Thank you for joining us for AFP LEAD 2021, AFP’s annual leadership conference. Stay tuned for more details about AFP LEAD Virtual, December 1-2, 2021!
Online registration for AFP LEAD 2021 is now closed. You may register for AFP LEAD 2021 onsite in Indianapolis. Please note that all individuals must provide proof of full vaccination or they will not be granted access to this event. For more information, visit the Policies section of this page.
In this highly informative and interactive workshop Ken Miller, CFRE will lead a workshop to answer the simple question of “What are the traits of leaders with high self-esteem?” and more importantly how do I manifest those traits in my work, home and everyday life? During this fun and interactive workshop, we will look at and discuss the practices of living consciously, self-acceptance, self-responsibility, living purposely, personal integrity and of courage. Come join us as we learn about self-esteem and its impact on leadership, life and self.
Ken Miller, CFRE
Ken Miller, CFRE is the president and lead consultant for Denali FSP Fundraising & Grant Consultants, a fundraising and grant management consulting firm located in Anchorage, Alaska. Ken originally moved to Alaska in 1975, attended Bartlett High School and graduated in 1980. He then attended and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1984.
A dynamic trainer, speaker and consultant, Ken was awarded his Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2016 and received his AFP Certified Master Trainer (CMT) certificate in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Outstanding Professional in Philanthropy by the AFP Alaska Chapter.
Ken is presently a member of the of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Global (AFP) board of directors, the African American Development Officers (AADO) board of directors, and the Alaska Public Media board of directors. He is also the past president of the AFP Alaska Chapter, founder and past president of the Dartmouth Alumni Club of Alaska, and the past president of the Anchorage Gateway Rotary club. In his free time Ken enjoys mentoring, weightlifting, travel, and reading non-fiction books.
Denali FSP works to model and train nonprofits to achieve sustainable fundraising results from multi-channels and especially individual giving. We also do trainings and seminars to groups concerning fundraising and development on subjects such as direct mail, online fundraising and holiday (annual) campaigns among others.
Many organizations know what makes them special, but struggle to clearly communicate their unique value, using mission statements, or a list of jargon-laden programs. What’s really needed is a clear strategy + simple messages that creates staff, volunteers and board members into confident ambassadors and that supporters can rally around.
Zach Hochstadt
Zach Hochstadt co-founded Mission Minded in 2002 to provide nonprofits with the highest level of brand, strategy, design, and digital services. Today, the award-winning agency serves some of the nation’s most respected organizations in a broad range of sectors.
Zach has particular expertise in brand strategy, messaging, and naming. He lectures frequently, as well as leading projects on behalf of clients like Colorado Health Foundation, Khan Academy, and Children’s Museum of Denver.
Prior to founding Mission Minded, Zach worked in several boutique agencies before joining the American Red Cross. Appointed by Mayor Hancock in 2014, Zach serves as the board chair for Denver Preschool Program. He also founded the Bay Area Disc Association.
An organization’s brand is only as strong as the people who represent it in the marketplace. Organizations need to teach every team member how to build-in “buy-in” in every donor or stakeholder interaction. Join us as we share how to transform team members into inspired evangelicals that infect the world with not only the brand’s mission but the brand’s passion. Learn to build or become the ultimate brand ambassador.
Rochelle Sodipo
Rochelle Sodipo is the founder and Creative Director of Roseredd, Etc., a boutique brand support agency focused on branding and design.
As a consultant and coach, Rochelle partners with executives, entrepreneurs, artists and influencers to build and cultivate individual and organizational brands across their stages of growth, from start-up to scale. She supports clients that range in size from small businesses to multi-dollar organizations.
A fine artist and educator by training, Rochelle pairs her passion for the aesthetics of art with her expertise in scaffolding and pedagogy to work with clients to understand and refine a brand vision that reflects their core values. Her signature service, “Soul Level Branding,” leverages the Roseredd, etc. framework to go beyond design by defining, highlighting, and amplifying the personality and value proposition of a brand before curating a complementary visual identity.
Rochelle self-identifies as a creative leader. As a designer, she prides herself on using standard tools in non-traditional ways and finding clear connections between what others may see as disparate ideas to create a cohesive vision.
Outside of running day-to-day operations for Roseredd, Etc., Rochelle teaches tools and tactics to support solo-entrepreneurs and other students in understanding how to effectively mix brand theory and creative artistry to drive impact while retaining the heart of a brand.
This session is eligible for 1 ACFRE credit (Leadership or Management) As nonprofits begin transitioning leadership, many organizations are finding themselves lost regarding who will take over while young professionals look for their opportunity to shine. The session will talk about the importance of mentorship, sponsorship, & advocacy in promoting a diverse sector and creating pathways for young professionals to ascend.
Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier CNP, GPC, SHRM-CP, CFRE, MBA, PhD
Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier CNP, GPC, SHRM-CP, CFRE, MBA, PhD, has eleven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, has worked with 50+ organizations, and raised approximately $4 million. She currently runs her own nonprofit consulting firm, AQP Consulting. She was the youngest recipient of AFP's Outstanding Young Professional in 2018 and recently completed AFP's Women's Impact Initiative Leadership Development Program. She currently chairs the AFP LEAD Host Committee and serves on AFP’s Emerging Leaders Initiative Task Force and Women’s Impact Committee.
Identifying, orienting and engaging board members can be one of the highest payoffs for your organization. As a current or emerging leader, come learn skills to position you and your organization for next-level success.
Bret Heinrich
Bret Heinrich is CEO of Wings of Hope, an organization that saves and changes lives through the power of aviation. He serves as Vice Chair, Professional Development on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global Board of Directors, is an AFP St. Louis Past-President, and has served on numerous boards. He teaches leadership at Washington University, Webster University and at the Southern University Valdry Center for Philanthropy. Bret is an ordained minister.
What a time to be alive! And unlike other times in our history; it’s felt like the perfect storm for the social sector and fundraising is a little like the twilight zone. One bright spot? Our ability to pivot! But as organizational leaders ready their teams for a new office reality, how will we ensure we don’t burn(out) our people to get to the outcomes we seek?
Kishshana Palmer
Kishshana Palmer is an international speaker, trainer, and coach with a 20+ year background in fundraising, marketing, and talent management who helps leaders create high performing teams. She’s a supernova on any stage and platforms due to her charismatic and candid delivery. It doesn’t matter if she’s speaking about philanthropy, living your most authentic life, or diversity, the energy she brings to the stage is always entertaining and edifying.
Kishshana is CEO of Kishshana & Co., an organizational development firm focused on helping everyday leaders live well and lead well. Her firm's work centers on equity and social justice and practical solutions for today’s organizations. She is the founder of The Rooted Collaborative -- a global community focused on the growth and development of women leaders of color in the social sector. She's the host of the podcast "Let's Take This Offline", an adjunct professor at Baruch College, a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer (CGT), A Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and an AFP Master Trainer. When an organization wants to grow, find and retain people on their team, raise money, and more she is the fairy godmother they have on speed dial. Her work isn’t limited to organizations, she also coaches high performing leaders.
Kishshana is a NYC girl and mother of one wonderful teenage daughter. Kishshana is the epitome of your classic 90's Queens homegirl and quintessential corner office executive. She is your daily dose of Claire Huxtable with a side of Blanche Devereaux.
Keeping your why at the forefront while entering the nonprofit workforce during COVID-19 is more essential than ever. In this session, participants will learn how to create a personal mission statement and walk away with resources on how to prepare for the first role.
Jacob Baker, CNP & Sarah Mihich-Baker, CNP, MPA, MAAA
Immediately before joining Bloomerang, Jacob, a Certified Nonprofit Professional from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, worked for Boy Scouts of America for several years. As the Program Director of Camp Krietenstein, District Executive, and Exploring Executive.
Now as an Account Executive Sales Manager with Bloomerang, he enjoys helping his Account Executive team show nonprofits how to utilize new software to increase their effectiveness and knowledge of fundraising best practices. In his free time, he enjoys volunteering as a Board Member for his local YMCA and spending time with his wife. Jake holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation and Sports Management with a Youth Leadership Concentration from Indiana State University.
Sarah is a Project Data Analyst at Transform Consulting Group. She holds a Masters of Public Affairs with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and a Masters of Arts in Arts Administration through Indiana University. Previously joining Transform Consulting Group, Sarah has worked within different youth-serving nonprofits with a focus on making data accessible and usable to communicate impact.
Sarah focuses on giving back to the community to enhance the overall quality of life for the next generation. She is specifically passionate about helping others understand data to help make informed decisions to make a change. Sarah found her passion for data and evaluation after graduating with her Masters while working in the nonprofit sector. She never thought she would find herself loving data, but utilizing her skills in visual arts, she can make use of data more user-friendly and accessible.
As a leader, what do you have in your toolkit? You need to coach your staff and evaluate your organization, but you also need to do some self-coaching and self-review. How do you efficiently manage this effort, yet ensure you are following your mission and setting the right goals? This session will provide you with tips, tools, and best practices for coaching, strengthening your brand, and identifying your core values. We’ll also discuss setting SMART goals for you, your organization, and
your staff. As a bonus, we’ll send you off with a workbook to help you apply what you learned.
Matt Connell
Matt Connell is a Blackbaud University Instructor at the Principal level, and the lead instructor for nonprofit organizational best practices and fundraising. Matt has been a frequent contributor to sgENGAGE and the Blackbaud Community and has presented at bbcon and AFP ICON events. Prior to joining Blackbaud, Matt’s career was a diverse mix of development operations, research, and fundraising.
As an educator to the social good sector, Matt helps to grow the expertise and advance the knowledge of those working to do the most good for the world we share. As an expert in multiple customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, internet communication platforms, and research and analysis tools, Matt makes learning both approachable and lasting.
In the nonprofit sector, we tend to “wear many hats.” But when our tower of hats becomes unmanageable, it’s time to step back and evaluate our resources. Learn how to create winning expansion proposals that identify key deficiencies, outline opportunities, establish analysis structures, and create a roadmap for future growth.
Jen Newmeyer, CFRE
Jen Newmeyer, CFRE, is a digital fundraising strategist specializing in integrated campaigns and online engagement. Through her groundbreaking work and creative approaches during her 15+ year tenure, she's raised over $10 million in online revenue for nonprofits. She is the author of "The Insider's Guide to Online Fundraising: Finding Success When Surrounded by Skeptics," the Director of Digital Membership at WHYY, and serves on the AFP - Greater Philadelphia Chapter board.
This session is eligible for 1 ACFRE credit (Leadership, Management or Ethics) Imposter syndrome--which causes people to doubt their abilities despite clear professional achievement--is a systemic problem, not a people problem. This session explores how to change the dialogue on imposter syndrome from "fixing" people to building and maintaining healthy organizational cultures that value diversity in leaders and leadership styles.
Eva Aldrich, PhD & India Alexis Ehioba, MNA, CFRE
Eva E. Aldrich is President and CEO of CFRE International, the globally recognized fundraising certification. Before CFRE International, Aldrich was Associate Director of The Fund Raising School at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Aldrich is widely published in fundraising journals and is one of the editors of Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 3rd Edition, from Jossey-Bass. She holds a Ph.D. in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Ms. India Alexis Ehioba, MNA, CFRE, is CEO of Shore Community Services. She is a highly accomplished major and planned giving fundraiser and has been involved with disabilities advocacy for more than four decades. Ehioba holds a master’s degree in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University and a Certificate in Leadership from the University of Delaware Leadership Institute on Developmental Disabilities. She serves on CFRE International’s Board of Directors.
Wondering how to elevate IDEA in your organization? In this session, Lisa Stueckemann, CFRE, provides proven ways to incorporate collaboration and integrate IDEA into the culture of your department. Thought-provoking and fun interactive activities will provide the confidence you need to create a place where everyone shines.
Lisa Stueckemann, CFRE
Lisa Stueckemann, CFRE, has invested 15+ years in the nonprofit sector. Her undergraduate degree in theatre and master of nonprofit administration provide a unique lens to her fundraising strategy and leadership style. To date she has raised over $25 million and has on-the-ground experience in annual giving, major gifts, corporate philanthropy, event design, and planned giving. Currently, Lisa serves as the Vice President of Philanthropy at New Life Solutions on the West Coast of Florida.
Many of us work in the Nonprofit space because we're passionate about what we do and empathetic to the needs of others. However in large nonprofits, it can often be hard to personally enact the necessary change that pushes an organization forward. In this case-study session, we'll discuss how embracing and investing in new technologies can elevate the reach of your nonprofit, and how you can be the one to make it happen.
Salvatore Salpietro, Chief Experience Officer at Fundraise Up & Jason Shim & Thivanka De Silva & Rupert Schutz
Salvatore joined Fundraise Up after first being a customer who fell in love with the product. He formerly served as Digital Director at a nonprofit with a $50M annual budget, where he managed their online giving. Sal’s superpower is empathetically bridging the gap between the tech and human worlds.
Director of Digital Strategy and Transformation - Pathways to Education Canada
How can we harness technology to make a difference in the world? That’s the question Jason loves to explore with organizations. As Director of Digital Strategy and Transformation, Jason has led technology and innovation at Pathways to Education Canada, an organization dedicated to helping youth in low-income communities to graduate from high school and reach their full potential. With experience spanning the nonprofit and academic sectors both as an employee and a consultant, Jason has consistently helped organizations stay ahead of the technology curve. In 2013, he led Pathways to Education Canada to become the first charity to issue tax receipts for Bitcoin donations.
Jason serves as an editor at Ledger, a peer-reviewed scholarly journal at the University of Pittsburgh that publishes full-length original research articles on the subjects of cryptocurrency and blockchain technology. In addition, Jason also serves on the board of NTEN, an organization dedicated to helping nonprofits fulfill their missions through the skillful and racially equitable use of technology.
Product Development & Marketing - International Anti-Poaching Foundation
Thivanka De Silva is a Product Development & Marketing expert with a deep and clear understanding of product & project management, digital marketing, UI/UX design, website management, analytics, and non-technical Artificial Intelligence.
He has substantial knowledge in many areas of building a business at a rapid rate from his experience as an early employee of a fast-growing Australian Mar-Tech company that developed from a startup to a multi-national (Australia into the US, UK, Philippines).
Currently, he giving back and supporting a non-profit (the IAPF) pro bono to support the scaling of their digital marketing team.
He is insanely passionate about technology, building products, marketing, design, innovation and is results-driven.
Director, Email Marketing - Boys & Girls Club of America
Rupert leads the email marketing program at Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national headquarters in Atlanta, GA. He helps drive digital donor strategy as the organization’s administrator for both Salesforce Marketing Cloud and their digital donation platform, Fundraise Up. Rupert brings 15 years of experience in digital marketing and a passion for helping nonprofits close the technology gap.
People are promoted for performing at a high level in their organization, contributing to the mission and visions, and exceeding the expectations of their leadership team and stakeholders. However, what got you to the promotion may not be the thing that sustains or propels you in the new role. You now need to employ new knowledge, skills, and abilities to excel in your new role with new responsibilities and accountabilities. This session will give you the tools and insight you need to step into your new role with the confidence you need to be successful.
Michelle Edgerton
Michelle T. Edgerton: After more than 15 years of working in various organizations as a professional fundraising, marketing and communications senior executive, Michelle Edgerton founded The Edgerton Group – an innovative, strategic fundraising and organizational development consulting firm. Michelle’s strength is building strong, successful fundraising programs and helping organizations obtain greater clarity and mission alignment through strategic investments. Michelle is also a sought-after speaker and presenter. She has facilitated tough conversations with fortitude and grace. Michelle is the President of the board of directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) – Minnesota Chapter and is a member of the Global Board of Directors for AFP. Michelle holds a Master of Arts degree in Leadership from Augsburg University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religion from Wake Forest University. Currently, Michelle is pursuing a Master of Divinity degree from Luther Seminary. She and her husband, David Edgerton Jr, have two sons and a daughter.
This session is eligible for 1 ACFRE credit (Leadership or Management) Do you lead, or serve as a manager on, a multi-generational team? Is it challenging to attract certain generations? Are you able to keep them – and keep them happy? Join Martha to learn what motivates and drives each generation…and about the perils of taking that data at face value.
Martha H. Schumacher, CFRE, ACFRE, MInstF
Martha H. Schumacher, CFRE, ACFRE, MInstF, is a philanthropy ambassador, educator, coach, mentor, author and champion. She is President of Hazen Consulting and the Hazen Institute for Leadership Training (HILT), creating global strategies to elevate social impact and philanthropy.
Martha has worked with and within nonprofit organizations for 25 years. Her most recent in-house adventure was leading the Defenders of Wildlife fundraising team for nine years, first as Director of Major Gifts, then Vice President for Development. Her current and recent clients include American University, Best Buddies International, The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and National Geographic Society.
Martha is the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global Immediate Past Chair, and previously served as AFP/DC Chapter President, named Outstanding Fundraising Professional by the chapter in 2006. Martha holds the International Advanced Diploma in Fundraising with Distinction, and the Certified Fund Raising Executive and Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive credentials, respectively.
Born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Martha earned her B.S. in Law and Public Policy from Indiana University. She works in Washington, D.C.; takes monthly Billy Goat Trail “Chick Hikes” in Maryland; and resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband Casey and their rescue dogs Gage and Josie.
The nonprofit landscape is changing rapidly, and leaders are expected to rise to the challenge without the tools needed to understand our own leadership abilities. While a lack of resources can directly cause external barriers we can’t control, it also obscures many internal barriers that we CAN remove—if only we had a better understanding of who we are as a leader.
Mallory Erickson
Mallory Erickson is an executive coach, fundraising consultant, and host of the podcast What the Fundraising, aimed at supporting nonprofit leaders to fundamentally change the way they lead and fundraise. Through her signature framework, the Power Partners Formula™️, Mallory provides unique tools to help nonprofits fundraise more from foundations, corporate partners, and individuals. She has coached over 1,000 fundraisers using her unique win-win framework, which combines best practices from executive coaching, science-backed behavior design, and fundraising strategy. If you want to feel differently about fundraising as well as clear and excited about your next steps, Mallory’s work is for you.
Employers, more than ever have to consider flexible and hybrid work models that bring to life the best of both in-person and remote work. What does this mean for retaining and recruiting top talent? Is 40% of the global workforce actually considering leaving their current employer this year? What does the job-market landscape look like right now and how do organizations stay equipped and prepared?
Doug Trout, MPA
Prior to joining DRi, he was the acting President of the Montpelier Foundation. Previously he served as Executive Vice President where he oversaw budget and finance, fundraising, events, and other aspects of the organization. Prior to joining Montpelier, he served as Executive Director of the Miller Center Foundation at the University of Virginia where he led funding strategy, endowment management and finance. The Miller Center is a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia that specializes in presidential scholarship, public policy, and political history.
Prior to joining the Miller Center in 2012 he served at the Jefferson Scholars Foundation for nearly a decade, most notably as Director of the Graduate Fellowship Program from 2005 – 2012. Prior to joining the Foundation he worked for the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics where he served as Director of Development. He worked for six years in a number of capacities for Presidential Classroom including Program Manager before coming to UVa in 1999.
Doug graduated from James Madison University in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and a minor in Economics. He took his Master’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University in 1997 with a focus in public and non-profit management.
Doug currently serves as a board member and on the Executive Committee for Madison House, UVa’s student volunteer organization. He serves on the James Madison University Center for Civic Engagement advisory committee, the University of Richmond’s Customer Experience Program Certificate and the Boars Head Sports Club membership committee. He is a former board member of the Montpelier Steeplechase and Equestrian Foundation. He is a former member of the Virginia Higher Education Foundation CEO Consortium. He previously served on the Executive Committee for the Charlottesville Catholic School Board, and was President of the Virginia Association of Fundraising Executives.
Managing up can be overwhelming and is even discouraged by some organizations. This session will give you tools, examples, ideas, and support to put IDEA at the center of your work while you manage up. You'll be supported in exploring how managing up can serve you and your entire organization!
Brenda Riehl
Brenda has spent more than 25 years in nonprofit leadership and fundraising, working for a variety of organizations. Her social work education informs Brenda's approach of focusing on the people whose lives are impacted by strategy and fundraising. In 2019, she created Thrive Fundraising, a consulting firm that empowers organizations to achieve their strategic and fundraising goals. Thrive's philosophy is to foster inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) in all aspects of its work.
You see a posting for what you think is your dream job. Your manager is leaving and you know you’re ready for the next step up. You’re finishing up your last semester and you know you want a career in development but aren’t sure what’s the next step to take. You know there is “more” out there for you but do you have the skills you need to be successful? Sound familiar?
Can you turbo charge your career in 1 day? Yes, You can! Your career path doesn’t have to be confusing, left to chance or “by accident”. Spend time with Kishshana Palmer, CFRE building your skills on how to be a high performing fundraiser, how to get ready for the management role and how to create lasting relationships among your peers. You’ll get her “how to” playbook of stepping into your fundraising role authentically and how to build relationships that convert to transformative giving and growing in your career.
Kishshana Palmer, CFRE
Kishshana Palmer is an international speaker, trainer, and coach with a 20+ year background in fundraising, marketing, and talent management who helps leaders create high performing teams. She’s a supernova on any stage and platforms due to her charismatic and candid delivery. It doesn’t matter if she’s speaking about philanthropy, living your most authentic life, or diversity, the energy she brings to the stage is always entertaining and edifying.
Kishshana is CEO of Kishshana & Co., an organizational development firm focused on helping everyday leaders live well and lead well. Her firm's work centers on equity and social justice and practical solutions for today’s organizations. She is the founder of The Rooted Collaborative -- a global community focused on the growth and development of women leaders of color in the social sector. She's the host of the podcast "Let's Take This Offline", an adjunct professor at Baruch College, a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer (CGT), A Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, and an AFP Master Trainer. When an organization wants to grow, find and retain people on their team, raise money, and more she is the fairy godmother they have on speed dial. Her work isn’t limited to organizations, she also coaches high performing leaders.
Kishshana is a NYC girl and mother of one wonderful teenage daughter. Kishshana is the epitome of your classic 90's Queens homegirl and quintessential corner office executive. She is your daily dose of Claire Huxtable with a side of Blanche Devereaux.
Come join us as we examine three areas of personal and professional growth for the emerging leader. In this workshop we will examine the differences between mentorship, sponsorship and coaching for your continued life-long growth and learning. With breakouts, group work and partner work, we will look at effective examples of these areas.
We will ask questions like: “What does it look like?”, “What is the role of the mentor, sponsor or coach?”, and most importantly, “What can I do to be most effective as the mentee, sponsee or person being coached?” We will also learn about finding these individuals, making the ask for their assistance and building the relationship for success.
Ken Miller, CFRE
Ken Miller, CFRE is the president and lead consultant for Denali FSP Fundraising & Grant Consultants, a fundraising and grant management consulting firm located in Anchorage, Alaska. Ken originally moved to Alaska in 1975, attended Bartlett High School and graduated in 1980. He then attended and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1984.
A dynamic trainer, speaker and consultant, Ken was awarded his Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2016 and received his AFP Certified Master Trainer (CMT) certificate in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Outstanding Professional in Philanthropy by the AFP Alaska Chapter.
Ken is presently a member of the of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Global (AFP) board of directors, the African American Development Officers (AADO) board of directors, and the Alaska Public Media board of directors. He is also the past president of the AFP Alaska Chapter, founder and past president of the Dartmouth Alumni Club of Alaska, and the past president of the Anchorage Gateway Rotary club. In his free time Ken enjoys mentoring, weightlifting, travel, and reading non-fiction books.
Denali FSP works to model and train nonprofits to achieve sustainable fundraising results from multi-channels and especially individual giving. We also do trainings and seminars to groups concerning fundraising and development on subjects such as direct mail, online fundraising and holiday (annual) campaigns among others.
The to-do list is endless. We know you need to prepare your end of year appeal, plan the annual event, manage committees and a board, but don’t let the best return on investment, donor relationships, fall off the to-do list. In today’s ever-changing world it can be easy to procrastinate donor work. We will share tried and true best practices and new and innovative approaches to building and keeping donor relationships as a top priority.
Erika Rudd & Danielle Contreras
Erika Rudd, MPA, CNP, has focused her career on philanthropy and fundraising with the aspiration of giving back to the organizations that have impacted her personally. For the past seven years, she’s worked ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and helped lead one of the most successful major and planned giving programs in the non-profit sector. Her most significant accomplishments are a direct result of bringing together donor philanthropic priorities and organizational priorities to inspire donors, volunteers and staff around common goals. Her responsibilities have included national strategy and planning, advancement operations, direct major and planned gift fundraising, work with consultants, and staff management/mentorship/coaching. Prior to ALSAC/St. Jude she worked in several roles at the YMCA and a multi-hospital system in Southern Kentucky where she managed all aspects of fundraising. Her leadership of multiple small-medium fundraising shops and now management of a very large, complex fundraising shop brings valuable innovation to grow donor relationships and team’s that manage them. Erika’s professional experience is built on an excellent education in fundraising and nonprofit management at Indiana University as well as her perspective as a former St. Jude patient and Make-A-Wish child. After nearly 18 years in the fundraising field, she has personally solicited and closed many $1M+ gifts and has the insight and experience to lead major and leadership giving strategies.
Danielle Contreras is a professional fundraiser who knew from the age of 16 that she wanted to work in the nonprofit sector. While in high school, she started a program, called VolunTEEN, which opened the door to Danielle’s passion for fundraising. Danielle graduated from Indiana University, where she received a degree in Journalism, with a focus on Public Relations, as well as the CNP through SPEA. Danielle has a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and Management from the Ball State University Miller College of Business. Danielle started her professional fundraising career working on the community phase of a capital campaign for the Monroe County YMCA, then focused on annual campaign fundraising for United Way of Monroe County and The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. Danielle transitioned to Major Gift Fundraising in 2014, beginning at the American Red Cross with a focus on leadership annual giving. In 2018, Danielle began her current role at ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a Senior Philanthropic Advisor. Danielle works with St. Jude supporters throughout the Midwest guiding and advising them on major, planned and blended gifts that can make a significant impact at St. Jude.
After 18 months of pivoting on program delivery and fundraising strategy, nonprofit leaders are now faced with taking care of their own people. This session will guide organizational leaders in developing a plan that will cultivate an environment which supports employee wellness and mental health.
Ian Adair
Ian Adair is a nonprofit industry influencer, TEDx speaker, and recognized expert in leadership, fundraising, and nonprofit management. Ian is a speaker, author, and advocate concerning mental health awareness and addressing mental health in the workplace. He is the author of, Stronger Than Stigma. A Call to Action: Stories of Grief, Loss, and Inspiration! Ian was named as one of the Top 100 Charity Industry Influencers on Social Media in the World by Onalytica in 2019 and recognized as one of 30 Nonprofit Founders that will Impact the World in 2020 by Causeartist. Ian is the executive director of the Gracepoint Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Gracepoint, which impacts the lives of more than 30,000 individuals each year, seeking mental health and addiction services.
This session is eligible for 1 ACFRE credit (Leadership, Management or Ethics) The issues related to power and privilege are widely prevalent in the fundraising profession. I designed and executed a nationwide study to understand how prejudice manifests in the lives of racialized and marginalized fundraisers. During this session, I will share testimonials from fellow fundraisers that give insight into their lived experiences. These stories help expand our understanding of diversity-related issues within our profession and allow us to better advocate for systemic change toward an equitable profession. This session hopes to create a greater awareness of the lived experiences of racialized and marginalized colleagues. Additionally, an introduction to cultural capital and how its lens may help one overcome individual bias and better understand the “other” side.
Charu Uppal, MA, MBA, CFRE
Charu Uppal, CFRE serves as the associate director of individual giving at the Portland Art Museum where she helps makes art accessible to all by raising philanthropic support for the Museum. She is a passionate fundraiser who believes in the power of giving and its potential to create transformational change.
Charu is a systems thinker who is committed to building a just and equitable fundraising profession for racialized and marginalized fundraisers. She strongly believes that, as a profession, we must celebrate the fundraiser’s contributions as an integral part to philanthropy in which a nonprofit’s mission and donor support are intricately connected by the fundraiser.
Remote work is now the norm. Some love it, some aren’t so sure. Join us for this interactive session to gain pointers for leading a virtual company, share experiences with one who has worked remotely for almost 25 years, and learn how to build your career in a remote environment.
Christy Carter & Alice Ferris & JC Patrick
Christy Carter has more than 15 years of experience mobilizing private capital for positive social and environmental change. Christy spent ten years working with universities, non-profits and international non-governmental organizations to raise millions in philanthropic investments to deliver impact globally. She specializes in foundation relations, major gifts and corporate engagement. She has worked with many organizations like Greenpeace International, the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, US Congressional campaigns and the Women’s Information Network.
Alice Ferris has more than 30 years of professional fundraising experience and is an AFP master teacher. She specializes in strategic and development planning, campaign and development program assessments, board and organizational training, executive leadership coaching, individual giving and grant proposal evaluation. Alice became the 21st recipient of the AFP Founders’ Medallion in 2020. Alice is also a past chair of the ACFRE Credentialing Board and a former officer of the AFP Global Board.
JC Patrick has 30 years of development experience and an extensive background in marketing. For ten years, she was the Station Development Manager for NPR, working with 800+ member stations in corporate fundraising, online sponsorship, and generational marketing. She focuses on individual giving programs, development program assessments, and writing donor communications that effectively tell an organization’s story. A frequent presenter at industry conferences, she led nationally award-winning teams in marketing, underwriting, and overall development.
Communication successes and missteps are often informed not just by what is being said, but by one’s ability to identify and adapt to a person’s unique social style. This workshop will explore the four social styles so emerging leaders can more effectively communicate, establish rapport, and form lasting relationships.
Adriana Loson-Ceballos, M.A.
Adriana Loson-Ceballos’ career as a fundraiser began during the U.S. Great Recession over a decade ago and has grown through her participation and study of the social movement that have emerged over the same period. She has developed transnational fundraising and growth positioning strategies and plans for nonprofits seeking to diversify, grow, or adapt their revenue streams to the opportunities before them. While living in NYC, DC, San Diego, and Mexico City, Adriana has raised funds for community health, human rights, civil rights, and decolonizing museum collections for U.S. local, state, national, and international nonprofits. Adriana’s leadership in collaborative fundraising efforts and in developing an organizational culture of philanthropy has led her to serve on various committees, working groups, and boards seeking to reimagine how we might fundraise to support collective action through an abundance versus scarcity mindset.
Budgets. Financial statements. Ack! Are you secretly (or openly) afraid of these documents? Whether you want to improve your financial literacy for your nonprofit organization or AFP chapter, this session will equip you with the basics needed to ensure appropriate financial oversight and understand what all those numbers are about.
Stephanie Cory
Stephanie has dedicated her career to the nonprofit sector since 2003 in roles from program manager to development director to executive director. She splits her time as a consultant and adjunct faculty for Villanova University. Stephanie is a Licensed Standards for Excellence Consultant, BoardSource Certified Governance Consultant, and AFP Master Trainer. She earned a BS in Accounting from the University of Southern California and an MEd in Adult and Organizational Development from Temple University.
Come join us as we examine three areas of personal and professional growth for the emerging leader. In this workshop we will examine the differences between mentorship, sponsorship and coaching for your continued life-long growth and learning. With breakouts, group work and partner work, we will look at effective examples of these areas.
We will ask questions like: “What does it look like?”, “What is the role of the mentor, sponsor or coach?”, and most importantly, “What can I do to be most effective as the mentee, sponsee or person being coached?” We will also learn about finding these individuals, making the ask for their assistance and building the relationship for success.
Ken Miller, CFRE
Ken Miller, CFRE is the president and lead consultant for Denali FSP Fundraising & Grant Consultants, a fundraising and grant management consulting firm located in Anchorage, Alaska. Ken originally moved to Alaska in 1975, attended Bartlett High School and graduated in 1980. He then attended and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1984.
A dynamic trainer, speaker and consultant, Ken was awarded his Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2016 and received his AFP Certified Master Trainer (CMT) certificate in 2017. In 2020 he was awarded the Outstanding Professional in Philanthropy by the AFP Alaska Chapter.
Ken is presently a member of the of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Global (AFP) board of directors, the African American Development Officers (AADO) board of directors, and the Alaska Public Media board of directors. He is also the past president of the AFP Alaska Chapter, founder and past president of the Dartmouth Alumni Club of Alaska, and the past president of the Anchorage Gateway Rotary club. In his free time Ken enjoys mentoring, weightlifting, travel, and reading non-fiction books.
Denali FSP works to model and train nonprofits to achieve sustainable fundraising results from multi-channels and especially individual giving. We also do trainings and seminars to groups concerning fundraising and development on subjects such as direct mail, online fundraising and holiday (annual) campaigns among others.
This session is eligible for 1 ACFRE credit (Leadership, Management or Ethics) In this talk, Anu helps participants discern the difference between conscious and unconscious bias, what we would save financially and socially by breaking bias, and the five PRISM tools we can use to break bias.
Anu Gupta
Anu Gupta is a scientist, educator, lawyer, and the Founder of BE MORE with Anu. Anu is an expert in breaking bias, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), entrepreneurship, mindfulness, and compassion. He developed BE MORE’s science-backed, compassion-based approach after conducting research on the causes of and solutions to racial and gender inequality. He has a JD from NYU Law, MPhil in Development Studies from Cambridge, and BA in International Relations & Islamic Studies from NYU.
Hyper-connectivity, micro-consumption, fractured attention, and fierce competition are namesakes in our connected economy. This is now compounded due to the upheaval 2020 — from the pandemic and social justice to climate — left behind 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.
Erik Tomalis
Erik Tomalis is a proven fundraising professional and has always been forward thinking, donor and people driven, but most of all results oriented. With 20 years of professional fundraising experience, Erik made over 4,000 face-to-face donor solicitations where he has raised millions of dollars for many non-profit organizations, including areas of: healthcare, education, human services, Greek, university athletics and youth-based organizations. He served as a front-line fundraiser, as well as an executive in some transformative organizations focused on generosity, such as St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the Boy Scouts of America and the Allegheny Health Network.
Today, at Virtuous, Erik is committed to helping nonprofits grow global generosity. He believes that charitable giving is about personal connections, not transactions. Generosity is driven by our passions and relationships – and givers want to feel like they are part of a movement bigger than themselves.
Through his experience, Erik understands fully the ways to be successful in your non-profit organization and career. He is a graduate of Duquesne University and the Lilly School of Philanthropy. He is an Eagle Scout and active in the community as he is either active or a past board member for the following organizations: AFP Western PA and Dallas Chapters, American Lung Association, Boy Scouts of America, American Heart Association, Duquesne Alumni Council and many more
In today’s ever changing world, is strategic planning and change management still needed? Yes! With the right planning, you can be strategic but also be prepared to handle change effectively and not purely reactively. This session will help you understand the need for strategic planning, organizational change preparedness, and standardized change management processes. As a bonus, we’ll send you off with a workbook to help you apply what you learned.
Matt Connell
Matt Connell is a Blackbaud University Instructor at the Principal level, and the lead instructor for nonprofit organizational best practices and fundraising. Matt has been a frequent contributor to sgENGAGE and the Blackbaud Community and has presented at bbcon and AFP ICON events. Prior to joining Blackbaud, Matt’s career was a diverse mix of development operations, research, and fundraising.
As an educator to the social good sector, Matt helps to grow the expertise and advance the knowledge of those working to do the most good for the world we share. As an expert in multiple customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, internet communication platforms, and research and analysis tools, Matt makes learning both approachable and lasting.
Keynote Speaker
Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies; Director of Undergraduate Programs Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Tyrone McKinley Freeman, Ph.D
Tyrone McKinley Freeman is an award-winning scholar and teacher who serves as Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies and Director of Undergraduate Programs at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Previously, he was a professional fundraiser and Associate Director of The Fund Raising School where he trained nonprofit leaders around the globe. His research focuses on philanthropy in communities of color and philanthropy in higher education. His latest book is entitled, Madam C.J. Walker’s Gospel of Giving: Black Women’s Philanthropy during Jim Crow (University of Illinois Press, 2020), which won the 2021 Association of Fundraising Professionals’ Skystone Partners Research Prize in Fundraising and Philanthropy. His work has appeared or been cited in The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, USA Today, TIME, Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, NewsOne, The Conversation, Black Perspectives, Philanthropy Women, Chronicle of Philanthropy, CASE Currents, and Advancing Philanthropy. He is co-author of Race, Gender and Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations (Palgrave MacMillan, 2011).
Pricing
AFP Global Member: $599
Nonmember: $899
AFP Specialty Member Pricing
AFP Chapter Leader: $399
AFP Global Young Professional Member: $399
AFP Boards (Global, Foundations, Canada) and their Committee Members: $399
To make your reservations by phone: 1-888-591-1234
Policies
COVID-19 Policy Update (September 30, 2021)
In July 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided updated guidelines stating that “COVID-19 vaccination remains the most effective means to achieve control of the pandemic” and advising that people who live in high-transmission communities wear masks in indoor public spaces, even if they’ve been vaccinated. Per those guidelines and holding safety of our staff and attendees in the highest regard, AFP LEAD 2021, October 18-20 in Indianapolis, Ind., will require all participants, including speakers/presenters, to be fully vaccinated (with proof of full vaccination required) and masked at all times when indoors. "Full vaccination" means 14 days or more following the final dose of a US FDA approved or WHO recognized vaccine against COVID-19.
For more information and/or further updates, please check back here; or if you are already registered for the event, we will contact you via email with critical updates.
Is AFP allowed to do this, legally or otherwise? Yes.
Will AFP LEAD speakers/presenters be required to be vaccinated, as well? Yes.
What if an attendee has just one shot of the two required for full vaccination? We require
participants to be fully vaccinated. At this time, booster shots will not be required.
Will attendees from Canada who received the AstraZeneca vaccine be allowed to attend?
Yes.
How can an attendee show proof of vaccination, and how will that information be stored/handled?
We will have more details soon and will contact AFP LEAD 2021 registrants via email to
confirm proof of vaccination.
What if a registrant cannot meet the vaccination requirement? We will provide a full refund
for those already registered but who cannot meet the vaccination requirement.
Will there be a virtual option for AFP LEAD? We are considering all avenues, but there is no
virtual option for AFP LEAD planned at the moment.
If a refund is requested more than 30 days before the course is scheduled to begin, AFP will process a refund via the method used at time of registration minus a $75 administrative fee. Within 30 days of the course, no refund will be issued.
If a registered individual is unable to participate, the registration may be transferred to another individual.
If the course is cancelled/postponed by AFP for any reason, participants will have a choice of a full refund or a credit to a future course of equal value. Within 30 days after the cancellation/postponement, participants must let AFP know which option they prefer, or AFP will automatically provide a credit to a future event.
