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Keynotes

OPENING KEYNOTE
Monday, March 18

Reimagining People-Centered Philanthropy

Many definitions of philanthropy center on how this field focuses on the love of humanity and the desire to support the wellbeing of others. But in practice, many nonprofits say their relationships with institutional funders feel transactional and are characterized by burdensome processes that create barriers to accessing philanthropic capital. Similarly, grants professionals who want to bring change to their communities often feel stymied by the hierarchical policies and procedures they must enforce. And with declining public trust in both nonprofits and philanthropy, funders need to radically rethink and redefine how they approach their work in order for the sector and the communities they support to have a healthy and sustainable future.

To challenge philanthropy’s status quo, we welcome to our mainstage Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth, and Vu Le, who authors the blog NonprofitAF. Together, they will frankly explore pathways to evolving the sector, how money can be used as a tool of love and restoration, and what the world would look like if philanthropy reimagined how it manifests its love of humanity.

Vu Le gives a close-lipped smile in a selfie in front of a brick wall. He's wearing a bright blue shirt and checkered blue tie.

Vu Le (he, him) writes the blog NonprofitAF.com. He is the former executive director of RVC, a nonprofit in Seattle that promotes social justice by supporting leaders of color, strengthening organizations led by communities of color, and fostering collaboration among diverse communities. In addition to being a founding board member of Community-Centric Fundraising, Le has two kids and watches way too much television when not causing trouble.

Edgar Villanueva smiles in his headshot. He's wearing a white shirt and is in front of a white, blurred background.

An enrolled member of the Lumbee Tribe, Edgar Villanueva (he, him) is an award-winning author and activist, specializes in the intersection of race, wealth, and philanthropy. As founder and CEO of the Decolonizing Wealth Project as well as Liberated Capital, he advises organizations including global philanthropies and Fortune 500 companies on racial equity and social impact strategies. His book, Decolonizing Wealth, has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide.

MIDWEEK KEYNOTE
Tuesday, March 19

Reimagining Persistence

Between the current threatening and divisive environment and philanthropy’s tendency to avoid risk, the sector at large is retreating from its commitments to investing in diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, eroding some positive changes we have seen over the past few years.  But some organizations are refusing to back down. 

In this panel discussion, four sector leaders—Walter & Elise Haas Fund’s Jamie Allison, Stupski Foundation’s Glen Galaich, Philanthropy Northwest’s Jill Nishi, Native Americans in Philanthropy’s Erik Stegman—will speak about both the strategies and tactics grants professionals can use to lead from where they sit to guide their organizations in recalibrating their approach to and doubling down on racial equity.

Jamie smiles in her headshot. She's wearing a magenta blouse and is in front of a white background.

Jamie Allison (she, her) is the executive director of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, which she leads in partnership with trustees. Her top priorities are to ensure that staff thrive in their roles and that the organization’s practices and grantmaking advance liberation and community transformation. Allison’s more than 20 years in philanthropy combined with experience in the public sector and local government enables her to understand how these systems can be leveraged to make real change.

Glen smiles in his headshot

Glen Galaich (he, him) joined the Stupski Foundation as CEO in 2015. He previously served as CEO of The Philanthropy Workshop, whose mission was to educate, inspire, and activate a peer network of effective, engaged, and innovative philanthropists. His career in strategic philanthropy started with the founding team of the Global Philanthropy Forum.

Jill smiles in her headshot. She's wearing a gray and white patterned blouse and is in front of a dark gray background.

With more than 20 years of leadership experience in the public and philanthropic sectors, Jill Nishi (she, her) is the CEO of Philanthropy Northwest and The Giving Practice. She previously served in various leadership capacities at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development. A fourth-generation Japanese-American and Seattleite, Nishi is passionate about sharing stories of the Asian American experience and serves as board copresident for the Wing Luke Museum.

Erik smiles in his headshot. He's wearing a gray suit jacket over a blue and white checkered shirt. The background is a blur of nature.

Erik Stegman (he, him) is the CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy, a national organization advocating for stronger and more meaningful investments by the philanthropic sector in Tribal communities. He has held positions at the Center for American Progress on their Poverty to Prosperity team, as majority staff counsel for the US Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, and in the Obama administration as a policy advisor at the US Department of Education.

CLOSING KEYNOTE
Wednesday, March 20

Reimagining Leadership

To be a change agent for equitable grantmaking and transform philanthropy, grantmaking professionals need to reimagine what it means to lead and how to achieve their goals and evolve beyond being role good. In addition, to truly be leaders in the field, organizations must work on themselves and align every aspect of their operations with equity-centered values. 

In this conversation between CEOs and grants management directors of grantmaking organizations, PEAK’s Satonya Fair, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation’s Allison Gister, Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Roland Kennedy, Jr., and Skillman Foundation’s Angelique Power to explore how their organizations have focused on internal transformation to allow them to show up for their communities differently. These leaders will also share how they have been working on themselves as individuals and taken control of their professional development and careers in order to lead their organizations’ transformations. 

President and CEO of PEAK Grantmaking, Satonya Fair, JD (she, her) has extensive experience in philanthropy and nonprofit management. Her knowledge of strategic framing, change management, policy advocacy, and leadership development have uniquely allowed her to support the social sector. A thread of her work has been focused on racial equity, diversity, and inclusion. She is dedicated to helping create parity between funders and nonprofits and thrives when managing initiatives that align organizations around innovative best practices.

Allison smiles in her headshot. She's wearing a blue sweater and is in front of a blur of nature.

At the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Allison Gister (she, her) is director, grants and knowledge management. In this role, she oversees effective, efficient, and knowledgeable grantmaking that aligns with the foundation’s requirements and complies with IRS regulations. She also partners with leadership and others to further develop an innovative knowledge management strategy to foster learning, communication, and decision making. Prior to joining the Foundation, Gister was at the Annenberg Foundation as grants manager and provided programmatic support to board members.

Roland looks toward the camera head on. He's wearing a dark gray suit over a white shirt with a soft yellow tie. The background is a blue of lights.

Roland Kennedy, Jr., (he, him) is director of grants management at the Carnegie Corporation of New York, where his work has covered grants management, data, and board operations. His career experience includes both grants management and program positions and is grounded in democracy funding and policy in the US and abroad, including 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) grantmaking experience, voting and elections, effective governance, economic justice, education, media and journalism, and peace and security.

Angelique smiles in her headshot. She's wearing a colorful and whimsical top. She's sitting outside, with the background a blur.

Angelique Power (she, her) is the president and CEO of The Skillman Foundation, a Detroit-based private independent foundation that puts all of its resources toward brilliant Detroit youth—their justice, their power, and their promise. Under her tenure, The Skillman Foundation has led a community-rooted strategic planning process to rethink its grantmaking, metrics, and partners. In addition, Power chairs the board of 6018North and is a board member of CultureSource, Detroit Public Theatre, Michigan Future, The Parade Company, BasBlue, and serves on Mayor Mike Duggan’s Workforce Development Board.

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