Barry Silverberg, President & CEO
Barry Silverberg is President & CEO, Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO); Founder and Director, Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College; co-chair Texas Legislature’s Task Force on Improving Relations with Nonprofits; co-chair, National Council of Nonprofits' Task Force on Government Contracting; and adjunct faculty at St. Edward’s University.
Barry Silverberg has over 38 years of diverse nonprofit volunteer and professional leadership, management, resource development and communications experience focusing on nonprofit governance, strategic thinking, board engagement, professional and organizational development, and public policy awareness and advocacy. President & CEO of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations (TANO) he is also the Founder and Director, Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College; co-chair Texas Legislature’s Task Force on Improving Relations with Nonprofits; co-chair, National Council of Nonprofits Task Force on Government Contracting; and serves as adjunct faculty at St. Edward’s University’s New College.
Passionate about promoting “strategic creativity” and fostering greater understanding and appreciation of the Nonprofit Sector, Barry is a strong advocate of ensuring creativity, credibility and ethics among and between nonprofit organizations and the government and business sectors. He is an active coach and mentor to professional and volunteer colleagues, individuals considering careers in the Nonprofit Sector, and nonprofit leadership seeking to create and build new organizations. He shares his insights and perspectives with foreign delegations sponsored by the United States Department of State, and at conferences and Strategic Thinking Leadership Gatherings – a model for promoting leadership engagement he developed.
Conceptualizer and implementer of the 10 month long Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership & Management, Barry has also led the development of Certificates in Grant Writing, Fundraising Excellence, and Nonprofit Social Media Management and is a producer and participant in the 3.5 hour DVD on Strengthening Your Nonprofit Organization. He has also contributed to the authorship of two books: Conflict to Mediation, A Process for Mediating Group Differences with Dr. Garry McDaniel; and Thinking Strategically Within Nonprofits, Every Organization Is Created For a Purpose, Thinking Strategically Will Achieve That Purpose with Michael Dore. He wrote the Forward to The Courage to Lead, An Essential Guide for Volunteer Leaders, Board Trustees, and Public Servants by Robert Floyd.
Barry’s other professional leadership roles included:
- Executive Director of the American Creativity Association
- Chair, 2005 & 2006 International Conferences of the American Creativity Association in Austin
- Co-Publisher, Creative Pulse Magazine
- Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Austin (1995 - 1998)
- Publisher, Jewish Outlook (newspaper)
- Executive Vice-President (or Associate Director) of the Syracuse Jewish Federation (New York; 1975 - 1995)
- Publisher, Jewish Observer (newspaper)
- Founding chair, Council of Jewish Federations' National Computer Committee (pioneering application of computer technology in Jewish Federations nationally)
- Member, Council of Jewish Federations’ Management Services Committee.
- Chair, Professional Development, Constitution and By-laws, and Publications Committees, Association of Jewish Community Organizational Personnel
- Author, POSDCORB, column on management literature, AJCOP Newsletter
- Creator and Publisher, Beyneynu (Hebrew for “Between you, me and the gatepost") periodic journal seeking "to enlighten, to expand personal horizons, to make connections among ideas and to cause the "aha: feeling that unleashes the curiosity and creativity with us all."
Previous service includes active participation in:
- Texas Legislative Task Force on Strengthening Nonprofit Capacity (2009 – 2010)
- Advisory Board, Texas Connects Coalition (TXC2) (2011)
- Chair, St. Edward’s University’s New College Dean Search Committee (2008-9)
- Chair, St. Edward’s University’s New College's Advisory Council
- Advisory Council, Texas Campus Compact;
- Advisory Board, Partners for Sacred Places - Texas Regional Office
- AFP Austin Philanthropy Day Awards Selection Committee
- Various planning committee for former Governors Nonprofit Leadership Conference (GNLC)
- Board Advisor to Community Weaving & Family Support Networks International
- Board, Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Care
- Advisory Council, River City Youth Foundation (RCYF)
- President, Central East Austin Community Organization (CEACO)
- Higher Education Sector's representative, Community Resource Council of the Community Action Network
- Leadership Council, CREATE Austin
- Advisor, Literacy Coalition of Central Texas
- Board, University of Texas Center for Performance Excellence
- Planning Committee, Communities Connecting for a Better Tomorrow
- President, Summer Wonders (a camp for gifted and talented children);
- Austin Community College Citizen Advisory Council (1999-2000)
- Chair, Communications, Personnel and Executive Search Committees, Austin Jewish Community Day School
- United Way/ Capital Area's 2000 New Initiatives Committee
- Project Advisory Committee of the Training Better Board and Committee Members Project of NAMI Texas
- Board, Central Texas Chapter of the American Red Cross
- Board, Greater Austin Quality Council (GAQC)
- Baldridge Award Examiner
- Graduate, Leadership Austin Class of 2000
- Vice-president for Communications, Austin Chapter of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)
- Peer Panelist Review Committee for the Capacity Building Level II Grants for the City of Austin's Cultural Arts Division of the Economic and Redevelopment Services Office
- A founder and president, Syracuse Area Interreligious Council, where he worked extensively on broadening ethnic, racial and religious involvement on such critical issues as discrimination, racism, Interreligious understanding, human and civil rights, refugee resettlement, transitioning ex-offenders, housing, food bank, and hunger relief
- Initiator and Chair, three Central New York community-wide efforts that raised approximately $200,000 for hunger relief in Bosnia, Somalia and Rwanda
- Initiator and Chair, Interreligious Fund for Kosovar Refugee Relief and Resettlement, Austin Metropolitan Ministries
- Initiator, Nostra Aetate Award at St. Edward’s University
- Chair, Finance and Program Committees, the Onondaga Pastoral Counseling Center
- Board of Trustees and Capital Development Committee, Public Broadcasting Council of Central New York
- Vice-president and Board member, Americanization League of Syracuse and Onondaga County
- Member, Thursday Morning Roundtable (a weekly forum of Central New York business, civic, religious, political, educational and social service community leaders)
- Advisory Board, New York State Voluntary Enterprise Commission
Barry has been recognized:
- Recipient, 2009 New College Community Partner Award (St. Edward's University, June, 2009)
- Special Recognition Award - Austin Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (2006);
- Ethics in Business Awards Finalist (2004) - co-sponsored by the Samaritan Center and St. Edward's University's Center for Ethics and Leadership 2003 Bellwether Award Finalist at the Community College Futures Assembly. for the ACC CCBNO's excellence and its innovative approach in Using Strategic Creativity and a Partnership of Business and Community College to Meet Workforce Needs of the Nonprofit Sector;
- For Pete's Sake Award, Impact Austin (2004) for his role in mentoring its leadership and assisting with its creation
- Austin Young Lawyers Association Liberty Bell Award (2003) "presented to a non-lawyer who has made a significant and selfless contribution to the community. This award recognizes dedication to community service that promotes a better understanding of the principles of American government and strengthens the effectiveness of the American system of freedom under law."
- Syracuse Herald American (newspaper) Mover and Shaker in Religion, a recognition of leaders under 40 years of age (at that time!)
- Esther and Joseph Roth Award for Outstanding Jewish Community Leadership for his service in Central New York
During his 23 year Jewish communal service career, Barry traveled often to Israel, Eastern and Western Europe ( Rome, Warsaw, Krakow, Vienna, Prague) and visited concentration camp sites of Theresienstadt/ Terezin, Mauthausen, Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Professionally, Barry is proudest of his impact on others. Summing up Barry’s career in Central New York upon his departure for Austin, the Syracuse Herald American published an editorial – Farewell To A Class Act – and an article - An Examined Life, Thoughtful Local Jewish Leader Take His Leave.
Rooted in his Jewish tradition, Barry finds his greatest joy in his family. Married since 1976 to the former Marcia Lederman of Buffalo, NY, the daughter of Carol Lederman and the late Sol Lederman, he is the immensely proud father of Sharon Silverberg, a Graphic Artist, and Mark Silverberg, a Master’s Degree candidate at the School of Business at George Washington University in Washington, DC. Marcia is Vice President, HR Strategic Initiatives and System Office Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) of Ascension Health and formerly Senior Vice-president for Human Resources and Organizational Development for the Seton Healthcare Network (Austin).
A resident of Austin, TX since 1995, his roots in Brownsville (Brooklyn, NY, not Texas) are self-evident when he gets passionate.