Speakers

Workshop Facilitators

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Patti Dobrowolski

Up Your Creative Genius


BIOGRAPHY


Patti is a nationally acclaimed comic performer, high performance business consultant, 3-time TEDx speaker and the author of 9 Tips to Up Your Creative Genius and Drawing Solutions: How Visual Goal Setting Will Change Your Life. Patti works with teams at all levels to up their creative genius and capture their vision and strategy into huge, beautiful visuals with everyone from small business owners to global clients Nike, Starbucks, Microsoft, amazon and the Gates Foundation and S/MB owners. Known for her high energy and quick wit, she is committed to helping people move from goal setters to goal getters.

Workshop

  • Title: Draw Your Future with Agilities Live Session 
  • Description: Patti will host an interactive workshop, Draw Your Future with the Agile Work Profiler, an energy-filled, interactive and beneficial career planning workshop.
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Sara Frost, PhD, EDS, MHSA, CNP

Senior Manager of Research and Evaluation, The Life is Good Playmakers


BIOGRAPHY


Dr. Sara Frost is an eternal optimist who loves helping nonprofit organizations improve their operations and make life better for their employees and the people they serve. Working with mission-driven social entrepreneurs is a key priority for her because she views social entrepreneurs as a vital force for addressing the world's wicked problems. Sara is a recent graduate of Antioch University's Graduate School of Leadership and Change. She currently works for the Life is Good Playmakers and serves on the Cottage Children's Center board, a nonprofit daycare in Marlborough, MA. She enjoys volunteering and helping children to reach their greatest potential. Sara is interested in bringing the benefits of optimism to the world of work.

Workshop

  • Title: Optimistic Leadership: Using optimism as a resource to fuel your nonprofit!
  • Description: Studies have shown that optimism has been correlated with improved workplace climate, productivity, and retention. Given that the great resignation has impacted organizations everywhere, nonprofit executives cannot afford to lead without optimism. And why would you want to? This presentation will explore how leading with optimism can help fuel your nonprofit organization to embrace change and charge into the future. This session will discuss the benefits of optimism, the Optimistic Leadership model, and how you might leverage optimism in your life and work.

    Optimistic leadership is the ability to identify, focus on, and grow the good in yourself, your team, and your organizational culture. Leading with optimism can help foster innovation, productivity, and retain top talent. In times of uncertainty when increased feelings of stress and anxiety contribute to burnout and attrition, utilizing the optimistic leadership framework may help you infuse positivity into your organization and adapt to turbulent times. As a nonprofit leader, you can help cultivate a culture of optimism by imbuing joyful engagement and empowered connection in your organization.

    Let's explore optimism as an innovative practice to reimagine your nonprofit's potential and walk away with some tips and tricks to use optimism in your life and your work.
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Anne Kotleba, MFA, CNP

Lecturer and NLA Campus Director, Arizona State University

BIOGRAPHY

As an artist and educator, Anne Kotleba, is arming people with the tools and courage to define their own identity and build a more just world. Her passion for community organizing through art was forged in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and strengthened on the streets of East Baltimore. Anne is a Lecturer in the School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University teaching nonprofit leadership and management and is the Campus Director for the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance at ASU. She graduated from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois, has an MA and MFA in Community Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art, and is pursuing a Master of Legal Studies degree from the University of Arizona College of Law. Anne is a proud AmeriCorps Alum.

Workshop

  • Title: Choosing Your Own Adventure: A fearless guide to ethical decision making
  • Description:
    • This live interactive session will engage attendees in a forum applying theoretical framework to real-world ethical dilemmas facing nonprofit leaders such as:
      • Compensation
      • Conflicts of Interest
      • Publications and Solicitations
      • Financial Integrity
      • Accountability and Strategic Management
      • Investment Policies (Rhode & Packel, 2009)
    • The presenters will guide participants through a series of examples utilizing group reactions and individual decisions to navigate real scenarios in a “choose your own adventure” style workshop.
    • Volunteer participants will explore multiple choices triggering different subsequent events and choices based on each decision they make.
    • The presenters will introduce the Making Ethical Decisions Roadmap developed by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and other tools as participants consider the consequentialist, duty-based, and virtue-based frameworks for decision making.
    • The session will conclude with an overview of the ethical challenges common to nonprofits and the different decision-making frameworks available to leaders facing these challenges.
    • Participants will receive resources to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and habits when tackling complex ethical situations as current and future nonprofit professionals.
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Kris McRea, Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator

Consultant, Coach and Facilitator, McRea Consulting and Coaching

BIOGRAPHY

Kris McRea is the owner of McRea Consulting and Coaching, serving the mission to build and support more courageous, transparent and wholehearted nonprofits, small businesses, workplaces and communities. Kris is a facilitator, consultant, and leadership coach with decades as a corporate executive, entrepreneur and nonprofit leader. She holds a B.A. from University of Puget Sound in Communications/Politics and Government. Kris is a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator and Courage Catalyst with the Dare to Lead™ program and was trained by Brené Brown. Kris facilitates the Puget Sound Nonprofit Consultants Coffee for consultants that are in service of nonprofit missions in the Northwest. She is a proud board member of the Shoreline Schools Foundation and Wellspring Ensemble, and a native Seattleite with her family and dog Jackson.

Workshop

  • Title: Courageous Nonprofit Cultures: Building resilience in nonprofit staff and leadership
  • Description: Courageous Nonprofit Cultures: Supporting resilience in nonprofit staff and leadership is an engaging and interactive workshop bringing tools and concepts from Brené Brown's Dare to Lead into the nonprofit sector. Our nonprofit leaders are exhausted, burned out and in need of support. This workshop will support participants with tools for the difficult conversations needed to shift the workplace cultures from a place of scarcity to "enough". Participants will be invited to do an assessment beforehand, and will interact in guided breakout room reflections and engaging worksheets for further personal accountability for planning for the future. 
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Kelly Rutt, MA

Development & Communications Director, Environmental Information Association

BIOGRAPHY

Kelly Rutt is a second-year Ph.D. student in Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University with a focus in Nonprofit Management. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration/Nonprofit Management from Florida State University and has 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. She is currently the Development and Communications Director for the Environmental Information Association, which addresses environmental health and safety issues. Kelly’s experience includes conference and event planning, membership management, publications and marketing management, grants writing, volunteer and Board coordination, and budgeting. As a Ph.D. student, she aims to continue researching and analyzing nonprofit funding relationships, ethics in nonprofit management, and government policy impact on nonprofit social service organizations.

Workshop

  • Title: Choosing Your Own Adventure: A fearless guide to ethical decision making
  • Description:
    • This live interactive session will engage attendees in a forum applying theoretical framework to real-world ethical dilemmas facing nonprofit leaders such as:
      • Compensation
      • Conflicts of Interest
      • Publications and Solicitations
      • Financial Integrity
      • Accountability and Strategic Management
      • Investment Policies (Rhode & Packel, 2009)
    • The presenters will guide participants through a series of examples utilizing group reactions and individual decisions to navigate real scenarios in a “choose your own adventure” style workshop.
    • Volunteer participants will explore multiple choices triggering different subsequent events and choices based on each decision they make.
    • The presenters will introduce the Making Ethical Decisions Roadmap developed by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics and other tools as participants consider the consequentialist, duty-based, and virtue-based frameworks for decision making.
    • The session will conclude with an overview of the ethical challenges common to nonprofits and the different decision-making frameworks available to leaders facing these challenges.
    • Participants will receive resources to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and habits when tackling complex ethical situations as current and future nonprofit professionals.

Breakout Session Speakers

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Jason Anderson, CNP, CPA, CFPⓇ, CSLPⓇ

Managing Member and Senior Consultant, Gradmetrics (also Lecturer, University of Kansas)

BIOGRAPHY

Jason Anderson is the owner of Gradmetrics LLC, a college and student loan planning firm. He is also a Lecturer and Academic Program Associate at the University of Kansas School of Business and Doctoral student in the Personal Financial Planning program at Kansas State. He received his Certified Nonprofit Professional certificate in 2009 and graduated from Rockhurst University with a degree in Nonprofit Leadership.

Session

  • Title: Managing Student Loans
  • Description: Are your student loans causing you anxiety? Stop making unnecessary mistakes and get on the right plan that fits your life goals. Join Jason Anderson, CNP, CPA, CFP®️, Managing Member and Senior Consultant at Gradmetrics as he guides you through the complex world of repaying student loan debt and regaining your sense of financial dignity. This workshop covers student loan repayment plans, consolidation, and loan forgiveness opportunities including Public Service Loan Forgiveness.



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J.W. Arnold, CAE, CNP, Fellow PRSA

Principal, PRDC

BIOGRAPHY

J.W. Arnold, CAE, CNP, Fellow PRSA, has more than 25 years experience consulting for regional, national and international nonprofit, membership and trade associations. His clients have included Rotary International, North American Association for Environmental Education, Direct Marketing Association, National Academy of Education, National Musical Arts, White House Historical Association and the Sustainable Energy Institute. A Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), his expertise is in strategic communications, marketing and membership.

Arnold founded The Consulting Life coaching program, the Consultant's Business Boot Camp, and the National State of Indie Business Survey for the PRSA Independent Practitioners Alliance. He has also served as interim executive director for several 501(c)3 organizations and worked closely with consultants, agencies and vendors as a client. Arnold has presented at national and international conferences, including PRSA, American Association of Port Authorities, American Guild of Organists, American Society of Association Executives, and Rotary International.

Session

  • Title: The Three Cs for Success: Make the Most of Your Pro Bono Partnerships
  • Description: Nonprofit organizations often engage outside agencies, consultants and vendors on a pro bono basis for short- and long-term projects. These complicated relationships usually work just fine, but often, they do not. In this fast-paced, engaging presentation, an award-winning consultant with more than 25 years of experience will utilize case studies to demonstrate the common challenges faced by the staff charged with managing creative agencies and consultants, as well as introduce the Three Cs for success: Communication, Contracts, and Collaboration. Participants will learn tips to set clear expectations (RFP) and identify the right agency or consultant for their project; take away a clear 10-point letter of agreement (Contract) that will maximize outputs and quality from their vendors; and be introduced to four collaborative protocols to improve communication and productivity. Most importantly, they'll learn how to ensure a win-win relationship for both the organization and the vendors who are donating their services.



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Dr. Melissa Dale Stevens, Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership and Development

Research & Development Consultant, Stevens Research & Development

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Melissa Stevens is a communications expert whose work is focused on diversity and inclusion, as well as the recruitment and retention of diverse volunteers in the nonprofit space. Her research is and writing is rooted within the Hispanic community in the southwest United States.

Dr. Stevens resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her family. She enjoys conducting research for nonprofits and spends her free time outside, hiking with her dog, paddle boarding the beautiful lakes of Arizona, and reading nonfiction books of all kinds.

Session

  • Title: How Culture Influences Hispanic Millennial Volunteerism Motivation
  • Description: The purpose of this presentation is to explore how the culture of English-speaking Hispanic millennials influences their motivation to volunteer in nonprofit organizations. Two themes emerged from a recent study: upbringing and personal wellbeing. The insights gained from this study help contribute to strategies and programs that nonprofit professionals can develop to help a diverse community in need.



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Kelley Ditzel, PhD

Assistant Professor, Georgia College & State University

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Kelley Ditzel returned to the classroom as an Assistant Professor at Georgia College & State University in August 2018 as she desired to more directly impact students by helping them bridge theory and practice. Central to her teaching is the importance of community engagement and application of ideas. She worked in nonprofits and philanthropy for 15 years including Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Junior Achievement of Georgia. Most recently, she served as the Director of Research & Policy at the Southern Education Foundation. This organization is over 150 years old and focuses on equity and excellence for students of color and low-income students. Her research interests continue in this space regarding community-based engaged research, nonprofits and evaluation.

Kelley now considers herself a pracademic at Georgia College who thoroughly enjoys learning with students and also remaining connected to the public sector through service learning courses, management of nonprofit certificate programs, and consultation work. She teaches graduate courses in public administration as well as undergraduate seminars on nonprofit management. Kelley received a Ph.D. in Public Policy from a joint program with Georgia State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.A. in Political Science from Wake Forest University. Other educational experiences include classroom teaching through Teach for America and a CORO Fellowship in public affairs.

Originally from Shaker Heights, OH (a suburb of Cleveland), she relocated from Atlanta to middle Georgia with her husband and two young sons.

Session

  • Title: How Can I be an Advocate?
  • Description: The goal of this discussion is to demonstrate that anyone can be an advocate from wherever they sit. Different examples of what this looks like will be shared that students/nonprofit professionals can do today. We will also include specific examples of personal efforts related to human trafficking and community-based participatory research and engagement in the nonprofit sector.



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Kristina Dulaney, RN, PMH-C

Cherished Mom, Founder

BIOGRAPHY

Kristina is originally from Raleigh, NC but now resides near Johnson City, TN with her husband and two beautiful little girls. A life experience that was at one time debilitating has served to launch Kristina Dulaney’s life passion to help others. Dulaney is the founder of Cherished Mom, the mission of which is to promote awareness, support and education for perinatal mood disorders to moms, families, healthcare professionals and the community. Dulaney is a vocal advocate for eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health disorders. Her own personal journey of overcoming postpartum psychosis is inspiring. Her founding of Cherished Mom, her vulnerability in sharing her story on various media platforms, as well as her support of and advocacy for perinatal moms have allowed her to become a nationwide and trusted advocate for women and families facing the struggle of perinatal mental health disorders.

Session

  • Title: Solving the Childcare Crisis in the Nonprofit Sector
  • Description: With many women forced out of the workplace during the pandemic due to the lack of affordable childcare options, the childcare crisis has never been more prevalent. Learn from a panel of experts how to advocate for and implement inclusive workplace policies that are family-friendly. Learn how to empower your employees to thrive both personally and professionally given the lack of options for working parents at this juncture.




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Maya Enista Smith

Executive Director, Born This Way Foundation

BIOGRAPHY

Maya Enista Smith (she/her/hers) proudly serves as the first Executive Director of Born This Way Foundation. In this position, she engages a diverse array of partners across sectors to conduct innovative research, builds authentic youth-focused programming, and leads effective campaigns that foster kindness and advance the conversation around mental health. With over a decade of experience in the youth empowerment, civic engagement, and community development fields, Maya previously served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Mobilize.org and began her career as East Coast Coordinator for Rock The Vote. In addition to her work with the Foundation, Maya is a proud member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars Class of 2022 and serves on the Bullying Prevention Advisory Committee (BPAC) for the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC). Maya grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, and is a graduate of Rutgers University. She currently resides outside of San Francisco with her husband, David, their two children, and their dog Kai. 

Session

  • Title: Fostering Mental Health and Kindness in our Communities
  • Description: Born This Way Foundation Executive Director Maya Smith will share information about the Foundation’s work as well as her experience leading a nonprofit.



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Sandra Erickson, MS, CNP

Board Member, Nonprofit Professional, Kiwanis of Fredericksburg

BIOGRAPHY

Sandra Erickson is a passionate nonprofit professional who currently serves on the Board of Directors of Kiwanis of Fredericksburg. With over 10 years of experience marketing organizations, and having recently completed a Digital Brand Management certificate, she is excited to share her knowledge at Elevate 2022.

Previously, Sandra worked at the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. as Director of Operations. She established the nonprofit organization’s strategic plan to provide vision and growth, and brought the organization to a position of financial strength.

Prior to this, Sandra served as Community Relations Specialist with AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps. She increased program visibility, created innovative solutions, and mentored young leaders in communications.

Along with other roles at the organization, Sandra completed two terms of national service. She served with a variety of nonprofit organizations throughout the country and took a lead role in the community relations office. Sandra earned the President’s Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Service Award for having completed over 4,000 hours in volunteer time.

After becoming a Certified Nonprofit Professional through the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, Sandra earned a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Administration, with a concentration in Development. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Louisiana State University Shreveport in 2013. Sandra also has a Bachelor’s degree from the University at Buffalo with a double major in Media Study and History.

Session

  • Title: Don’t Neglect Digital: How Digital Marketing Strategies Can Strengthen Nonprofits
  • Description: It is now more important than ever for nonprofit organizations to establish a digital strategy. The social sector is excellent at building relationships within the community, but sometimes we do not leave time (or a budget) for things like marketing and branding. This presentation will motivate learners to want to know more about digital marketing while providing them resources and tools to get started right now.

    We will look at the marketing funnel and its relevance in today’s digital world. I will discuss tools, such as touchpoint maps and personas, that organizations can use immediately to help analyze their effectiveness. Websites, e-newsletters, blogs, social media, or other published content should be integrated with a purpose and function for reaching goals. I will touch on metrics (KPIs), digital tests, keywords, SEO, SEM, and social media content calendars, so attendees are aware of these types of terms and tools.

    By looking at all of the ways an organization can be found or viewed on the internet can be eye opening. A worksheet will be provided to help participants analyze their organization’s digital footprint and provide links to articles to learn more.

    This presentation will share practical information while encouraging growth within organizations. It is time to take the time to understand your digital strategy.




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Holly Francis

Eastern Region Fellow, Fair Trade Campaigns

BIOGRAPHY

Holly is a recent graduate from Champlain College with a B.S. in Environmental Studies & Policy. She is originally from Wisconsin, but Champlain College brought her to beautiful Vermont where she has now made residence. Using her passion for environmental advocacy, Holly has joined this zeal with her realization of the interconnectedness of environmental and social issues. This brought her to become one of the heads of Champlain College’s Fair Trade campaign for two and a half years in which she led campus events and focused a lot of her work on education and empowerment on her campus. Now, she plans to utilize her experience to better support other campaigns in their endeavors through her 2020-2021 fellowship position.

Session

  • Title: Fair Trade and Racial Justice
  • Description: Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges & Universities program partners with more than one hundred college campuses across the U.S. to raise awareness of Fair Trade and increase institutional purchasing of Fair Trade products. As an organization and a movement, we realize the importance of advocating for racial justice alongside Fair Trade, and the intersectionality that exists between the two issues, and are committed to incorporating racial justice into our work advocating for fair trade.
     
    In this session, we will provide a very brief high-level overview of Fair Trade and the social, economic, and environmental standards that make up the basis for Fair Trade certification and how we work with campuses across the country to increase fair trade sourcing and awareness. Mainly though, we plan to share our Fair Trade and Racial Justice resource hub which we launched last fall in response to the newly energized national and global movement for Black Lives Matter and racial justice: https://bit.ly/FTCRacialJustice.

    We will share the resources we’ve created with attendees and provide insights on the intersectionality of social, racial, and economic justice initiatives and suggest ways that participants can act to both further racial justice and promote Fair Trade on their campus and/or in their community.



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Bryan Funk

 Senior Revenue Marketing Manager, Virtuous

BIOGRAPHY

Bryan believes in the power of actualization. The heart of his work has been centered around helping others realize just how powerful they really are. He loves to support the limitless possibilities in people and their organizations.

He spent the last decade leading global peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns, raising millions of dollars, forging synergistic partnerships with influencers and nonprofits, and mobilizing thousands of people across a variety of cause areas including human rights, enhancing civil society, mental health, and hospital foundations.. During this period while working at Invisible Children, the team stewarded #KONY2012 - the fastest growing viral social justice and online fundraising campaign in the history of the internet (at the time). The campaign garnered 100M views in 5 days and raised tens of millions of dollars to support the efforts to bring warlord Joseph Kony to justice.

He is grateful to bring his work in philanthropy into the technology sector, to help move the needle on global generosity by helping nonprofits better connect with and inspire their givers.

Session

  • Title: Responsive Leadership presented by Virtuous
  • Description: Hyper-connectivity, micro-consumption, fractured attention, and fierce competition are namesakes in our connected economy. This is now compounded due to the upheaval from the pandemic to social justice to climate change, with no clear end in sight.

    Amidst uncertainty and shifting donor expectations, how should you design and lead your fundraising teams? How does this impact your ability to collaborate to deliver a responsive supporter experience? We'll address these challenges head-on, share how supporter preferences have evolved, and what that requires now of you and your team.

    During the session, you’ll learn:
    • Two macro shifts shaping supporter preferences, and the resulting pivots your team must consider for growth
    • Eight mindsets you and your team can adopt to increase the pace of learning, combat burnout, and unlock growth
    • How to motivate and mobilize your team to collaborate across silos to deliver a responsive donor journey for all supporters





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Chessie Hayes, CFRE, MPa, CNP

Director of Development, Meritan

BIOGRAPHY

Chessie Hayes, CFRE, MPA, CNP, Development Director for Meritan, has been an active member of the fundraising community and creates and implements thoughtful, strategic plans to enhance donor engagement. She was an Adjunct Professor at the University of Memphis teaching Resource Development and Nonprofit Branding/ Storytelling. She received the award for AFP International Outstanding Young Professionals and Memphis’ Top 20 Under 30. Most recently, she was awarded the Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist from her local AFP chapter. She serves as the President-Elect for AFP Memphis and on the Emerging Leaders Initiative and the Membership Division for AFP Global.

Session

  • Title: Solving the Childcare Crisis in the Nonprofit Sector
  • Description: With many women forced out of the workplace during the pandemic due to the lack of affordable childcare options, the childcare crisis has never been more prevalent. Learn from a panel of experts how to advocate for and implement inclusive workplace policies that are family-friendly. Learn how to empower your employees to thrive both personally and professionally given the lack of options for working parents at this juncture.




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Kara Kalish, Anticipated CNP

Student, Georgia College & State University 

BIOGRAPHY

I am a junior studying at J. Whitney Bunting College of Business at Georgia College & State University. I am pursuing my bachelor's degree in Business Management, a Criminal Justice minor, and becoming a Certified Nonprofit Professional. My work as the President of End It: Georgia College at GCSU and other leadership opportunities has allowed me to strengthen my knowledge of the nonprofit world and human trafficking.

Session

  • Title: How Can I be an Advocate?
  • Description: With many women forced out of the workplace during the pandemic due to the lack of affordable childcare options, the childcare crisis has never been more prevalent. Learn from a panel of experts how to advocate for and implement inclusive workplace policies that are family-friendly. Learn how to empower your employees to thrive both personally and professionally given the lack of options for working parents at this juncture.



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Taryn Lemmon

Fair Trade Campaigns and Communications Coordinator, Fair Trade USA

BIOGRAPHY

Taryn works full-time at Fair Trade USA as the Fair Trade Campaigns & Communications Coordinator. Her love for Fair Trade started in 2017 when she worked as her university’s Sustainability Coordinator and continued when she became a Fair Trade Campaigns Regional Fellow in 2018-2019, then part-time, temporary Eastern Region Coordinator then National Coordinating Fellow. Taryn hopes to use her role as Campaigns & Communications Coordinator to help expand the Fair Trade movement across the country even during a tumultuous time. If you see Taryn outside of work you’ll find her reading, advocating for social justice issues, and spending time in nature with her beloved dog, Elvis.

Session

  • Title: Fair Trade and Racial Justice
  • Description: Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges & Universities program partners with more than one hundred college campuses across the U.S. to raise awareness of Fair Trade and increase institutional purchasing of Fair Trade products. As an organization and a movement, we realize the importance of advocating for racial justice alongside Fair Trade, and the intersectionality that exists between the two issues, and are committed to incorporating racial justice into our work advocating for fair trade.
     
    In this session, we will provide a very brief high-level overview of Fair Trade and the social, economic, and environmental standards that make up the basis for Fair Trade certification and how we work with campuses across the country to increase fair trade sourcing and awareness. Mainly though, we plan to share our Fair Trade and Racial Justice resource hub which we launched last fall in response to the newly energized national and global movement for Black Lives Matter and racial justice: https://bit.ly/FTCRacialJustice.

    We will share the resources we’ve created with attendees and provide insights on the intersectionality of social, racial, and economic justice initiatives and suggest ways that participants can act to both further racial justice and promote Fair Trade on their campus and/or in their community.



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Molly Matthews

Chief Executive Officer, Pushpay

BIOGRAPHY

Molly is the Chief Executive Officer at Pushpay, the leading payments and engagement solutions provider for the faith-based, non-profit and education sectors.

Beyond Pushpay, Molly has gained valuable experience that has contributed to her professional success. For seven years, she was the director of K-12 Education for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in Oregon, where she was responsible for leading successful programs for Native American Youth & Families. In addition, Molly owned her own change management consulting business for more than four years, where she focused on helping businesses navigate change and accelerate growth.

Molly has a heart for serving, and a personal passion for investing time in the future nonprofits. She is a graduate from the University of Oregon, where she studied international studies and sociology. Molly currently lives in the greater Seattle area with her husband and two daughters.

Session

  • Title: How Technology Can Help Nonprofits Achieve their Mission
  • Description:  Today’s world is undergoing a major digital transformation. As the world continues to evolve in a digital era non-profits have had to rethink how they engage with their volunteers, participants, donors and supporters. As a result, an opportunity was created for mission-based organizations to capitalize on today’s digital solutions to help streamline day-to-day operations and communication. Technical solutions, such as digital giving platforms, live streaming, and community management tools have created the potential for change within the nonprofit space. These solutions enable organizations to maintain and grow engagement, increase & manage donor giving and provide means for virtual connection in the age of social distancing— all crucial aspects of a nonprofit’s success.

    This session will explore the ongoing digital transformation, focusing on how nonprofits can utilize technical solutions to achieve their goals and carry forward long-standing traditions. In addition, participants will walk away with an understanding of benefits and insight into how to successfully utilize digital solutions to further their mission.



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Michelle Ngome

Inclusive Marketing Consultant, Line 25 Consulting

BIOGRAPHY

Michelle Ngome is the founder of Line 25 Consulting, an agency that helps organizations create diversity and inclusion marketing strategies. She is the recipient of the Courageous Marketing Leader and Diversity in Business awards with her efforts to launch the African American Marketing Association. Her contributions have been featured in numerous publications including The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, and Forbes. Michelle is the author of Network, Navigate & Nurture and host of the Networking With Michelle Show.

Session

  • Title: The 5 Point Framework to Inclusive Marketing
  • Description: It is time for human resources and marketing departments to work together. D&I doesn’t start and stop at the HR department. Marketing is not only for your consumer base. Believe it or not, we are marketing to more than one audience. In this presentation, inclusive marketing speaker Michelle informs you how your content impacts different components in your business. Any organization committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion will enjoy this marketing perspective on the topic.

    We will explore:

    *The significance of content and communications to internal and external audiences.
    *Strategies for recruiting diverse candidates who desire to work for your organization.
    *Enhancing a culture of belonging for productivity and success.
    *Tips to marketing to a diverse consumer base.
    *Establishing brand awareness beyond your consumer base and into the community.



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Tristan Penn

Sr. Manager of Equity and Accountability, NTEN

BIOGRAPHY

Tristan is originally from Central Kansas and is a citizen of the Navajo Nation. Tristan went to college at KU in Lawrence, Kansas (Rock Chalk Jayhawk!). He moved to Portland in 2014, and loves it! He has worked in nonprofit for the past 18 years with primarily Boys & Girls Clubs and Youth Development Organizations. Tristan is passionate about nonprofit community engagement, organizational best practices, youth development, as well as diversity, equity & inclusion.

Tristan began his professional DEI work with Pacific Educational Group's three-year cohort/professional development initiative "Beyond Diversity: Courageous Conversations" while working for Boys & Girls Club and Lawrence Public School in 2009. Additionally, coupled with his lived experience as a Black and Navajo Professional, Tristan has served on previous organizations' Equity Teams and has been a facilitator for DEI (rooted in Racial Equity) in the workplace and nonprofit programming.

Tristan earned a B.S. from the University of Kansas in Psychology - Child and Family Development with a Minor in Classical Greek Antiquity and is currently working towards his Masters in Organizational Leadership and Psychology from Colorado State University.

In his free time, Tristan likes to sample the beers that Portland's breweries have to offer, go to shows, lift weights, watch KU basketball, travel, socialize with friends, and spoil his niece and nephews.

Session

  • Title: People Over Technology: Recentering on Equity in Technology Planning and Decision Making
  • Description: When we focus on technology instead of the staff who need to use it, the community members who may engage with us through it, and the data and information it needs to hold, we put the in-built bias and inequities of those technologies into our processes, our community relations, and our programs. After a year of operating in a nearly completely virtual world, nonprofit staff and technology partners need to invest in unlearning traditional and exclusive approaches to technology planning and decision-making and recenter the work with a focus on equity.



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Scott E. Peyton, CNP

State Director - Mississippi and Louisiana, Right on Crime

BIOGRAPHY

Scott Peyton is the Louisiana and Mississippi state director for Right on Crime. He has over 12 years of work experience with the State of Louisiana: first as a child welfare specialist, then as a juvenile probation and parole officer. Prior to joining Right on Crime, he worked in adult probation and parole as a specialist supervising violent offender caseloads.

Peyton has spent time as both a volunteer and reserve deputy sheriff, as well as providing as-needed support to Elayn Hunt Correctional Center working as a correctional officer. As a former instructor with Peace Officer Standards and Training certification, he taught at the Probation and Parole Police Academy. Peyton has witnessed firsthand the need for criminal justice reform, the impacts of rehabilitation and re-entry programs, and the inner workings of the Louisiana Probation and Parole system.

Peyton graduated from Louisiana State University at Shreveport with a Master’s in nonprofit administration and from the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a BS in criminal justice. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Nancy M. Marsiglia Institute of Justice. Peyton served in the Louisiana National Guard before being honorably discharged. He is an ordained deacon in the Catholic church and resides in Louisiana with his wife and six children.

Session

  • Title: Dollars and Sense of Second-Chance Hiring
  • Description: The Dollars and Sense of Second-Chance hiring offers an overview of the critical issue faced by individuals with criminal backgrounds – securing employment. Unemployment is a major predictor of whether someone will return to prison after being released. This presentation will explore the issue of second-chance hiring, barriers (collateral consequences) associated with a criminal record, recidivism, and how the nonprofit sector plays a dual role in addressing this issue that millions of Americans are confronted with each year.

    Nonprofits have a role as both employer and service provider to assist individuals who are seeking a second-chance. The presenter is a former probation and parole officer turned criminal justice advocate and he will explore how hiring and assisting individuals with criminal backgrounds secure employment makes sense for nonprofits and has the potential to save tax-payers millions of dollars.




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Arissa Palmer, MHA, CLES

Executive Director, BreastfeedLA

BIOGRAPHY

Arissa Palmer is a mother and Executive Director of BreastfeedLA. Arissa has more than two decades of experience in public health, program planning, and development. In her current role, Arissa’s responsibilities include providing transformational leadership and strategic direction for the organization, leadership coaching and development, grant writing and fundraising for the organization.

Arissa has held numerous leadership positions both locally and nationally. From 2009 to 2015, Arissa taught numerous public health courses at University of Phoenix. Prior to working for University of Phoenix, she served as Outreach Education Director for a federally qualified health center in the San Gabriel and Pomona Valley.

Prior to her efforts at the clinic, she worked as the Development Director for an HIV Service Organization in Santa Monica, and many years at the Baltimore City Health Department in various leadership roles.
Arissa began her social justice career in Baltimore City where she worked as a health educator, program director, and program manager for various public health and reproductive justice organizations.
Arissa has served on numerous boards during her career and currently serves on the finance committee for the US Breastfeeding Committee and as a board member for HERStory.

Arissa holds a Master's Degree in Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health from Towson University.

Session

  • Title: Solving the Childcare Crisis in the Nonprofit Sector
  • Description: With many women forced out of the workplace during the pandemic due to the lack of affordable childcare options, the childcare crisis has never been more prevalent. Learn from a panel of experts how to advocate for and implement inclusive workplace policies that are family-friendly. Learn how to empower your employees to thrive both personally and professionally given the lack of options for working parents at this juncture.




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Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier, Ed.D., CFRE. CNP, CAP

Executive Director/Founder & CEO, Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership/AQP Consulting

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier has over ten years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has raised approximately $4 million collectively for over 50 organizations. She currently serves as Executive Director of Edgehill Neighborhood Partnership and runs her own nonprofit consulting firm, AQP Consulting. A Nashville native, she has watched Nashville’s transition from a quaint city with a small-town vibe to the “it” city. She has been at the forefront of issues such as the affordable housing crisis, transit referendum, and the city’s urban planning and infrastructure design through the creation of Nashville’s first art park, William Edmondson Park. A sought-after DEI practitioner, she is a vocal advocate for gender parity, closing the wage gap, and ending the motherhood penalty. With accolades such as Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30, NBJ’s 40 Under 40, Diversity MBA’s Top 100 Under 50 Executive Leaders, a two-time ALPFA Scholar, 2021 National Latino Leader, and the National Association of Female Executives’ 2019 Rising Star, Dr. Quintanilla Plattsmier is a true leader in the Middle Tennessee community.

Session

  • Title: Solving the Childcare Crisis in the Nonprofit Sector
  • Description: With many women forced out of the workplace during the pandemic due to the lack of affordable childcare options, the childcare crisis has never been more prevalent. Learn from a panel of experts how to advocate for and implement inclusive workplace policies that are family-friendly. Learn how to empower your employees to thrive both personally and professionally given the lack of options for working parents at this juncture.



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Kenya Reeves

Midwest Region Fellow, Fair Trade Campaigns

Biography

Kenya is a full time Environmental Scientist based out of Kansas City, MO but has been a part time Midwest Region Fellow since September 2020. She was introduced to Fair Trade Campaigns while presenting her undergrad research at 2019 AASHE Conference and now fully supports Midwest campaigns that advocate for environmental and labor rights education. Her passion for people and the environment stem from generations of family members living by this mantra: ‘We will protect only what we love, We will love only what we understand, We will understand only what we are taught

Session

  • Title: Fair Trade and Racial Justice
  • Description: Fair Trade Campaigns is a powerful grassroots movement mobilizing thousands of conscious consumers and Fair Trade advocates on campuses and in communities across the U.S. Our Fair Trade Colleges & Universities program partners with more than one hundred college campuses across the U.S. to raise awareness of Fair Trade and increase institutional purchasing of Fair Trade products. As an organization and a movement, we realize the importance of advocating for racial justice alongside Fair Trade, and the intersectionality that exists between the two issues, and are committed to incorporating racial justice into our work advocating for fair trade.
     
    In this session, we will provide a very brief high-level overview of Fair Trade and the social, economic, and environmental standards that make up the basis for Fair Trade certification and how we work with campuses across the country to increase fair trade sourcing and awareness. Mainly though, we plan to share our Fair Trade and Racial Justice resource hub which we launched last fall in response to the newly energized national and global movement for Black Lives Matter and racial justice: https://bit.ly/FTCRacialJustice.

    We will share the resources we’ve created with attendees and provide insights on the intersectionality of social, racial, and economic justice initiatives and suggest ways that participants can act to both further racial justice and promote Fair Trade on their campus and/or in their community.
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Amy Sample Ward

CEO, NTEN

BIOGRAPHY

Amy is driven by a belief that the nonprofit technology community can be a movement-based force for positive change. Their prior experience in direct service, policy, philanthropy, and capacity-building organizations has fueled Amy's work to create meaningful, inclusive, and compassionate community engagement and educational opportunities for organizations around the world.

Amy has had the privilege to present at conferences around the round, be a guest on podcasts, and author contributions in various books and magazines. Amy's most recent book is The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Philanthropists, and Technologists Can Build an Equitable World co-authored with Afua Bruce. Their previous books include Social Change Anytime Everywhere, co-authored with Allyson Kapin, which was a Terry McAdam Book Award finalist, and Social by Social.

In addition to Amy's work at NTEN, they are also active locally and globally in supporting, learning from, and contributing to the power of other organizers and leaders. Amy is the chair of the Portland Elections Commission, a board member for The Cottonwood School of Civics and Science, a Steering Committee member for Invest in Open Infrastructure, and a formal and informal advisor to a number of nonprofit, technology, and digital inclusion initiatives. 

Session

  • Title: People Over Technology: Recentering on Equity in Technology Planning and Decision Making
  • Description: When we focus on technology instead of the staff who need to use it, the community members who may engage with us through it, and the data and information it needs to hold, we put the in-built bias and inequities of those technologies into our processes, our community relations, and our programs. After a year of operating in a nearly completely virtual world, nonprofit staff and technology partners need to invest in unlearning traditional and exclusive approaches to technology planning and decision-making and recenter the work with a focus on equity.



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Tim Sarrantonio, M.A.

Director of Corporate Brand, Neon One

BIOGRAPHY

Tim has worked for several non-profits at both the support and executive levels and has raised over $3 million for various causes over his short career. He has created databases from scratch, worked on organizational techniques to build broader coalitions and networks of support, managed committees, presented at academic forums and conferences, written successful grants, and overall has worked hard to make sure other people can live their lives better.

Session

  • Title: How Cutting Edge Research Tells Us What Donors Are Really Doing
  • Description: Our session will present an overview of critical research occurring throughout our sector on the transitioning behavior of donors. Utilizing data from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, Visa’s Global Analytics and Insights Payment Panel Data on Charitable Giving, and philanthropic psychology research we will look to understand the reality of how donors are behaving, why they are giving, and what nonprofit professionals can do to anticipate not how donors have behaved in the past but instead anticipate behavioral trends for the future.



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Annie Schmitz, MS, Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Director of Programs and Research, Momentum Nonprofit Partners

BIOGRAPHY

Annie Schmitz is the Director of Programs and Research at Momentum Nonprofit Partners in Memphis, TN. Before moving to Memphis, Annie lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she spent several years working in nonprofits and consulting. Her previous positions include Grants and Communications Coordinator at COA Youth & Family Centers, Managing Director at the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce, and Associate at Nation Consulting. She has a masters degree in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and a bachelor's in Government Honors from the University of Texas at Austin.

Session

  • Title: Talk the Walk: Asset-Based Grant Writing
  • Description: Stigmatizing words like "at risk" are common in grant writing. Language like this emphasizes deficits and reinforces stereotypes. It also perpetuates harmful narratives of nonprofits as saviors and communities as problems that need solving. But just as language has the power to harm, it also has the ability to empower. This presentation explores asset-based grant writing, a positive narrative framework that uses inclusive language and focuses on strengths to communicate a more equitable and holistic picture of our work.



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Steven Shattuck

Chief Engagement Officer, Bloomerang

BIOGRAPHY

Steven Shattuck is Chief Engagement Officer at Bloomerang. A prolific writer and speaker, he curates Bloomerang’s sector-leading educational content, and hosts our weekly webinar series which features the top thought-leaders in the nonprofit sector.

Steven got his start in the nonprofit sector producing fundraising videos and other digital content for organizations like Butler University, Girl Scouts, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the American Heart Association.

Steven volunteers his time on the Project Work Group of the Fundraising Effectiveness Project and the Study Fundraising Steering Group at the Hartsook Centre for Sustainable Philanthropy at Plymouth University. He is also an AFP Center for Fundraising Innovation (CFI) committee member, and sits on the faculty of the Institute for Charitable Giving.

Steven has contributed content to the National Council of Nonprofits, AFP, NTEN and Nonprofit Hub, and is a frequent conference speaker, having spoken at AFP International, NAYDO, Cause Camp, ADRP, the Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, and Planet Philanthropy to name a few. He is a co-author of Fundraising Principles and Practice: Second Edition.

He is the author of Robots Make Bad Fundraisers – How Nonprofits Can Maintain the Heart in the Digital Age, published by Bold and Bright Media (2020).

Recipient of the David Letterman Scholarship, Steven graduated with honors from Ball State University in 2006 with a degree in Telecommunications and Creative Writing. He resides in Indianapolis with his wife, son and daughter.

Session

  • Title: The Current State of Donor Retention And What You Can Do About It.
  • Description: If you’re a nonprofit development professional, you’ve likely heard the term “donor retention.” It’s one of the hottest topics of discussion in the nonprofit sector. But what is donor retention? And why is it important?

    This session explores the root causes of poor donor retention rates, as well as the reasons why donors stay loyal. You’ll come away with several ideas for improvement based on leading research in the field.


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Tom Tresser, Civic Educator and Public Defender, MS in Community Development

Co-founder, COO, The CivicLab

BIOGRAPHY

Tom Tresser is a long time civic educator and public defender based in Chicago. He has started or led 14 nonprofit enterprises in the arts, community development, and civic engagement. He was the Green Party candidate for Cook County Board President in 2010. He is the co-founder and COO of the CivicLab, a Black-led "do tank" for social justice (www.civiclab.us). His website is www.tresser.com.

Session

  • Title: America At The Crossroads - The Failure Of The Nonprofit Sector and The Opportunity Before Us
  • Description: America is on the verge of White nationalist Big Money fueled Civil War. America stands at a crossroads. Which way will we go? This presentation will lay out how the nonprofit sector has failed to deliver a real answer to this growing threat. We will offer a tested solution and a call to action for all attendees and our entire sector. We will lift up the unique aspects of our people and how we - together - can save our democracy.



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Gilda VanderHeyden, Certified Life Coach

Founder, The Non-Profit Path

BIOGRAPHY

Gilda VanderHeyden is the Founder of The Non-Profit Path, where she helps non-profit professionals create more balance, prevent burnout and operate from a place of center. Gilda is a Personal Development Coach who’s a bit of a self-help addict, lives with her husband, two daughters, and dog in Northern Virginia. When she’s not coaching, you’ll find her hiking to a waterfall, trying out a new food, or hanging out at a local coffee shop.

Session

  • Title: The Reality of Burnout: Underlying Causes & Practical Strategies to Combat it
  • Description: Are you exhausted? Do you wonder whether or not you can continue to do all the things and have no idea how to sustain it? Afraid to say “No” or admit something’s got to give, but just push through anyway? You may be overextended and on the fast track to burnout. It doesn’t have to be this way!

    Learn to recognize the signs and understand the real reasons behind burnout. This session is power-packed with 8 Strategies designed to battle burnout, including new frameworks to bring yourself back into balance, tools to maximize your time, energy and priorities and maintain your balance. This workshop even addresses figuring out what to do when a wrench is thrown into your plans.

    The Non-Profit Path is a Personal & Professional Development Coaching Practice focused on helping successful professionals have less overwhelm and more balance, so that they can live their best lives and have a greater impact on those they serve.



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Michelle Vryn, CFRE

Director of Institutional Giving, Bat Conservation International

BIOGRAPHY

Michelle Vryn, CFRE (she/her/ella) has worked in almost every area of development: major gifts, institutional giving, membership, capital campaigns, consulting, special events, and annual giving. Before joining Bat Conservation International as the Director of Institutional Giving, she led the communications and development team at a nature center in Houston and, as a board member, also helped form Exploration Green—a 200-acre green space for conservation, recreation, and flood detention in Greater Houston.

Even outside of work, Michelle holds a healthy obsession for social impact and serves on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global’s Marketing, Awards & Communications Committee and is an active mentor. Michelle is always up for having conversations about workplace culture, decolonized philanthropy and greater inclusion for Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) staff in the nonprofit sector. Connect with her on LinkedIn to discuss more on these topics.

Session

  • Title: Trends in Philanthropy & the Impact on Your Shop
  • Description: Today, nonprofit professionals must be able to pivot to a variety of changes, occurring both inside and outside of the sector. That being said, our response time is not always great.

    Join us as we walk through the most impactful trends in philanthropy and discuss direct impacts that they will have on your development shop. The session will also outline how these trends should influence how you are forming partnerships to conceptualizing program strategy.