Concurrent Sessions 5

5A: All I Really Need to Know about Donor Relations I Learned from My Kindergartner

Have you ever read Robert Fulghum’s “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”? Don’t worry, it’s not required reading for this session. Fulghum’s best-selling book spoke to all the things we are taught as kids, yet sometimes forget as adults - things like kindness, sharing, and accountability, and of course, the Golden Rule: treat people the way you want to be treated. What’s that got to do with Donor Relations? A lot actually. Childhood is full of those everyday, elemental lessons that offer equally important lessons in stewarding donors. Join me for a session about the parallels (and sometimes pitfalls) between donor relations and childhood. You will learn - and most definitely laugh - about the lessons I learned from my once-kindergartner / now-teenager, as well as my own childhood, and how I have applied those moments and memories to everyday donor relations. Bonus: there will be adorable photos.

All Audiences  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any size shop

Cheryl Lintner started her development career in 2008 in a small non-profit based within a healthcare institution. In 2010, she moved to donor relations in higher education at Rutgers University, then in 2013, returned to healthcare to develop the first comprehensive donor relations program for three hospital foundations within the RWJ Barnabas Health system. Cheryl currently leads the donor relations team responsible for 18 hospitals and network entities under the Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, where she has worked to grow a donor relations program that includes multiple, recurring touches for all donors and an emphasis on major donor stewardship. Prior to entering the non-profit sector, Cheryl worked in the legal field and in academia. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and History from the University of Delaware and a doctorate in Anthropology/Archaeology from the University of California, Berkeley.

5B: Inspiration Station: Reigniting Your Spark to Overcome Groundhog Day

Does this sound familiar? Monday: Come to work, snag coffee, stare aimlessly at computer monitor for what feels like hours, attend meetings, end the day unsure if you have accomplished anything. Tuesday: Come to work, snag coffee, stare aimlessly at computer monitor for what feels like hours, attend meetings, end the day unsure if you have accomplished anything. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday… over and over and over. If you’ve found yourself not bringing your “A-game” to the office, you aren’t alone. Perhaps you are feeling stuck in a rut and in need of inspiration. Maybe you are simply going through the motions and looking for a way forward. Come join a Groundhog Day survivor to explore ways to reignite your spark. This session will cover tips for both individuals and managers. We’ll explore ideas to help overcome that “stuck” feeling and help you embrace coloring outside the lines again. Topics will range from productivity tips, creative activities, inspirational tips, workplace meditations and more. We’ll also invite ideas from the sharing circle to expand the inspiration. (Fellow introverts: sharing not required!) Come with an open heart and mind to rediscover your passion.

All Audiences  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any size shop

Angela Altamore has accumulated a wealth of expertise in donor relations and understands how to create meaningful donor experiences that breathe life into nonprofit missions and resonate in donors’ hearts. She believes there is no better feeling than seeing the joy on a donor's face as they truly understand the impact their generosity has made on another human being. In her role at BWF, Angela focuses on her passions for donor relations, stewardship, and donor experience and how each intertwine to drive impactful fundraising. She enjoys collaborating with peers and clients to find new and improved ways to surprise and delight donors. Angela strives to leave the world better than she found it and hopes her life’s work becomes a legacy lasting beyond her lifetime. Angela has served as a former president, treasurer, and board member for the Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP). She has also been a guest instructor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she taught a course in fundraising management.  Her favorite pastimes include reading, visiting independent bookstores, riding her motorcycle, baking, and kayaking. She also has a love of stationery and enjoys spending time picking just the right card for the right occasion or person.

5C: Playing Nice in the Sandbox: Collaborating with Campus Partners for Donor Relations Success

We all know a successful donor relations team needs to work collaboratively with our campus partners to achieve success but with busy work schedules and high turnover rates, how can we most effectively achieve the best outcomes? In this session we’ll review best practices for building successful relationships within your advancement team and the greater campus community with the goal of ensuring funds are managed and spent properly, collecting key stewardship data, demonstrating donor impact, and creating high impact experiences for donors. We’ll share some of the techniques and tools that have been indispensable in helping us to build a successful stewardship program and work successfully with gift officers, deans, faculty, administrators, and students.

All Audiences  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any size shop

Megan Kintzer currently serves as the Senior Director of Donor Relations at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. She has been in Donor Relations at Lafayette since since 2016 after working as a front-line fundraiser for many years prior. She holds a BA from Lafayette College and an MPA from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

5D: Uniting Volunteers in Stewardship for Everlasting Connections

Learn firsthand how JDRF International leveraged partnerships to activate volunteers in stewardship initiatives vital to our mission's success. Discover strategies and projects undertaken to empower volunteers in conducting stewardship touchpoints, fostering stronger donor relationships. Gain insights into our journey, including valuable lessons learned, metrics we use to measure success and future plans for expanding these volunteer-led initiatives. Glean practical tips and inspiration for integrating volunteers into your organization's stewardship practices and maximizing donor impact.

All Audiences  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any size shop

Chelsea Poch is the National Manager of Donor Engagement at JDRF International. She has been in the Donor Relations and Fundraising sector for eight years. She is currently the Co-Chair of Volunteer and Member Experience Committee with ADRP and has been a member since 2020. She achieved her Master's in Nonprofit Leadership and Management in 2018 from Arizona State University and resides in the Colorado Springs Area.

5E: TechXchange: Chasing the Cloud(s)

The seventh annual TechXchange will yet again showcase new tech finds and the tech we continue to love. Whether software, digital equipment, e-communications, social media, or the newest gadget, we can incorporate technology into donor relations and the donor experience in creative ways. You do not need to be a tech geek to know how! Join us for this rapid-fire technology-sharing session to hear how your peers "at all types of organizations and teams of all sizes” use technology to steward donors and make your day-to-day work more efficient and effective. Bring your favorite tech solutions to share, too! Each attendee will leave with an updated list of tested technology solutions to refer back to after conference.

All Audiences  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any Size Shop

After graduating from the University of Southern California believing (incorrectly) that she was destined to become an attorney, Sara Moïse began her career in philanthropy as a jill-of-all-trades at the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program in Los Angeles. She then specialized in stewardship at Keck Medicine of USC, running an acknowledgment and recognition program during a $6B campaign. After stretching her wings at cultural and advocacy organizations, she leads a best-in-class stewardship and donor relations program for Tulane University. She holds a bachelor's degree in English and a certificate in fundraising and institutional development from UCLA.

5F: Reignite Your Donor Pipeline with a Shared Engagement Strategy

This past year, members of Rochester Institute of Technology's advancement team launched a highly innovative approach to building a comprehensive engagement plan with the ultimate goal of matching strategy across teams. This divisional approach to understanding and prioritizing both individual and university fundraising priorities transformed a simple fiscal year calendar into a robust plan of dynamic and creative engagement strategies that extend beyond traditional events. Learn how the realignment to shared goals and purposeful activity can propel your entire team through a year's worth of high-value engagement opportunities that strengthen the donor pipeline and unite your organization within a shared strategy. The team will execute a concise, impactful presentation that focuses on equipping participants with scalable tools to implement this approach within their own teams, regardless of shop size, leaving ample time for audience questions. Additionally, all participants will be provided with a robust set of templates and other resources that they can use to inform their team's design of a comprehensive engagement strategy.

All Audiences  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any size shop

Corinne Green Endres is the Director of Strategic Engagement and Communications at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). A passionate engagement strategist and continuing student of the profession, her approach to her work is rooted firmly in building vertical models of meaningful engagement, utilizing increasingly creative and personalized communications, investing in strong partnerships, and advocating for the critical role of data in developing transformational strategies. Corinne has volunteered with the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for the past four years, most recently co-chairing the 2024 District II Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD. Corinne is also a CASE District II Cabinet volunteer, co-chairing their marketing and communications committee, and she is the 2023 recipient of the CASE District II Rising Star Award. She earned her BA in English Literature from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2014.

As Senior Director of Strategic Engagement at RIT, Megan Cheever plays a pivotal role in providing leadership and strategic guidance in alumni engagement strategy. With two decades of experience in higher education, Megan has dedicated her career to reimagining alumni engagement by building distinct and evolving strategies to maintain lifelong connections between alumni and their alma mater. Her expertise extends across key areas, including campaign programming, alumni board management, and the formulation of comprehensive engagement strategies for regional chapters, colleges, parents, volunteers, and annual giving. Her tenure at RIT reflects a dedication to fostering creative and meaningful connections between alumni and the institution, enriching the overall experience for graduates and contributing to the continued success of the university. Previously, Megan held key roles at RIT, SUNY Geneseo and Columbia University. She is also a proud graduate of SUNY Geneseo.

5G: From $10/Month to $10,000/Year: Revolutionizing Nonprofit Fundraising with AI and Data Science to Deepen Donor Relationships

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Anton Lipkanou, featuring experts from a leading nonprofit charity, Google, and Amazon. Explore how data science, AI, machine learning, segmentation, and generative AI are revolutionizing nonprofit fundraising. Learn practical strategies to identify next-generation donors, understand their emotional connections, craft personalized messages, and elevate donor contributions from $10/month to $10,000/year. Gain insights into enhancing donor stewardship, building long-term relationships, and creating data-driven campaigns that maximize fundraising potential. This session offers a chance to gain valuable knowledge from industry leaders and understand the future of nonprofit fundraising. Whether you aim to enhance your current strategies or explore new approaches, this discussion will provide the information you need to advance your organization's mission.

Social Service & Health Care Organizations, Religious Organizations, Advocacy Organizations  ⬧  All Levels  ⬧  Any Size Shop

Anton Lipkanou, is President and Partner at performance media agency Delve Deeper, which focuses on driving exceptional value for non-profit organizations. Starting as a media trader and seeing the inefficiencies in the market, Anton developed a firm belief that strong media performance relies on the foundation of data and technology integration to close the donor data gaps from mass donors to major givers, sprinkled with a relentless obsession to test every dimension in media buying platforms.