Presenters:

Gwendolyn VanSant is the CEO and Founding Director of Multicultural BRIDGE (2007), a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting cultural competency and integration of diverse groups in Western Massachusetts. She is also the Director of Engagement, Equity, and Inclusion and the Chair of Council for Equity and Inclusion at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Gwendolyn serves as an appointed state official, the Chair of the Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women. Gwendolyn is currently consulting as Grant Lead for Greylock Teach Fellows program at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, which works to cultivate tomorrow’s teachers of diverse backgrounds.

Jeff Lowenstein works with Multicultural BRIDGE as an Executive Assistant, Facilitator, and Spanish Instructor. He also works as a community organizer with Berkshire Interfaith Organizing. He grew up in the Berkshires and returned last year after graduating from Brandeis University to work for justice throughout the region and beyond.

Presenters:

As Vice President and Director of the Insource Technology Practice, Russell Greenwald provides the direction and management of technology services to effectively support Insource clients. An experienced IT professional with over 15 years of successfully designing, managing, and troubleshooting technology systems, Russell brings to Insource clients a proven track record of success and broad knowledge of technology systems and solutions with significant experience designing remote application platforms via Citrix and in the use of Google Apps. Russell holds a BA in mathematics from Brandeis University

Ryan Ecclestone serves as a Senior IT Project Manager with Insource and has been working in the IT field for eight years. Strategically focused, Ryan seeks to further clients’ productivity and efficiency through the use of technology related projects. In this role, he provides short- and long-term IT strategy as well as managing a range of technical project deployments. Ryan is an experienced IS/IT Project Manager with a proven track record of value add and high ROI solution delivery. He holds a BS in computer information systems from Bentley University with a minor in business economics and is PMI-PMP certified.

Scott Hagerty is an experienced technical professional with an extensive background in software applications and hardware, workstation, server, and network related troubleshooting. As an IT Manager with Insource, Scott manages the technical needs of his clients and draws upon his knowledge of Windows and Mac environments to design and implement related projects and solutions that best fit the specific needs of Insource clients. Scott holds BA in international relations and economics from Tufts University.

Presenters:

For nearly 30 years, Chuck Gordon has served as a senior nonprofit professional and consultant, helping nonprofit leaders in Boston and across the country realize their vision by raising increased revenues. Having previously served as the CDO at United Way, City Year, Health Leads, and uAspire, Chuck today leads the New Kensington Group, a full service consulting firm helping nonprofit leaders grow their organizations. His work focuses on strategic planning, fundraising, executive search, and board leadership and governance support. A nationally recognized trainer and speaker, he dedicates significant time to building the fundraising capacity of nonprofit professionals and volunteers.

Presenters:

Eric Curtis is the Founder and President of Curtis Strategy and The Trustee Institute. A successful strategy and management consultant, Eric focuses on unlocking the global potential of nonprofit organizations. He has advised educational institutions, healthcare clinics, human services, and many other charitable 501(c)3 organizations, inspiring them to break the status quo and maximize their social impact. Eric received his MBA from Suffolk University and his BS in accounting and finance from Norwich University. Eric is also an adjunct professor at Suffolk University, teaching strategic management at the graduate school.

Presenters:

Matt Gelman is the Co-Chair of YNPN Boston. He has been involved with the organization for five years, serving first as an Ambassador and then as the Director of Ambassador Talent and Recruitment for two years. By day, Matt can be found at The Theater Offensive, a nonprofit LGBTQ arts organization, in his role as the Associate Managing Director, overseeing various components of fundraising, communications, and operations. In his spare time, he can be found on and off stage in various community theater productions or working on his culinary skills. Matt has a BA in Spanish and International Relations from Boston College and is an alumnus of INML’s Community Fellows Program.

Lindsay Brown is a data-driven fundraising professional with 10 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors. Her background in prospect development includes prospect research, moves management, and data analytics for higher education and healthcare institutions. Lindsay holds master’s degrees in nonprofit studies from Arizona State University and business intelligence and analytics from the University of Westminster. She brings her passion for learning and innovation to her volunteer role as Co-Director of Fundraising for YNPN Boston and previously served as Director of Research and Evaluation for the organization.

Presenters:

Organizations hire Gail Bower as their revenue strategist. Gail teaches them how to supplement philanthropy or government grants with earned revenue. By becoming powerhouses at developing earned revenue, organizations become self-sufficient .They’re able to generate money whenever they need it. Clients have doubled, tripled, and quadrupled revenue in under a year, and that’s just the first year. She wrote the guidebook “How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategy in Tough Times.” To support her revenue generation ideas, Gail studies the future, paying attention to where society is going and how this impacts clients.

Presenters:

Kenny Weill launched K. Weill Consulting Group, which focuses on strategic fund development for nonprofits, in 2002. His practice works with boards and staff on fundraising assessments, Fund Development Plans, case statements, appeals, online giving strategy, grant research and writing, and CRM database solutions. Kenny regularly trains, coaches, and presents on fund development strategy. In 2009, Kenny co-founded NPO Connect, an online skill-building platform for nonprofit professionals and volunteers. Prior to consulting, Kenny held varied positions in community-based, academic, healthcare, and government settings. Kenny is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Nonprofit Consultants Network, and the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network.

Presenters:

Ank Stuyfzand is the Founder of SYNC, a leadership and team development company. Over the last 20 years, Ank has worked with business and nonprofit leaders and their teams to develop the skills and team synergy that they need to deliver on their missions while creating healthy and balanced team dynamics. Ank served on several nonprofit boards, including the Southern Californian Healthcare Business Women Association. Ank is a part-time professor of management at Suffolk University. She is an energetic facilitator with solid personal effectiveness, skills, and a passion for straight talk.

Presenters:

Debra Askanase is the Founder and Digital Engagement Strategist at Community Organizer 2.0, a digital engagement firm specializing in online strategy and social engagement for nonprofit organizations. She has a passion for creating a better world through online engagement. Prior to opening Community Organizer 2.0, Debra worked at Boston area nonprofits, originally as a community organizer and later as a program director and executive director. Debra holds a BA from Emory University, an MBA in international business from Bar-Ilan University, and is on faculty at Marlboro College Graduate School.

Presenters:

Terry Moran has been working and volunteering in the nonprofit world his entire career.  For the past 22 years, he has been involved in the YouthBuild movement, locally, statewide, and nationally. He has started two YouthBuild programs in Massachusetts, worked nationally forming coalitions across the country, and for the past five years has been the Director of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition. In this position, he oversees the quality of the 11 programs that serve Gateway Cities across the Commonwealth.

Emily Kowtoniuk joined ADS Ventures with a strong background in law and public policy. Prior to joining ADS, Emily served as Chief of Staff in the State Senate. In the State Senate, she provided legal analysis and policy recommendations on economic development, public finance, and government innovation. Emily worked closely with the Executive Office for Administration and Finance and with the Office of the State Treasurer. Emily attended Tufts University, graduating with a degree in international relations. She graduated from Boston College Law School, focusing on criminology and state and local government law. Emily is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts.

Mark Showan is the Vice President of Workforce Development for Old Colony YMCA. He oversees the YouthBuild programs in Brockton and Fall River. Mark has worked at YouthBuild since 2005 and formerly served as a Caseworker, Director of Student Services, and Program Manager. As a grant writer, he has successfully secured funding from state, federal, and private sources to broaden the fiscal base of the programs. Mark has also served as the chair of the Massachusetts YouthBuild Coalition and has overseen several advocacy campaigns in that capacity.

Presenters:

Shaun Adamec is Founder of Adamec Communications, specializing in strategy, messaging, and reputation management for mission-driven organizations. Adamec has directed communications for major nonprofit organizations, including City Year, MADD, American Red Cross, and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation. As Press Secretary for Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, Adamec served as spokesperson and managed communications efforts for 28 state cabinet agencies and also served as an advisor to O’Malley’s 2016 presidential campaign. He holds a BA in political science from Providence College and an MA in government from Johns Hopkins University. Adamec, his wife, and three children live near Boston.

Presenters:

Kate Mombourquette has built a career advising organizations on matters of financial operations and strategy. In particular, she utilizes financial and programmatic data to help inform strategic managerial and board decisions. Skilled at communicating financial information to non-finance managers, she specializes in assessing, creating and implementing financial policies and procedures for client organizations, Kate works in partnership with senior finance consultants to organize and manage the finance departments of small and mid-sized organizations. Kate has an MBA from Northeastern University.

Steven Gallucci works with his clients to assess and analyze financial information to inform strategic decisions. His experience includes all aspects of financial management and reporting, including budgeting and audit preparation. He is especially adept at streamlining operations and improving customized accounting systems. Steve is a CPA with 20 years of accounting and financial management experience. He has held various senior management positions, including chief financial officer and director of finance, with for-profit and nonprofit organizations. Steve holds an MBA in accounting and finance from Cornell University and a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College.

Presenters:

Gwendolyn VanSant is the CEO and Founding Director of Multicultural BRIDGE (2007), a grassroots organization dedicated to promoting cultural competency and integration of diverse groups in Western Massachusetts. She is also the Director of Engagement, Equity, and Inclusion and the Chair of Council for Equity and Inclusion at Bard College at Simon’s Rock. Gwendolyn serves as an appointed state official, the Chair of the Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women. Gwendolyn is currently consulting as Grant Lead for Greylock Teach Fellows program at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, which works to cultivate tomorrow’s teachers of diverse backgrounds.

Presenters:

David Kuehn is the Executive Director of Cotuit Center for the Arts on Cape Cod. Since taking the helm in 2010, he has successfully led a revitalization program that has resulted in increased community awareness, membership and donor support, and quality programming in all areas of the arts. Kuehn holds a degree in music performance from UCLA. He spent 25 years in the classical recording industry where he eventually ran the classical music division of RCA records, guiding recording projects by such luminaries as Leontyne Price, Van Cliburn, and Michael Tilson Thomas, just to name a few.

Presenters:

Cindy Rowe, Principal of Rowe Resources, has worked for over 20 years with over 60 nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and political campaigns to help them maximize their resources in the areas of fundraising, special event and conference planning, and board development. Prior to launching her consulting practice, she worked in the Massachusetts Legislature and Administration in the areas of public policy and community affairs. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard College and her JD from Boston College Law School. She serves on several nonprofit and community boards.

Presenters:

Adam Maurer currently serves as the CEO of Positively Partners, a consulting firm working with schools and nonprofit organizations to grow leaders, promote employee retention, and introduce strengths-based approaches to management. Prior to founding Positively Partners, Adam served as the head of talent for Citizen Schools and National Heritage Academies. Adam holds a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where he conducted research under the supervision of Dr. Angela Duckworth on the role of grit as a predictor of teacher performance. Additionally, Adam holds a SPHR and was awarded an innovation award by Oracle/Taleo.

Jill Smerkers currently serves as the Vice President of Professional Services for Positively Partners, a consulting firm working with schools and nonprofit organizations to grow leaders, promote employee retention, and introduce strengths-based approaches to management. Prior to founding Positively Partners, Jill served as the Director of Human Resources at Citizen Schools. Jill holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education from Providence College and a master’s degree in urban education policy from Brown University. Drawing from her background in the classrooms, studies in education policy, and hands-on experience as a certified human resources practitioner, Jill is passionate about bringing positive people development strategies to mission-driven organizations.

Presenters:

Matt Wilson is the Executive Director of MASSCreative, the statewide advocacy voice for the arts, cultural, and creative community in Massachusetts. In four years, MASSCreative has grown to more than 400 organizational members with 26,000 individuals taking part in public education and advocacy actions. Since 2013, MASSCreative’s campaigns have helped increase operational and capital investment into the Commonwealth’s creative community by 66%. MASSCreative coordinated the Create the Vote coalition that injected the issues of arts and culture into the 2013 Boston mayoral race, the 2014 Massachusetts gubernatorial campaign, and several mayoral races across the Commonwealth in 2015.

Presenters:

Kristin Howard is the Senior Director of Development for MENTOR. In this role, Howard is responsible for all organizational fundraising, including developing and implementing a funding strategy, expanding corporate and foundation partnerships, and creating meaningful opportunities for individuals to join the mentoring movement. Howard joined MENTOR in August 2015 after serving as Director of Development for Youth Villages New England for six years. She began her career in 2000 at Children’s Trust, where she served in several roles, ending as Director of Special Events and Stewardship in 2009. Howard holds a BA from Northeastern University and is an INML alumna.

Presenters:

Jeanne Union of Union Sales Presentation Coaching is an accomplished coach, facilitator, trainer, and consultant with more than 30 years of experience in presentation coaching, sales, and business storytelling. Recently, she was a global sales presentation coach at IBM, coaching over 1,000 individuals and contributing to sales of $14 billion. Jeanne also coaches entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas, products, and services, including a contestant for Shark Tank. She is a mentor at Entrepreneurship for All and has conducted Perfecting Your Elevator Pitch at the Center for Women and Enterprise and for InnoVentures. Jeanne holds degrees from Northeastern University and Westfield State University.

Presenters:

Chet Atkins founded ADS Ventures after more than 20 years in public service. In 1970, Chet became the youngest person elected to the Massachusetts House and soon after won a seat in the State Senate. Serving as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Chet led reforms to modernize the budget and was elected to the US House in 1984 and served on the Appropriations, Foreign Affairs, Ethics, and Budget Committees. Chet has served on the boards of the Center for Justice and Accountability, Amnesty International, Oxfam America, Emerson Hospital, Cambridge College, Plimoth Plantation, and Refugees International.

Lee Foley has worked as one of Washington’s foremost counselors on policy and legislative advocacy. At Capitol Hill Partners, Lee advises clients and represents various interests before Congress and the Executive Branch in issue areas including elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education, employment and training, employment security, community and economic development, job creation, community development finance, small business development, rural and agricultural programs, and disability and civil rights policy. In Washington, Lee has served in a variety of positions including White House domestic policy advisor, chief of staff at a federal agency, and staffer for two US Senate committees.

Navjeet Bal serves as Vice President and General Counsel at Social Finance. She is responsible for developing and executing innovative financings that bridge the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to promote solutions to social needs. She brings over 25 years of experience as a public finance attorney and a public official including serving as Commissioner of Revenue from 2008 to 2011. As bond counsel to the Commonwealth and many public authorities throughout New England, Navjeet was responsible for structuring innovative bond financings to address critical infrastructure needs. She represented Massachusetts in negotiating and documenting Pay-for-Success contracts addressing juvenile justice and chronic homelessness.

Presenters:

Susan Ryan-Vollmar has worked for nearly 25 years in media and communications, primarily focused on LGBT and social justice issues. Since 2010, she has run Influence Consulting, a communications consultancy working primarily with nonprofit organizations. As a journalist, she led the Bay Windows’ coverage of the marriage equality battle, which influenced legislative debate on Beacon Hill. As news editor of the Boston Phoenix, she oversaw the paper’s investigative reporting that exposed the abuse of children by priests taking place within the Boston Archdiocese.

Craig Coogan has been Executive Director of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus since 2012. He is an expert in developing strategies and programs to help GLBTA and other nonprofit organizations achieve their operational and artistic goals. He previously served as Executive Director for One Voice Mixed Chorus in St. Paul, MN and was a founding board member and served for 10 years as treasurer of the acclaimed women’s choral group Vox Femina Los Angeles. He has produced independent movies and several award-winning documentaries and acclaimed original plays.

Presenters:

Christine Tieri, President of Idea Agency, works with businesses, brands, communities, and individuals to help them build their path to success. As the only Certified Brand Strategist in New England, Christine is driven to discover her clients’ unique position, help them put a stake in the ground, and build programs to support their goals. Christine was named one of Central Massachusetts’ Outstanding Women In Business by Worcester Business Journal. Christine is a sought-after speaker on the topic of brand and an expert facilitator of workshops that help companies solve business challenges with creativity.

Presenters:

Matthew Plummer is a Manager in Bridgespan’s Boston office. Since joining the firm in 2011, Matt has worked with large national nonprofit networks and foundations across the public health and youth development sub-sectors and played a role in Bridgespan’s philanthropic initiative, Give Smart. His work has focused on strategic planning, growth strategy, and funding models. His public health projects have covered a range of topics, including diabetes prevention, philanthropy in public health, and healthy eating active living policy and built environment change. Matt graduated from Yale University with a BS in mechanical engineering and psychology.

Presenters:

Maya Townsend, Founder of Partnering Resources, helps individuals, teams, and organizations thrive in our networked world. She uses knowledge of the art and science of networks to help leaders find opportunity in complex ecosystems, influence change, and build high performing, collaborative workplaces. Her clients include Fortune 500, mid-sized, emerging, and nonprofit organizations, such as Biogen Idec, Fidelity, Intel, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, MIT, Thomson Reuters, and National Braille Press. Maya is co-editor of Handbook for Strategic HR: Best Practices in Organization Development from the OD Network (AMACOM, 11/2012). Her articles have been published in Nonprofit Quarterly, CIO, Talent Management, and other outlets.

Cassie Scarano is CEO and Co-Founder of Commongood Careers. With deep experience in nonprofit management and hiring, Cassie has been involved in hundreds of searches for high-impact nonprofit organizations including Nonprofit Finance Fund, Ceres, Year Up, and GreenLight Fund. Cassie has over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has served as the Dean of Admissions at The Steppingstone Foundation, Director of Operations at The New Teacher Project’s Massachusetts Institute for New Teachers (MINT), and Director of Summerbridge Cambridge. Cassie is a former Board member of Breakthrough Cambridge and an alumna of LeadBoston.

Presenters:

Sue Ogle, an ESC Consultant since 2002, has 30 years of training and consulting experience that include Founder of OGLE Training and Consulting (1992), Assistant Director for Career Placement at Yale School of Management, and Career Advisor at University of Rhode Island. In addition, she was Regional Director for the Northeast Region of the American Society for Training and Development as well as President of the Southern Connecticut Chapter. As an ESC Consultant, Sue has worked with multiple nonprofits on organizational development, change management, and team building.

Presenters:

Ellen Bass serves as the Founding Director of the Capacity Institute, a two-year capacity building process to develop performance management systems for community-based organizations that engage youth and families. Ellen also founded and leads the Nonprofit Performance Management Consultant Network. Previously, Ellen founded and led the Boston Capacity Tank at the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston. With an MBA in public and nonprofit management, Ellen has served in resource development for 20 years and in program development for 35 years.

Stefanie Archer has been involved with local nonprofits for the last 18 years. With over 10 years of experience in professional organizing and creating information and project management systems, Stefanie has expertise in building customized organizational systems for individuals, nonprofits, and small businesses. She has provided numerous trainings for individuals and groups on a variety of topics over the last 15 years. Stefanie holds an MBA in nonprofit management from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and is a Certified Information Professional.

Presenters:

Eric Phelps is a Principal with RAINMAKER Consulting. He has served as Vice President of Development for VentureWell, a national nonprofit supporting university inventors and innovators, where he secured more than $35 million in funding from major foundations and donors. Eric has also served as Director of the Grinspoon Institute for Jewish Philanthropy for the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, Executive Director of the New Art Center, and Executive Director of VSA Arts of Georgia. Eric has a BA in psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a certificate in ASL interpreting from Georgia State University. Eric is the author of the forthcoming book If Money Can Fix It, It’s Not The Problem.

Presenters:

Josh Moulton joined Strategy Matters in 2016. His background in philosophy guides his innovative, dynamic, and unorthodox approach to problem-solving as a facilitator and strategic planner for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Before joining Strategy Matters, Josh was Co-Director of Ayuda Directa USA, an international nonprofit that planned and executed education and development projects in rural Ecuador. Josh currently serves on the board of directors for the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, where he helps to oversee funding decisions on behalf of victims of crime. He holds a PhD in philosophy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a BA in philosophy from Reed College.

Presenters:

For nearly 30 years, Chuck Gordon has served as a senior nonprofit professional and consultant, helping nonprofit leaders in Boston and across the country realize their vision by raising increased revenues. Having previously served as the CDO at United Way, City Year, Health Leads, and uAspire, Chuck today leads the New Kensington Group, a full-service consulting firm helping nonprofit leaders grow their organizations. His work focuses on strategic planning, fundraising, executive search, and board leadership and governance support. A nationally recognized trainer and speaker, he dedicates significant time to building the fundraising capacity of nonprofit professionals and volunteers.

Presenters:

Jay Vogt is Co-Founder and CEO of EssentialWorth. Jay is an organizational development consultant with 30 years of experience and a private practice (Peoplesworth) in strategic planning and change management. He is an accomplished facilitator, mediator, trainer, management consultant, and coach. He is a master at facilitating large groups, having led hundreds of events averaging 100 or more participants. Jay is the author of Recharge Your Team: The Grounded Visioning Approach and Board Roles to Board Goals—Creating an Annual Board Workplan. He holds a master’s degree in counseling from Antioch University New England and a BA from Hampshire College.

Judy Ozbun is Co-founder and COO of EssentialWorth. Judy is an executive coach and strategy consultant to small business and nonprofit leaders through her consultancy (JOi Group), offering more than 20 years of experience leading teams in corporate, nonprofit, and small business environments. She has served as a nonprofit executive for national social services and health policy organizations, as a board member, as a board chair, and as a corporate philanthropist. Judy earned her MBA from Boston University and a BA in English from the University of Wyoming. She is a certified professional coach and member of ICF.

Presenters:

Daniel Doucette is an organizational effectiveness advisor, leadership coach, and Founder of BraveShift. His 25-year career in the for-purpose sector, including 12 years as a CFO and COO, provides broad expertise in strategy, operations management, leadership development, staff engagement, organizational design and culture, and process optimization. His reputation is one of a dynamic advocate for whole systems to embrace change as well as an empathetic counselor for individuals working through change. Daniel thrives when working with small groups and individuals, enabling others to elevate performance by connecting their sense of purpose and priorities with targeted behaviors and actions.