NACG Conference Center
Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Growth Through Diversity
National Workplace Giving Training Conference
January 20 – 23, 2005
Alexis Park Resort
Las Vegas, Nevada

Trainers & Presenters

Miranda Beebe has served as Vice President of Campaign Development with the National Office of Community Health Charities since July 1999. In this capacity, Miranda oversees management of national private sector corporate accounts and facilitates the growth and development of new corporate accounts. In addition, she acts as the point person for E-Philanthropy opportunities for Community Health Charities and its membership. Prior to joining Community Health Charities, Miranda held senior development positions with the March of Dimes in Washington, D.C., the National Office of the American Diabetes Association, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in the Philadelphia and New Jersey market areas.

Paul Bingle is Executive Director of Earth Share of Ohio, having been employed in late 1995 as a consultant to design the state-wide federation's pledge bookkeeping process. Paul's 19-year journey to ESO was eclectic: BSW degree, welfare caseworker and management analyst, hardware store manager, real estate sales person and trainer; and then a mortgage banker. Commensurate community leader for past twenty years, having founded three NPOs including a community foundation. Serves on various governmental boards in elected and volunteer capacities. Occasional newspaper guest writer. His penchant for big picture visioning and minutia project planning have created opportunities for managing the growth of organizations and projects. A father of two sons and married to ESO's Campaign Director Linda Paul, in his ‘off-time', he is literally renovating his home and occasionally dabbles in refurbishing or creating art glass windows.

Perry Bird is Earth Share's Director of Affiliate Services, a position he's held since September 2002.  His responsibilities include: being the primary liaison and communicator between Earth Share's national office and its affiliates and member organizations; providing on-going education and training opportunities for affiliates and member organizations; and ensuring full implementation of Earth Share's Affiliation Agreement. Perry has more than 10 years experience in non-profit organization operations and management and has worked at both the local and national level.  Before coming to Earth Share, he was the Director of Affiliate Development for Rebuilding Together (formerly Christmas In April USA ).  Prior to that, he was the Executive Director for Rebuilding Together's New Orleans affiliate. Perry earned a B.A. degree in Paralegal Studies and Russian Language from the University of Maryland .

Jim Bliss has been Executive Director of Community Shares of Greater Cincinnati since late 2002. Prior to joining Community Shares, Jim did marketing consulting and taught leadership development courses for the Continuing Education Department of the University of Cincinnati . This followed a 32-year career with Procter & Gamble which included positions in Sales Management, Sales Promotion, and Professional Relations.

William Borden joined Earth Share of Washington as Executive Director in late 1999. He currently serves on the boards of Earth Share, the Seattle-based Coalition for Charitable Choice, and The Mountaineers. His non-profit management experience spans 17 years. Since coming to Earth Share of Washington, he has helped streamline the organization with new bylaws, a new mission, and a new governance structure; and has added staff positions, workplace campaigns and several outreach programs. Prior to his non-profit work, jobs in broadcasting and advertising led Bill to open an advertising sales business in Chicago. A founding board member and past president of Earth Share of Illinois, he also served as the Illinois Environmental Council's president (1993-1996), and has contributed to many advisory panels and task forces. Bill has been spotted creating espresso drinks, baking bread, climbing mountains, and perusing his collection of commercially rejected short stories.

Bill Brackett brings 30 years as senior management in corporate sales and marketing plus an inspiring ten years as CEO of international development self-help nonprofit. Though he is officially retired, Bill volunteers at Community Shares of Colorado. His special interest areas include: providing Access training, making corporate calls, and developing the Access process. In addition to Community Shares, he is active in the work of World Neighbors, Water for People, and a consultant for Creative Leadership Solutions. Bill is an experienced group facilitator, and utilizes these skills in “Whole Systems Change” and executive coaching with for-profit and non-profit groups nationwide.

Cathy Brunicardi is in her seventh year with Christian Service Charities, Human Service Charities of America, Medical Research Agencies of America and Neighbor To Nation now serving as Director of Business Development for the four federations. She brings fourteen years of workplace fundraising and collaborative experience from her prior positions as a founding member and the first Executive Director of the Environmental Fund for Texas, now Earth Share of Texas, and later as a Regional Director for America 's Charities. She was one of the pioneers in establishing Texas public sector campaigns and received a gubernatorial appointment to serve on the first Texas SECC State Advisory Committee. A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Brunicardi resides in Port Aransas, Texas .

Karen Campbell is on the board of Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee where she serves on the Executive Committee and is Co-Chair of Development. She is also a former Board President of Community Shares. She sits on the boards of Women's Choice, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Planned Parenthood Advocates, where she serves as Chair. Karen has experience with non profit management and fundraising at the local, state and national level and was the Executive Director of the Women's Funding Alliance (Seattle) from 1989 to 1993. She makes her home in Milwaukee with her favorite consultant, Kevin Ronnie. She is also the proud grandmother of Kaitlyn and Alex, who live in the Seattle area.

Coralie Curran is the Assistant Coordinator for Community Health Charities of Maine. She has been with the organization for five years. A portion of her work has been spent developing their Lunch and Learn Program. Her other responsibilities for Community Health Charities of Maine include campaign coordination, marketing, finances, and income development. Coralie has also recently participated on two community-based committees, the Mayor's Ad-Hoc Committee for the City of South Portland 's property tax-related Palesky Referendum and the South Portland Elementary School Facilities Committee. Prior to Coralie's involvement with the non-profit world, she worked as a court-reporter and free-lance artist. She resides in Maine with her husband and two children.

Anthony De Cristofaro is the executive director for the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area (CFCNCA), the largest workplace fundraising campaign in the world. CFCNCA is in the midst of its 2004-2005 campaign to raise $54 million for more than 3,200 local, national and international charities. Mr. De Cristofaro supervises a staff of 11 fund-raising and support team members and 42 loaned executives deployed from the government to assist CFCNCA. In addition to his duties with CFCNCA, he serves Global Impact as Vice President of Public Affairs where he leads brand strategy, marketing and positioning.

Mary DeGroot has served as President of Community Health Charities of Colorado since 1997. CHC has 43 local members and participates in over 130 workplace giving campaigns. DeGroot served eight years on the Denver City Council and previously was a budget manager at AT&T and Mountain Bell. She was a Denver mayoral candidate in 1995. She currently serves as president of the Colorado Women's Health Care Coalition, board member of Community Health Charities and Colorado Consumer Health Initiative and member of the Alzheimer's Association Colorado Public Policy committee. DeGroot received a BS from South Dakota State University in Medical Technology, a BA from Metropolitan State College in Economics and attended the State and Local Government program at Harvard University.

Lisa Doucett, Special Projects Coordinator at Action for Boston Community Development, has been active in combined workplace fund drives for over 18 years. Before working for a NACG member federation, her experience ranged from alumni solicitation campaigns which she administered at the Harvard Business School, to fundraising and volunteer recruitment for special events. Currently, she oversees the management of the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) of Eastern Massachusetts, the City of Boston Employee Campaign, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Employees Charitable Campaign and the Keane, Inc. payroll deduction charity drive. She is a member of the National Combined Federal Campaign Committee and has been selected to be a seminar leader for the national CFC workshops for the past three years.

Cheri Dubiel is the Development Director at Community Shares of Wisconsin where she works on new workplace campaign access and fundraising. Prior to working in development, Cheri worked as a community organizer and lobbyist for other non-profit organizations. She is an active member in her local chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and volunteers as a radio talk show host on WORT, Madison 's Community Radio station—which also happens to be a Community Shares of Wisconsin member agency.

Diane Fanning is the Executive Director of Another Way Texas Shares and the proud recipient of the 2000 NACG Freedom Fighter award. In her spare time, she writes books. Her latest true crime book, WRITTEN IN BLOOD, will be released in February 2005. www.dianefanning.com

Beverly Feinstein, Middle Tennessee Director, Community Shares of Tennessee, has directed the workplace campaigns based in Nashville and Middle TN since 2000. She works under the direction of Shelley Wascom, CSTN Executive Director, who directs CS of TN from the federation's main office in Knoxville. Beverly's largest campaigns include both the public and private sector: State of TN, TN Board of Regents, Metro Nashville, and Vanderbilt University and Medical Center. She also manages a number of small and medium-sized campaigns in Middle Tennessee. She has developed solid relationships with a number of volunteers with the workplace campaigns, and enjoys a beneficial partnership with the statewide office of Community Health Charities. Her greatest challenges are engaging an ever-changing workplace environment, and developing new strategies for access.

Marsha Frey has been Executive Director of Community Solutions Fund in Minnesota since December 2002. Community Solutions Fund is just completing its third year managing the Greater Twin Cities (now Greater Minnesota) Combined Federal Campaign and providing fiscal management for three corporate workplace campaigns in Minnesota. Marsha brings a broad understanding of the workplace, with consulting and management experience in business, education and nonprofit sectors. Prior experience includes: Senior Manager at Ceridian Corporation, a leader in information services for Human Resources; Director of Counseling and Co-Director of the Women's Center at Hamline University ; Development Director at Sojourner Project and Executive Director of the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, a Community Solutions Fund member organization.

Tara Friedman has been working in the development field for nearly five years. Her career began at the University of Colorado where she established a major gift program among parents of current students. In the fall 2003, she left campus life to join the staff at Community Shares of Colorado as the first Development Director. Her responsibilities include raising funds outside campaigns to support Community Shares operations, such as direct mail, special events and personal solicitations. In addition, Tara works on new business development and supports Community Shares campaign activities. Originally from Denver, Tara is a graduate from the University of Colorado. She enjoys writing, Bob Ross painting and taking her miniature schnauzer on long walks.

Elicia Fritsch is the Campaign Director for Earth Share of Georgia. She was a closet environmentalist until joining the nonprofit organization in 2001. Prior to joining Earth Share, Elicia was a freelance writer for technology magazines. She spent months traveling around the U.S. schlepping a backpack to experience everything that our country and its people had to offer. Entrepreneurial endeavors include directing her own advertising agency in Ohio and owning and operating a retail plant store in Denver. She has pumped gasoline, waited tables, and graced many happy hour taco bars to survive. She is married to a former US Navy SEAL and has two teenagers. She is trying to improve our quality of life today for tomorrow's children by fundraising for environmental groups through campaigns in the workplace.

Jennifer Henderson is President and co-founder of Strategic Interventions, Inc. Jennifer is a master trainer, facilitator and technical assistance provider in the areas of strategic planning, organizational transformation, cultural diversity, community development, management assistance and capacity building. Having spent twenty years in management, training, and technical assistance, Jennifer is now one of the most sought-after experts in leadership development, curriculum design, fellows programs, organizational redesign and capacity building. Jennifer provides business coaching to a number of corporations and small businesses who are attempting to embrace the ethics and practices of corporate social responsibility. One such firm is Ben and Jerry's Homemade on whose board of directors Jennifer serves. Jennifer spearheads the firm's training and development assistance to NGO's and businesses in South Africa and the Newly Independent States of Eastern Europe. Jennifer serves on the board of directors of the Twenty-First Century Foundation. Jennifer holds a B.A. in Politics and Journalism from N.C. State University .

Kacey Herbst has been with Community Health Charities of California since 1984 when she started her career as a development officer. She became President & Chief Executive Officer in 1991. Prior to coming to CHCC, her professional background was in Health & Safety and Social Psychology. She has worked in both the private and public sector, in addition to owning her own business. Kacey is a native of California and currently serves as a Council Member with the California Association of Nonprofits, CAN Policy Council. In addition to making her family her priority, especially her grandchildren, Kacey and her husband also remain active and involved with issues concerning health and fitness, and the safety of children.

Matt Howe was appointed NACG Executive Director in December 1999. He previously served seven years on the NACG Board including terms as Treasurer and Vice President.  He was Executive Coordinator of MaineShare from 1990-1999, where he led MaineShare's role as PCFO of the Maine State Employees Combined Charitable Appeal (MSECCA) beginning in 1996. Matt got his start in workplace giving with Community Works of Boston from 1988-1990. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College and received his M.A. in Public Policy from Tufts University in 1989.  He resides in Scarborough, ME with his wife Rebecca Booth and three daughters.

Tracy Maki has been with Global Impact as Midwest Regional Director since 2001. Global Impact represents more than 50 of the most respected U.S.-based international charities in workplace giving campaigns and also manages the two largest workplace campaigns in the world, the CFC of the National Capital Area and the CFC-Overseas.  Tracy has eleven years of fundraising experience that ranges from political campaigns to traditional development roles.  Prior to fundraising, she was employed by the Department of the Navy's Inspector General in Washington, D.C.   She holds a B.A. from the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN and an M.A. in International Relations from The American University in Washington, D.C.   Tracy lives in Stillwater, MN with her husband, John, and their 4 year-old son, Evan.

Peggy Mathews has over 28 years experience working with social change and social justice organizations. For eight years Peggy was a community organizer and grassroots fundraiser for a rural citizens organization in east Tennessee, Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM). While at SOCM, Peggy organized coalfield residents to successfully (and sometimes unsuccessfully) protect their homes and communities from the disastrous impacts of strip mining. An organizer at heart, Peggy went on to found Community Shares of Tennessee and opened up a number of workplaces by organizing employees to successfully advocate their employer add Community Shares to their payroll deduction campaign. Peggy was the first to employ this organizing strategy of recruiting employees to be a "Friend of Community Shares" and promote giving to Community Shares to their co-workers during the campaign season. During her 12 years at Community Shares Peggy built the organization into the largest social action federated fund in the Southeast and involved over one hundred employees (in addition to member agencies and board members) as workplace access volunteers or campaign Friends. Under her leadership Community Shares grew from raising $6,000 from two workplace campaigns to raising over $310,000 from 90 workplace campaigns.

Punam Mathur serves as Senior Vice President of Corporate Diversity and Community Affairs and a Corporate Officer for MGM MIRAGE, one of the world's leading hotel and gaming companies that is headquartered in Las Vegas. She was promoted to his position in May 2004 and began her career with Mirage Resorts, Inc. in April 1996. In this capacity, she is responsible for the oversight and implementation of the company's diversity efforts as well as for government affairs and community outreach, including corporate philanthropy. Under her tenure, MGM MIRAGE in 2003 was ranked as No. 31 on Fortune Magazine's “50 Best Companies for Minorities” list. Prior to joining the hospitality industry, she held the position of Senior Vice President for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Mathur worked for the LVCC for six years. She has also owned and operated small businesses. Ms. Mathur was nominated by Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn to serve as a commissioner for the Nevada Commission on Tourism. She was also appointed by former Governor Bob Miller to serve on the Governor's Task Force on Welfare Reform. Additionally, she is active with the American Gaming Association, co-chairing the organization's Diversity Task Force. She is the proud mother of two amazing sons and a spectacular daughter.

Edie Muehlberger, Co-Director of Earth Share of Texas, has been with the organization since January 2001. Prior to joining the EST staff, she represented the Audubon Foundation of Texas on the EST Board of Directors, and was chapter representative and volunteer coordinator for the Texas Audubon Society for several years. Edie was a staff member for Arizona Congressman Mo Udall when he shepherded the 1990 Arizona Wilderness Bill through Congress. Of particular relevance to her presentation to the NACG Las Vegas conference is her three-year role as the federation ‘point person' in the 10,000-employee City of Austin Combined Charities Campaign, which led to Earth Share of Texas' decision to bid for campaign management. Earth Share of Texas managed and served as fiscal agent for the 2004 City of Austin Campaign, which experienced increases in participation, average gift and leadership donors from the previous year.

Wendy Oldham, National Director of State and Local Campaigns, National Black United Fund, has worked with the Black United Funds on the national and local level since 1986. Her experience has been focused on workplace campaigns and organizational devel­opment. She has worked closely with the leadership of Black United Fund affiliates coast to coast, primarily in local federation development, training and program development. Wendy has managed workplace campaigns, combined and/or individual for the City of Baltimore, New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and has managed the Black United Fund's participation in national campaigns. Wendy is a strong advocate for equal access to workplace fundraising campaigns and more equitable campaign participation for the Black United Funds and other organizations with an agenda for social change.

Mara T. Patermaster has served as Director of CFC Operations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, since June 1999. In this capacity she provides policy and technical direction to 350 work­place fundraising campaigns across the nation and monitors program and fiscal compliance on behalf of nearly 4 million federal donors. Mara has held executive positions in the private, non-profit and corporate sectors. Prior to joining OPM she served as Assistant Vice President for Strategic Planning and Governance at Independent Sector. Her work in the non-profit and philanthropic sectors also includes private foundation management and management of federally funded public health programs. She established a national grants program for the New York-based Shelley and Donald Rubin Family Foundation and prior to that she directed a partnership between the Centers for Disease Control and The U.S. Conference of Mayors to co-sponsor a National HIV/AIDS Prevention Grants Program serving minority community based organizations. In the business sector she managed the corporate con­tributions program for a national health care corporation. Mara began her career in her hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico. She holds a Master's degree in public administration and is a proud graduate of the National Urban Fellows Program.

Peggy Paul has held a wide variety of leadership, marketing, communication and strategic development roles. With over 8 years of community affairs experience, Peggy has a diverse background in all aspects of corporate philanthropy. Most recently, she created and managed a global philanthropic program for a company with 4,800 employees and a $5.3 million budget. Her expertise lies is workplace giving, program development, nonprofit collaboration, volunteer management and event fundraising. Peggy is highly successful in her ability to train and motivate employees, management and volunteers. She has proven results in attaining and exceeding organization and fundraising objectives. Peggy has been recognized for her commitment and success in workplace giving campaigns, as well as event fundraising. She most recently served as the President of the Twin Cities Corporate Volunteerism Council, a network of corporations promoting volunteerism and community giving through corporate philanthropy. Currently, Peggy serves on numerous community committees and boards.

Kevin Ronnie is the Director of Field Operations for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, a position he has held since 1991. As Field Director, Kevin has provided organizing and start up technical support to more than 25 community based workplace funds and federations serving social justice, women's and environmental charities, and has provided on-site training and has provided organizational development support to more than 60 additional foundations and federations across the United States. Kevin has also been involved in the research, writing and publication of seven reports on workplace philanthropy; most recent publications include NCRP's Giving at Work 2003 , and co-authorship of an article for the Fall 2004 edition of The Nonprofit Quarterly. Prior to joining NCRP , Kevin served as the first Executive Director of Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee, a Milwaukee based federation of community change, environmental and social justice charities. He is a member of the Board of Directors of NACG and is a founding board member and current Secretary of the Board of CS – USA.

Don Sodo has served as President and CEO of America's Charities since 1987. He has served in leadership capacities in national charities for over 25 years, including Public Citizen, the Foundation for Exceptional Children, and the Pan American Development Foundation. Through America 's Charities, he was the founding Chair of Charities @ Work, a coalition of four national charity federations, chaired the National Federations Committee for the Combined Federal Campaign, and was a leader in the successful effort to pass CFC reform legislation in 1987. He serves on the Board of Directors of several charities and has been involved as a volunteer in youth and adult recreation, education, and domestic violence prevention organizations. Don holds a B.S. degree in Management Science from the University of Detroit , and an M.A. degree in Human Resource Management from George Mason University .

Jim Swanstrom currently serves as president and CEO of Community Health Charities Iowa, a federation of health-related non-profit agencies involved in workplace fund raising. Jim's prior professional experience includes serving as director of development for the American Lung Association of Iowa, as director of development for Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, as executive director of the Western Iowa Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. Jim graduated from Illinois State University, and serves in various board and volunteer capacities here in Central Iowa .

Greg Truog has been involved in non-profit management for over 30 years. Greg is currently Executive Director of Community Shares USA, a national association with 33 local affiliates. Prior to assuming the position with Community Shares USA this year, Greg was Executive Director of Community Shares of Colorado for fourteen years. In that time, membership increased from 14 groups to over 100 organizations. Under his leadership, Colorado Community Shares was the first Shares group in the country to raise over $1,000,000 in workplace giving campaigns. Greg is Past President of the National Alliance for Choice in Giving. He is on the board of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. Greg has trained boards and volunteers across the country for many years. As a former radio personality and stand up comedian, Greg's presentations are entertaining as well as informative.

Nondas Hurst Voll is executive director of The Fund for Community Progress, a pioneer in the alternative fund movement. Since its founding in 1982, The Fund has raised nearly $6 million for social and economic justice. Today, The Fund remains the leading voice for democratizing philanthropy in Rhode Island . In 2002, Nondas received the “Fundraising Professional of the Year Award” from the As­sociation of Fundraising Professionals, Rhode Island Chapter. In 2003, she and The Fund were honored with the “Movement Builder Award” from the National Alliance for Choice in Giving for “modeling excellence in workplace giving for over two decades and becoming an influential force for social change in Rhode Island .” Currently she serves on the Board of Directors of the Advocacy Institute ( Washington , DC) whose mission is to make social justice leadership -- locally, nationally and internationally -- strategic, effective and sustainable. The Advocacy Institute is a partner in Leadership for a Changing World fellowships.

Shelley Wascom has been the Executive Director of Community Shares since 1996 and was the Associate Director for one year before that. She came to Community Shares with 10 years experience in rural community organizing and grassroots fundraising. She is active in the peace movement (specifically working against nuclear weapons production in Oak Ridge, TN and against the war in Iraq) and in issues related to Central America (working to close the School of Americas training school and active in STITCH a group that works on economic issues effecting women in Central America). Shelley is a white, lesbian, native southerner and has a Masters of Social Work degree.

Karen White, Executive Director of Community Health Charities of Washington State, has been active in workplace campaigns for more than twenty years. She joined CHCWA in 2000 when the Washington Affiliate created its single staff position. She previously held fundraising positions at the YMCA of Greater Seattle, United Way of King County, and the American Lung Association. She has presented seminars at OPM CFC Workshops and CFC Million Dollar Roundtables. She has been a church and school volunteer, board member of Cancer Lifeline and was recently re-appointed to the Institutional Review Board at Benaroya Research Institute. She is a member of the local and statewide Washington State CFD committees and co-chair of the Coalition for Charitable Choice. The Seattle Federal Executive Board selected Community Health Charities of Washington State as the PCFO of its $2.8 million campaigns in 2003 and 2004.

Max Woodfin has been executive director of Earth Share of Texas since 1997. Prior to joining EST, he was the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan's principal speechwriter from 1991 to 1997. Max is a former assistant executive director of the Texas Water Commission and helped manage pesticide regulatory programs for Jim Hightower at the Texas Department of Agriculture. He is also a former journalist, with experience at the Wall Street Journal, the Denver Post, the Rocky Mountain News, and KERA-TV, where he worked for Jim Lehrer. Max is serving his fourth and final one-year term as president of the NACG board, and is devastated that he could not convince enough people that no Texan should be president of anything for more than four years. He is also on the national Earth Share board.

Sponsors

NACG wishes to thank the following conference sponsors: