501(c)onference 2017

Below are some of the outstanding speakers joining us for this years’ conference. Check back often for updates!

Keynotes & Panelists | June 13-14, 2017

			Kamy Akhavan, CEO, ProCon.org Prior to becoming CEO, Kambiz (“Kamy”) served as Managing Editor and President of ProCon.org, a nonpartisan public charity providing professionally-researched pro, con, and related information on more than 50 controversial issues including gun control, the death penalty, illegal immigration, and alternative energy. Kamy has more than 20 years of experience in making serious educational content entertaining, accessible, and affordable. His work has been published in textbooks, magazines, newspapers, and websites across the United States. He holds BA and MA degrees in History from UCLA and has been interview by many national media outlets including Reuters, Associated Press, Fox News, ABC, NPR, CNN, and CBS.
			Hussam Ayloush, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Los Angeles Through his work at CAIR, Hussam engages elected officials, law enforcement, media, and the public to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice. As an expert on American Muslim issues, Hussam regularly appears on local, national and international media, and frequently speaks at schools, Islamic centers, churches, conferences, and universities. He is a member of the West Coast Muslim-Catholic Dialogue and the Abrahamic Faith Peacemaking Initiative, and is the past National Chairman of the Syrian American Council (SAC), an organization that advocates for democracy and human rights in Syria. He has also been an elected delegate and Executive Board member for the CA Democratic Party for over 6 years. Hussam holds a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas, Austin and an M.B.A. from California State University, Fullerton.
			Regina Birdsell, President & CEO, Center for Nonprofit Management For over 25 years, Regina has been collaborating successfully with media, business, philanthropy, government, and nonprofit executives, creating strategic partnerships throughout California to address complex problems. She launched her unique career path at Eyewitness News in Los Angeles before serving as press secretary for California’s Attorney General. Regina built the division of public affairs at Children’s Hospital, ran the New Los Angeles Marketing Partnership with Mayor Riordan and 100 corporate leaders, and was appointed by the Governor to lead the Office of Ratepayer Advocates at the California Public Utilities Commission. The LA Business Journal recently named Regina “Most Admired CEO” for her role as advisor to hundreds of leaders across the region.
			Ann Burroughs, President & CEO, Japanese American National Museum (JANM) For over 25 years, Ann has worked with leaders, organizations, and networks across the globe to promote racial and social justice, and human rights. She focuses on transforming leadership culture, developing innovative strategies, and building effective partnerships and coalitions. Prior to joining JANM, she was a Senior Consultant at Social Sector Partners and the Executive Director of the Taproot Foundation in Los Angeles. Ann serves as the Chair of the Board of Amnesty International USA and a member of Amnesty’s International Council. Her life-long commitment to social justice was shaped by her experience as a young activist in her native South Africa where she was jailed as a political prisoner for her opposition to apartheid.
			Alex Cohen, Host, KPCC Prior to hosting “Morning Edition,” Alex was co-host of KPCC's "Take Two" and "All Things Considered." Before joining Southern California Public Radio, Alex was a host and reporter for NPR's "Day to Day." She also served as a host and reporter for NPR's "All Things Considered" as well as American Public Media's "Marketplace" and "Weekend America." She was the L.A. Bureau Chief for KQED FM in San Francisco and has won several journalism awards, including the LA Press Club’s Best Radio Anchor prize. As her roller derby alter ego, Axles of Evil, Alex made a cameo appearance and served as the trainer and choreographer for the Drew Barrymore derby film "Whip It." She is also the co-author of the book "Down and Derby: The Insider's Guide to Roller Derby."
			Rudy Espinoza, Executive Director, Leadership for Urban Renewal Network (LURN) At LURN, Rudy manages initiatives that include a micro-lending program for healthy food entrepreneurs and a purchasing cooperative that offers procurement and distribution services for small grocers in low-income neighborhoods. Before LURN, he worked in South LA providing micro-loans to street vendors. He serves on LA’s Board of Transportation Commissioners, the Board of Directors for the LA Kitchen, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation, and the LA Food Policy Council. Rudy holds degrees in Business and Urban Planning.
			Sebastien Gendry, CEO, The Laughter Consultants, LLC Sebastien is an American expert on laughter for wellness and wellbeing, at home and at work. He is the creator of the Laughter Wellness method now practiced in 42 countries and counting. Sebastien has traveled close to one million miles over the past decade, offering a variety of laughter and empowerment programs to thousands of people on four continents. He encapsulates and shares the power of positive and playful energy and creativity.
			Shane Murphy Goldsmith, President & CEO, Liberty Hill \| Commissioner, Los Angeles Police Commission Prior to Liberty Hill, Shane was the Executive Director of PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) Ventures, an affordable housing development agency. She also served as a Senior Advisor to then-City Council President Eric Garcetti for four years. Shane sits on the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners and is co-chair of the California Executive Alliance for Boys and Men of Color So-Cal Region. She is a member of the Southern California Grantmakers Board of Directors, the board of PATH, and the steering committee of Hope and Heal: The Fund to Stop Gun Violence in California.
			David Greco, Founder, Managing Partner, Social Sector Partners A nationally recognized speaker, author, and consultant on creating a more financially sustainable and effective social sector, David brings more than 25 years of experience in driving the growth and impact of social sector organizations. He serves on the board of Social Venture Partners Los Angeles and on the Southern California Advisory Board for Opportunity Fund. He is the author of "Nonprofit Financial Management" featured in "Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals", edited by Darian Heyman. David served for ten years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserves and earned his M.A. in Political Science from Villanova University and B.S. in History & Politics from Drexel University.
			Alex M. Johnson, Managing Director, Californians for Safety and Justice At the Californians for Safety and Justice, Alex leads the implementation of the organization’s overall strategy and goals to advance best practices in criminal justice, build coalitions with diverse stakeholders, and elevate the voices of diverse crime survivors in the debate on public safety policy. Previously, he served as Executive Director for the Children's Defense Fund-California where he led the organization’s statewide efforts to ensure access to quality affordable health coverage, reform the juvenile justice system, promote educational equity, and end child poverty. He served as Assistant Senior Deputy for Education and Public Safety to LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas and worked with school instructional leaders in the New York City Department of Education. Alex is Vice-President of the Los Angeles County Board of Education and serves on the Board of Directors for the Arts for Incarcerated Youth Network (AIYN). He is a graduate of Morehouse College and earned his Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law.
			Chrisfino Kenyatta Leal, First Graduate, The Last Mile Former San Quentin Inmate and First Graduate of The Last Mile, Chrisfino (Kenyatta) spent nearly 19 years incarcerated within the California prison system for possession of a firearm under California’s Three Strike Law. Throughout his incarceration, he spent his time preparing for his future academically, vocationally, and spiritually. A high school dropout at 17, Kenyatta decided to begin his journey to earn his GED and ultimately graduated as Class Valedictorian from Patten University in 2011. He became a founding member of The Last Mile, an entrepreneurship program designed to provide incarcerated individuals the skills, experience, and networks necessary for successful reentry through business and technology training. Following his release in 2013, Kenyatta went on to become the Manager of Campus Services at RocketSpace, a technology campus in San Francisco. Kenyatta continues to serve as an evangelist for The Last Mile and Centerforce.
			Sarah Mahin, Director of Policy and Planning, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Prior to joining LAHSA, Sarah spent five years as the Regional Coordinator of Supportive Services for Veteran Families at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She has also held positions with the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, LBJ School of Public Affairs, and the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless. Sarah is a graduate of Georgetown University where she received a BA in Government, History, and English.
			Nancy McPherson, State Director, AARP California At AARP, Nancy leads a team of staff and volunteers in driving change that benefits California’s 50+ and their families, including nearly 3.3 million AARP members in the state. Previously, Nancy served as the State Director for AARP Louisiana where residents partnered with AARP to increase livability and reduce violent crime by over 67% in a New Orleans neighborhood. Prior to joining AARP, Nancy spent 20 years advancing police reform through her work as a federal court appointed Special Master, police advisor, or at the assistant chief level for organizations such as the Police Executive Research Forum in D.C., Cincinnati Police Department, and the Portland Police Bureau as well as departments in Albania, the Netherlands, and Canada.
			Apolonio Morales, Political Director, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) Apolonio learned labor organizing while working for the California Nurses Association/United Steel Workers' Healthcare Workers Alliance. His labor experience taught him the value and power of a unionized workforce. For the past 10 years, he has dedicated his life to advancing pro-immigrant policies. Apolonio is the former PICO National Network Immigration Lead Organizer where he helped to strengthen immigrant organizing across various faith institutions with the Campaign for Citizenship. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California at Berkeley.
			Dowell Myers, PhD, Professor, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy \| Director, Population Dynamics Research Group Dowell is a demographer and urban planner who integrates quantitative evidence with interpretations of problems and policy solutions. His research emphasizes the linkage of demographic data (census, surveys, and projections) to future trends in housing, workforce, education, taxpaying, voting, and immigration. His recent focus is a construction of narratives that promote greater public understanding about pressing issues that affect our common future.
			Therese Nolasco, Co-Founder and Principal, We Impact Therese is passionate about social entrepreneurship and truly values using the power of business as a force for good. Prior to We Impact, Therese contributed to the growth of various social enterprises at Homeboy Industries where she served as the Director of Business Development. She also worked at The Walt Disney Company and KPMG on international business projects in finance and marketing capacities. Therese serves as Board Chair of Social Enterprise Alliance – Los Angeles, a membership organization that supports and advances the field of social enterprise throughout the Los Angeles community. She received her B.A. in Business Economics and MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management.
			Manuel Pastor, PhD, Professor, USC Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts & Sciences \| Director, Program for Environmental & Regional Equity Manuel is Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the USC where he also directs the Program for Environmental and Regional Equity (PERE) and the Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration (CSII). His research has generally focused on issues surrounding the economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income urban communities – and the social movements seeking to change those realities. Manuel’s current research is looking at the last several decades of economic, social, and environmental transformations in California, and what these transformations can tell us about the road ahead for the U.S. He is a recipient of the Liberty Hill Foundation’s “Wally Marks Changemaker of the Year” award for social justice research partnerships.
			Sam Polk, Co-Founder and CEO, Everytable Sam grew up in Los Angeles and witnessed the city’s inequality while helping his mother run medical clinics for the homeless along Skid Row. Years later, after noticing families in low-income areas struggling with access to healthy food, he started Groceryships, a nonprofit working at the intersection of poverty and obesity. Prior to becoming a social entrepreneur, Sam was a hedge fund trader on Wall Street. He is a graduate of Columbia University and published his memoir, For the Love of Money, in 2016.
			Tunua Thrash-Ntuk, Executive Director, Los Angeles Local Initiatives Support Corporation A native Angeleno, Tunua is a seasoned community and economic development practitioner of more than 15-years with both nonprofit and private sector experiences. Her strengths range from community advocacy to asset and real estate development around neighborhood revitalization. She has led a number of important urban initiatives in Los Angeles focused on affordable housing and commercial development as well as transit-oriented projects. Prior to joining LISC, Tunua served as Executive Director of West Angeles Community Development Corporation where she was responsible for overseeing their $150 real estate portfolio. Tunua serves as a board member or advisory board member of many entities including Federal Home Loan Bank, San Francisco’s Affordable Housing Council, City of LA Measure HHH Citizens Oversight Commission, Southern California Edison’s Consumer Advisory Panel, and the Los Angeles Development Fund – the city’s New Market Tax Credit implementation group.
			Belen Vargas, Vice President, Programs, Weingart Foundation Belen joined Weingart Foundation in 2000 as the Foundation’s first Program Associate, responsible for formalizing and managing the Foundation’s Small Grant Program. She went on to serve in various roles and in 2014, she assumed the role of Vice President, Programs, where she oversees the Foundation’s grant strategy and planning, communications, and overall program assessment. She serves on the boards of directors of Southern California Grantmakers and The Durfee Foundation. Belen holds a juris doctor degree from the University of Southern California School of Law and received her bachelor’s degree in Communications from California State University, Los Angeles.
			Hector Villagra, Executive Director, ACLU Southern California Before joining ACLU SoCal, Hector served as regional counsel for the Los Angeles Regional Office of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) from 2001 to 2005 and as a staff attorney at MALDEF from 1999 to 2001. He has led numerous civil rights cases involving such issues as educational equity, religious discrimination, immigrants’ rights, and voting rights. In addition, Hector worked as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert Wilentz, Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, and the Honorable Stephen Reinhardt of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He received the Daniel Levy Award for outstanding achievement in immigration law from the National Lawyer’s Guild, the Attorney of the Year Award from the Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County, and the Excellence in Leadership Award from the National Latina/o Law Student Association. Hector serves on the board of Just Detention International and is a graduate of Columbia University and Columbia University School of Law.
			George Weiner, Chief Whaler, Whole Whale Prior to Whole Whale, George was the CTO of DoSomething.org. Under his leadership, the organization became an innovator in social media, mobile technologies, and social cause. During his 7 years at DoSomething.org, he oversaw the complete overhaul of the site twice (winning a Webby Award and nominations), helping to build a community of over 1.5 million young people taking action. George founded Whole Whale in 2010 with the goal of helping more nonprofits benefit from the digital strategies he was using at DoSomething. Since then, George has worked with over 50 nonprofits to increase cause awareness, multiply meaningful online engagement, and train teams to implement strategic use of data and technology. He is also a speaker at conferences and workshops around nonprofit technology.
			David White, Director, Deloitte Consulting, LLP \| CNM Board Chair David has more than 16 years’ experience helping clients integrate talent strategies with process, information, and technology to drive business impact. He has advised clients and led many global talent strategy engagements encompassing workforce of the future, learning transformation, organization design, career development, and performance management. David is recognized for providing business and management advice to senior executives within the Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) industry. David holds an undergraduate degree from Illinois State University and completed the Executive Program at the UCLA Anderson School of Business. David serves as the Board Chair of the Center for Nonprofit Management.

Breakout Session Leaders & Panelists | June 13-14, 2017

			Fred Abdelnour, Director of Community & Government Affairs, Southern California, Enterprise Holdings \| CNM Board Member A career-long dedication to Enterprise Rent-A-Car and the diverse communities it serves has been a career defining principle of Fred’s 30-year professional career. As Director of Community & Government Affairs, Fred oversees community relations, public policy, and public relations for nearly 4,000 employees, 400 locations, and 100,000 vehicles in Southern California. He has worked tirelessly to advance the company’s diversity goals, community relations initiatives, and governmental affairs. He is also co-founder of LA Community Leaders group focused on increasing corporate social responsibility throughout Southern California. Fred serves as Executive Board Member of the LA Urban League and is a Board Member of the Center for Nonprofit Management, Biz Fed, Long Beach Chamber, and the United Way of Greater Los Angeles’ Community Investment Board.
			Gina Airey, President & CEO, Gina Airey Consulting Gina is a strategic planner, facilitator, and executive coach who has passionately and expertly guided mission-driven clients to rise up to their visions for over 25 years. Since establishing her own firm in 2003, Gina’s clients have included nonprofits, city and countywide collaboratives, public agencies, school districts, philanthropies, and universities. She gained deep experience in strategic leadership and growth as a Manager at Accenture/Andersen Consulting and Vice President of Consulting with a local boutique firm. Gina earned her MBA from Claremont Graduate University, where she completed the Coro Public Affairs Fellowship and was voted Outstanding Student of the Year by faculty.
			Mayra E. Alvarez, President, The Children’s Partnership Recently named President of The Children’s Partnership, Mayra is currently winding up several years in key roles at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She presently serves as Director of the State Exchange Group for the Center of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and is responsible for helping states create health insurance marketplaces. Before working as an Obama administration official, she worked on Capitol Hill for Sen. Dick Durbin, of Illinois and former Rep. Hilda L. Solis, of California. She is an accomplished bilingual spokesperson on health issues for national and regional broadcast, print, and online media, including the New York Times, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal to name a few. Mayra earned her master’s degree from the School of Public Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley.
			Patricia Costales, CEO, The Guidance Center Patricia began her career in mental health as a clinician, developing a particular expertise in the areas of child sexual abuse treatment and in crisis assessment and intervention of children and families post-abduction. She served as the lead clinician on the Los Angeles County Child Abduction Task Force, and retains an active interest in teaching and presenting on issues related to child trauma, clinical ethics, and political advocacy as it relates to mental health. Prior to joining The Guidance Center, Patricia served as the Vice President of Clinical Operations at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, where she was responsible for the oversight of services to more than 44,000 clients. A member of the National Association of Social Workers, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Occidental College and a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California.
			Shari Davis, Board Chair, The Children’s Partnership In addition to her current role as Chair of the Board of Directors of The Children’s Partnership, Shari has been a program consultant on several TCP projects since 1996, including Computers In Our Future, for which she facilitated corporate outreach and donations. She serves as the Co-Director of the Public Policy Institute at Santa Monica College and adjunct professor of Political Science. Prior to her nonprofit work, Shari spent 12 years as a public affairs advocate and governmental relations consultant and has experience as a municipal finance investment banker. Shari is a long-time community activist in Santa Monica and currently serves as co-chair of Community for Excellent Public Schools (CEPS), a nonprofit grassroots political action committee dedicated to advocating for increased financial resources for public schools. Shari holds degrees in Political Science and Public Relations from the University of Southern California and earned master’s degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
			Jeannie DeLaura, CAWC, Senior Vice President, Bolton & Company Jeannie bridges a background in finance with a commitment to helping others in her work at Bolton & Company. She works with industries as varied as nonprofits, manufacturing, and retail, to help organizations manage risk exposure and access invaluable education, safety, and cost-reduction resources. Jeannie is an active volunteer with Children’s Hunger Fund and The Bolton Foundation.
			Drucilla Garcia-Richardson, Senior Vice President & Regional Manager, Manufacturers Bank Drucilla (Dru) brings more than 30 years of experience in commercial and corporate banking to her work to empower organizations to succeed by finding financial solutions to support their goals. For over 20 years, Dru has volunteered to improve the education and well-being of children, foster development of entrepreneurs, and increase employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
			Rachel Hamburg, Consultant, Gina Airey Consulting Rachel guides mission-driven organizations to increase their social impact by supporting effective management and program innovation. She specializes in connecting organizations’ strategic objectives with practical implementation, to which she brings skills in strategic planning, program development, data gathering, and grant writing. Rachel is a graduate of Pomona College and earned a master's degree at The London School of Economics and Political Science. She holds a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the Institute of Leadership and Management in London, England and is active within several Los Angeles-based community organizations.
			Elena Halpert-Schilt, Assistant Executive Director, Emeritus, LA County Commission on Human Relations Elena has dedicated her career to ensuring that Los Angeles County youth can achieve their dreams, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. She has focused her efforts on youth with poor life outcomes due to poverty, inequity, injustice and prejudice. Elena has recognized expertise in implicit bias, disparate outcomes in under-resourced populations, home visiting, community organizing and engagement, program development and implementation, and organizational development. She has been an active member of the Within Our Lifetime National Network, dedicated to anti-racism, and L.A. County’s Government Alliance on Race and Equity Learning Cohort. Elena recently retired from the position of Assistant Executive Director of the LA County Commission on Human Relations, a role she served in since 2006.
			Sarah Hardin, Corporate Citizenship – Marketplace Leader, Deloitte Services LP At Deloitte, Sarah serves as a liaison between the nonprofit and corporate community focusing on philanthropy, skills-based volunteerism and board service in education, veterans, and health and human services. In addition to her role at Deloitte she is an adjunct lecturer at the University of Southern California in the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Sarah is currently the Chair for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles Emerging Leader cabinet and a member of the Southern California Grantmakers Corporate Leadership Council. She holds Master of Public Health in Health Promotion and Behavioral Science from San Diego State University and a Project Management Professional certification.
			Maura Harrington, PhD, Senior Vice President, Center for Nonprofit Management An expert in the field of organizational development with a focus on strategic planning, Maura brings to CNM both consulting and training services for the nonprofit and public sectors. Maura’s extensive background includes serving as an adjunct professor at the USC School of Social Work and Psychology, designing and delivering leadership workshops, and training for leadership development research studies through the Connective Leadership Institute. Maura is also an executive coach and a certified Governance Trainer through BoardSource. She holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior from the Claremont Graduate School, an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management, and a B.S. in Psychology from Georgetown University.
			Tom Iselin, President, First Things First After a near-death experience in 1991, Tom left the world of finance to become a social entrepreneur. He founded or helped build five notable nonprofits that address some of the nation’s most complex societal issues: hunger (the Hunger Coalition), substance abuse (Natural High), the environment (Environmental News Network), people with disabilities (Sun Valley Adaptive Sports), and veterans and wounded veterans (Higher Ground). Tom has been in the trenches of the nonprofit world for 20 years. He has written six books, speaks on the topics nonprofit management and fundraising around the country, and hosts workshops for major organizations such as BoardSource, The Annenberg Foundation, and the Tarsadia Foundation. He won social Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2006), and has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek. He studied at UC San Diego, University of Wisconsin Madison, and Harvard.
			Elliott Law, Facilitator, USC Mindfulness Practice Group \| Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, InsightLA Elliott is a development professional with the University of Southern California’s academic medical enterprise - Keck Medicine of USC. In his current position as Online Programs Manager for the Office of Medical Annual Giving, he has played a part in USC’s successful $6 billion fundraising campaign. A certified mindfulness facilitator, Elliott has been a mindfulness practitioner since 2011 and maintains a dedicated, daily practice. He is a graduate of InsightLA’s ten-month mindfulness facilitator training program and is currently a teacher for their award-winning Basics of Mindfulness course. He established the Mindful USC Mindfulness Practice Group at USC Center in Downtown LA for faculty, staff, and students and has led the group for over two years.
			Wendy Lazarus, Co-Founder of and Senior Advisor, The Children’s Partnership Wendy has spent her 40-year career as a children’s policy specialist, advocate, and innovator. After completing graduate work in public health, she moved to Washington DC where she became the first national Director of Health at the Children’s Defense Fund. Since then, she has led a variety of national and state-based policy and R&D initiatives to improve children’s health, technology readiness, nutrition, early learning, and education. Currently, Wendy consults on select projects and serves as Senior Fellow at UCLA’s Center for Healthier Children, Families & Communities.
			Naomi Leight-Give’on, COO, CausePick Naomi is the founder of CausePick.org, a newly launched, personalized, monthly subscription service for charitable giving. She applies her background in public diplomacy to her passion for helping governments and organizations successfully engage their communities and audiences. She has expertise in the areas of government and economic relations, digital and traditional advocacy, community building and strategic planning. Prior to her shift into entrepreneurship, she served as the Economic Diplomacy and Government Relations officer for the Consulate General of Canada Los Angeles. Naomi currently teaches Strategic Advocacy for the MBA program at the American Jewish University and serves as Board President of Jewcer.org, a Jewish community crowdfunding platform. Naomi holds a B.A. in International Studies from the American University and an M.A. in Public Diplomacy from the University of Southern California.
			Carrie Lemmon, Director, L.A. Compact, UNITE-LA Carrie has extensive expertise convening public, private, and nonprofit institutions to drive systems change and improve student outcomes through collective impact. Since joining UNITE-LA in 2012, she has served as the lead backbone staff for the L.A. Compact, facilitating cross‐sector strategy development and data analysis for issues including early childhood education, K‐12 school turnaround, transition-age foster youth, and workforce systems. Previously, Carrie consulted with a juvenile delinquency diversion collaborative led by the Cambridge, MA Police Department and served as the Director of Advocacy for a Kansas City nonprofit where she advanced local, state, and federal policies supporting low‐income children and families. Carrie holds a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College and a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
			Laurie Lipper, Co-Founder of and Senior Advisor, The Children’s Partnership While at The Children’s Partnership, Laurie helped pioneer child advocacy on emerging issues particularly those surrounding children and technology. She also served as founding Vice President for Communications at Children Now, where she developed a communications model for public advocacy initiatives. Laurie has served as an executive in a number of other communications and advocacy nonprofits and issue campaigns. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
			Robert Lurye, Mindfulness Meditation Instructor, InsightLA & Long Beach Meditation Center Robert is a graduate of InsightLA’s mindfulness facilitator training program and became a qualified facilitator through the UMass Medical School’s Center for Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program. He is also a visual artist whose television and film career spans the pioneering era of digital filmmaking including design and production for computer-animated visual effects, commercials, games, and feature films at Disney and DreamWorks to name a few. Robert has taught Art and Computer Graphics at The University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M, and The Ohio State University.
			Joan Maltese, PhD, CEO, Child Development Institute Joan is a clinical psychologist with more than 30 years of experience working with high-risk infants, toddlers, and families. She serves as community liaison to CSUN’s Institute for Community Health and Wellbeing. She is one of the people responsible for the vision and oversight of CDI's new Early Learning Center in Canoga Park, a volunteer-run, nature-based drop-in center for children and families to play, grow, and learn about child development. Currently Joan is facilitating the Community Partners for Reseda Task Group focused on strengthening the community to better serve families and children.
			riKu Matsuda, Senior Intergroup Relations Specialist, Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission riKu leads the Human Relations Commission's work to end violence against transgender and non-binary communities. He is an analyst for the annual Hate Crime Report and a seasoned facilitator trained in community mediation. riKu serves as the Commission's liaison to the Anti-Bullying Coalition, the Media Image Coalition and the Transgender Service Provider Network. Before starting with the County in 2004, riKu organized Cambodian youth in Long Beach around issues of reproductive and social justice. For over a decade, he hosted a weekly public affairs program on Pacifica Radio and volunteered with many organizations for queer and trans people of color (QTPOC). Currently, riKu is a governing board member of Gender Justice Los Angeles.
			Joan McCarthy, Senior Manager, Corporate Citizenship and Community Engagement, The Walt Disney Company As part of the Disney Corporate Citizenship team, Joan is responsible for community engagement in the greater Los Angeles area, including the cities of Burbank and Glendale where The Walt Disney Company is the largest employer. Focusing support in Disney’s philanthropic mission areas of Compassion, Conservation, and Creativity, she manages the company’s strategic financial giving, oversees community outreach programs, and the Disney VoluntEARS program.
			Louise McCarthy, President & CEO, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County (CCALAC) At CCALAC, Louise she represents the interests of LA area Community Clinics and Health Centers, and those they serve. Prior to taking this role, she served as CCALAC’s Vice President of Governmental Affairs for three years. Before joining CCALAC, Louise was the Assistant Director of Policy for the California Primary Care Association, where she worked on statewide legislative, regulatory, and administrative issues impacting California’s community clinics and health centers. She has also worked for the California Bureau of State Audits, conducting performance evaluations of state agencies, and for the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, analyzing policies affecting the business community. Louise is the Chair of the Board of L.A. Care Health Plan and Vice Chair of the National Association of Community Health Center’s Health Center Controlled Network (HCCN) Taskforce. She holds a master’s degree in Public Policy from the UCLA School of Public Affairs.
			April Powers, Managing Director, First Impression Rx April is a highly-rated trainer for Fortune 50, government and nonprofit companies. Her client work includes LGBTQ bench-marking through the Human Rights Campaign, project managing a cultural dexterity roll-out, and delivering certified training in the areas of Generational Diversity, Unconscious Bias, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Empathy and Cultural Competence. After graduating from U.C. Berkeley, April began her recruiting career with Ryan, Miller & Associates, launched Manifest Search, and then became the Manager of Diversity and Recruiting for Nestlé USA. Having lived in the US, South America and Europe, she brings a global perspective with local understanding to her clients' goals in the inclusion space.
			Nona Randois, Southern California Director - Bolder Advocacy Program, Alliance for Justice At Alliance for Justice, Nona builds partnerships with local nonprofits and foundations that are engaged in policy advocacy. In an effort to build the capacity of these groups to advocate for policy and systems change, she provides legal and practical training, technical assistance, and publications to ensure groups have the knowledge they need to become confident advocates and tools to help them navigate complex advocacy rules
			Susana Rinderle, President, Susana Rinderle, LLC. A native of Los Angeles, Susana has 25 years of professional experience across the U.S. and abroad in nonprofit, corporate, healthcare, education and governmental entities. She is a trainer, coach, TEDx speaker and a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Workforce Magazine, and Diversity Executive. She was the co-founder and first Manager of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at UNM Hospitals and holds a B.A. from UCLA and an M.A. in Intercultural Communication from the University of New Mexico.
			Leslie Robin, Senior Strategist, Center for Nonprofit Management At CNM, Leslie utilizes her consulting, training, and executive coaching skills to support the nonprofit industry and its leaders. She is a trailblazer for fostering change and meeting social and community needs through strategic planning, board and leadership planning, and organizational development. Her all-encompassing nonprofit experience includes organizations in the arts, education, Jewish communal, environmental, public safety, and health agencies. Leslie is a member of the Association of Talent Development (ATD) and the International Coaching Federation. She holds a Master’s in Urban Planning from for the School of Public Administration at New York University, a B.S. in Business Administration from UC Berkeley, and is a Certified Governance Trainer for BoardSource.
			Karla Salazar, Senior Director, Sustainability, California Community Foundation At the California Community Foundation, Karla is responsible for the leadership and implementation of the foundation’s sustainability portfolio including the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative, and partnerships with capacity builders and technical assistance providers. Before joining CCF, she served as consultant and coach to small businesses, nonprofits, and foundations, and successfully opened and managed the Los Angeles office for the Nonprofit Finance Fund. In the public sector, she worked as an Assistant Manager at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco – L.A., Field Director for the CA State Controller – Executive Office, and an Analyst at the City of Santa Monica, Finance Department. Karla teaches the Business of Nonprofits as a part-time instructor at UCLA Extension. She completed UCLA’s Executive Program in Management and holds a MA in Public Policy from the Claremont Graduate University and a BA in Political Science from UCLA.
			Bamby Salcedo, Founder & President, TransLatin@ Coalition Bamby’s remarkable and wide-ranging activist work has brought a voice and visibility not only to the trans community, but to the immigrant, HIV, youth, LGBT, incarcerated, and Latin@ communities as well. Prior to her current role at TransLatin@ Coalition, she spent eight years as the Health Education and HIV Prevention Services Coordinator at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She has participated as an inspiring keynote speaker and panelist for numerous universities, organizations, and conferences including the Women and Girls National HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Transgender Women of Color and Violence, LGBTQ People of Color Summit, and the United States Conference on AIDS. Through her instinctive leadership and work as a collaborator, Bamby has birthed several organizations, created community where there was none, and advocated for the rights, dignity, and humanity of marginalized members of society.
			Kaile Shilling, Executive Director of Arts, Incarcerated Youth Network (AIYN) Kaile has nearly two decades of experience working in and with nonprofits. Prior to AIYN, she was the ED of the Violence Prevention Coalition, an organization serving hundreds of nonprofits across Los Angeles County. At the VPC, she quadrupled its membership, stabilized its funding, and clarified the organizations mission and strategic plan. Kaile has also worked at Homeboy Industries, one of the leading gang intervention agencies in the nation. She holds a BS in Social Anthropology from Harvard University and a Master of Theological Studies from Loyola Marymount University.
			Aquilina Soriano-Versoza, Founder and Executive Director, Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) of Southern California Aquilina sees her work for social justice as a lifelong endeavor and has been working in the Pilipino community for 15 years, both here in Los Angeles and in the Philippines. Her leadership at PWC comes at a time of the growing statewide and national movement of domestic workers. She was recently re-elected as the President of the Board of Directors of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and is a Board member of Mission Asset Fund. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Asian American Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles.
			Shyaam Subramanian, Counsel, Bolder Advocacy Program Counsel, Alliance for Justice At Alliance for Justice, Shyaam assists nonprofit organizations in pursuing legal and effective advocacy to advance their public policy goals. Prior to joining AFJ, he was a Public Interest Fellow at the National Health Law Program, where he participated in policy advocacy to improve low-income individuals’ access to affordable and quality health care.
			Jenna Watkinson, Director of Public Affairs, Albertsons, Vons & Pavilions Jenna oversees communications, corporate philanthropy, government relations, employee volunteer programs, events, and The Albertsons Companies, Vons, and Pavilions Foundations. Jenna also serves as an Adjunct Instructor at College of the Canyons. Previously Jenna worked in Corporate Citizenship and Communications for Disney/ABC Television Group.
			Paul Jan Zdunek, Managing Director, Nonprofit and Education Advisory Services, BDO Paul brings over 20 years of experience providing leadership and advisory services to both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. He has been a Chief Restructuring Officer, Business Transformation Advisor, and Interim Executive for companies requiring stabilization or revitalization. Paul has designed and leads the Reboot Retreat™, Exponential Leaders Network™, and Extreme Executive Search™ initiatives that help organizations reach their maximum potential. His expertise includes conflict & crisis management, financial and organizational restructuring, cost reduction and rightsizing of organizations, strategic and sales plans, as well as leadership development and stakeholder management.

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