How We Learn

Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “Live as if you were going to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were going to live forever.”

At Thrive, lifelong learning is an integral part of maintaining best-in-class consulting results. We are excited to share some of the learning we’ve done so far in 2026!

Books We Read This Year

  • A Founding Mother by Stephanie Dray

  • Achieving Excellence in Fundraising by Achieving Excellence in Fundraising

  • Babel by RF Kuang

  • Beloved by Francis Chan

  • Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer

  • Confronting Capitalism by Vivek Chibber

  • Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson

  • Honolulu and Moloka'i by Allan Brennert

  • Honor Thy Label by Gero Leson

  • Imagine the God of Heaven by John Burke

  • Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

  • Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See

  • Misery by Stephen King

  • Moms on Call by Laura Hunter, LPN and Jennifer Walker, RN, BSN

  • Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

  • Poems and Prayers by Matthew McConaughey

  • Restavec by Jean-Robert Cade

  • Scythe by Neal Schusterman

  • Ten Thousand Stitches by Olivia Atwater

  • The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry

  • The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

  • The Aztecs by Henry Freeman

  • The Bible – Romans and Luke

  • The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich

  • The Boy Crisis by Warren Farrell and John Gray 

  • The Compound by Aisling Rawle

  • The Frugal Wizard's Handbook for Surviving Medieval England by Brandon Sanderson

  • The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert

  • The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

  • There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak

  • Tithe by Holly Black

  • To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose

  • Wild by Cheryl Strayed

  • World War II History Nerds by Aleksa Vučković

 

Places We Visited Outside Texas This Year

  • California

  • Florida

  • Georgia

  • Great Smoky Mountains National Park

  • Japan

  • Mexico

  • New Jersey

  • Pennsylvania

  • Shenandoah National Park

  • South Carolina

  • Washington D.C.

Where We Currently Volunteer

  • Austin Angels

  • Austin Christian Church 

  • Boys to Men

  • Grace Bible Church

  • Huntwick Masters Swim Team

  • Memorial Assistance Ministries

  • Texas Exes Houston Chapter

  • The Harris Center Foundation

  • Unfunded List

  • Wonderhill Farm

Classes We Attended This Year (excludes webinars)

  • CFRE Certification

  • Nonprofit Management Certificate at UMass

Unique Lived Perspectives

  • Adoptive mother

  • Competitive dancer

  • Marathon/half-marathon finisher

  • Model Organization of American States participant

  • Musician and artist

  • Special needs family member