Carlyn Madden founded Good Insight in 2013 to advance the leadership of the nonprofit sector. Anchored in compassion, candidness, and accessibility, Carlyn consults with small- and mid-sized organizations on executive search, leadership transitions, and board development. She believes that principled leadership is the way to create transformational, community-driven change.

Prior to consulting, Carlyn spent a decade in philanthropy. Through managing grants, programs and special funder initiatives, she built a vast and expansive network of hundreds of area leaders. She got her start at the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, where she oversaw grants spanning education, community service, health, and the arts. At the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Carlyn directed a $5 million portfolio of education and capacity building programs and grants, and continues to lead agency projects through Good Insight.

Carlyn is sought after for her perspective on the nonprofit workforce’s generational shifts. She served advised the Obama administration’s Office of Public Engagement on young professionals’ perspectives, chaired the DC chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network, was integral to the design of emerging leadership programs for the Nonprofit Roundtable, and has been a featured guest on the Kojo Nnamdi show as a thought leader on the topic. In 2019, she co-founded the Next Gen Giving Circle, a group of nearly 100 mid-career professionals leveraging donations to make meaningful grants to local community causes.

Carlyn holds certifications in board consulting by BoardSource and in Program Evaluation and Monitoring from American University. She earned a BA from Emory University and an MA from the George Washington University.
Carlyn is deeply rooted in the District, and is the fifth generation in her family to live off the H Street corridor. Her hobbies include gardening, cooking, and traveling with her husband.