MArcus Allen

CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region

Marcus Allen is the CEO of the Greater Philadelphia region’s largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization — celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2015.

In April of 2013, Allen became the first African American CEO in BBBS IR’s celebrated history. For 3 consecutive years, he has significantly grown the Agency as measured by number of children served, revenue generation from donors and programs and overall visibility. This impressive growth garnered BBBS IR a “Gold Standard Award” in 2013 and the coveted “Pinnacle Award” in 2014 from BBBS America, given to only four affiliates of the 334 affiliated agencies across the country.
Prior to joining BBBS IR, Allen was President/Chief Executive Officer of ACHIEVEability, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit helping to break the generational cycle of poverty for low-income, single parent, and homeless families by providing academic, employment, housing and family support services.

Allen is a respected community leader and sought-after speaker for a variety of topics, including Mentoring, Mass Incarceration, Leadership Development, Board Governance, Economic Issues, Educational Excellence and Nonprofit Management. His op-eds have been featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, and he is a frequent guest on several local radio and television stations.

He has received numerous awards, including: Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEO” (2015), Philadelphia/Jersey Magazine’s “Man of the Year” nominee (2015) McDonald’s Anthony De Luz Black History Maker of Today Award (2014), Philadelphia Life Magazine’s Men of the Year (2013), Philadelphia Tribune’s Top 10 list of Most Influential African Americans Under the Age of 40 (2013, 2010) and, many more leadership and civic awards.

He currently serves on the board of directors for United Way, Philadelphia Health Management Corporation, the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations. He was appointed to the US Commission on Civil Rights PA and serves as Senior Fellow for Fels Institute of Government at University of Pennsylvania.

Allen is a graduate of Temple University and received his MBA in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. He began his college career at Paine College on a General Motors Engineering Scholarship while playing basketball. He is a two-time inductee into the Paine College Sports Hall of Fame (2000, 2014) tried out for the Denver Nuggets (1994) and played basketball professionally in Europe, Israel and South America.

Kurt Aschermann

Kurt Aschermann has almost 40 years’ experience as a marketing and resource development professional. Before retiring, he served as Chief Marketing and Development Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where he supervised a staff that managed BGCA’s fundraising and marketing operations nationwide. There, he created and implemented a fundraising strategy for the organization that saw national revenue go from $350 million to $1.2 billion in a little over 10 years. Relationships with major corporations, foundations, and individuals resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars raised for the organization and unprecedented awareness for the Boys & Girls Clubs Movement. Besides helping to establish BGCA as the Official Charity of Major League Baseball, Aschermann guided the organization to forge national partnerships with the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and many other international corporations. Aschermann was the architect of BGCA’s National Board of Governors reorganization plan in the early 90s, and he managed the organization’s relationships with various high-profile spokespersons, including Ken Griffey Jr., Anna Kournikova, Shaquille O’Neal, Alex Rodriguez, and Denzel Washington. In 2006, Aschermann packaged and helped produce Washington’s first book, “A Hand to Guide Me.” Based in Virginia, Aschermann operates KA6CONSULTING, a consulting firm that provides services to a limited number of nonprofits and companies. He also continues to conduct retreats, workshops/breakout sessions, and keynotes for nonprofits on marketing/branding, team building and management, board development, fundraising, and cause-related marketing.

Workshops:

• New Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer Luncheon

Jennifer Ashbaugh

Director of Development, BBBSA

Workshops:

• Creating a Successful Partnership With Your Minor League Baseball Team

Dianne Bailey

Managing Director, National Practice Executive, US Trust/Bank of America

My passion is providing nonprofit organizations with tools and resources to achieve their philanthropic missions. I believe in the power of nonprofits to make our world better educated, healthier and more humane. My current role is leading nonprofit consulting nationally for US Trust Private Wealth Management, a division of Bank of America. Our team delivers customized and strategic consulting and advisory services to US Trust nonprofit institutional investment clients’ boards of directors, investment committees and senior professional leaders. I am a frequent speaker and commentator on topics related to best practices for nonprofits and strategic philanthropy.

Previously as an attorney, my practice was dedicated to the representation of nonprofit organizations, their senior management and volunteer leaders. I advised a diverse group of nonprofits in all aspects of their organization, administration and management. My clients included colleges and universities, museums, human service organizations, sports philanthropists, health care affiliate and conversion foundations, corporate and community foundations, private foundations and donor-advised fund holders, churches and other religious organizations, national fraternities and sororities, business leagues, trade organizations, and start-up charities with big dreams. In addition, I regularly was engaged as an expert witness in state and federal litigation matters, providing strategic counsel and trial testimony.

An active community leader, I have served on and chaired many nonprofit boards including most recently, Discovery Place and Women Executives. An evangelist for women’s philanthropy, I am a founding member and past president of Women’s Impact Fund and currently serve as vice chair of the Women’s Philanthropy Institute national council.

As a TEDx speaker, I made The Case for Fierce Optimism: bit.ly/BaileyTEDx.

Workshops:

• Understanding the Priorities and Practices of Affluent Donors

Jeron Baker

Research Associate, Independent

Jeron S. Baker received a B.A. in Social Work from Goshen College, and a Master of Public Administration degree from James Madison University. He has had coursework in Research Methods and Program Evaluation, and has conducted program evaluations as well as research on nonprofit donating behaviors.

Workshops:

• Improving Match Outcomes With Literacy-Enhanced School-Based Mentoring

Sarah Ballard

Program Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana

Sarah Ballard is the Program Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana in Louisville, Kentucky. She started as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in 2006 and remains passionate about changing the world one relationship at a time – relationships with youth, mentors, caregivers, partners, donors, and colleagues. She has a background in art therapy and enjoys opportunities to tie this into interactions with matches and with staff. She is a parent to 3 cats and 2 kids and knows first-hand the challenges, joys, and demands of juggling parenting with everything else life throws at us. Her father was matched with Little Brother Jeff in 1975 and Jeff served as an uncle figure throughout Sarah’s life. He remains a family friend today, 43 years after the beginning of his match, and credits the BBBS program with saving his life and ending a multi-generational cycle of violence.

Workshops:

• Engaging Families to Support Enduring Matches
  

Hillary Bardwell

Director Foundation Grants, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Hillary Bardwell has significant experience in student mentoring and community partnerships. As Director, Foundation Grants at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, she spearheads several LGBTQ youth mentoring grant projects, hosts LGBTQQ sensitivity training webinars, and organizes initiatives including a highly active Community of Practice forum for discussion, resources and peer sharing. Previously, Ms. Bardwell launched career workshops for public policy students; mentoring programs for special populations including LGBTQ, international, and high-achiever minority students at Rutgers University. She championed a first-time in college student/alumni mentoring program at the Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy at Rutgers University; designed and taught programming for Rutgers’ first-year students in transition to college; and created college preparatory presentations in partnership with several school districts in southwest Florida, which included a mentoring program component for middle and high school students while at the University of South Florida. Her programs have served as models for peer institutions. She has been a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County, NJ for 8 years.

Workshops:

• Creating Safe and Inclusive Mentoring Services for LGBTQ Youth

Caitlin Barry

Program Services Supervisor, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay

Caitlin has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay since November 2004. She has done both Enrollment and Match Support before transitioning to a supervisor role in 2015. Caitlin is currently a Program Services Supervisor, supporting staff primarily in the Cape Cod and Islands region. Caitlin has a BA from the University of Connecticut where she studied Sociology. Caitlin is also a two-time former Big Sister and currently lives in Plymouth, MA.

Workshops:

• Engaging Adults 50+ as Bigs
  

Jarrod Bell

CTO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Workshops:

• List Views, Reports, and Dashboards in Matchforce – Tell Your Story with Data (Box Lunch Session)

• Making the Most of Matchforce for Agency Leaders

• Getting Data In and Out of Matchforce

• Matchforce Tips

• List Views, Reports, and Dashboards in Matchforce – Tell Your Story with Data

• Matchforce Roadmap

Donna Bennett

CEO/President, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cumberland & Salem Counties

Donna Bennett began working with Big Brothers Big Sisters in 1992 and holds the position of President/Chief Executive Officer. Bennett is a visionary leader with progressive experience and passion to facilitate organizational growth, with motivational drive to inspire others to believe in a mission and vision of an organization. Bennett was a founding advisory member and alumni member of the first graduating class of Leadership Cumberland County. In 2010, Bennett served on the big Brothers Big Sisters of America Brand protection and Standards Task Force. In 2008, Bennett received the CEO of the Year Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America for small agencies. In the same year, the agency received a Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Small Market Gold Standard Award for quality program and revenue growth in 2007. In 2004, Bennett received the Liberty Bell Award awarded by the Cumberland County Bar Association.

Bennett received her Bachelor of Science in Visual Communications from the University of Delaware and worked as an Art Director in an advertising agency prior to joining Big Brothers Big Sisters. Bennett knows the Big Brothers Big Sisters program very well because she started out as a volunteer Big Sister.

Workshops:

• Igniting Fund Development for Small & Mid-Sized Agencies

Melissa Bixby

Program Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Idaho

Starting in college Melissa knew she wanted to empower kids and families. Giving kids the opportunity to succeed in life and showing them the potential they have within is something Melissa has always been passionate about. Being Program Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Idaho is a natural fit. When not at work, Melissa is a mom taxi for her preteen daughter and concierge for her Pembroke Welsh Corgi. For fun you’ll find Melissa running the Boise Foothills or exploring the world of Sonoma wines with her husband.

Workshops:

• Finding our Voice to Create Positive Change – Our Journey to Success in Boise

Tyler Boldin

Chief Development Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee

Tyler Boldin joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee as the agency’s Chief Development Officer in early 2018. In this role, Tyler is responsible for managing the agency’s multiple revenue sources, including individual and corporate supporters, grant development, and special events. Focusing on building and stewarding relationships, Tyler prioritizes the interest and philanthropic goals of current and potential supporters, working to align them with the mission and vision of Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee. Prior to joining BBBS-ETN, Tyler served as the Manager of Major Gifts and Leadership Giving at The United Way of Greater Knoxville. At United Way, Tyler was responsible for identifying and building relationships with numerous supporters across the region, supporting a small group of donors who contributed more than $9 Million to the agency’s annual campaign. As an East Tennessee native, Tyler is an alumnus of the University of Tennessee with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. Tyler is active in many local non-profits and civic groups, including his service as the Board Chair for Character Counts of Knoxville and Knox County since 2015. When he isn’t helping donors defend the potential of youth in East Tennessee, he spends time with his wife and 2 year old daughter.

Workshops:

• Success With Bowl for Kids' Sake on a Tight Budget

Jesse Bowen

Associate Creative Director, Barkley

Jesse Bowen is a California-born art director that has recently discovered his love of midwestern home prices and friendly people. He brings over a decade of leading successful on brands like Electronic Arts, Allstate, Hotels.com, Firestone, Nintendo and United Healthcare.

Jesse has worked for major global agencies including Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, HEAT, Y&R, Leo Burnett and now Barkley.

Jesse received his BA in graphic design at Pacific University in Stockton, California and his M.S. in Mass Communications at VCU in Richmond, Virginia.

Workshops:

• Big Talk. Local Impact.

Spencer Branham

Associate Design Director, Barkley

Spencer Branham is an Associate Design Director at Barkley. Prepared for any creative challenge, he’s experienced in everything from naming and brand development to broadcast advertising and retail merchandising. He’s worked with great brands like Hallmark Cards, The Kansas City Royals, Ace Hardware, Dairy Farmers of America and Big Brothers Big Sisters. As President Emeritus of AIGA Kansas City, he worked over his tenure to foster creativity and connectivity in the community and continues to support local initiatives that drive design forward.

Workshops:

• On-Brand Photography With Your Smartphone

• Going Beyond the Brand Guide

• Widen Your “Defender” Vocabulary

Corita Brown

Leadership and Learning Director, Encore.Org

Corita Brown, PhD has over 20 years’ experience in the nonprofit sector. She currently serves as the Leadership and Learning Director for Encore.org ’s Generation to Generation Campaign. Prior to joining Encore.org, she worked as the National Training Director for The Intergenerational Center at Temple University. Dr. Brown has successfully built the capacity of diverse teams in the nonprofit, community development and philanthropic realms to develop multigenerational leadership, build cross-sector collaborations and design policies, practices and programs to support intergenerational engagement. She holds a Masters in Organizational Psychology and Adult Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a PhD in Urban Studies from Temple University. She currently serves as a reviewer for the International Journal of Intergenerational Relations.

Workshops:

• Engaging Adults 50+ as Bigs

Kristine Brown

Director of Marketing & Communications, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago

Kristine is responsible for planning, development and implementation of the agency’s integrated marketing strategies, both internal and external. Prior to joining BBBSMC, she served in account management and copywriter positions at marketing and advertising agencies in Chicago, Upshot and Integrated Marketing Solutions. Kristine has worked on various consumer promotion, social media and brand engagement programs. Kristine received a master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Medill, Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Boston College.

Workshops:

• Using Technology to Elevate Bowl For Kids’ Sake (Box Lunch Session)

Jordan Card

Senior Manager – Training, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City

Jordan Card is the Senior Program Manager of the Center for Training. Jordan has extensive experience teaching youth development skills in traditional public schools, charter schools and youth development programs. Jordan has designed large-scale training initiatives workshops, eLearning content and more for teachers, school leaders and other educators on the topics of group management, leadership development, and creating inclusive environments. Jordan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Human Services from the University of Oregon.

Workshops:

• Meeting the Needs of Millennial Bigs

Cecilia Chesney

Executive Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan

A 20+ year resident of Traverse City, Cecilia joined BBBS in late August 2010. Cecilia’s background includes ten years of experience in Communications and Public Relations with the Traverse City Area Public Schools, and most recently in the private sector in Sales and Marketing. Since joining the agency, Cecilia has been working with the board and staff in implementing their fund development and marketing plan, which was developed in May of 2010. Under her direction the organization has invested in building the infrastructure needed to grow greater financials resources to support 150 more matches over the course of 3 years.

Ursula Christie

Regional Coordinator Student Assistance Program, Caron Treatment Centers

Ursula Christie came to Caron with nearly 20 years of experience as a well-regarded educator and instructional leader. Having received a Bachelors degree in Education from the University of Arizona and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Kennesaw State University, Ursula brings a wealth of insight into student, teacher, parent and administrator relationships. She has worked with students in kindergarten through 12th grade and has facilitated staff development at all levels. She maintains a passion to support addiction treatment while fostering collaborative opportunities to guide youth toward healthy and productive living. During her 4 years at Caron, Ursula has worked with youth serving agencies such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, Communities in Schools, as well as private and public schools implementing prevention education in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina. Caron Treatment Centers has served students, faculty, and parents for more than 25 years through the Student Assistance Program (SAP) which provides solution-oriented alcohol, nicotine, and other drug education, prevention and intervention services. Through SAP, opportunities for student success are increased by identifying and removing barriers to learning.

Workshops:

• Opioid and Substance Abuse Prevention MYIO Staff Training - Resiliency: The Art of Bouncing Back (Part 1)

• Opioid and Substance Abuse Prevention MYIO Staff Training - Resiliency: The Art of Bouncing Back (Part 2)

Nia Clark

Consultant, Independent Consultant

Nia Clark, previously Mentoring Coordinator at the Los Angeles LGBT Center/LifeWorks, is an independent consultant and trainer. Nia is a Boston native with over 20 years of unique experience who grew up in foster care and as an adult professional now working with youth and young adults in the child welfare system. Before moving to California in 2014, she worked for over 8 years as a direct care counselor and Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) trainer at youth residential programs in Massachusetts. While serving as Mentoring Coordinator at LifeWorks, she was responsible for overseeing more than 50 active one-on-one mentorship matches between LGBTQ youth and adults each year. Additionally, she is a consultant trainer for the Human Rights Campaign’s All Children – All Families Project, a national initiative that provides a framework for child welfare agencies to achieve safety, permanency and well-being by improving policies, practices, and services for LGBTQ youth in care. Most recently, she served as consultant producer for the MTV documentary Transformation, a film featuring six trans and gender non-conforming youth coming to terms with their identities.

Workshops:

• Creating Safe and Inclusive Mentoring Services for LGBTQ Youth

• Communicating to Create Lasting Bonds

Rachel Constanzo

LCSW – Mazie Program Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass / Metrowest

Rachel Constanzo is a Licensed Certified Social Worker who was born and raised in Framingham, MA. She is currently the Program Manager of the Mazie Mentoring Program at Framingham High School. Before this job, she received her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Chicago. In Chicago, along with studying, she worked in an arts-based after school program with high school students where she did individual counseling and group work. Later, she worked as a sexual violence prevention educator at a rape crisis center where she taught violence prevention theories and strategies to students in grades K-12. Rachel was part of the Violence Prevention Program at University of Chicago and became passionate about incorporating trauma-informed practices into all the work she does. Rachel originally decided to go to social work school after spending a year teaching English at a low-performing high school in a rural, Chilean neighborhood. She realized that she loved working with teens but wanted to feel better equipped to support them through tough times. She is fluent in both English and Spanish. Rachel received a BA in International Studies from American University in Washington D.C. In her free time, Rachel loves going hiking and doing anything outdoors. She is an avid reader and always enjoys a good historical fiction novel.

Workshops:

• MySTEM - A Model for STEM for Agencies

• Mazie Mentoring Program - Incorporating High School Programming
  

Michael Coughlin

Chief Program Officer, BBBS of NYC

As Chief Program Officer, Michael Coughlin oversees all program initiatives, strategic planning, program evaluation, and volunteer/family recruitment. Michael has been with BBBS of NYC for 12 years where he’s implemented new evaluation methods, developed a mentoring app helping mentors develop more impactful mentoring relationships, and created a targeted volunteer recruitment technique now recognized as a national best practice. Michael holds a Masters of Social Work from Columbia University School of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from St. Joseph’s College of Maine.

Workshops:

• Meeting the Needs of Millennial Bigs

Kimberly Evered

Director of Client Success, Zuri Group

Kim has over 20 years of experience in client support, digital marketing, small business operations and growth management. As Director of Client Support, Kim is responsible for implementing and supporting the websites, donor management platforms, and peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising applications Zuri Group implements with various clients. Kim particularly enjoys building business processes, systems and teams for growing companies. In addition to being an outdoor enthusiast, Kim is active in the Bend community and is a member of several local networking groups. She is also the Advisory Board Chair for Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Oregon and has been a Big Sister for 10 years.

Workshops:

• Peer-to-Peer Best Practices for Any Platform

Wendy Foster

CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay

Wendy brings more than three decades of executive leadership in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors and is nationally recognized for her leadership within the Big Brothers Big Sisters nationwide network. Wendy joined the agency ten years ago and has been Chief Executive Officer for seven years. She leverages top-level management experience as well as project, systems and technology development skills in support of the close to 3,000 children the agency serves annually today –and the thousands more the agency is scaling to reach. Prior to Big Brothers Big Sisters, Wendy held executive positions at America Online (AOL) and Time-Life Inc., a division of Time-Warner. Wendy is a member of the LeadBoston Class of 2010, The Boston Club and the Massachusetts Women’s Forum. Wendy received the 2017 Pinnacle Award for Nonprofit Management from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Women’s Network Advisory Board. Wendy is a ‘Big Sister’ to ‘Little Sister’ Shanell. They have been ‘matched’ for five years.

Workshops:

• Dramatic Growth Requires a Big Plan – Lessons from One Agency’s Success

Laura Fredricks

CEO and Founder, THE ASK

Laura Fredricks, JD, Expert on THE ASK, is BBBSA’s Fundraising Consultant for the Rural Initiative. A life-long supporter of BBBSA, Laura has had 3 little sisters and is tremendously dedicated and passionate about BBBSA. She has over 27 years experience as an international philanthropy expert; has written 6 books on how anyone can ASK for anything they want professionally and personally; and is the 1st to combine the most trusted fields, law and philanthropy to create her consulting business focusing on THE ASK. Her latest book: THE ASK for Business, for Philanthropy, for Everyday Living, is THE go to guide for boards and staff to learn how they can effortlessly ASK for support. Laura is the recipient of the Association of Fundraising Professional’s prestigious Chamberlain Award for excellence in the fundraising profession (2018) and the NYC Media 50 over 50 Award (2017) for excellence in the media and philanthropy.

Workshops:

• Turning Special Events into Major Gift Opportunities

• Maximizing Corporate Giving While Increasing Individual Giving

Mike Fye

Program Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado

Mike is the program manager for the Sports Buddies program at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. He has been with BBBSCO in the Sports Buddies program since 2007, starting as a program specialist before becoming manager in 2012. Under his leadership the Sports Buddies program has become a model program for its success in recruiting men and creating long lasting relationships with measurable impacts through a site-based model. Mike has a strong background in connecting sports to youth development with experience in event planning, partnership management, coaching, and curriculum development. Mike has a passion for utilizing sports to build confidence and encourage healthy lifestyles in youth. Through his efforts in the program he was the recipient of the Sports Authority Hometown Hero Award in 2012 and the Heart of BBBSCO Award in 2015.

Workshops:

• Sports Buddies: The Program That Boosts Male Recruitment

Tanya Gibson

Director of Human Resources, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Tanya has served as the National Office’s Director of Human Resources for 2 years. She holds her Professional in Human Resources certification and an MBA with a focus in Human Resource Management. In her role of HR Director she provides support for all of the HR activities for the National staff. IN addition to the National office staff she provides resources and best practices to the Network in a monthly webinar on Workplace.

Workshops:

• Changes in Leadership Style: Leading from Where You Are

• Managing Conflict and Having Difficult Conversations

Melissa Gordon

Co-Owner, CM Consulting Group

With over ten years’ experience leading programs at both a local and national level, Melissa first served in program leadership at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana in Louisville, Kentucky. From there, she had the privilege of working with hundreds of organizations around the country in her role with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. During her time there, Melissa developed strong relationships with agency leaders and boards by offering customized, in-person and virtual consultative services. Melissa is now co-owner of CM Consulting Group-which has served over 70 BBBS agencies of all sizes across 30 states, and continues to expand their reach. Melissa also holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Louisville, Kent School of Social Work.

Workshops:

• Using Your Documentation to Improve Program Quality

• Snapshot: The New Standards of Practice Training Series (Box Lunch Session)

Michael Hackman

Managing Director, Uncommon Individual Foundation

Michael Hackman- Managing Director: The Uncommon Individual Foundation. Devon, PA Michael has over 25 years of leadership experience in the non-profit social services sector. As a past Regional Director for a national youth mentoring organization and as Administrator for a county-wide homeless intervention program, Michael understands the value of targeted supportive services to help youth achieve their greatest potential. In his current role as Managing Director at the Uncommon Individual Foundation, Michael is responsible for the successful operation of the Foundation’s Education and Media Mentoring Programs. Michael has a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography from Penn State University and a Masters of Social Work Administration from Temple University.

Workshops:

• “OnTrack” to Post-Secondary Education

Stacey Hamilton-Nance

Chief Program Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana

Professional Strengths • Nearly twenty years experience leading programs for a youth-focused, non-profit, service organization on both a local and national level. • Highly skilled at auditing and analyzing performance and outcome measures, as well as establishing effective practices to maximize overall organizational effectiveness. • Experienced in helping agencies meet specific grant objectives as well as an in-depth understanding of the grant request process. Career History Chief Program Officer 5/2011-current Vice President of Programs 5/1998-3/2008 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (Louisville, KY) • Lead the program team, serving nearly 1,500 children per year in 12 counties. • Oversee all aspects of the volunteer program, including enrollment and support of adult and teen volunteers. • Manage staff of 38 personnel, overseeing three branches, 2 Program Directors, and 2 Program Coordinators. • Collaborate with a variety of community partners, including schools, to promote success amongst the youth in our community through shared projects. • Leverage new technology to transfer agency metrics into visual and understandable goals and reports for staff and community stakeholders. • Implemented new pilot program for service delivery and a technology database system that became nationwide models. Associate Director of Program Performance Management 3/2008-4/2011 Big Brothers Big Sisters of America – National Office (Local remote location) • Provided customized, consultative services to achieve the greatest positive impact for one-to-one community and school-based mentoring programs to 32 Big Brothers Big Sister affiliates. • Performed diagnostic review and analysis of agency performance management, program design, outcome measurement, and structure to ensure effective utilization of the service delivery system. • Worked collaboratively with my national team to develop and manage nationwide and regional objectives and ensure success with agency goals. • Trained and influenced agencies to adopt nationally developed enhanced school and community based mentoring service delivery initiatives driven by youth mentoring research. • Led workshops covering a variety of agency management topics. • Monitored, supported, and assisted individual agencies in meeting their grant objectives. Education • Masters Degree in Social Work 2002 University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work • Bachelor Degree in Social Work 1998 Indiana University

Workshops:

• Engaging Adults 50+ as Bigs

Melissa Hutchins

Enrollment and Training Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana

Melissa Hutchins is the Enrollment and Training Manager at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. After 13 years with the agency, she has experience in all program roles, as well as training staff, volunteers and families. When she’s not taking care of Kentuckiana business, she works with the BBBSA Training Department, teaches yoga, and loves spending time with her two French Bulldogs, Henry and Bean.

Workshops:

• Understand the Power of The Learning Exchange

• Snapshot: The New Online Volunteer Pre-Match Training

Emily Johnson

CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Idaho

Emily Johnson is the CEO for Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Idaho, she has been with the organization for 8 years. Emily and her team of professionals are using the power of mentoring relationships to ensure that every child in our community experiences his or her best possible future. She earned her BS in Education at Arizona State University and her Master’s of Administration from Northern Arizona University. An Idaho resident for the past 10 years, Emily and her husband enjoy camping, traveling and spending time with their 2 dogs and large orange cat.

Workshops:

• Finding our Voice to Create Positive Change – Our Journey to Success in Boise

Renee Jones

President, National Fundraising Solutions

Renee Jones has been a committed fundraiser and supporter of BBBS for the last two decades. She is a living icon in the nonprofit fundraising world. Renee is recognized as one of the world’s leading benefit auctioneers and special event planners. Her firm, National Fundraising Solutions, provides event management services at must-attend affairs from coast to coast benefiting nonprofit organizations of all sizes. Civic, religious, the arts, schools, hospitals, and other deserving charities all enjoy her unwavering support and advocacy for their organizations. Jones is regarded as an expert on many specialty areas within the auction, appraisal, real estate and charitable fields. She is a twenty two year member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and teaches CFRE approved courses across the country. Renee is also a retired Chair of Education and two-term Director for the National Auctioneers Association. To date, she has managed and sold over $6 billion dollars of real estate and personal property during her 33-year professional career with funds benefiting both nonprofit and for profit entities. Renee is committed year round to working with BBBS development professionals and special event coordinators in taking all of their events to the next level of success. To ask Renee a question or learn more about special event best practices please email her at: renee@reneejones.com

Workshops:

• Creating Successful Special Events

Kris Kennedy

Associate Creative Director, Barkley

Kris Kennedy is a writer, humorist and video director who hates how pretentious all of that sounds. Kris has created work for more than 130 major brands including Corona, Heinz Ketchup, Porsche, EA Sports, eBay and Hewlett-Packard. His work has earned many top ad industry awards including the Cannes Lions, Effies, One Show, D&AD, Clios, Webbys, ADDYs and more. Although, he’s more proud of finally perfecting the grilled cheese sandwich. The secret is mayo. Kris has spoken about the power of creativity, content, and brands at the University of Kansas, Loyola University, DePaul University, University of Nebraska’s Ad Club, as well as being the keynote speaker at Google’s 2016 Small and Medium Business Summit. Kris received his B.S. in Journalism and B.A. in Economics from the University of Kansas, and his M.S. in Mass Communications from the VCU Brandcenter. Which is fancy way to say he has student debt.

Workshops:

• Big Talk. Local Impact.

Erin Koehn

Program Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids

Workshops:

• Snapshot: Trauma-Informed Care for Bigs and Professional Staff (Box Lunch Session)

Marcello Lalopua

Grants Coordinator, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County

Marcello is a genuinely curious person. His curious nature has made him perfect for his role as a grants compliance coordinator for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and of the Inland Empire where he is in charge of data mining and research assisting the grants department maintain a $2 million grant revenue. His adaptability has helped him succeed in welcoming new challenges. The latest one being grant writing. Growing up he has felt a call to serve others which is why Big Brothers Big Sisters is the perfect organization for him. He is also currently very active in assisting the Global Mission Outreach at New Life Community Church in Artesia, CA, his home church. The outreach focuses its mission in helping build and maintain orphanages and other mission fields in Indonesia, Africa, and South America. Marcello holds a Bachelors’ degree in Finance from California State University Fullerton. Before Big Brothers Big Sisters, he was the business administrator for International Bird Rescue based out of Fullerton. The organization specialized in rescue and rehab of most aquatic and inland birds and also are first responders during oil spill contamination all across the world. His role in the organization made sure that all accounting, fund development, and human resource tasks were handled immaculately. At home, Marcello is a father and husband who enjoys the outdoors and lots of restaurants visits.

Workshops:

• Strategies for Winning Grants

Libbie Landles-Cobb

Partner, The Bridgespan Group

Libbie Landles-Cobb is a partner in The Bridgespan Group’s San Francisco office. She has worked with a variety of nonprofits, national networks, and foundations on issues of strategy and organizational development. As part of Bridgespan’s Leadership Practice, is a facilitator and coach in Bridgespan’s two-year consulting and capacity building program for nonprofit executive teams, Leading for Impact®. She also leads research on what is required to effectively develop nonprofit leaders. Libbie is co-author of “How to Create Better Nonprofit Executive Teams” (2018), “Boosting Nonprofit Performance Where it Counts” (2014), “The Nonprofit Leadership Development Deficit” (2015), and “Leadership Development: Aligning Funders’ Good Intentions with Nonprofits’ Real Needs” (2016), all published by Stanford Social Innovation Review.

Workshops:

• Building an Effective Executive Team

• Three Habits to Actively Cultivate Inclusive Leadership

Tori Lehman

Principal, CLA – CliftonLarsonAllen

Principal with CLA with over 25 years experience serving the not-for-profit industry concentrating on assurance, tax and consulting services. Have worked with various social services organizations throughout my career, including several Big Brothers Big Sisters local affiliates. As a firm, CLA works with affiliate chapters all over the country. I have spoken at past National Conferences as well as exhibited.

Workshops:

• Critical Roles of a Nonprofit CEO

Joy Mahler

CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast

Joy is a graduate of Michigan State University, Consumer Community Services and American Institute for Nonprofit Management, Duke University, and the Executive Education program, Columbia University. BBBS of the Sun Coast serves 10 counties, and Mahler has been the CEO since 1983. She presided over the merger of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sarasota, Manatee, Desoto Counties and Family resource connection. she is an inception member of the of Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Florida (BBBSAF). She worked with Governor Bush on the Mentoring Initiative for Florida. Past Regional Chair of the Big Brothers Big Sisters National Professional Staff Council for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and is currently the Co-Chair of the Large Agency Alliance for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. She is a proud Big Sister in the Bigs In School and Community Based programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast. Joy was elected for Woman of Impact for the Sarasota County Commission of the Status of Women, and is a Leadership Sarasota graduate. She recently received the Award for Exemplary Effort for Advocacy for Girls and Women. Joy is married, a mother of four, and a grandmother of seven.

Workshops:

• Engaging Adults 50+ as Bigs

John Mangan

Digital Marketing Specialist, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta

John Mangan joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta in March 2018 as Digital Marketing Specialist. John is an expert in content marketing and social media strategy, having previously worked on projects with clients like Chick-Fil-A, Adult Swim, Delta Airlines, and Moxie Interactive. John is also experienced at leading corporate team-building workshops, helping to inspire cooperative creativity with organizations such as The Home Depot, Community Associations Institute, and Northpoint Ministries. While at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, John has contributed to the rapid growth of the agency’s digital visibility in every significant metric – including increasing followers across all social platforms by more than 20%, social engagement by over 30%, and website traffic by more than 75%.

Workshops:

• Smart, Simple Strategies for Digital & Social Media Marketing Success

Ellie Martinez

Director of Programs, Big Brothers Big Sisters Services in Richmond

Heloisa (Ellie) Martinez is the Director of Programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters Services in Richmond, Virginia. Prior to this role, Ellie served as the Community Based Enrollment and Match Support Specialist for three years and started her BBBS career at the agency in Central Florida. Ellie believes in the role and impact of developmental relationships – both between Bigs and Littles, and between Littles and their families, and has worked to successfully engage families in practices that will impact their relationships. She has also been a Big Sister in a Site-Based program for the past three years, and her Little will graduate from elementary school next year! She has earned her bachelor’s degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences from the University of Florida, and is a true Gator fan. When she’s not working with her BBBS team, she is often working on house projects or spending time outside with her wife and their three dogs.

Workshops:

• Engaging Families to Support Enduring Matches
  

Laurel McCombs

Senior Philanthropy Advisor, The Osborne Group

Laurel McCombs brings more than 19 years of experience in the non-profit sector and a passion for the role philanthropy can play in changing the world to her work as a consultant, partner, and trainer. Laurel works closely with clients on a variety of topics, including donor retention, development operations, planning, donor management, board development and more. She then brings these experiences, along with a desire to provide real-world solutions, to her role as trainer, earning high marks at conferences across North America, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals International Conference, CASE-NAIS, AFP Congress, and several local development professional associations and National organizations. Prior to joining The Osborne Group, Laurel worked with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America where she was responsible for the coordination of fund development and capacity building resources and support to Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country. Laurel has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and lives in Portland, OR.

Workshops:

• Stewarding Donors

• Extreme Engagement for Major Gifts

• Activating Your Board in Fund Development

Joey McDonald

Community Development Coordinator, Big Brothers Big Sisters of North East Indiana

I am a former little of big brothers big sisters of northeast Indiana so I know what the program means to this community and the impact it makes.

Edwing Mendez

Designer, Barkley

An Interdisciplinary creative from Miami FL, Edwing joined Barkley in 2015. His path starting as a lover of art and music throughout grade school and eventually getting a degree in sound engineering. When that didn’t work out as planned he took those skills and made his way to the Kansas City Art Institute where he discovered his love for design. Not just graphic design but, Design as the understanding of how people experience and interact with the world around them.

Workshops:

• On-Brand Photography With Your Smartphone

• Going Beyond the Brand Guide

Monica Mendoza

Training and Program Development Coordinator, BBBS of Northeast Indiana

Monica Mendoza serves as the Training & Program Development Coordinator at BBBS of Northeast Indiana. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, she spent time teaching at-risk youth in El Paso and Chicago before transitioning to the nonprofit sphere in 2015. While at Big Brothers Big Sisters, she has worked to develop community partnerships, the Big Futures program, and staff and volunteer training around trauma-informed practices and asset-based education and child development. Some of her contributions include the implementation of ongoing training for Bigs in the form of Mentor Cafes, in which she leads more in-depth discussions on topics ranging from generational poverty and implicit bias to personality assessments and soft skills; the development of the Big Futures Goal Circle, which aids caseworkers and matches to set career pathways beginning with strengths-based self-awareness; and ongoing staff development around having high-value, relationship-building interactions with clients in an organic way rather than as process-driven caseworkers. She also always has La Croix at her desk to share with you. In addition to her work at BBBS, Monica is active within her local community within intersectionality and diversity initiatives as well as the Northeast Indiana Education and Career Coalition and advocacy for youth with disabilities. She has a deep and long-standing passion for education and promoting equity and empathy among diverse groups with an eye towards social change. She is currently a Big Sister to her Little, Kerry. The pair enjoys taking advantage of everything the community has to offer, from drum circles and painting, to touching brains, lungs and snakes, to running kids’ races and kayaking at the state parks. A focus of their match is helping her Little to gain confidence to explore the world fearlessly and question constantly while still maintaining her own unique personality and perspective. When she isn’t engaged in community conversations, you will find her hiking, traveling, or rewatching the entirety of Parks and Recreation on Netflix.

Workshops:

• Preparing Bigs to Navigate Cultural Differences, Trauma Experiences, and Communication Issues

Jake Miller

Client Services Consultant, Zuri Group

Jake Miller brings 7 years of experience in working with nonprofits to Zuri Group’s team. His love for videography and knowledge of the film production industry has allowed him to use media to grow financial support and donations through various platforms, as well as develop a strong social media presence for nonprofits. As a Client Services Consultant here at Zuri Group, Jake has helped hundreds of clients with their P2P campaigns.

Workshops:

• Peer-to-Peer Best Practices for Any Platform

Aimee Mir Ariola

Vice President of Program Operations, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami

Workshops:

• Increasing Police Recruitment for Bigs in Blue

Makiyah Moody

Senior Consultant, La Piana Consulting

Makiyah helps organizations ask and answer critical questions about how to deliver on their missions more effectively. Makiyah is a skilled facilitator and governance specialist who helps clients navigate strategy and planning, partnerships, and board/leadership development. She is a Pahara Institute NextGen Fellow, an Executive Scholar with the Center for Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer. She also regularly blogs on LinkedIn, often on the topic of board governance and diversity. Makiyah excels in helping boards develop the tools, habits, and skills to fulfill their obligations so their organizations can increase their mission impact. She designed and delivered a board development curriculum for the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools and was a 2013 participant in the Aspen Institute’s Roundtable on Community Change Racial Equity Leadership Development Seminar. Prior to graduate school, Makiyah was a Civil Rights Investigator with the Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago, an experience that vividly confirmed the disparate impact of structural racism. She is most energized by the opportunity to work with organizations that support marginalized communities and people of color, and that advance democracy and racial equity. Past clients include Race Forward and the Center for Social Inclusion, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and Camp Fire. Makiyah spent over a decade working in education reform, where she honed her skills in organizational strategy development. Prior to joining La Piana in 2016, she directed governance initiatives for the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, was founding executive director of the New Orleans regional office of Leading Educators, and held various roles over six years with the KIPP Foundation. Makiyah has an MA in Humanities from the University of Chicago and a BA in Hispanic Studies, magna cum laude, from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, where she currently serves as a trustee.

Workshops:

• Bringing a DEI Focus to the Boardroom

Jill Navran

Program Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff

Jill Navran is the Program Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff. She and her therapy dog Maggie have been with the agency for seven years. Jill is a graduate of the MSW program at University of Denver where she received an additional certificate in Animal Assisted Therapy and the BSW program at Northern Arizona University. She has worked as a school social worker with Aurora Public Schools in Colorado and periodically teaches courses for NAU’s Social Work Department. Jill is passionate about serving at-risk youth and believes in the profound impact of mentorship.

Workshops:

• Snapshot: BBBSA’s Parent Training: “Your Child’s Personal Safety”

Gale Nelson

President & CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami

Gale Nelson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska and grew up in Toledo, Ohio where he began his pursuit of personal and professional success. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in Corporate Finance from the University of Toledo (Toledo, OH) and his Master of Science in Management and Administration of Educational Programs from Nova Southeastern University (Davie, FL). Gale has earned eight doctoral hours in Non-Profit Leadership at Colorado Technical University (Colorado Springs, CO). Gale’s accomplishments include being selected by the Harvard Business School in 2018 to participate in the Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management for CEO’s from around the world. In 2016 he was recognized as one of the 12 Good Men of South Florida by the Ronald McDonald House. In 2014 he was recognized as one of South Florida’s Most Powerful Professionals in Business and Industry by Legacy Miami Magazine.

Currently, he is the President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, and since joining the team in July 2006, he has played a significant role in the growth and development of the agency’s mentoring and fund development programs. Prior to joining Big Brothers Big Sisters, he served as Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer at a moderate risk residential school for court adjudicated boys for twelve years.

Gale is a highly effective public speaker and the consummate strategist who provides solution-focused leadership. His faith and his family continue to keep him grounded in helping youth and families.

Kate Nichols

Chair, BBBS National Young Professionals Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta

From supporting the launch of Ms. Winfrey’s cable network and promoting America’s Most Watched Network, to managing marketing projects for The Home Depot and now Corporate Partnerships for the non-profit, CARE, Kate is thankful for her variety of professional experiences that have allowed her to feel fulfilled and energized to make a difference in her community. When Kate is not working away in downtown Atlanta, you can find her pursuing her MBA part-time at Emory, spending time with her family, exploring the city with friends, or volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta as a Board Member and the Chair of the Young Leaders Council. She is constantly looking for new and exciting ways to support Big Brothers Big Sisters including establishing and expanding the BBBS National Young Professionals Council to unite, engage, and empower the BBBS community on a national level. Kate grew up in Marietta, attended the University of Georgia, experienced Los Angeles from Koreatown to the PCH, and moved back down south a few years ago. She is excited to deepen her connection to the power of mentorship through the Chair role of the National Young Professionals Council and looks forward to identifying ways to deepen our impact through strategic collaborative efforts with BBBSA!

Workshops:

• Starting a Young Professionals Council

Tia Nowack

Senior Copywriter, Barkley

Tia Nowack is a Senior Copywriter at Barkley. She loves creating meaningful brand identities and uses language to push brands forward. She began her career working with political campaigns and nonprofit advocacy groups, and has since worked with many great brands including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Dairy Farmers of America and Wisconsin Cheese.

Workshops:

• Widen Your “Defender” Vocabulary

Jennifer O’Farrell

Jennifer is an inspirational and entrepreneur leader in the social impact industry. For over 15 years she has spearheaded new programs or agencies, dedicating her life to pursuing equity youth and families. She proudly led the first Anti-Human Trafficking multidisciplinary task force for Riverside County and created the first comprehensive case management and advocacy system for victims and survivors of trafficking. Currently she is the Executive Director of the region’s first Big Brothers Big Sisters serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Her focus is to create generational change tackling some the regions hardest issues of poverty and trauma through one-to-one mentoring. Jennifer holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from California Baptist University and has a Philanthropy Certificate from the School of Business at La Sierra University. As the Anti-Human Trafficking Director she secured state and three different federal grants as well as increased individual giving revenue by 5%. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, she has grown the revenue from $500,000 to $1.8M in four years. Locally, Jennifer is very active on several non-profit, public, and foundation boards. Her accomplishments include being a TedX Riverside Speaker, 2012 Attorney General’s Award of Citizen Appreciation, 2014 Soroptomist International Golden West Region Award Winner, 2014 NAACP Community Service Freedom Award Recipient, and 2018 Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awardee. Jennifer, as a wife, and mom loves to have fun. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, traveling, hiking, running, and reading.

Workshops:

• Strategies for Winning Grants

Conner Patterson

Match Support Specialist, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee

Workshops:

• Strategies for Increasing Match Retention Rates

Michele Pearce

Chief External Relations Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta

Michele Pearce serves as Chief External Relations Officer for BBBSMA, where she is responsible for managing all fundraising activities, recruitment efforts, public relations and marketing programs. She has more than 20 years of experience in development in Atlanta, which began when she served as Senior Development Associate for BBBSMA from 1995-1999. Before joining BBBSMA, she was the Chief Development Officer for ClearPoint Financial Solutions (formerly CredAbility/Consumer Credit Counseling Service) a national nonprofit headquartered in Atlanta, and she has also served as Director of Development and Co-Producing Artistic Director for Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta, and Director of Development for Moving in the Spirit and Cool Girls. Pearce holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive designation awarded by CFRE International, and she is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Workshops:

• Smart, Simple Strategies for Digital & Social Media Marketing Success

Liliokanio Peaslee

Associate Professor, James Madison University

Dr. Liliokanaio Peaslee received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont, a M.A. in Social Policy from Brandeis University, and a joint Ph.D. in Politics & Social Policy from Brandeis University, where she specialized in Child, Youth, and Family Policy and American Political Development. Dr. Peaslee’s teaching and scholarship center on issues of poverty and inequality, particularly for at-risk youth. She teaches in both the undergraduate Public Policy and Administration program and the Masters in Public Administration program, offering classes on policy analysis, social welfare, and education policy. Her research includes work on mentoring and youth development, criminal justice policy, and university-community collaborations. Dr. Peaslee frequently consults with community-based organizations and local government to assist them with research and evaluation, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys and Girls Club, and the United Way. She has served as a principle investigator on two major Mentoring Best Practice Research grants from the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and as a lead researcher revising Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s national outcome assessments.

Workshops:

• Improving Match Outcomes With Literacy-Enhanced School-Based Mentoring

Tim Pehlke

Program Design Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Tim Pehlke serves as Program Design Manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA). In this role he works with the BBBSA’s network of 250+ local agencies to design and implement specialty youth mentoring initiatives in collaboration with foundation and corporate partners. Major projects include family engagement, workplace mentoring, and law enforcement mentoring. Prior to this he served as Assistant Director for Special Projects at the University of Central Florida (UCF) Center for Public and Nonprofit Management. In this role he founded the UCF Walking School Bus program and brought the UCF Homeless Student Education AmeriCorps VISTA project to scale across the three county Central Florida region. In addition, Tim served as 4-H Youth Development Coordinator in Orlando, Florida for the University of Florida Extension. During his time with the 4-H program he led efforts to expand STEM programming through FIRST Robotics and designed The Garden, an innovative inner-city gardening workforce education program, in partnership with the City of Orlando and Bloomberg Philanthropies: Cities of Service. His work history includes over ten years’ experience in corporate, nonprofit, and government sector positions. Tim is a certified Project Management Professional (PPM) and Certified Scrum Master (CSM) specializing in positive youth development. Mr. Pehlke earned his Master of Public Administration from the University of Missouri and holds a Master of Science in Family and Child Studies from Miami University (Ohio). He received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Greenville College (Illinois).

Workshops:

• Engaging Families to Support Enduring Matches

Isabel Phillips

Match Support Specialist, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle

Isabel was born and raised in Germany and moved to North Carolina in 2001. She attended the University of Charlotte and earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. Isabel joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle in July 2014 and has been working as a Match Support Specialist ever since. She provides ongoing support to the volunteers, parents and children enrolled in the program. Isabel volunteered her time as a “Big Sister” many years ago and has seen first-hand how any child can benefit from having a positive role model in their life. Isabel feels passionate about cultural diversity and enjoys working with a variety of cultures and ethnic groups. She also believes that exposing kids to new activities, places, people, foods, language etc. will teach them to respect each other’s differences and become more cultural diverse.

Workshops:

• Match Support and the Developmental Relationship Framework

Dustin Pitts

Lead Solution Engineer, Salesforce.org

As a Solution Engineer, I bring over a decade of experience working with non-profit organizations throughout North America. I am responsible for helping non-profit leaders to determine which Salesforce tools will be most effective in moving their mission forward. I have had the pleasure of working directly with the leadership team at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America on the design and implementation of Matchforce since 2016.

Workshops:

• Is Direct Mail Dead? Or Just Another Fundraising Tool? (Box Lunch Session)

Heather Pressley

Founder & CEO, The Root Collaborative

Heather Pressley is a passionate, experienced collaborator who has worked in a range of schools, nonprofits and youth serving spaces across her 20 year career. Heather has extensive experience as a classroom teacher in public, private and charter schools, as school leadership within the local school system, UNC Charlotte, Teachers’ College Columbia University and Harvard College. Heather is a strategic professional whose commitment to equity and educational justice is evidenced by the projects she’s prioritized at each point in her career. As a leader at Kennedy Charter, Heather spearheaded initiatives focused on youth and family engagement, student retention and teacher support. At Girls on the Run International, a nation wide afterschool program that serves over 200,000 elementary and middle school girls each year, Heather led the development of a now nationally implemented middle school program and the revision and update of the elementary school program to ensure cultural relevance and accessibility. Heather also played a key role in the development of Girls on the Run’s National Coach Training and the organizations’ Access and Inclusion Initiative. Heather is experienced in building bridges across organizations and has personally partnered with the Afterschool Alliance, the Wallace Foundation, Girl Scouts of America, GLSEN, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Partnership for a Healthier America, the American Institute of Research, the National PTA and the National Afterschool Association.

Workshops:

• Communicating to Create Lasting Bonds

Julie Redcay

Director of Federal Grants, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Julie Redcay joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of America as Director of Federal Grants in March 2017. In this role, Julie oversees the implementation of all federal grant and federal grant compliance activities; including grant administration, program management, reporting, and submission processes.

Julie also hosts the annual Federal Grants training for all subrecipients of federal funding and leads the opioid prevention training initiative under the Mentoring Youth Impacted by Opioids grant. In addition, she conducts training webinars, provides subawardee resources, discussion venues, and peer sharing opportunities. 

Julie brings more than 15 years of leadership experience in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining Big Brothers Big Sisters, she led the Grants Department at Hillsborough Community College (HCC) for seven years.  While at HCC, she directed several successful federal agency audits, and was responsible for the oversight and management of a $20 million portfolio of federal, state, and private grants.

Julie is an alumna of Emerge Tampa, Tampa Connection, and United Way’s Executive Leadership program. She graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. She holds a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Laws degree, with distinction, in Advocacy from Stetson University College of Law.

Workshops:

• Opioid and Substance Abuse Prevention MYIO Staff Training - Resiliency: The Art of Bouncing Back (Part 1)

• Opioid and Substance Abuse Prevention MYIO Staff Training - Resiliency: The Art of Bouncing Back (Part 2)

Natalie Root

The Root Agency

Natalie Root founded The Root Agency to help nonprofits grow through strategic and fund development plans, fundraising training and implementation and donor-centric communications. Her background includes a communications and marketing degree from Loyola University of New Orleans. Over the course of the last sixteen professional years, she has had the opportunity to collaborate with nonprofit organizations of all sizes, sectors, business stages, and geographic locations in many in-house and consultant capacities. Collectively, these teams have raised more than $100 million nationwide. She has been matched as a Big Sister for two years as of March 2019.

Workshops:

• Igniting Fund Development for Small & Mid-Sized Agencies

Christian Rummell

Principal Consultant, Mentorist

Dr. Christian Rummell has over 20 years of experience as a researcher, training and technical assistance provider, and practitioner in the youth mentoring field—with specific expertise on mentoring LGBTQ youth. Currently, Dr. Rummell serves as a Research Board Member on the OJJDP-funded National Mentoring Resource Center and is a key consultant on the BBBS LGBTQ youth mentoring enhancement initiative. At Portland State University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Mentoring Research, Dr. Rummell conducted one of the first studies on the role of mentors in supporting identity development in gay youth. In addition to expertise in mentoring, Dr. Rummell has also published a review of cross-sector community collaborations to prevent and address LGBTQ youth homelessness and technical assistance resources documenting the experiences of LGBTQ youth in juvenile justice settings. Previously, Dr. Rummell was a Senior Researcher at American Institutes for Research (AIR). At AIR, Dr. Rummell co-authored a report on LGBTQ youth in the juvenile justice system and also studied the approach of cross-sector collaborations to prevent LGBTQ youth homelessness. He is leading the development of new pilot programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to enhance services for LGBTQ Youth.

Workshops:

• Creating Safe and Inclusive Mentoring Services for LGBTQ Youth

Brandon Russell

Chief Operating Officer, Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters

Brandon Russell began working as the COO of Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters in March of 2014. As the COO, Brandon oversees the departments of Finance, IT, HR/OD, and Risk Management/Quality Assurance. Brandon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Bethel College and Master in Public Administration with a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Wichita State University. Brandon’s areas of specialty and interest include organizational development, quantitative organizational analysis and process streamlining. Additionally, Brandon is Six Sigma certified, is a certified Process Communication Model Trainer, and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR). Prior to joining KSBBBS Brandon worked for 25 years in emergency services, beginning as a paramedic and ending his career as an EMS Operations Director. During his time in emergency services he developed his interests and skills in real-time data management and service delivery analytics. He also served as a command team member of a regional disaster response system and responded to several regional mass casualty and expanding disaster incidents over the course of his career. Brandon also serves as an adjunct faculty member at Wichita State University teaching courses in service delivery and program analysis, human resources, and ethics. Brandon made the move to nonprofit leadership and to BBBS following his desire to continue to change lives and change community, but to do so proactively rather than reactively. Brandon is married, has one daughter in college, and his hobbies & personal interests include astronomy, history, and really great coffee.

Workshops:

• Building and Supporting a Learning Culture

Alex Sabol

Vice Chair, BBBS National Young Professionals Council, BBBS of America

Workshops:

• Starting a Young Professionals Council

Angie Scott

Director of Youth Protection, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Angie Scott is the Director of Youth Protection for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Working in partnership with the Vice President of Youth Protection, Scott supports the research and advancement of effective child protection strategies across Big Brothers Big Sisters’ nationwide network of affiliated agencies. Before coming to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Scott provided direct service to children and families for four years through BBBS in the Tampa Bay region. She has experience working with child and adult sexual assault and trauma survivors, and has received training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Advocacy Core Training through the Florida Council of Against Sexual Violence. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.

Workshops:

• Using Your Documentation to Improve Program Quality

• Snapshot: Trauma-Informed Care for Bigs and Professional Staff (Box Lunch Session)

• Snapshot: BBBSA’s Parent Training: “Your Child’s Personal Safety”

Jessica Silverman

Director of STEM & Corporate Programming, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MA & MetroWest

Jessica Haggett Silverman is the Director of STEM & Corporate Programming with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MA & MetroWest. She has been with this agency for 4 years. In her time with BBBSCM leadership, she has developed, launched, and implemented an original BBBS STEM program (MySTEM), managed corporate volunteer site-based programs, and integrated the independent Mazie mentoring program for high-school mentees into their BBBS service. With degrees in Biology and Music, her career began as an ecologist, music theater director, and outdoor educator before landing at BBBS.

Workshops:

• MySTEM – A Model for STEM for Agencies

• Mazie Mentoring Program – Incorporating High School Programming

Kelci Sleeper

Marketing and Communications Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta

Kelci Sleeper joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta in January 2017 as Marketing & Communications Manager, where she is responsible for managing all public relations and marketing programs. Kelci has expanded the scope of the department, bringing all digital marketing functions in-house and therefore leading to tremendous growth in 2018. She has a variety of marketing experience, ranging from nonprofit to food and beverage to tourism, but has found a real passion with the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kelci has an MA focused in Public Relations from The University of Georgia and is a West Virginia native.

Workshops:

• Smart, Simple Strategies for Digital & Social Media Marketing Success

Jaimee Spector

Grants Developer, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, Inc.

Jaimee Spector is the Grants Developer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, where she researches and evaluates potential funding opportunities, develops proposals using local data and proven organizational impact, and compiles stewardship reports for funders. She leverages learnings from past professional roles to collaborate with colleagues throughout the organization on efficient fundraising strategies and donor engagement. Jaimee’s previous experience includes major gift fundraising, donor stewardship, social media and communication management, event planning, volunteer program restructuring, and board development. Jaimee is the co-founder and the inaugural co-chair of Big Bend L.O.V.E. (Leaders of Volunteer Engagement), a professional network of volunteer managers in Tallahassee, Fla., and the surrounding community that offers continued learning and a space for sharing best practices. Jaimee also teaches as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Communication in the Department of Communication Studies (COS211 – Public Speaking) and in the Department of Journalism and Media Management (JMM108 – Writing for the Digital Age). Jaimee earned her M.S. in Management Studies with a specialization in Leadership from the University of Miami Business School (2018), her M.A. in Communication with a focus on Media & Communication Studies from the Florida State University College of Communication and Information (2012), and her B.S.C. with a focus on public relations from the University of Miami School of Communication (2009). She is actively working on her CFRE certification and her Grant Professional Certificate.

Workshops:

• Using Data for Persuasive Storytelling

Renee Spencer

Prof, Boston University

Renée Spencer, Professor of Human Behavior at Boston University School of Social Work, specializes in the study of relational processes at work in youth mentoring. She also studies innovative approaches to mentoring for special populations of young people, including foster care and military-connected youth. An active member on national advisory boards for mentoring programs, she has published more than 40 widely-cited articles in top journals, and has received major grants supporting her research from a variety of sources, including the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education and the William T. Grant Foundation.

Workshops:

• How Perceived Social Class Differences Can Affect Match Quality and Length

Jeri Swinton

CEO, BBBS of Kentuckiana

Jeri Swinton has been CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana for almost 30 years. Prior to that, she was CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters in Bloomington, IN. Jeri graduated from the University of Kansas with her Masters in Social Welfare. Additional coursework includes Public Finance & Budgeting from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University, paralegal studies, and leadership studies. She served as a delegate to the General Colin Powell’s Points of Lights, and has served in many leadership positions locally, chairing the Center for NonProfit Excellence and chairing United Way’s Council of Agency Executives. She was vice-co-chair for the Nationwide Leadership Council in 2014-16 and received the Skip Walsh Award in 2014. Jeri has partnered with her husband in his relationship as a Big Brother, to Dennis, who is now 43 years old and still closely connected with her family. Jeri is married to an English professor who eagerly corrects her grammar, and is the mother of 2 humans, one cat and one crazy Carolina dog.

Workshops:

• Engaging Adults 50+ as Bigs

Gillian Tervet

Customer Success Manager, Classy

Gillian is a customer success manager at Classy, a BBBS partner company that powers online fundraising efforts for more than 4,000 nonprofits. A strong background in digital marketing and user experience have made her both a strategic thinking ninja and expert relationship builder. As a result, Gillian has a proven track record helping nonprofits of all shapes, sizes, and causes achieve their full online fundraising potential, no matter their goals.

Workshops:

• Using Technology to Elevate Bowl For Kids’ Sake (Box Lunch Session)

Amanda Teye

Associate Professor, James Madison University

Dr. Amanda Teye’s interests focus on community-based outcomes assessment, impact evaluation, and assessment development. Dr. Teye has been a Principle Investigator on two Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Mentoring Best Practices Research grants. The most recent grant entitled, “Long-Term Study on the Impacts of Training and Peer Support on Relationship Quality and Mentee Outcomes” seeks to isolate the impact of one-to-one youth mentoring on adolescent and young adult outcomes several years after program intervention. Dr. Teye also has extensive consulting experience. Her work has been supported by the Department of Education, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and various local and state organizations.She has been at JMU since Summer 2010 as a core member of the Master of Public Administration program. Currently, Dr. Teye teaches graduate-level courses in Research Design and Program Evaluation.

Workshops:

• Improving Match Outcomes With Literacy-Enhanced School-Based Mentoring

Jessica Walden-Morden

Creative Director, Barkley

Carolyn Welter

Brand Manager, Barkley

Carolyn is a Senior Brand Manager at Barkley. She has been a partner for 3 years, leading the day-to-day work for many of our CPG clients, like Cargill and Riceland, and for the national Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. In her role, she is responsible for building strong brands while fostering client relationships and facilitating the planning and execution of all work. Carolyn came to Barkley fresh off the graduation stage from the University of Missouri where she majored in Journalism and Political Science. Outside of work, Carolyn serves as a Big Sister with BBBS Kansas City, teaches yoga and volunteers as a pacer in half marathons around the city.

Workshops:

• Creating a Marketing Calendar (Box Lunch Session)

• Big Talk. Local Impact.

• On-Brand Photography With Your Smartphone

• Going Beyond the Brand Guide

• Widen Your “Defender” Vocabulary

Carol Westberry

President, The Westberry Group, Inc./PSSworks!

Carol Westberry, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Carol is a Human Resources Compliance Professional and the CEO of The Westberry Group, HRToolkitsOnline.com™, and Co-Founder of the Brilliant Leader Program, presented by PSSworks! She is the creator of the popular Human Resources training series, High Performance Supervision. Using her own brand of HR straight-talk, Carol believes in sharing her real-world HR experiences with managers and leaders who are likely to face those same challenges. Carol is an international best-selling author and is frequently called on to help companies recover from sticky employment situations.

Workshops:

• Managing Conflict and Having Difficult Conversations

Jessica Whitney

Vice President of Development and Marketing, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona

Jessica Whitney has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona since 2008. Her initial role included organizing and executing all fundraising events from Paul’s Car Wash to annual Gala. After serving as a Big Sister to two different Little Sisters, Jessica’s passion for the mission of BBBS continued to grow. Jessica now directs and oversees all fundraising and marketing activities. Jessica holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Hugh Downs School of Communication at Arizona State University. Jessica was named one of Phoenix Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2017. She currently serves on the Diversity Committee for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).

Workshops:

• Engagement Strategies to Convert Bigs to Donors

Christie Wilson

Director of Training, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Christie Wilson enjoys learning…period. Because of this, she has always had a wide array of interests starting with the social sciences. This compelled her down the path of criminology and criminal justice where she earned her master’s and Ph.D. from Florida State University. The combination of her developed skills and curiosity opened doors in a variety of sectors from law enforcement, government, academia, music and the arts, technology and non-profit. The common thread has always been training and developing others through creative learning opportunities. In her role as Director of Training with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, she combines her experience and skills to develop online learning opportunities for the BBBS Network. She believes in the powerful combination of visual story telling and practical application to develop and motivate others toward achieving a common goal.

Workshops:

• Understand the Power of The Learning Exchange

• Snapshot: The New Standards of Practice Training Series (Box Lunch Session)

• Snapshot: The New LGBTQ Awareness Online Training

• Snapshot: The New Online Volunteer Pre-Match Training

Sherita Young

Match Support Specialist, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle

I earned my bachelor’s degree in social work from East Carolina University. For 19 years, I have served as social worker in a few different capacities including case management, program coordinator for an independent living center and a dropout prevention specialist. I’m also a certified yoga instructor. Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than is to repair broken men.” I happen to agree and enjoy participating in the process of helping a child maximize their potential. My passion is equipping others in the human services field with skills and tools necessary to serve children in ways that promote healthy, happy and whole lives.

Workshops:

• Match Support and the Developmental Relationship Framework