About Mission Drive Ops
Mission
Mission Driven Ops helps nonprofits build people-centered, purpose-aligned operational systems that drive impact for communities. We believe every organization can achieve operational excellence—with the right advice, honest partnership, and practical support.
Vision
Mission Driven Ops envisions nonprofit sector where bold, equity-driven leadership is backed by strong infrastructure, clear data, and confident decision-making.
We imagine a future where operational excellence isn’t reserved for the largest institutions. Where nonprofit teams—regardless of size or budget—can build the financial and strategic backbone needed to drive lasting change.
Because when nonprofits have the right tools, guidance, and systems in place, they can spend less time spinning and more time serving.
About Alex
Alex Cantu is a nonprofit executive and advisor who helps mission-driven organizations navigate big moments, build resilient systems, and move from intention to action. For more than 15 years, Alex has supported leaders across the country through inflection points—bringing clarity to complex decisions, strengthening operations, and designing structures that allow people and programs to thrive.
Alex’s career accomplishments span executive leadership, organizational growth, and systems-level impact. He has served as Chief Operating Officer of a national nonprofit, overseeing finance, HR, legal, governance, IT, and organizational strategy. Previously, he helped guide a social impact consulting firm through rapid expansion—doubling revenue and headcount and building an employee experience that earned national recognition and a 100% staff pride score. He also led the financial stewardship of a statewide initiative managing more than $80M in public funds, ensuring transparency and impact for children and families across Texas. Across these roles, Alex is known for blending strategic thinking with operational execution, grounded in equity, clarity, and long-term sustainability.
Alex earned his Master of Nonprofit Administration from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, graduating magna cum laude and receiving the Dean’s Award for leadership and academic excellence. He holds a bachelor’s degree from St. Edward’s University’s Bill Munday School of Business, where he developed the early foundations of his mission-driven leadership philosophy.
He serves on a variety of nonprofit boards and philanthropic funds, including in several leadership roles. Based in Austin, Alex can often be found refereeing high school soccer, cheering on Austin FC, and spending time with his husband and their dramatic beagle.
Why I Started Mission Driven Ops
I started Mission Driven Ops because I’ve seen what happens when operations are done well—and what happens when they’re not.
Across my career, I’ve worked at the intersection of mission, money, people, and systems. I’ve helped organizations grow, stabilize, restructure, and scale. And in every chapter, I’ve seen how strong operations—finance, HR, legal, and strategy—unlock capacity, rebuild confidence, and ultimately strengthen outcomes for the communities we serve.
I’ve also seen how isolating it can feel for nonprofit leaders who are trying to hold everything together without a true operational partner. Too many CEOs and executive directors are wearing the COO hat on top of everything else—navigating budgets, managing risk, dealing with compliance, supporting staff, and trying to stay mission-focused. It’s too much for one person. And the truth is, most organizations are closer to operational excellence than they think—they just need the right partner.
Mission Driven Ops is my way of showing up for leaders doing work that matters. I’m not here to upsell or overcomplicate. I’m here to bring calm to the chaos, clarity to the swirl, and strategies that actually work. This isn’t my full-time work; I believe my strengths show up best when I’m embedded inside an organization, building excellence from within. I serve full-time as a national nonprofit COO and take on a limited number of clients through Mission Driven Ops each month.
You don’t have to figure it all out alone. And you shouldn’t have to choose between visionary leadership and operational excellence. You deserve both.