Carlyn Madden
Carlyn Madden is the founder and CEO of Good Insight, a national nonprofit executive search firm and governance consultancy with a mission to connect good causes to great leaders.
As CEO of Good Insight, Carlyn advises boards and executives about their talent needs and leads the firm’s CEO and Executive Director searches. With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit recruiting, governance consulting, and philanthropy, Carlyn has dedicated her career to connecting senior leaders with causes they care about. She believes in the power of leadership transitions as a tool for racial justice.
Prior to launching her consulting practice, Carlyn spent a decade in philanthropy. She started her career at The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation where she managed a portfolio of grants for education, community service, health, and the arts.
Carlyn is certified in board consulting by BoardSource, is a Center for Nonprofit Advancement Industry Expert and is a member of Leadership Greater Washington. She is a sought-after speaker on generational and demographic shifts in nonprofits, advising numerous organizations and initiatives, including the Obama administration’s Office of Public Engagement, on the topic. In 2019, she founded the Next Gen Giving Circle to cultivate a new generation of philanthropists to support BIPOC-led grassroots organizations in the DC region.
With a BA in Art History from Emory University and an MA in Museum Administration from The George Washington University, Carlyn puts her education to good use through frequent visits to museums and art institutions across the globe. She lives off the H Street NE corridor in Washington, DC, the fifth generation in her family to do so.
As CEO of Good Insight, Carlyn advises boards and executives about their talent needs and leads the firm’s CEO and Executive Director searches. With over 15 years of experience in nonprofit recruiting, governance consulting, and philanthropy, Carlyn has dedicated her career to connecting senior leaders with causes they care about. She believes in the power of leadership transitions as a tool for racial justice.
Prior to launching her consulting practice, Carlyn spent a decade in philanthropy. She started her career at The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation where she managed a portfolio of grants for education, community service, health, and the arts.
Carlyn is certified in board consulting by BoardSource, is a Center for Nonprofit Advancement Industry Expert and is a member of Leadership Greater Washington. She is a sought-after speaker on generational and demographic shifts in nonprofits, advising numerous organizations and initiatives, including the Obama administration’s Office of Public Engagement, on the topic. In 2019, she founded the Next Gen Giving Circle to cultivate a new generation of philanthropists to support BIPOC-led grassroots organizations in the DC region.
With a BA in Art History from Emory University and an MA in Museum Administration from The George Washington University, Carlyn puts her education to good use through frequent visits to museums and art institutions across the globe. She lives off the H Street NE corridor in Washington, DC, the fifth generation in her family to do so.
