The Fishing School’s Leo Givs carries on its founding mission

August 27th, 2008 by JD Kathuria

You’ve probably heard the adage, “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” That describes The Fishing School, a faith-based, after-school family and support center, to a tee. Founded nearly 20 years ago by Tom Lewis, a former police officer, the Washington, DC-based center helps lower income neighborhoods find a way out of poverty. Today, The Fishing School’s executive director, Leo Givs, helps carry on Tom Lewis’s founding vision. In the following Q&A, Givs tells us what brought him to The Fishing School, its plans for expansion, and the stories that remind him of just how needed the center is in the lives of the district’s children and their families.

Tell us a little about your background.

Leo Givs: I started my career in non-profit management in the late 80s. I had previously spent a few years out of graduate school working for the local government here in DC. I decided to pursue a non-profit career and left government service to work with Doug Williams who was then quarterback of the Washington Redskins. I was part of a team of three people who came together to design, develop and launch the Doug Williams Foundation. We hit the road and raised about $600,000 the first several months — a pretty amazing accomplishment for a non-profit start-up at the time. We operated after school and life skills programs for youth and students in DC public schools and low-income housing complexes. I was hooked after that inspiring experience and went on to serve as executive director for Mothers Against Drunk Driving here in DC, director of the Alzheimer’s Association’s DC operation and later COO of a religious nonprofit. After about 15 years of working in the local and regional non-profit sector, I was appointed to a senior executive position at Amnesty International USA, a human rights organization based in London. While I enjoyed human rights work, my heart yearned to get back to doing community-based, grassroots work.

So what brought you to The Fishing School?

Leo Givs: After a number of years of senior executive work, I thought I would go on and continue doing that kind of work for another 15 years. My plan was to “give back” to the community by taking on a local organization, maybe as a pre-retirement strategy in another 10 to 15 years. But I met Tom Lewis, our founder here at The Fishing School. His story of personal sacrifice and the story of The Fishing School are just so compelling that after a lot of prayer and consultation with my family I decided that I would take on this opportunity. This is a significant shift for me, during the prime years of my career. But I’m convinced everyday that this is the place for me. It’s what I was born to do, without a doubt. I came on board in September of 2007.

It’s been less than a year since you became executive director — any accomplishments you’d like to share with us?

Leo Givs: Sure. The Fishing School has an almost 20 year track record of providing services to underserved youth in Ward 6 and Ward 7 in Washington, DC. From very humble beginnings, it has grown into a well respected provider of after-school, summer, and other youth development programs. My mission coming into this position was to really build on the incredible foundation that our founder Tom Lewis had laid out over the previous 18 years and to work toward simply lifting the organization to new heights. During the first 10 months of my tenure we have had a good measure of success doing that, expanding our program capacity; putting in place a set of new and high level best practices; building infrastructure for an expanded development department, putting in place traditional fundraising components such as individual appeals, special events, solicitation of foundations and corporations. Most important, our board of directors worked with staff to develop a strategic planning process so that we now have a three year roadmap of where we are headed as an institution.

How would you characterize your management style?

Leo Givs: As a CEO, I think you have to be aware of all facets of your organization from a big picture perspective, but be able to delegate and allow your staff to carry out the charge that you give them. In most non-profit organizations, particularly small to mid-sized organizations, I think it is important that you have your ear to the ground in a way that allows you to have a working knowledge of all departments. You have to be hands-on enough to influence the direction of the organization while at the same time building a strong team and allowing them to do their work at a high level. This requires great balance and ongoing self-assessment to make certain that you don’t cross the line into the dreaded act of micromanaging.

Beyond the office, what kind of hobbies do you enjoy?

Leo Givs: Well I’m a former college athlete, so I’ve always enjoyed watching sports as well as participating in sports. I played football at Grambling State for the legendary coach and educator, Eddie Robinson. I’m a huge Redskins fan and spend every Sunday afternoon cheering them on. I was an avid weight lifter in college and was involved in power lifting until a few years ago. I still lift weights a few times a week and do various other forms of exercise. Also, I’ve been very involved in the church all of my life, so I continue to do that as well. In addition, I love to read and play an occasional game of billiards.

Are there any stories you hear that warm your heart and motivate you to continue in your position?

Leo Givs: That’s a good question. Every single day that I come into work there is something that I see either in the faces of the children we serve or I hear from them that keeps me motivated, even on the toughest days. We have former students who have come through The Fishing School, in some cases as young as five and six years old and stay with us through high school. Shortly after joining the organization, I read a letter from a father who wrote us about his twin sons and how he had raised them without their mother, how difficult it had been and how he would not have been able to have done it without The Fishing School being in their lives for all of those years. We not only worked with them on their academic goals, but helped with food, purchased clothes for them and assisted the father when he experienced financial difficulties. They are two of the young people who were actually in our program for years and they have both graduated from high school; one went on to college right away and the other is about to enter college this coming fall. That’s just one example of the amazing stories that we see and hear everyday.

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