Dennis D. Pointer has worked with more than four hundred clients asa consultant, retreat facilitator, and speaker. His firm, Dennis D.Pointer & Associates, provides governance consulting, retreatfacilitation, assessment, redesign, and development services tononprofit organizations, commercial corporations, and governmentagencies. He is vice president and partner, American Governance andLeadership group LLC. Pointer is also Hanlon Professor of HealthPolicy and Research, San Diego State University. He is also theAustin Ross Professor, Department of Health Services, School ofPublic Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington(Seattle).James E. (Jamie) Orlikoff is president of Orlikoff and Associates,Inc., a firm specializing in governance improvement and leadershipdevelopment. He is executive director of the American Governanceand Leadership Group LLC and the national advisor on governance andleadership to the American Hospital Association. In these variouscapacities, he has worked with over six hundred organizations tostrengthen their governance effectiveness and efficiency. Orlikoffserves on the board of trustees of Pitzer College in Claremont,California.

"What a terrific addition to the bookshelf for governing boards ofnonprofit organizations! It is clearly written, well organized, andhighly practical."--Thomas P. Holland, professor and director, Institute forNonprofit Organizations University of Georgia School of Social Work "I learned more about nonprofit governance from this book than Ihave serving on boards for fifteen years."--Art Ulene, former NBC Today Show medical commentator anddirector, The Vitality Challenge "Pointer and Orlikoff show how great boards can truly transformour institutions. This is an innovative guide for benchmarking andimproving governance."--Marilyn Chapin Massey, president, Pitzer College, Claremont,California

• Figures and Check-Ups. Preface. About the Authors. 1. Governance Basics. 2. Obligations. 3. Functioning: Responsibilities. 4. Functioning: Roles. 5. Structure. 6. Composition. 7. Infrastructure. 8. Transforming Your Board. Resources. A. The Sixty-Four Principles. B. Illustrative Board Policies. C. Sample Committee Charters. D. Illustrative Board Chair Position Description. E. Illustrative Governance Principles. F. For Further Reading. Index.