Experiences of women leaders in non-profit organizations in northern BC

This thesis explored the experiences of women leaders who work for nonprofit organizations in northern British Columbia, Canada. The study was guided by a central research question and used a qualitative paradigm and hermeneutic phenomenology methodology. The data collection process involved unstructured interview questions that were related to the central research question. Data analysis procedure involved reading the interview transcripts several times which led to the identification of the major themes of, the nonprofit sector, a unique lived experience, a gendered unique lived experience, leadership style and philosophy, nonprofit organization leadership challenges, and leader identity. To provide the women with a voice in the study, excerpts of the interview transcripts are cited. The conclusion of the thesis provides the study limitations, explains the major recommendations, identifies the need for further research, and shares my personal reflections on the study.