Sessions
Leading Philanthropy 2025 Schedule
Wednesday, September 17, 2025
7:30am - 8:30am
Registration, Exhibitors, and Breakfast Opens
8:45am - 9:00am
Opening Remarks: Jane Bridwell, Leading Philanthropy Chair
9:00am - 10:00am
Keynote Panel: Solving Our Challenges Through Philanthropy
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Presented by:
Reggie Shuford, President & CEO, Independence Foundation
Maria Spina, Manager of PSEG Foundation & Corporate Social Responsibility
Monica Taylor Lotty, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Anne Gingerich, Executive Director, PANO (Moderator)
10:00am - 10:15am
Break with Exhibitors
10:15am - 10:35am
Fundraising in a Flash:
The Importance of Good Stewardship in our Work​
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Presented by:
Jason Arbacheski
Chester County Community Foundation
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Room:
Franklin 1
How do you engage your donors, so they renew their giving and perhaps make a larger gift? The practice of engaging your donors is called Stewardship. Stewardship is a relationship-building process requiring the strategic management of donors through consistent communication, personalized engagement, and demonstrated impact. Rince and repeat, annually! Especially now, Stewardship is so critical. In this session, learn and share with your colleagues’ important ways to build relationships with your donors and keep them engaged in your organization’s mission – in a flash.
10:15am - 11:15am
From Curiosity to Commitment:
Crafting the Right Message for the
Right Moment
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Presented by:
Ciaran Bellwoar
UPenn Wharton
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Room:
Brandywine
Come learn how to design strategic, donor-centered message arcs that build trust, inspire investment, and unify your team across the donor journey.
Adapting to Unprecedented Times
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Presented by:
Christa Kerber
POWER Interfaith
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Room:
Belmont
In these tumultuous times, we need to take an honest look at our organizations' vulnerabilities and resources, and engage all stakeholders in building the strongest fundraising base possible. In the world of grassroots organizing, we often say we need to organize people and money. Our ability to do this is depends wholly on our ability to relate to our people in ways that go far beyond the transactional. We help people to identify their own self interest and how it connects to that of others, and to the work we doing together to transform society. Lets have a conversation about what this means to each of us and our organizations, and how this relational approach can carry us through the challenges of funding our work, from the mundane to the monumental.
From Valley to Valley: Activating Donor Engagement Across Geographies
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Presented by:
Amanda Amato
Emily Conners Henry
Valley Youth House
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Room:
Chesapeake
Learn how Valley Youth House amplified its presence across 16 counties in Pennsylvania by building a culture of ambassadorship among staff and Boards, leveraging specific marketing strategies grounded in ethical storytelling, and scaling successful event models to expand fundraising and visibility. In this session, we'll explore how our most well-established region became the blueprint for engaging new communities and activating donor bases, while maintaining brand integrity across diverse geographies.
We'll share tools, metrics, and lessons learned from launching high-impact events, tailoring messaging to local audiences, and building ambassadorship across segments while honoring local identities. This presentation is designed for nonprofits operating across neighborhoods, regions, or chapter systems seeking to balance consistency with customization. Attendees will gain replicable strategies to build trust, increase reach, and expand engagement across communities-no matter where they operate.
Strengthening Relationships to
Increase Your Grant Success
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Presented by:
Julie Zumas
Lehigh Valley Grant Services LLC
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Andrew Block
Block Strategies
Sharon Alexander
Carbon County Community Foundation
Christina Schoemaker
Valley Youth House
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
Building Funder Trust: A Panel on Strengthening Relationships to Boost Grant Success Join a dynamic panel discussion featuring seasoned consultants, a Foundation Director, and a Director of Development from a regional nonprofit as they share real-world strategies for making funder relationships a central part of your grant strategy.
Learn how to build trust, communicate with intention, and apply equity-focused practices to increase your chances of securing funding in today's competitive landscape.
Special Registration Add-On!
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Leadership Intensive Coaching Session:
Built to Last: Burnout Prevention for High-Stakes Fundraising
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Presented by:
Shana Lewis
SDL Enterprises Education, Training, & Consulting Services, LLC
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
This session equips senior fundraising professionals with the tools to prevent burnout and lead more sustainably in high-pressure environments. Participants will learn to identify early signs of stress, apply practical wellness strategies, and develop a personalized leadership wellness plan. With a focus on resilience and long-term impact, this session reframes wellness as a critical leadership asset-not a luxury. Attendees will walk away empowered to protect their energy, strengthen team dynamics, and increase their capacity to raise more money with clarity and confidence.
11:15am - 11:30am
Speed Networking & Refreshment Break with Exhibitors
11:30am - 11:50am
Fundraising in a Flash:
Beyond Gratitude: 3 Overlooked Areas of Stewardship
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Presented by:
Jesse Park
amplifi
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Room:
Franklin 1
We all know that donor stewardship is a key component in any fundraising strategy. But are all your donors getting the message? And is it delivered at the right time? In this interactive session, Jesse Park will walk through several areas that are commonly overlooked in stewardship programs. Join the discussion as he illustrates ways to deepen your donor relationships, sharing real-world examples of non-profits that have done just that.
11:30am - 12:30pm
From "No" to "Now:" Five Ways to Reignite Your Major Gift Momentum
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Presented by:
Barbara O'Reilly
Katherine Sprissler-Klein
Windmill Hill Consulting
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Room:
Brandywine
Feeling stuck in your major gift work? This session offers five proven, practical strategies to help you move from hesitation to confident action. You'll learn how to reframe donor conversations around shared values, simplify your prospect plans for clarity, and build authentic, trust-based relationships. We'll explore how timing can be a strategic tool-not a guessing game-and how to shift your mindset from perfection to progress. This session also challenges traditional fundraising norms that may unintentionally exclude or alienate diverse donors. Whether you're new to major gifts or a seasoned fundraiser needing a reset, you'll leave with tools to deepen donor engagement, align interests with impact, and advance your major gift strategy with clarity, confidence, and a more inclusive approach. Walk in stuck-walk out with momentum.
A Tale of Two Campaigns, and How the One that Failed Led us to Success Years Later
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Presented by:
Mark Chilutti
Magee Rehab Hospital Foundation
of Jefferson Health
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Room:
Belmont
Let's be honest...nobody likes to talk about how they failed, especially in their first real capital campaign, but I did and hope my experience can help you by giving you the ingredients to be more successful the first time. From assessing campaign readiness, to building a case and a team, how donor recognition enabled us to raise more, and how we celebrated our success with the people who made it happen, this session will leave you with a roadmap for success.
From Mission to Mailbox: Direct Mail to the Rescue!
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Presented by:
Phil Goodhart
PMG Marketing Solutions
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Room:
Chesapeake
Discover how direct mail drives nonprofit fundraising with superior ROI and engagement. Learn to target audiences, craft compelling messages, and optimize pacing and testing. Explore donor profiling, segmentation, and campaign funding. Gain practical tools, design strategies, and hands-on experience to activate donors, recruit volunteers, and amplify your mission effectively.
Loving the Call: Building Donor Engagement Strategies that Create Fulfillment
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Presented by:
Kristine Medley Farmer
The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Wilson Black
Wilson Black Consulting & Donor Relations Training
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
This interactive session equips fundraisers and board members with practical tools to qualify, cultivate, solicit, and steward individual donors using proven fundraising fundamentals. Grounded in behavioral psychology and adult learning principles-including Psycho-Cybernetics, DISC theory, and the "transference of enthusiasm"- you'll learn how to connect with donors more effectively and sustainably.
Special Registration Add-On!
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Leadership Intensive Panel:
Leading Your Team in the Current Climate
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Moderator:
Philip Fitzgerald
Philadelphia Foundation
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Panelists:
Joy Cauthorn
American Red Cross, Southeastern Pennsylvania
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Judia Jackson
Barnes Foundation
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Doris Parent
The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts
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Gina Range
Girls Scouts of Eastern PA
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
As seasoned fundraising and executive leaders, you are navigating unprecedented complexity—balancing ambitious revenue goals, evolving donor expectations, and the responsibility of developing high-performing teams in a climate of constant change. This panel is designed specifically for those at the helm of fundraising strategy, offering a candid, peer-level discussion on what it takes to lead with both results and resilience.
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We’ll dive deep into the realities of managing and coaching teams in today’s environment—where performance, retention, and well-being must coexist. Panelists will share strategies for talent development and career mapping, highlighting how intentional leadership can build a pipeline of empowered, future-ready fundraisers. With diverse perspectives and lived experiences, the panel will also address inclusive approaches to supporting staff growth and maintaining a healthy, purpose-driven team culture.
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Join this conversation to reflect, recalibrate, and re-energize your leadership approach—equipping yourself not only to meet today’s challenges but to shape the next generation of fundraising excellence.
12:30pm - 1:30pm
Lunch - South/Center Ballroom
1:30pm - 1:50pm
Fundraising in a Flash:
Boards & Fundraising: Simple Actions, Big Impact
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Presented by:
Barbara O'Reilly
Windmill Hill Consulting
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Room:
Franklin 1
Board members often think fundraising means asking friends for money—but that’s only one piece of the puzzle. In this quick and energizing session, you’ll learn simple, practical ways board members can champion fundraising without ever making the ask. Through a lighthearted quiz, real-life examples, and a take-home action tool, you’ll walk away with clear next steps to boost donor engagement, strengthen your nonprofit’s fundraising, and feel more confident in your role as a board member.
1:30pm - 2:30pm
Leading Your Team into the AI Era
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Presented by:
Sarah Pita
Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York
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Room:
Brandywine
AI isn't just a personal choice-it's increasingly a team-wide decision. This one-hour session for nonprofit leaders and department heads explores how to implement AI thoughtfully across your organization. What tools make sense for your team? What should your AI policy include-what's encouraged, restricted, or should be disclosed? And how do we ensure no one gets left behind? You'll leave with a clear, practical framework for making responsible, inclusive decisions about AI-no tech background required.
One Plus One Equals WE
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Presented by:
Sean Vereen
Heights Philadelphia
Sara Woods
Sara L. Woods Consulting
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Room:
Belmont
Lessons learned in mergers, organizational development, and leadership at Heights Philadelphia from the merger of Philadelphia Futures and Steppingstone Scholars
Soliciting + Closing Major Gifts (through a campaign lens and otherwise)
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Presented by:
Meg George
George Philanthropy Group
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Room:
Chesapeake
Soliciting and closing major gifts is central to our organizations' ability to raise significant funds efficiently, effectively, and with relationships at the center of our work. Join Meg George to explore an ever-changing philanthropic landscape in this country and its influence on our need to implement strong, processed major gifts programs. She'll cover securing visits, navigating in-person asks, utilizing team + board members as volunteers, and offer example major gift solicitations. With bold, inspiring visions at the center of our ability to motivate these transformational gifts, she'll recommend talking points and documents that support asks, and offer campaign-oriented advice for those
in the midst of or considering an initiative. Attendees will leave with tangible takeaways to move our highest capacity prospect relationships in a meaningful, impactful way.
The Art and Science of Relationship Building
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Presented by:
Joelle Te Paske
Maura Kirk
CCS Fundraising
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
Explore how authentic, long-term donor relationships can lead to transformational giving. Through case studies and discussion, this session highlights how fundraisers can stand out by aligning donor motivations with institutional priorities, building trust, and stewarding with intention.
Planned Giving: More than a Gift​
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Presented by:
Lise Detwiler
Generate Philanthropic Services, LLC
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
Unlock Legacy Potential and Secure Your Mission's Future Planned giving isn't just for large institutions or wealthy donors. It is a powerful, values-driven tool that any organization can harness to deepen donor engagement and ensure long-term sustainability. Learn the essential language, identify the signals, and walk away with a practical roadmap to build a planned giving culture, no matter what your organization's size or budget.
2:30pm - 2:45pm
Speed Networking & Refreshment Break with Exhibitors
2:45pm - 3:05pm
Fundraising in a Flash:
From Silos to Strategy​
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Presented by:
Jon Biedermann
Zach Payer
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Room:
Franklin 1
Liberate, activate, and protect your data using AskMoose – our secure, natural language fundraising AI agent built specifically for nonprofits to save time and raise more money.
In this interactive session, Jon Biedermann, former vice president of DonorPerfect, and Zach Payer, Senior Consultant at Data Moose, will share how other nonprofits are creating a strategic advantage by turning their Data into Donations and Insights into Income.
2:45pm - 3:45pm
Team First: The Art of Staff Stewardship
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Presented by:
Karen Hamilton
CHOP
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Room:
Brandywine
Being intentional about personal and timely recognition to donors, celebrating their impact, and connecting them to the mission, comes natural to advancement profession especially donor relations and stewardship folks! But did you know that one of the most essential ways to ensure your organization's success is to
treat your staff like the greatest asset they are? Explore a model of leadership that yields the best results for your donors and your organization by lifting up the real MVPs - your team.
The Metrics You're Missing:
Building Reports That Actually Drive Change
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Presented by:
Jesse Park
amplifi
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Room:
Belmont
The most successful fundraising teams don’t just track results they learn from them. It’s not enough to know how much money came in or how many donors gave. Effective reporting goes deeper, helping you spot trends, test assumptions, and take action. In this session, Jesse Park, President of amplifi, will break down how high-performing organizations use data to make smarter decisions, faster. You’ll learn how to build reports that reveal, not just inform. Whether you lead a fundraising team or manage the data behind the scenes, this session will show you how to turn reporting into a culture of continuous improvement.
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Your data can help you understand who is most likely to respond, is your ask strategy helping or hurting you, and if your message is really hitting home. These questions, and more, will be shared using practical insights and real-world examples to help you build better reports that advance your mission.
Creating a Development Operations
Contingency Plan
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Presented by:
Carolyn Moatz
Schultz & Williams
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Room:
Chesapeake
Development operations play a vital role in ensuring that donor relationships are robust, consistent, and active. When unexpected events interfere with normal work routines, maintaining donor relationships through effective stewardship should remain a priority. This session will provide a framework for establishing an operational contingency plan to ensure that gifts are recorded and donors are thanked regardless of internal or external disruptions. Participants will leave the workshop with:
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A comprehensive understanding of best practices that build a resilient development operation.
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Guidelines for creating processes and procedures that support consistent donor stewardship.
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Practical steps for demystifying the donor database, developing transparent record keeping, and making information in the database accessible for all users.
Everybody Wins: Authentic, Aligned, and Collaborative Fundraising in Your Team
Brought to You by the Foundation for Delaware County ​
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Presented by:
Kwinn Tucker
Consulting by Kwinn (CBK)
Richona McKnight
CityTeam Chester
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout B)
What's more important to the organization-the mission or the money? It's a trick question, of course. All successful nonprofits need both. This is why creating a culture of collaboration and alignment between the fundraising professionals and the operational and executive leadership is so important. This workshop provides strategies partnered with real-life examples to help small nonprofit executive and fundraising leaders create a culture where Everyone Wins-the Mission and Participants, the Leadership and Fundraising team, and the Donors supporting the Cause. This course is ideal for small nonprofit leaders and fundraising professionals who are looking to improve the culture of fundraising on a small team while still achieving (and exceeding) fundraising goals.
Ctrl+Alt+Restore: A Burnout Recovery Session for Grant Pros
Brought to You by the Foundation for Delaware County
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Presented by:
Rhonda Hudak
Reading Area Community College
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Room:
North Ballroom (Breakout A)
Navigating High-Stakes, High-Impact Work? Feeling the pressure of deadlines, rejection, and compliance? You're not alone. This energizing session offers practical strategies to prevent burnout in grant-focused fundraising - with a special focus on equity, emotional labor, and navigating today's competitive funding landscape. Walk away with tools to protect your time, your energy, and your passion for the mission.
4:00pm - 5:00pm