Anne Hindery: Strengthening the Backbone of the Nonprofit Sector

The work rarely makes headlines.

It happens in boardrooms, in training sessions, in conversations about budgets, compliance and staffing. It happens behind the scenes, before a nonprofit launches a program, before a grant is written, before services reach the people who need them.

Anne Hindery has built her career in that space.

As CEO of the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands (NAM), Hindery leads an organization designed to support the infrastructure of the nonprofit sector across Nebraska and western Iowa. The work is not tied to a single cause. Instead, it connects hundreds of organizations, from arts and education to housing and health, helping them operate more effectively and sustainably.

Hindery joined NAM in 2008, stepping into the role during a period of transition after initially serving on its board. What began as an interim position became a long-term leadership role, one that has evolved alongside the changing needs of the nonprofit sector.

Her path to that role reflects a career shaped across government, philanthropy and nonprofit work. She began in public service, working for the City of Omaha and later as a law enforcement coordination specialist with the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She later transitioned into philanthropy, including a role with the Omaha Community Foundation, where she worked on grantmaking and community partnerships.

Those experiences informed her approach to nonprofit leadership, understanding both how funding flows and how organizations operate on the ground.

At NAM, Hindery’s work centers on helping nonprofits function as sustainable organizations. The association provides training, technical assistance and shared resources, allowing nonprofit leaders to focus on their missions while strengthening their internal operations.

The organization also plays a role in public policy and advocacy, helping nonprofits navigate regulatory environments and elevating the collective voice of the sector. Through its membership network, serving hundreds of organizations, NAM acts as a connector across disciplines, linking organizations that might otherwise operate independently.

Hindery’s leadership extends beyond NAM. She has served on the board of the National Council of Nonprofits and the Omaha branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and has been involved in regional efforts addressing issues such as homelessness and community development.

Her work has been recognized through multiple honors, including the Nonprofit Administrator of the Year award from the American Society for Public Administration–Nebraska Chapter and the Hubert Locke Distinguished Service Award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

She holds a bachelor’s degree from Creighton University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and has continued to contribute to the field through teaching, including co-instructing a course on cross-sector leadership.

At its core, Hindery’s work reflects a broader understanding of impact.

Nonprofits are often defined by the services they provide, housing, education, food access, healthcare. But behind each of those services are systems: governance, funding, compliance, leadership. Hindery’s role has been to strengthen those systems, ensuring organizations can sustain their work overtime.

In a sector built on mission, her focus has remained on structure.

Because before a program reaches a community, there is always work happening behind the scenes to make it possible.

And for nearly two decades, Hindery has been part of that work.