Our Story

The Center for Sustainable Leadership was founded in 2019 out of a shared concern and a clear conviction.

We saw first hand how mission-driven organizations, particularly schools and nonprofits governed by boards, were cycling through executive leaders at an unsustainable pace. Too often, leadership transitions were reactive rather than intentional, leaving organizations destabilized, leaders depleted, and missions weakened. The cost of churn was not just organizational—it was human.

We believed there had to be another way.

The Center for Sustainable Leadership was created to help organizations sustain leadership rather than simply replace leaders. Our early work focused on succession planning—not as an end-of-tenure exercise, but as a proactive strategy to support current leaders, build leadership bench strength, and prepare organizations for gradual, values-aligned transitions that honor both people and purpose.

At its core, our approach reframed succession planning as a sustainability lever:

  • Sustaining executive leaders rather than burning them out

  • Strengthening leadership teams and future pipelines

  • Ensuring organizational stability through inevitable change

As our work deepened, so did our understanding of what organizations truly need to thrive.

Today, the Center for Sustainable Leadership has partnered with organizations in more than 30 states, supporting schools, nonprofits, and mission-driven institutions at critical moments of growth, transition, and reflection. Our offerings have expanded to include:

  • Board and executive succession planning

  • Emergency succession planning

  • Executive leader evaluation and support

  • Board governance retreats and training

  • Train-the-trainer and capacity-building sessions

Across all of our work, we remain grounded in a simple belief: there is no sustainable impact without sustainable leadership.

We exist to support the leaders and boards who carry some of the most critical responsibilities in our communities—those working to change the world for the better—so they can lead with clarity, care, and continuity for the long haul.

Our Team

A team that knows this work because they've done this work.

  • Dr. Amanda Aiken

    Co-Founder & CEO

    Dr. Amanda Aiken is a nationally recognized leadership development expert with deep experience supporting mission-driven organizations, boards, and executive leaders. She brings a practitioner’s lens shaped by her work as a teacher, school and district leader, and her doctoral training in educational leadership. Amanda is known for helping leaders and boards navigate complexity with clarity, care, and sustainability—ensuring people, roles, and missions are supported for the long term.

  • Freddi Wicker

    Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor

    Freddi Wicker is the Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor of the Center for Sustainable Leadership, where she helps shape the organization’s vision, strategic partnerships, and long-term growth. A seasoned leader with deep expertise in organizational strategy, communications, and leadership development, she brings a thoughtful and systems-oriented approach to supporting leaders and teams through change. Freddi’s work is grounded in sustainability, clarity, and building the conditions for leaders and organizations to thrive over time.

  • Dr. Leah Recasner

    Director of Facilitation

    Dr. Leah Recasner leads CSL’s facilitation practice, designing and guiding high-impact experiences for boards and leadership teams. She brings a strong grounding in organizational dynamics, governance, and adult learning, and is known for creating structured, engaging spaces that help groups move from insight to action with clarity and alignment.

  • Avione Brown-Pichon, Esq.

    Senior Facilitator

    Avione Brown-Pichon is a seasoned facilitator, former district and charter school leader, attorney, adjunct law professor, and leadership coach. She brings a rare combination of legal expertise, systems-level leadership experience, and on-the-ground understanding of mission-driven organizations. Avione supports boards and leaders through complex governance moments, leadership transitions, and high-stakes decision-making with clarity, care, and accountability—helping organizations navigate change while staying grounded in their values and mission.