I am an experienced nonprofit leader specializing in interim executive management for organizations undergoing leadership change. As in interim executive director, my role is to help an agency maintain on-going operations, to keep in touch with external constituencies such as funders, and to allow the board of directors the time to make the best selection of a permanent leader. As a former director of development, nonprofit co-founder, board president, grant-maker and volunteer, I have deep knowledge of best practices for board governance, and a successful track record of setting strategy and meeting goals for operations, finance, organizational change and sustainable growth. My work strengthens nonprofit organizations and builds capacity for the nonprofit sector.

Interim Executive Director @ Read Ahead ignites a love of reading in young students through mentoring, improving their confidence as well as their odds for success in school and life. Each school year, Read Ahead matches 1200 volunteers with over 1000 students in New York area public schools for weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions. Read Ahead aims to help create frequent readers who will excel academically and participate in civic life. After a rocky period with three executive directors over five years, Read Ahead hired me to manage a transition to new, permanent leadership. Key accomplishments: - Conducted a thorough organizational assessment using a nonprofit life cycle model, clarifying the particular skills needed for the next executive director - Introduced stronger financial transparency and board oversight systems - Identified and secured a service grant from the Taproot Foundation to strengthen outcome measurements - Spearheaded creation of new corporate partnership strategy, resulting in 3-year agreements to stabilize and increase projected revenue - Successfully renewed private and corporate grant funding from over 6 sources - Led development team in securing a spot in a competitive corporate charity auction, bringing in close to $100,000 in new funds - Oversaw return to positive net income for the fiscal year - Advised board on successful hiring of new Executive Director From January 2015 to July 2015 (7 months) Greater New York City AreaInterim Executive Director @ From January 2014 to May 2014 (5 months) Development Planning Consultant @ From January 2014 to March 2014 (3 months) Director of Development @ From March 2012 to June 2013 (1 year 4 months) Consultant to nonprofit organizations @ Organizational development consulting for the Newark Education Trust, Newark, New Jersey Built capacity for new local education fund: • Coached executive director on building relationships with board of directors and major gifts prospects • Wrote and submitted successful grant proposal for seed funding from JP Morgan Chase Foundation for “NET Navigator”, a user-friendly online tool that maps the external investments supporting Newark’s public schools. • Recommended installation of nonprofit accounting mechanism and hiring of outsourced Chief Financial Officer From January 2010 to April 2012 (2 years 4 months) Deputy State Director, Primary Campaign @ Helped establish campaign office, led campaign outreach to faith-based organizations, supervised community organizer volunteers, organized press conferences and events From October 2007 to February 2008 (5 months) Foundations Director @ Managed portfolio of foundation grants and relationships. From October 2006 to July 2007 (10 months) Greater New York City AreaFounding Board Member and President @ • Co-founded award-winning local education fund that grew to $490,000 in annual programs • Co-Chaired diverse community advisory board that delivered a 5-year strategic plan to transform a traditional comprehensive public high school into small learning communities From January 1991 to January 2003 (12 years 1 month) Program Officer @ • Managed grants aimed at alleviating poverty in Newark, NJ; site visits, research, written and oral presentations to board of directors From January 1994 to January 1996 (2 years 1 month) Executive Director @ • Designed $1 million annual grant program to promote early childhood development in Newark and environmental protection in New Jersey; • Managed grants docket and relationship with board of directors From January 1988 to January 1991 (3 years 1 month) Assistant Vice President @ • Marketed banking services and nurtured relationships with Fortune 500 clients such as U.S. Steel and Rockwell International • Completed 6-month commercial bank training program including business accounting, financial analysis and global capital market economics From 1983 to 1987 (4 years) Program Staff @ • Researched and reported on sources of foreign aid for Guinea • Conducted site visits to evaluate progress of aid programs in rural areas From 1981 to 1982 (1 year)

M.A, Law and Diplomacy @ Tufts University - The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy From 1980 to 1983 Bachelor of Arts, French Studies @ Smith College From 1976 to 1980 Julie Micou Cerf is skilled in: Creative Writing, Board Relations, Non-profits, Politics, Volunteer Management, Grant Writing, Strategic Planning, Fundraising, Website Development, Email Marketing, Community Outreach, Grants, Research, Nonprofits, Media Relations