925-299-4450
DOUGLAS BURNET
Partner – Non-Profits
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama
Douglas is a consulting CFO partner, focused on nonprofits, providing technical expertise in finance, accounting, and operations. As co-founder and manager of four separate nonprofits, he provides solutions to improve operations and enable nonprofits to focus on their mission. His experience as co-founder and manager of nonprofits, and years founding or managing for-profit companies, helped him develop a deep toolset, available to clients of CFOs 2GO.
Douglas’ nonprofit direction began while a full-time student at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business when he became co-founder of a 501c3 workers’ collective. He quickly learned the lofty ideals of a worker’s collective were ineffective without a solid bottom line. In five years, he and his team grew revenues and earnings each year.
Douglas served as VP Finance for a South Bay nonprofit focused on a $100M capital campaign. He streamlined operations, trained staff, compiled operational manuals and oversaw day-to-day functions. Additionally, he was able to update accounting operations and achieve clean financial audits, after several prior audits with material weaknesses.
He is co-founder and current board chair for an educational nonprofit (Museum of Future Sports), and is keenly aware of the challenges facing his clients. His decade of service on nonprofit boards, including the SF YMCA and Precita Eyes, helped to broaden his appreciation for the complexities of nonprofit management.
Douglas held several positions as an interim financial executive at for-profit companies. These experiences taught him to get up-to-speed quickly, often in difficult scenarios including post-bankruptcy turnarounds and post-merger integrations. The positions spanned numerous industries including printing, insurance, biotech and internet advertising and he became adept in rapid turnarounds. An undercurrent in all these positions was the use of technology to improve operations, including streamlining and re-implementations of ERP systems, automated approval systems and HR systems.
Douglas is skilled in organizational assessments and the direct implementation of solutions. Teamwork is central to Douglas’ success as he inspires focused workgroups to reach for – and often exceed – stretch goals. “People first,” is his mantra, recognizing that all people have value, and a manager’s role is to better understand that value and encourage each individual to reach their potential.
As partner at CFOs2Go, Douglas states: “I am excited to work with the diverse partner skillsets at CFOs2Go, which helps ensure that the right expert is available to meet our client’s needs. I sometimes see that management within nonprofits become so focused on their mission that the operations are underemphasized. By leveraging the expertise embedded within CFOs 2Go, nonprofits can focus on their mission with confidence that their organization is well-positioned for the future.”
An accomplished public speaker, Douglas is available to speak to your group or organization. He works tirelessly in the nonprofit realm and is well connected to thought leaders and current nonprofit professionals. Information is shared regularly by Douglas on the 2GO Nonprofit LinkedIn page.
Feel free to schedule time with Douglas for a free, one-hour consultation to understand your issues and needs -- and at times -- provide solutions on-the-spot.
415-425-0666