IDEA-Focused Sessions at AFP LEAD 2023

Whether you’re a senior executive or an entry-level fundraiser, you have the power to advocate for inclusion, diversity, equity, and access within your organization, and in your outreach to donors and the communities you serve. Check out these IDEA-focused sessions at AFP LEAD, taking place in Philadelphia, PA, October 19-21, to learn how you can become a leader in cultural change.

Building Community through Inclusive Communications

Join co-hosts of the Beyond Philanthropy podcast Monique Curry-Mims and Valerie Johnson to learn how to build community through inclusive communications. It’s more important than ever to utilize communication strategies that support diversity and equity and incorporate ethical storytelling principles. Learn how you can build community, both internally and externally, through these key strategies. This interactive session will include discussion and hands-on application opportunities so that you can immediately put the principles into practice.

Valerie Johnson - Pathways to Housing PA - Vice President of Advancement and Special Projects

Valerie Johnson joined Pathways to Housing PA in 2018, and was promoted to VP of Advancement and Special Projects in 2021. Prior to that, she fundraised for Council for Relationships, Valley Youth House, and the American Association for Cancer Research. Valerie holds a Bachelor's degree and an MBA from Drexel University. A member of AFP since 2012, she serves on GPC's Board of Directors and chairs the Education and Professional Development committee. Valerie has been a featured speaker for the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, NTEN, AFP GPC, and AFP Brandywine, contributes to Generocity, and co-hosts the Beyond Philanthropy podcast.

Monique Curry-Mims - Civic Capital Consulting - Founder and Principal

Principal of Civic Capital Consulting, Monique Curry-Mims oversees all business development and client implementation. She has over 15 years of development and leadership experience in both the nonprofit and for-profit. sectors providing development, marketing, and strategic planning professional with experience in graphic design, branding and public relations. As a Penn State MBA graduate who holds a BS in Digital Design from Philadelphia University and a MSEd from Walden University, Monique has an innovative approach to developing education and nonprofit organizations.

Creating an Inclusive Culture and Building a Values-Aligned Team

Culture...values...alignment. As nonprofit leaders, we say these words frequently and aspirationally, but what does it truly look like in practice? Join Sharonne Navas and Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier as they discuss their diverse experiences in the Pacific Northwest and South as Latinas advocating for equitable organizations, including how they tackled difficult conversations and created pathways for inclusive cultures. Participants will tackle issues in real-time and leave with a framework for how to do the same.

Sharonne Navas - Equity in Education Coalition - Co-Founder & Executive Director

Sharonne Navas is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Equity in Education Coalition. The first American-born child of immigrant parents from Guatemala and El Salvador, Sharonne understands and values the complexity of being multi-lingual and multi-cultural in America. A native of New York City, Sharonne moved to the Seattle area in 2009. In 2010, she was appointed Commissioner for the Washington State Commission on Hispanic Affairs. Sharonne holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from St. John’s University.

Inclusive Leadership: How to Create Belonging in Your Organization

No matter what role we occupy, we all have a stake in creating organizational culture. This training will provide a framework and tools for participants to build a practice of inclusive leadership that encourages the contributions of all stakeholders in the organization and community. The sense of belonging is a collective exploration and it’s important to have a structure that invites ALL voices to be heard, contribute, and be responsible for the outcome.

Anh Vo

Anh has worked extensively in advancing racial dialogues and practices of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. She has encountered an expressed deep need from every level of the organizations she has partnered with for safety and belonging, where agreed sets of behaviors enable employees to work effectively in cross-cultural and multi-cultural environments.

Restoring the Lost Art of Empathy: The Key to Ethical and IDEA Cultures

Choose your own adventure in this interactive session! Learn to apply practical tactics to strengthen your ability to connect and maximize yourself, your team, and your mission. Forbes, CEOWorld, and countless others have cited empathy as the #1 leadership skill required to lead an organization and cultivate an ethical and inclusive culture. Whether it is mental health or other stressors at play, the insight and skills learned here will breed inclusiveness, innovation, retention, and joy.

Matthew Gellin - American Legacy Theatre - Executive Artistic Director & CEO

Matthew David Gellin, CFRE, is Executive Artistic Director & CEO of American Legacy Theatre. He has successfully acted, directed, and produced across the country, in Europe, and in Asia. Matthew is proud to have served as a USA representative at the UNESCO International Theatre Institute Research Lab in Romania, USA delegate to the People's Republic of China for Foreign Business Affairs, named as a Promising Artist of the 21st Century by the International Arts and Cultural Exchange, and has published papers in peer-reviewed journals. He seeks to create a more equitable tomorrow through accessible theatre.

Becoming Catalysts for Change: Increasing IDEA skills for Fundraisers

Change is the only constant in the nonprofit sector and something crucial to consider as we advance racial justice and social equity. As fundraisers, we must strengthen our change management skills to see the change we want to see in ourselves, our organizations, and our communities. Join this workshop with two young professional fundraisers who have made change happen and continue to push for equity in all aspects of their lives.

Chrissey Nguyen Klockner - Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School - Director Of Development And Communications

Chrissey never planned to become a fundraiser. Thrown headfirst into donor solicitation, she found a talent for donor engagement and a love of writing. Chrissey immediately dove deeper into learning more about fundraising and development and hasn’t looked back since. To date, she has raised over $17 million for causes nationwide. As a consultant and fundraising professional, she has grant and development programs for one of the largest youth development nonprofits in Texas, built and expanded individual giving programs in Texas, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., and has led nonprofit leadership teams across the nation through fundraising growth and strategic challenges.

Jonathan Meagher-Zayas - Equity Warrior Strategies LLC - Founder & Chief Strategist

Jonathan Meagher-Zayas is a Queer Latinx Millennial nonprofit strategist dedicated to addressing equity issues, building capacity, engaging the community, motivating new impact leaders, and getting stuff done. Jonathan wears many professional hats, including Fundraising and Communications Strategist, Adjunct Social Work Professor, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant, Leadership Development Trainer, Social Sector Career Coach, and Equity Champion. His company, Equity Warior Strategies LLC, provides leadership development, community engagement, and equity strategy services to individuals, groups, and organizations in the nonprofit sector looking to fight for change, tackle oppression, and advance equity.