Topics I speak frequently on include: winning donor attention, fundraising strategy, Board development, storytelling & donor communications, social and digital media, succession planning, capital campaigns, nonprofit leadership, and mental health. 

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1. The Evolution of Nonprofit Executive Leadership - What it takes to Survive and Thrive today in a Changing Philanthropic Landscape.  With a large turnover of nonprofit CEOs expected over the next few years, there are multiplying expectations for new and current CEOs, as well as new roles they have to play in order to effectively operate and manage their organizations. This session will examine: The three biggest challenges facing nonprofit leaders today (organizational culture, Board development/management, and fundraising); and the seven key roles nonprofit CEOs will have to take on to address these challenges. This session is designed specifically for new nonprofit CEOs (in their first three years), board members, and those looking to become a nonprofit leader in the near future.

2. Leadership Storytelling: How to effectively use your Board of Directors and Staff to convey your "WHY" to your Audience and Donors to Improve Fundraising.  Nonprofit Boards and staff are often the least utilized group in terms of storytelling, organizations tend to default to only telling the stories of the populations and families they serve. We hear from our Boards and staff all the time how much they dislike fundraising and directly asking for support, but if you create an opportunity for people to come to them to inquire about the organization they become more involved on their terms and comfort level. This session will examine: How to prepare the board of directors and staff for this kind of storytelling and media campaign; What open-ended questions to ask in order to help them share their connection or passion for the organization's mission; Setting clear expectations with the photographer and videographer; How to prepare and coach your board and staff through a photo or video shoot; How to launch, establishing the right cadence to disseminate the content; and capitalize on the engagement and feedback from the campaign.

3. In Order to Achieve Fundraising Success in Today’s 24/7, 365 Information-Overloaded World - Nonprofits Need a Mobile-First Strategy NOW.  Communication has evolved and people are focusing their attention more and more on mobile devices, emerging digital platforms, and social media. Nonprofits need to communicate with their stakeholders where “they are” in order to connect and engage with them today. This session will examine; The shift to mobile media consumption and why mobile has won the battle for our time and attention; The importance of aligning our "at work actions" with our personal behaviors concerning media consumption and communication; The 3 biggest mistakes nonprofits make on mobile when communicating with their donors; and The 4 key elements to implement a mobile-first fundraising strategy today.

4. Finding Balance: Addressing the Biggest Challenge for Nonprofits Today – the Recruitment, Onboarding, and Engagement of its Board Members.  Nonprofit executives consistently mention issues with their board of directors as one of biggest challenges they face in moving an organization forward. Only organizations where board expectations are clear and formally acknowledged will have the best chance to meet their strategic goals. This session will examine; the biggest myths concerning the makeup of a great board of directors; The skills/abilities/attributes organizations their board members need to have today; Examples of board fundraising and member time expectations and how to enforce these rules; and How what the best board member prospects want to see, hear and do before deciding to join your organization.

5. Leading with Empathy, Gratitude, and Action.  The nonprofit sector is currently experiencing an unprecedented amount of employee turnover and executive leadership succession, while at the same time the number of new organizations continues to grow. With access to technology, a positive work culture, and opportunities for advancement, and professional development becoming priorities for today’s workforce, leaders must implement new strategies in order to meet these needs. This session will examine the elements of servant leadership, and how leading through empathy, gratitude, and action can address issues concerning employee engagement, job satisfaction, and retention.

6. Mental Health in the Workplace – How Nonprofits Can Support Employees and Create a Work Culture That is Stronger Than Stigma!  Mental health awareness has become a major concern that organization’s need to address in order to support their employees and attract new talent. This session will examine: How mental illness is impacting the work place and the nonprofit sector; How mental health effects employee retention, organizational culture, and a nonprofit’s financial bottom line; What initiatives and HR policies nonprofits can do to support mental health in their organizations; The importance of mental health awareness and how promoting stories of lived experience and recovery can help.

7. Winning Donor Attention is Now the Variable of Success in Fundraising: Learn How Attention-Focused Fundraising Can Work for You!  In a 24/7, 365 information-overloaded world, winning donor attention is a must in order to achieve fundraising success. This session will examine: the 3 biggest mistakes nonprofits make in communicating to their donors; the 4 strategies of Attention-Focused Fundraising; and how to produce content that builds relationships with potential donors while strengthening relationships with existing ones.  

8. An Unprecedented Amount of Leadership Turnover is Taking Place Over the Next 5 Years - It's Time to Talk Succession Planning.  Nonprofits must change how we think about and approach succession planning. A succession plan should encompass everything from developing a sustainable business model to strengthening staff and board leadership, while also critically looking at all the core programs needed to support the organization’s mission. This session will examine the importance and need for a succession plan; who should be involved in the process and their responsibilities; the 4 stages of a succession plan; common items left out of a plan and why they are important; and the outcomes of a successful plan.

9. It's Time to get Aggressive about Donor Retention - Stop Stewarding ALL Donors the Same!  This presentation will inspire attendees to begin really looking at how they organize, connect with, and steward their current donors. Organizations have to spend time segmenting donors and then provide each group with the best information possible to keep them excited about our programs and mission. Great customer service, along with creative and consistent stewardship, can motivate stakeholders to not only stay engaged but motivate them to advocate for your organization.

10. Ready for a NEW Facility? Before You Start Designing Your Dream Building- Let’s Talk Capital Campaign Planning and Strategy. Before your organization can effectively take on a building project, certain action steps must be taken to give your organization the best chance at a successful capital campaign. This session will examine: the process of determining your organization's readiness for a capital campaign; choosing your campaign's leadership; determining your funding goal, and what a reasonable campaign timeline looks like.

 

(Upcoming speaking events are highlighted)

 

1. Nonprofit Appreciation Day - Sponsored by Rivero & Gordimer, Featured Speaker (2 workshops). November 14, 2019 - Tampa, FL.

2. Sarkeys Foundation Southwest Regional Leadership Forum, Speaker (4 workshops). November 5-6, 2019 - Norman, OK.

3. Nonprofit Storytelling Conference (NPSC), Keynote Speaker & Workshop Presenter. October 27-30, 2019 - San Diego, CA.

4. AFP LEAD, Speaker (2 workshops), October 4-5, 2019 - Phoenix, AZ.

5. AFP Central Florida Chapter Meeting - Keynote Speaker. August 21, 2019 - Orlando, FL. 

6. Cherokee Nation Annual Conference of Community Leaders, Speaker (4 workshops), July 12-14, 2019 -Tahlequah, OK. 

7. Qgiv Fundraising Lab Conference, Keynote Speaker. April 16, 2019 - Lakeland, FL. 

8. AFP ICON, Rebels & Renegades Session, Speaker and panelist. March 31-April 2, San Antonio, TX.

9. Future Business Leaders of America, Speaker (2 workshops). October 31, 2018 - St. Petersburg, FL.

10. Leadership Tampa Bay, Social Service Day, Speaker. October 17, 2018 - Tampa, FL.

11. Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, Speaker & Panelist. October 15-17, 2018 - Orlando, Florida 

12. Cherokee Nation Annual Conference of Community Leaders, Speaker (4 workshops), June 23-24, 2018 -Tahlequah, OK. 

13. Hillsborough County Grants Collaborative, Grant Funders Event, Keynote Speaker. January 24, 2018 - Tampa, FL.

14. Sarkeys Foundation Southwest Regional Leadership Forum, Speaker (3 workshops). November 13-15, 2017 - Norman, OK.

15. Nonprofit Communication Conference, Keynote Speaker & featured presenter. October 6, 2017 - Springfield, MO.

16. Cape Coral Community Foundation. September 2017 - Cape Coral, FL.

17. Capital Campaign Forum, Keynote Speaker. Cherokee Nation, July 22, 2017

18. Planet Philanthropy Conference Speaker. June 26, 2017 - Tampa, FL.

19. Featured guest on the Michael Chatman Giving Show radio program. February 9, 2017

20. Featured guest on the Impact Lab podcast. January 31, 2017 

21. 2nd Annual Diversity and Inclusion Conference, University of Washington Bothell, Featured Speaker. April 8, 2016

22. Sarkeys Foundation Southwest Regional Leadership Forum, Featured Speaker. November 9-10, 2015

23. Washington DECA Fall Leadership Conference, Featured Speaker, October 26, 2015

24. Kitsap Development Officers Group (KDOG), Keynote Speaker. March 3, 2015

25. Washington State University, Future Teachers of Color Conference, Conference Speaker. February 21, 2015 - Pullman, WA.

26. Advancement NW / AFP Conference, Conference Presenter. January 21, 2015

27. What If? Conference, Featured Speaker. December 17, 2014 - Las Vegas, NV.

28. Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, Conference Speaker. November 6-7, 2014 - Seattle, WA.

29. Seattle Port Authority Community Giving Kick-Off Celebration, Keynote Speaker. October 8, 2014

30. Keys to Success Luncheon, Organizational Speaker, October 2, 2014

31. Social Venture Partners (SVP) Fast Pitch Competition Quarterfinal Round September 18, 2014

32. KeyBank Nonprofit Luncheon- Keynote Speaker. March 27, 2014 - Seattle, WA.

33. Young Nonprofit Leaders Organization (YNLO), Featured Speaker. March 23, 2014 - Seattle, WA.

34. Univ. Washington Bothell Scholarship Breakfast, Keynote Speaker. January 28, 2014 - Bothell, WA.

35. Univ. Washington Bothell: South African Student Panel Speaker “Addressing Challenges of Diversity in K-12 Education,” January 16, 2014

36. Northwest Development Officers Association (NDOA), Fundraising Training Event: How to Retain Your Donors While Building Trust January 14, 2014

37. US-China Educators Forum UW Bothell, College of Education Keynote Speaker “Transforming teaching and learning through leadership development” December 13, 2013

38. Kitsap Development Officers Group (KDOG), Keynote Speaker. December 3, 2013 - Bainbridge Island, WA.

39. Sarkeys Foundation Nonprofit Southwest Regional Leadership Forum, Featured Speaker. November 11-13, 2013 - Norman, OK.

40. Nonprofit Solutions Conference, Featured Speaker. October 21-22, 2013 - Kansas City, MO.

41. Seattle Fundraising Summit: Successful Corporate and Foundation Grant Request, Panel Speaker. July 16, 2013

42. Northwest Development Officers Association (NDOA) Spring Conference | June 7, 2013 | Lynnwood Convention Center

43. AFP Vancouver Breakfast, Keynote Speaker February 21, 2013

44. Martinez Foundation Fellow Seminar, Featured Speaker, October 2012

45. Northwest Development Officers Association (NDOA) Spring Conference | June 8, 2012 | Meydenbauer Center

46. Utah Society of Fund Raisers Luncheon, Keynote Speaker, November 30, 2011

47. Sarkeys Foundation Nonprofit Southwest Regional Leadership Forum, Workshop Presenter, November 2011