. Deitrick founded and continues to lead, provide high-quality training to hundreds of nonprofit staff and leaders — equipping them with practical tools to navigate real-world challenges and create sustainable change.

At TALTalks 2025, we’ll hear from Dr. Laura Deitrick about the challenges facing nonprofits today — and what it will take to build a stronger, more collaborative, and more equitable social sector for the future.

Because when leaders like Dr. Deitrick invest in others, the ripple effect isn’t just organizational — it’s transformational.