Kathy Ridge: Pioneering Nonprofit Interim Management

Following a successful career in banking, Armstrong McGuire’s Director of Interim Management Services Kathy Ridge ventured into a second career in nonprofit leadership. Little did she know that this work would transform her into a national pioneer for nonprofit interim executive management.

Kathy served as CEO for two nonprofits who were facing immense challenges. After successfully turning both organizations around, she began to wonder if there was a model for helping nonprofits through leadership transitions. Through her extensive research she learned that the Presbyterian and Episcopal Churches required an interim pastor to follow the departure of a senior pastor, typically for 18-months.

Kathy learned that these interim pastors were specifically trained for this purpose in a program offered through Montreat College in North Carolina. “I wanted to enroll,” said Kathy, “but of course I did not have the credentials.” Instead, she started to imagine her own training program for nonprofit interim leaders.

“It really started as a manual,” Kathy said. “I was assembling resources that were helpful in analyzing the state of a nonprofit in transition such as financial scorecards and tools for program evaluation. There were whitepapers on interim leadership, but not much more.”  

In addition to assembling resources, Kathy was talking with current nonprofit executive directors about the differences between permanent and interim leadership. “Early on I knew I had to qualify people as interim executives based on their experience in nonprofit leadership positions and their skills in transitions and problem solving,” Kathy said.

With two successful transitions under her belt, other organizations began to turn to Kathy for help—more than she could support alone. As she brought in other interim leaders, she sat down with each, one-on-one, to review the manual and teach them the differences between serving as an interim leader and a permanent one. Eventually the manual and tools combined with the experiences of Kathy and her growing team of interim executives became the foundation for a curriculum for the Interim Management Institute (IMI), a certification program for interim nonprofit executives which started under Kathy’s company LevRidge. In 2022 LevRidge merged with Armstrong McGuire.

The Armstrong McGuire IMI certification equips executives to step into critical leadership roles with confidence and wisdom. Kathy’s first-of-its-kind program focuses on building a foundation for interims to provide stable and effective leadership during a transition.  

Certified Interim Executive Stephen Smith said, “The Institute teaches that you are serving the organization at a point where, under the circumstances, you likely have everyone's attention. Kathy encourages us to lean into this unique moment in time to provide valuable third-party perspective.”

Certified Interim Executive David Middleton said, “Kathy teaches you how to quickly determine short-term and long-term goals for the organization so you know where your focus should be during an interim assignment, allowing you to build the appropriate path for the permanent CEO and the organization to thrive.”  

This strategic approach to assessing the organization is a hallmark of the IMI and Kathy’s philosophy. Kathy said, “We teach our interim leaders how to be a rapid assessor who can quickly identify if there are any ticking time bombs.”

Certified Interim Executive Katie Benston said, “Kathy helped me see the benefits of an external interim executive—not just to ensure the work gets done, but to assess the organization’s strengths and opportunities from an objective perspective. Objectivity is an important element you just can’t get when the position is left vacant or filled by existing staff or board members.”

Another advantage of the interim executive is that they are not candidates for the permanent position. They bring their expertise and objective assessment without judgement or a personal agenda. An interim leader views the organization in its current state neither seeking credit for any potential changes nor placing blame on any staff member, board member, donor, or partner.  

Kathy said, “We teach interims to project expertise without judgement, so they establish themselves as a trustworthy partner because that is what they are.”

Kathy’s influence is felt not only through her direct work in creating the IMI, but also through the inspiration she provides to interim executives.  

Benston expressed deep gratitude for Kathy’s mentorship, saying, “Through her work serving as an interim executive herself and supporting the rest of us during our engagements, Kathy has become the most knowledgeable person about interim services in North Carolina and beyond. Kathy identified trends and lessons that help each of us successfully lead organizations through transition.”  

Kathy’s commitment to building a network of capable interim leaders has strengthened the field and professionalized the nonprofit interim executive. She also has partnered with other leaders around the country who share her passion for developing interim executive management as a nonprofit best practice during seasons of transition.

“I am most proud of the interims themselves. I am so honored that they want to do this work. They offer so much of themselves and their brainpower and time and compassion and wisdom,” Kathy said. “And our nonprofit sector is stronger because these leaders have embraced an interim role that stabilizes an organization through a transition. The work of the nonprofit is too important to allow the wheels to fall off when a leader leaves.”

As Kathy continues to champion nonprofit interim management, her vision for the future is clear: a national network of certified interim leaders who bring professionalism, empathy, and strategic insight to every organization they serve. Her work has set a new standard in the nonprofit sector, transforming interim management from a stopgap solution to a powerful tool for organizational resilience and progress.  

Smith said, “Kathy is in a class all by herself when I think of nonprofit interim management. Her influence in the sector is second to none.”

In 2025, Kathy will transition from day-to-day management of Armstrong McGuire’s IMI and interim services to a strategic advisor. She will continue to serve as a resource and advisor to the network of certified interim executives. Senior Advisor Katie Weeks will assume regular management of the network and strategic partner Patton McDowell and his team at PMA Nonprofit Leadership will deliver the Armstrong McGuire IMI curriculum.

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Learn more about Interim Management and be sure to check out our recent video on interim leadership.