Contributor Bios
(In order of appearance in Nonprofit Management 101)
Ami Dar is the founder and executive director of Idealist.org. Built in 1996 with $3,500, Idealist has become one of the most popular nonprofit resources on the Web, with information provided by 100,000 organizations around the world and 70,000 visitors every day. Ami is an Ashoka Fellow and currently serves on the boards of the Nonprofit Finance Fund and Allforgood.org. He was born in Jerusalem, grew up in Peru and Mexico, and lives in New York.
Robert Glavin is a consultant, teacher, public speaker, writer, and volunteer. As president of Robert Glavin, Inc., he counsels nonprofits nationwide in fundraising, governance, and management. He helps clients to plan, increase capacity, raise funds, and execute lasting change. Previously, he was a senior consultant at Fitzgerald & Graves,executive director of the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, director of development and marketing at the California Academy of Sciences, director of development at the University of San Francisco and Georgetown University Medical Center, and legislative representative for the American Hospital Association. He has a bachelor’s degree in government from Georgetown and a master’s in nonprofit administration from the University of San Francisco, where he teaches graduate courses in fundraising, strategic planning, and governance.
Paul Hawken has written seven books, including four national bestsellers: The Next Economy, Growing a Business, The Ecology of Commerce, and Blessed Unrest. He coauthored Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution with Amory Lovins. His books have been published in over 50 countries in 27 languages. He is currently CEO of OneSun Solar and cofounder of Highwater Global Fund. He has served on the board of several environmental organizations, including Point Foundation (publisher of the Whole Earth Catalogs), Center for Plant Conservation, Trust for Public Land, and the National Audubon Society.
Emmett D. Carson, PhD is founding CEO and president of Silicon Valley Community Foundation, one of the largest community foundations in the United States. During two decades as a nonprofit leader, Emmett has participated in national and international efforts to develop best practices within the field of philanthropy, and has authored more than a hundred works on philanthropy and social justice. His seminal research on African American giving and volunteering helped to spark broad public interest in ethnic philanthropic studies.
Kim Hendler is the managing director of talent at iMentor, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of young people from underserved communities through technology-based approaches to mentoring. Prior to working at iMentor, Kim was executive director of Princeton Project 55 where she oversaw initiatives to engage university alumni and recent graduates in public interest work. Kim also worked at El Pomar Foundation where she participated in a nonprofit leadership development fellowship program while supporting grant making and operating programs. Kim was a member of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network’s national board from 2007 to 2010 and served as vice chair from 2008 to 2010.
Shelly Cryer is the author of The Nonprofit Career Guide: How to Land a Job That Makes a Difference (Turner Publishing) and founder of the Initiative for Nonprofit Sector Careers and Nonprofit Sector Workforce Coalition (housed at Nonprofit Leadership Alliance). Shelly works as a communications consultant to nonprofits. She has taught courses on the media and nonprofits at Columbia University and The City University. She received an MIA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) and a BA from Duke. She and her husband, Michael Stern, a conductor, have two daughters and live in Connecticut.
Jeanne Bell, MNA, is CEO of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, a leading training and consulting firm for community-based organizations. She coauthored Financial Leadership for Nonprofit Executives: Guiding Your Organization to Long Term Success (Wilder) and conducted a series of research projects, including Daring to Lead 2006: A National Study of Nonprofit Executive Leadership. Jeanne is chair of the board of the Alliance for Nonprofit Management and a board member with the Nonprofits’ Insurance Alliance of California and with Intersection for the Arts. She serves as a contributing editor to The Nonprofit Quarterly.
David La Piana founded La Piana Consulting in 1998. Recognized as a leading expert on nonprofit management and governance, David has worked extensively with funders and nonprofits across subsectors. A popular author, speaker, and teacher, David is a regular contributor to the national dialogue on nonprofit and foundation effectiveness. Prior to founding La Piana Consulting, David held senior management positions with the YMCA, The International Institute, and the East Bay Agency for Children, a multifaceted human services agency that grew tenfold under his leadership. A Fellow of the Salzburg Seminar, David currently serves as board chair of the Craigslist Foundation.
With more than ten years of nonprofit consulting experience, Bob Harrington leads La Piana Consulting’s Strategic Restructuring Practice. As director, Bob draws on his extensive nonprofit management experience to assist today’s leaders in exploring the spectrum of nonprofit partnerships, such as mergers, joint ventures, and administrative consolidations. Prior to consulting, Bob worked in the nonprofit social services field for close to 30 years, leading organizations ranging from small community-based groups to statewide organizations. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis, and his masters of social work degree from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee.
Pamela Davis is the founder, president, and CEO of an affiliated group of charitable risk pools known as the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance Group. Together, Nonprofits’ Insurance Alliance of California (NIAC) and Alliance of Nonprofits of Insurance, Risk Retention Group (ANI) insure more than 10,000 nonprofits in 26 states for all types of liability insurance. One of the very early social entrepreneurs, Ms. Davis has grown these companies from a loan of $1 million from a group of foundations to organizations with nearly $300 million in assets. All companies in the group are 501(c)(3) nonprofits, like the organizations that they insure.
James Weinberg is the founder and CEO of Commongood Careers, a retained search firm that enables innovative nonprofits across the country to recruit and hire outstanding talent at every organizational level. Concurrently, James also serves as the founder & CEO of Talent Initiative, a nonprofit consulting firm dedicated to enhancing human capital management in the social sector. Previously, James served as national development director at BELL and as executive director at Homeless Children’s Education Fund. He was a Coro Fellow, has a master’s in management and public policy from Carnegie Mellon, and a BA in psychology from Tufts University.
As president and cofounder of Commongood Careers, Cassie Scarano provides strategic vision and daily management for the organization. Cassie has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, having served as the dean of admissions at The Steppingstone Foundation, director of Operations for The New Teacher Project, and director of Summerbridge Cambridge. She holds a BA in sociology from Northwestern University, an MA in education from Boston University, and an MBA in nonprofit management from Boston University. Currently an active board member of Breakthrough Cambridge, Cassie lives outside of Boston with her husband and son and enjoys spending time on her boat on Cape Cod.
Michael Watson directs development of human resources strategy for Girl Scouts of the USA. Prior to Girl Scouts, Watson held positions at IBM Global Services, Time Warner Inc., and GE Capital. He is a GE Human Resources Management Program graduate and recipient of GE Capital’s Pinnacle Club and IBM’s Golden Circle awards. Watson serves as the National Human Services Assembly’s Human Resources Council chair and was former board treasurer for the Nonprofit Workforce Coalition. Watson has a BA in economics from Yale University and MS in organizational management and human resource development from Manhattanville College.
Peter Brinckerhoff is an internationally renowned trainer, author, and consultant to not-for-profit organizations. He brings years of experience in the field to his work, as he is a former board member of local, state, and national organizations, and has worked as both staff and ED. Since founding his consulting firm Corporate Alternatives in 1982, Brinckerhoff has helped thousands of organizations become more mission-capable. Peter is the award-winning author of Mission-Based Management, Financial Empowerment, Mission-Based Marketing, Faith-Based Management, Social Entrepreneurship, Nonprofit Stewardship, and most recently, Generations: The Challenge of a Lifetime for Your Nonprofit.
Vincent L. Hyman is an award-winning writer, editor, and publisher with three decades of experience in writing, editing, and organizational communications. After leading the nonprofit publishing centers at Amherst H. Wilder Foundation and Fieldstone Alliance, Inc., he founded Vincent Hyman Editorial Services, with diverse content expertise in nonprofit management, foundation effectiveness, policy, marketing, business, mental health, addictions, health promotion, corrections, and music. He is editor of scores of books, author of the forthcoming Nonprofit Risk Management Guidebook, coauthor of Coping with Cutbacks: The Nonprofit Guide to Success When Times Are Tight, series editor for Ten Things Every Board Member Should Know . . ., and author of numerous web and print articles.
Bruce Hopkins’s practice focuses on the representation of tax-exempt organizations. He authored or coauthored The Law of Tax-Exempt Organizations; The New Form 990: Law, Policy, and Preparation; The Tax Law of Charitable Giving; Starting and Managing a Nonprofit Organization: A Legal Guide; IRS Audits of Tax-Exempt Organizations: Policies, Practices, and Procedures; Private Foundations: Tax Law and Compliance; and Nonprofit Governance: Law, Practices & Trends. He writes an award-winning monthly newsletter, Bruce R. Hopkins’ Nonprofit Counsel and received the Nonprofit Lawyers Award (2007) from the American Bar Association. He is presently on the faculty of the University of Kansas Law School.
Virginia Gross concentrates her practice in the fields of tax and nonprofit law. She represents a variety of nonprofit clients on tax-exempt matters, including charitable and educational organizations, private foundations, associations, supporting organizations, medical research and other healthcare organizations, social welfare organizations, and social clubs. Virginia is a frequent speaker on nonprofit issues and has coauthored two books on nonprofit law. She was listed in The Best Lawyers in America, Nonprofit Organizations/Charities Law, for 2008–2011. She has served on the governing board of several charities. Ms. Gross earned her JD from the University of Texas and her BS from Texas A&M University.
Nayantara Mehta is senior counsel with Alliance for Justice in Oakland, California. She works through AFJ’s Advocacy Program to help strengthen the capacity of the public interest community to influence public policy. She conducts trainings on the rules governing advocacy and lobbying by public charities and private foundations. Nayantara holds a JD from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), an MA from the University of Chicago, and a BA from the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Nayantara also serves on the board of the Youth Justice Institute and the American Constitution Society’s Bay Area lawyer chapter.
Nancy Chen holds a JD from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall), and a BSFS. from Georgetown University. She previously worked through Alliance for Justice’s Nonprofit Advocacy Project and Foundation Advocacy Initiative to help strengthen the capacity of the public interest community to influence public policy. Among other roles, she supported the Immigrant Advocacy Initiative of the Nonprofit Advocacy Project, through which AFJ supports the ability of immigrant rights groups to engage in nonprofit advocacy work
Marcia Avner is a senior fellow at the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, where she served as public policy director from 1996 to 2010. Avner also teaches at the Center on Advocacy and Political Leadership at the University of Minnesota- Duluth. Her practice, Avner Consulting, works with nonprofits and foundations on advocacy-related issues. Avner authored The Lobbying and Advocacy Handbook for Nonprofit Organizations: Shaping Public Policy at the State and Local Level, The Board Member’s Guide to Lobbying and Advocacy, and advocacy manuals for several national organizations. She does national advocacy training and serves on the boards of Wellstone Action!, The Nonprofit Quarterly, and United Family Medicine.
In her current role at MCN, Jeannie Fox is responsible for direct and grassroots lobbying and advocacy efforts on behalf of the nonprofit sector in Minnesota, and is a frequent speaker and trainer to various nonprofits increasing their capacity to do advocacy and civic engagement work. Jeannie is also a Training Fellow for the Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest and is adjunct faculty for the University of Minnesota-Duluth Master’s program in advocacy and political leadership and at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs. She serves on numerous nonprofit steering committees, public policy advisory councils, and boards of directors.
David Greco is the vice president of the Nonprofit Finance Fund, bringing more than 20 years of experience in building nonprofit programs and earned income ventures. Previously, David served as vice president of the Youth Leadership Institute, bringing youth and adults together to create more just and sustainable communities. He also served as the corporate and foundation relations manager for the National Wildlife Federation, and director of programs for the Horatio Alger Association, where he worked with economically disadvantaged youth. He earned his MA in political science from Villanova University and BS in history and politics from Drexel University.
Holly has spent more than seven years at NTEN, working with community members to identify the technology trends that will reshape the nonprofit sector. From ubiquitous access to technology leadership to social media, Holly brings the wisdom of the NTEN crowd to the nonprofit sector. Holly has been recognized as one of the Nonprofit Times Power and Influence Top 50 twice, in 2009 and 2010. Holly is also editor of Managing Technology to Meet Your Mission: A Strategic Guide for Nonprofit Leaders.
As a staff writer at TechSoup Global, Elliot Harmon writes content to educate nonprofits and public libraries on effective use of technology. He has degrees from the University of South Dakota and the California College of the Arts.
Jonathan Warnow is a cofounder of 350.org, an innovative global campaign to stop the climate crisis. His work focuses on harnessing new media and social technology to catalyze large-scale change. In additional to developing the tools and outreach strategy that facilitated over 10,000 offline events, Warnow has worked to develop a model of “open-source activism”—a new framework for social change that creates deeper engagement, empowered constituencies, and lasting results.
Joe Solomon (@EngageJoe on Twitter) is a strategist, writer, and campaigner at the frontlines of wiring new movements, combining grassroots community organizing with the power of the Internet. His most recent work is as the Social Media Coordinator for 350.org.
Steve Wright strives to serve as a catalyst for a better world, aggressively pursuing avenues for global collaboration on social outcomes. He is an educator and social technologist who introduces visionary people with complementary goals. Prior to his role at Grameen Foundation, he served as director of innovation at the Salesforce.com Foundation, the nonprofit arm of one of the leading CRM providers.
Andrea McManus is president of The Development Group, a full-service strategic philanthropic consulting firm in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. A leader in the nonprofit sector locally, nationally, and internationally, Andrea is currently chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Board and is the first international chair of that organization. Recognized by the Calgary Chapter as its Outstanding Fundraising Professional for 2007 she is also an AFP Master Teacher and speaks frequently at conferences and workshops in Canada.
Kay Sprinkel Grace is passionate about philanthropy and has devoted the last thirty years to the nonprofit sector, providing seminal thought, habit-breaking strategies, challenges to board and staff, and reengineering the vocabulary of fundraising. Her six books and frequent speaking engagements across the globe reflect her restless quest for an ever-improved capacity of organizations to truly serve their communities. A Stanford graduate (BA, MA), she has built on a career in journalism and education to create a business practice and reputation that draw from the best of both.
Tori O’Neal-McElrath is currently the director of development for the Center for Community Change in Washington, DC. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for more than 21 years in various management and consulting roles for both organizations and foundations focused on women and girls, health and community clinics, and social justice. She is a member of the Greater Washington, DC Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Black Philanthropic Alliance, and has served on various nonprofit boards of directors. Tori is also the coauthor of Winning Grants Step by Step (3rd edition), published by Jossey-Bass.
Katya Andresen is COO of Network for Good and a speaker, author, and blogger about nonprofit marketing, online outreach, and social media. She teaches at American University and serves on the board of NTEN. Katya has trained thousands of causes in effective marketing and media relations, and her marketing materials for nonprofits have won national and international awards. Author of Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes, her work is also featured in People to People Fundraising—Social Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities. Fundraising Success Magazine named her “Fundraising Professional of the Year” in 2007.
Rebecca Higman is Network for Good’s senior product marketing manager, as well as a speaker and writer about online fundraising, email marketing, and social networking. She manages nonprofit marketing activities, including new product development, website management, e-newsletter development, event marketing, business development strategy, and marketing of Network for Good’s fundraising, email marketing, and online events services. Rebecca has spoken to diverse audiences in the nonprofit sector, including VOLUNTEER Hampton Roads, the Foundation Center, Maryland Nonprofits, NA’AMAT USA, CanadaHelps and Capital Area Food Bank. Her articles have appeared in the Direct Marketing Association’s blog, Fundraising Success, and Philanthropy Journal.
Nicci Noble, CFRE is president of Noble Services LLC, an online fundraising, communications, marketing, and technology consulting company. Noble enjoys teaching nonprofit professionals how to ethically and effectively leverage technology and the Internet in their communication and fundraising efforts at educational events across the world. Noble is best known for her work at The Salvation Army, where she implemented their first email, online giving, and peer-to-peer programs for Christmas and disaster campaigns. Noble is a past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter, served on the AFP International Committee on Directorship, and is currently a member of the AFP International External Relations Committee, Member Services Division, Marketing & Communications Task Force, and Chair of the Social Media Policy Guidelines Task Force.
Before joining the Center for Environmental Health as development director, Sean Sullivan served Equality California in the same role, where he lead the organization’s $14 million No on Proposition 8 fundraising effort. Prior to that role, he served as the director of development and community relations for Covenant House California in Oakland, California, where he led multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns over 10 years. Sean is the immediate past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Golden Gate Chapter and sits on the boards of several other community-based organizations. Sean holds his BA in journalism/mass communication from St. Bonaventure University and his certificate in nonprofit management from Stanford University.
Jay Aldous is chief strategist for Social Capital Partnerships, a consultancy that advises top-tier nonprofits on developing sustainable revenue sources. Prior, he was the chief marketing and communications officer for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. During his tenure he created UNICEF’s call-to-action campaign, Believe in Zero, and UNICEF’s award-winning clean water initiative, the Tap Project. Previous positions included senior partner of The Brighton Group, a consultancy providing marketing and development services to nonprofit organizations, and senior vice president of Marketing for Children’s Miracle Network. Aldous was recognized as the 2008 Nonprofit Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association.
Rick Aubry, PhD, is the founder and CEO of New Foundry Ventures (formerly Rubicon National Social Innovations) and a faculty member at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he is a fellow of Stanford’s Center for Social Innovation. His work at Rubicon has had a significant and measured impact on the lives of over 40,000 people confronting homelessness, poverty, and the challenges of living with mental health disabilities. He is a five-time winner of Fast Company Magazine’s Social Capitalist Award and is a coauthor of Generating and Sustaining Nonprofit Earned Income.
Jennie Winton is a founding partner of Mission Minded and an expert in nonprofit branding and positioning. Clients include National Equity Project, Levi Strauss Foundation, and San Francisco Opera. She was chief marketing officer of the American Red Cross Bay Area Chapter and account executive at several advertising agencies. She worked with Elizabeth Dole at Red Cross headquarters and Norman Lear at the Declaration of Independence Road Trip, fundraising millions for charity. Jennie graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in radio, television & film and is an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Business at University of San Francisco.
Zach Hochstadt is a Mission Minded founding partner and leads the company’s creative teams in message development, writing, naming, graphic design, and web design and development. A strategic communications expert, Zach transforms organizational initiatives into creative concepts and communication tools. He’s consulted for a range of clients, including Denver Art Museum, Sierra Club, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and Denver Public Schools Foundation. He lectures frequently, and through Mission Minded’s Minute Message ModelTM, has taught hundreds of nonprofit leaders how to improve their communication. Zach earned his BA in English from the Robert Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon.
Beth is the author of Beth’s Blog, one of the longest running and most popular blogs for nonprofits, and coauthor of the highly acclaimed book, The Networked Nonprofit. Beth is the CEO of Zoetica, a company that serves nonprofits and socially conscious companies with top-tier, online marketing services. In 2009, she was named by Fast Company magazine as one of the most influential women in technology and one of Business Week’s “Voices of Innovation for Social Media.” She is currently the Visiting Scholar for Social Media and Nonprofits for the Packard Foundation.
Kivi Leroux Miller is president of NonprofitMarketingGuide.com and author of The Nonprofit Marketing Guide: High-Impact, Low-Cost Ways to Build Support for Your Good Cause. Through training, coaching, and consulting, she helps small nonprofits and communications departments of large ones make a big impression with smart, savvy marketing and communications. She teaches a weekly webinar series and writes a leading blog on nonprofit communications. She presents highly rated workshops and keynotes on a variety of nonprofit marketing topics around the country. More than 2,500 nonprofits in 50 states, across Canada, and in more than two-dozen countries have participated in Kivi’s webinars.
Marika Holmgren is the founder, principal, and lead event producer of Organic Events, a boutique event production firm specializing in sustainable event production for progressive nonprofit organizations. In addition, she produces the annual Goldman Environmental Prize ceremony, the largest environmental prize program in the country. Her clients include The Jane Goodall Institute, the Tides Foundation, Environmental Grantmakers Association, Mother Jones, Global Green, Wikimedia, and many other social change leaders and innovators. She serves as the president of the board of ForestEthics, and leads the Team LUNAChix Bay Area Mountain Bike Team, which raises critical funds for the Breast Cancer Fund.
David Fenton, named “One of the 100 most influential PR people of the 20th Century” by PR Week magazine, founded Fenton, the largest public interest communications firm in the country, in 1982 to create public relations campaigns for the environment, public health, and human rights. Over more than four decades, he has pioneered the use of professional PR and advertising techniques by nonprofits. David cofounded four nonprofits: Environmental Media Services; New Economy Communications; the Death Penalty Information Center; and The American Freedom Campaign. He was formerly director of public relations at Rolling Stone magazine and coproducer of the “No-Nukes” concerts in 1979 with Bruce Springsteen and others.
Lisa Chen is a senior vice president at Fenton, where she focuses on campaign strategy, branding, and messaging for nonprofits. She is a member of Fenton’s health, education, and women’s practice teams and the coauthor of The She Spot: Why Women Are the Market for Changing the World and How to Reach Them. She is a former reporter for the San Jose Mercury News.
Vernetta Walker works with multifaceted organizations and consults on nonprofit compliance issues, effective governance, and developments in the nonprofit sector. Prior to serving as director of consulting at BoardSource, Vernetta served as associate general counsel for the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations and provided technical assistance, counsel, and nonprofit expertise in the areas of board governance, organizational structure, and advocacy. Vernetta practiced law in Florida for several years and served as a grant officer for the Florida Bar Foundation. She received her JD from Washington University in St. Louis and her BA from the University of Maryland.
Emily Heard is a senior staff consultant for BoardSource, where she provides consultative guidance to nonprofit organizations on effective board governance. Prior to BoardSource, Emily served as director of education and professional services for the International Business Ethics Institute, where she designed training, revised codes of conduct, and provided other consulting services to multinational corporations. Emily also worked at the Corporate Executive Board and served as a consultant for various think tanks. Emily holds a BA in history from McGill University (Montreal, Quebec), and an MA in history from Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia).
Robert M. Zimmerman passed away on December 26, 2010. He was president of Zimmerman Lehman, has over 35 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising. He served as director of development at several nonprofits, including the Youth Law Center and the Westside Center for Independent Living. Bob taught workshops on topics including major donor solicitation, capital campaigns, and overcoming the fear of fundraising. He served on the board of directors of the Golden Gate chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and was the coauthor of Boards That Love Fundraising: A How-To Guide for Your Board and Board Members Rule: How to Be a Strategic Advocate for Your Nonprofit. Using his wit and wisdom, Bob dedicated his life to teaching board members to be fearless in the pursuit of resources for their nonprofits. Please keep his philosophy in mind as you continue to do your important and essential work—it’s the best way to honor his wonderful legacy.
Greg Baldwin joined VolunteerMatch in 1998 as its Chief Imagination Officer to launch the first website for the popular volunteering network. Today the award- winning VolunteerMatch service is helping tens of thousands of nonprofit organizations unlock the volunteer support of their community. Greg is a lifelong volunteer and regularly speaks at nonprofit events and conferences on the subjects of volunteering, communication, and the Internet. Greg earned his degree in public policy from Brown University.
Michelle Nunn began her career as the founding director of Hands On Atlanta. She later became President and CEO of HandsOn Network, and in 2007 took the helm of the combined Points of Light and Hands On Network after their merger. Now the largest volunteer organization in the nation, HandsOn Action Centers engage millions of volunteers every year. Nunn graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Virginia, and has studied at Oxford University and in India. She was a Kellogg National Fellow and has a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Lynne Twist—global activist, speaker, and award-winning author of The Soul of Money, has dedicated her life to global initiatives that create a sustainable future for all, including protecting the world’s rainforests and empowering indigenous people. She is the cofounder of The Pachamama Alliance with her husband, Bill Twist, and is cocreator of the global media campaign, Four Years. Go. Lynne has been responsible for raising hundreds of millions of dollars and has trained thousands of fundraisers. She is the president of the Soul of Money Institute, based in San Francisco, CA.
Laila Brenner is a freelance writer and fundraising specialist who has dedicated her life and career to promoting social justice and change. With her Master’s in Nonprofit Administration, Laila has worked raising money for and promoting a variety of causes within the sector, including education and literacy, bridging the technology gap, affordable housing, environmental conservation, community building, volunteerism, and more. Personally passionate about volunteerism and the arts, Laila is co-founder of the Women’s Service Club, and is currently serving as Executive Director for AtmosTheatre. In the past, Laila has worked with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, The Trust for Public Land, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Craigslist Foundation, and more. Laila relishes her role of helping social profit organizations develop infrastructure to further impact and sustain their missions.
