Emily Toalson, Ronald McDonald House Richmond - Richmond Leadership Lab (Episode 17)

Join us for Episode 17 of the Richmond Leadership Lab. In this episode, co-hosts Christian Mosier (BenX Consulting) and Taylor Quinn (Filmspire and Richmond Podcast Studio) sit down with Emily Toalson, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond. This episode is a must-watch for anyone interested in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, community impact, healthcare support services, and leading through growth and change. Emily shares her journey from higher education fundraising to leading one of Richmond’s most beloved nonprofit organizations during a transformative period of expansion and community engagement. Episode Highlights: Meet Emily Toalson: Learn about Emily’s journey from growing up on a fifth-generation family farm in Southwest Virginia to building a successful career in fundraising and nonprofit leadership. Hear how her experiences at Radford University, Virginia Tech, VCU, and the Children’s Hospital Foundation prepared her to lead Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond. The Mission Behind Ronald McDonald House: Discover how Ronald McDonald House removes barriers for families facing some of life’s most difficult moments. Emily explains how the organization provides lodging, meals, transportation, laundry services, and emotional support so parents can focus entirely on their child’s medical care. A Richmond Institution for 46 Years: Learn about the history of Ronald McDonald House Richmond, one of the earliest Ronald McDonald Houses in the world. Emily shares how the organization has grown from its original Monument Avenue location into a network of family support programs serving hospitals throughout the Richmond region. Building a New 50-Room Ronald McDonald House: Hear about the ambitious $40 million Together, Hope Is Closer Capital Campaign and the vision for a new world-class Ronald McDonald House in Richmond. Emily discusses the growing demand for services, the importance of supporting families during extended hospital stays, and how the community is rallying behind the project. Leading Through Growth and Change: Emily reflects on stepping into the CEO role and guiding an established organization through a period of significant transformation. She shares lessons on building trust, listening first, creating a growth mindset, and balancing long-term vision with day-to-day operations. The Power of Core Values: Learn how Ronald McDonald House Richmond uses core values such as integrity, compassion, commitment, and respect to shape organizational culture, leadership decisions, team development, and family care. Fundraising, Philanthropy & Community Engagement: Emily discusses what it takes to build a culture of philanthropy, engage board members effectively, inspire donors, and create lasting community partnerships that fuel long-term impact. Leading with Empathy: One of the most moving moments of the episode comes when Emily shares her personal experience as a parent unexpectedly needing services at the Children’s Hospital. Hear how that experience deepened her understanding of the families Ronald McDonald House serves every day. Lessons in Leadership: Emily shares valuable leadership insights on resilience, mentorship, celebrating small wins, staying present, trusting the process, and not sweating the small stuff. Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and share! Tune in for more conversations with Richmond’s top business, nonprofit, and community leaders. To learn more about Ronald McDonald House Charities of Richmond, visit: https://ronaldmcdonaldhouserva.org/ Connect with Emily Toalson here:   / emily-hale-toalson-0a31b855   Richmond Leadership Lab is Produced and Co-Hosted by: Taylor Quinn, CEO - Filmspire and Richmond Podcast Studio https://www.filmspirevideo.com   / taylor-quinn-filmspire   Christian Mosier, President - BenX Consulting https://benxconsulting.com   / christian-mosier   To learn more about Richmond Leadership Lab, visit: https://www.richmondleadershiplab.com This podcast was produced and recorded by Richmond Podcast Studio. Do you want to start a podcast but don't want to deal with the hassle of the tech? With Richmond Podcast Studio, you get your professional video podcast the same day you record. To learn more, visit: https://www.richmondpodcaststudio.com