Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Ringuette.
Hi Christine, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My calling to help others began in 1983 when, at age 15, I traveled to China shortly after the death of Mao. We were among the first groups allowed into the country after it reopened to outsiders. It was my first international trip, and I was deeply impacted by the poverty I witnessed. Seeing entire communities dressed in the same grey and blue clothing and living in such difficult conditions changed me forever. I remember looking up and praying, “God, if people live this drastically differently than I do, then I will give you my life to help level the playing field.” I often joke that I forgot about that promise, but God did not.
At 16, I began working at a summer camp through the Special Populations Office, my first experience in human services. After college, I moved to Ghana, West Africa, where I volunteered with a mission that operated the only hospital in northern Ghana. That experience strengthened my commitment to serving vulnerable communities and shaped the direction of my career.
Over the next four decades, I built a diverse leadership background across nonprofit management, advocacy, healthcare, housing, communications, and international development. My early roles included serving as a Case Manager for mentally ill adults, Program and Donations Manager for a homeless shelter serving families experiencing homelessness through Greensboro Urban Ministry, and Victim Advocate within the court system assisting survivors of domestic violence and child abuse.
I later joined Habitat for Humanity in Phoenix, Arizona. Within my first year, I was promoted to CEO of Habitat for Humanity Valley of the Sun, then the largest Habitat affiliate in the western United States and the first to build entire subdivisions. Under my leadership, the organization completed a 195-home subdivision, strengthened operational systems, built a high-performing leadership team, and increased revenue by more than $5 million within four years.
I was subsequently recruited by Habitat for Humanity International, where I managed a $22 million budget and traveled extensively to developing nations where Habitat was building homes. My role involved connecting donors and developed countries with communities facing extreme poverty around the world. During that time, I had the privilege of working alongside President Jimmy Carter in four countries as well as in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. Altogether, I have traveled to 27 countries, experiences that profoundly shaped my understanding of leadership, service, and global equity.
Eventually, I returned home to North Carolina to be closer to my aging mother and accepted the role of leading the state office for Habitat for Humanity. North Carolina is the second-largest state in the country in terms of active Habitat affiliates. When I arrived, there were 83 affiliates and 63 ReStores operating independently with little statewide collaboration. I implemented regional and statewide training programs for staff and volunteers and created the organization’s first statewide multi-day conferences, each drawing more than 300 attendees. In its very first year, the conference received an excellence award for the quality of training, innovative venue selection, and relationship-building opportunities created across the state.
As my mother’s health declined, I knew I needed a position that would allow me to remain close to home. I accepted the role of Executive Director at Dress for Success Winston-Salem, where over four years I expanded both revenue and client services while helping women gain the confidence, professional skills, and support needed to achieve economic independence.
During that season of life, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. Recognizing the need for a role with less stress and fewer time demands than executive leadership required, I transitioned into the position of Manager of Communications and Marketing for Greensboro Urban Ministry. In that role, I was able to continue supporting vulnerable populations while balancing the personal responsibilities of caregiving and supporting my family through treatment and recovery. At this time I was also recognized by Wingate University and presented with the Exellence Award, for excellence in service to others and I was also recognized on the 100th birthday of Wingate as one of the 100 “Difference Makers” 100 graduates that spanned over 100 years that had a significant impact on humanity.
Four years later, after my husband entered remission, I was offered an opportunity to join Mustard Seed Community Health (MSCH), a nonprofit organization providing primary healthcare and behavioral health services to uninsured and underinsured individuals of all ages. Although I have been with the organization for less than three years, I have already helped increase revenue by more than $4 million and played a key role in securing a new permanent home for the clinic. This new facility will increase operational space by 195% and significantly expand the number of patients and families we are able to serve.
Looking back over more than 40 years in nonprofit leadership and human services, I see a consistent thread woven throughout every role and experience: a calling to help create greater dignity, opportunity, and stability for people facing hardship. Whether serving families experiencing homelessness, survivors of violence, communities in developing nations, or uninsured patients in North Carolina, my work has always centered on building stronger organizations, empowering people, and helping level the playing field for those too often left behind.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road; while I have never been terminated, there were many times I wanted to throw in the towel. It is very stressful trying to be sure we meet the budget so my staff will get paid and those in need will receive the services they need. I have been challenged every bit of the way by board members, peer organizations, elected officials, volunteers, and more. Especially as one fo the few females to run a construction company building 44 homes a year (Habitat in Phoenix). Nearly every male that lead a building crew disrespected and insulted me until I stood up to them and held my ground, and usually that earned their respect (but not always), I have many more stories similar to this at each chapter of my career. I experienced burnout more than once and was told I was going to die before I was 40 when my blood pressure rose to 225 over 135. My most recent stuggle has been learning about the medical field and working with medical professionals that have zero construction experience in order to convince them to purchase and renovate a building, a 1.5 million dollar project over our 1.1 million operating budget.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in leading nonprofit organizations through dramatic change and growth. I am known for being a strong team builder and my ability to relate to almost anyone I meet. I am very strong in public speaking and have spoken all over the country and world with crowds as large as 30 thousand. I have been on national television in the US, Nepal, and Poland. I never write a speech and speak with excitement and passion. Due to the content of my speeches, I was awarded the Promoting Inclusiveness Award on MLK Day by the city of Glendale, Arizona. I spoke on a stage with the current CEO of Habitat International & Reba McEntire and all three of us spoke. I was the only one to receive a standing ovation. Peer nonprofit leaders from across the US nominated me to speak on their behalf in Washington DC, before a group of elected officials and business leaders. I am also known to be a little nutty and definitely do not follow the norm as far as Executive Leadership goes. i have often heard from employees that I “was the best boss they ever had”. I am proud of that and very proud of the impact made on people around the world that stuggle just to survive.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
The nonprofit industry is extremely tough during this time due to the economic changes. Philanthropy is shrinking because Americans have less to give based on price hikes in housing, food and transportation. I do not see this changing so all charities have to shift their income strategy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mustardseedhealth.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chickendoodledoo
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-chris-ringuette-7668993/
