About LEAN
LEAN, the Leadership Excellence Academy for Nonprofits, is on a mission to transform the nonprofit sector by shifting the focus from four-quarter thinking to four-generational thinking.
We’re raising the standard for training, technology, and fundraising.
Join us in building LEAN solutions.
The LEAN Team
Meet the masterminds behind the mission.
Dr. Dan Young
co-founder
Dr. Dan Young has been a staple in Delaware’s nonprofit world for over 20 years. In addition to a Director at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, he is organizer of TEDxWilmington, with 600+ talks and 47 million YouTube views. As an “edupreneur,” he is responsible for creating the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Program at Goldey-Beacom College, Wilmington University’s online DBA class, Horn Program of Entrepreneurship’s study abroad program, and University of Delaware’s international internship program for study abroad.
Dr. Young has a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Marketing from the University of Delaware Honors Program and a Ph.D. in Marketing from Temple University along with entrepreneurship and executive leadership programs from the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Oxford. His PhD dissertation was entitled, “An Examination of Digital Nativity, Generation, and Gender in Online Giving.” This seminal research has been used by countless nonprofit organizations to reorganize and revamp their marketing efforts toward Generation Y and Generation Z donors.
He has also worked with the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement as a consultant in their Jim Collins “Good To Great” program.
He has been an instructor at Goldey-Beacom College, Temple University, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, the University of Delaware, Neumann University, and Wilmington University. Dan has served on the Boards of over a dozen nonprofits and currently serves as the President of Theatre N at Nemours, President of the Board of Safe Haven Healing, Membership Chairman of the Board of Governors for the University and Whist Club, and an advisory Board Member for the Fresh Start program.
Teresa Huff
co-founder
Teresa Huff, MS Ed., TEDx speaker and host of the Grant Writing Simplified Podcast, is the go-to expert in grant writing and strategy for nonprofits. She’s helped nonprofits triple their funding and maximize their impact. After winning over $7 million for schools and nonprofits, Teresa now teaches grant writers and nonprofits the strategies they need to develop millions in sustainable funding.
Her podcast has been downloaded in 120+ countries across 6 continents. The show was recognized in the CrowdUltra Awards “Top 5 Charity Podcasts of 2022” and named in Instrumentl’s “Best Grant Writing Podcasts of 2023.”
Over 4,000 students worldwide have completed Teresa’s university-accredited online grant writing programs. She has led grant writing workshops at in-person conferences and online webinars hosted by sector leaders including The Nonprofit Alliance, Instrumentl, Nonprofit Hub, Drury University, Northeast Louisiana Arts Council, Southwest Missouri Grant Writers, Bright Futures USA, and the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce.
In addition, she has served on multiple nonprofit boards through the years. Teresa uses her Master’s in Education and over two decades of experience in grant writing, special education, and business to help nonprofit leaders take their skills to the next level.