2024 Conference Schedule

Time

Event

3:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Registration Desk Open

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Welcome Party at Conner’s 

Join us for the Welcome Party to kick off your conference experience. This is an excellent time to meet people you will be sharing time with over the next three days and to greet old friends. Come have a drink (with a free ticket), enjoy hors d’oeuvres, play some games, and hear from our partner Visit Indy, who will share some exciting things to do in the city during your visit. We’ll kick it off at 5:00 PM at Conner’s restaurant (onsite at the hotel).

Time

Event 

7:00 AM - 4:30 PM

Registration Desk Open

7:00 AM  – 8:00 AM

Breakfast 

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Welcome Message

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Networking Break with Exhibitors

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Concurrent Sessions 1

1A: The Power of Moments: Broad and Personalized Stewardship Strategies 

• Amy Minerich, Hoag Hospital Foundation
• Deanna Blanchet, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian

1B: Campaign Readiness: Before, During, After (and Always)

• Jen McGrath, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

1C: “Why? How Come? What For?” ABCs for Donor Relations Questions

• Bree Bridger, Rice University
• Anna Won, Rice University
• Kat Kolsted, Rice University

1D: Flip the Narrative: Craft Empowering Stories for Lasting Impact

•  Veronica Vasquez, JMM Dance Co.

1E: Becoming Besties: Elevating the Donor Experience Through Collaborations/Integrations with Annual Giving 

• Heather Mourer, Wayne State University

1F: Never Be Picked Last for Kickball Again: Equipping Yourself with Metrics to Elevate Donor Relations with Leadership

• Angela Altamore, BWF

1G: Time-Traveling Tips: Crafting Resilient Fund Terms for Tomorrow!

• David Hough, Northeastern University
• Matt Cotty, Northeastern University

11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

Break

 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM

Concurrent Sessions 2 

2A: Moving from Donor Relations 101 to Strategic Engagement 505

• Debbie Meyers, Rutgers University Foundation
• Kathleen Diemer, George Mason University

2B: Exploring the Power Dynamics Between Donors and Recipients

• Elizabeth Gray, University of Louisville

2C: “Everything You Need Is Already Inside of You (And That Makes You a Great Donor Relations Professional!)”

• Adrianne DeWeese, Rockhurst High School 

2D: Strategic Trends and Shifts in Donor Advised Funds: A Conversation with the Advisors

• Genivieve Shaker, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
• Allison Shean, Fidelity Charitable

• Deborah Garcia, Doctors Without Borders

2E: In "Old" News: Repackaging Content to Engage New Donors

• Megan Rehberg, Knox College

2F: From Roadblocks to Building Blocks: How Brown University Overcame Obstacles to Build a Sustainable Stewardship Program

• Katie LeClair, Brown University
• Jaclyn Glover, Brown University

2G: Metrics for Success: Measuring Donor Engagement for Maximum Impact

• Sarah Sims, Texas State University

12:15 PM - 12:30 PM

Break

12:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Lunch and International Stewardship Awards

 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Concurrent Sessions 3 

3A: Engaging Students to Engage Donors: Take Your Video Stewardship to New Heights

• Emilie Schulze, University of Dayton

3B: Costume Bin: How to Walk in the Shoes of Donors and Colleagues Based on the Five Generations

• Katherine Lane, University of Notre Dame

3C: What Do Middle Donors Really Want? - A Landmark Study 

• Mark Rovner, Sea Change Strategies
• Pam Loeb, Edge Research
• Laura Lane, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

3D: Palette of Possibilities: Painting Donor Relations with a Splash of Innovation

• Carly Plate, University of South Florida Foundation
• Dominika McLean, University of South Florida Foundation

3E: Not Just A Fairy Tale: Creating and Implementing Strategy for the Ideal Donor Experience 

• Holden Walker, University of Colorado Boulder
• Margaret Arreola, University of Colorado Boulder

3F: Show and Tell: Director Discussions

• Colin Daly, Medical College of Wisconsin and the Froedtert Hospital Foundation

3G: Part 1: Email Fundraising, Communications, and Digital Analytics Bootcamp

• Beth Hatcher, Beth Interactive

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Concurrent Sessions 4 

4A: Donor Motivations

• Genevieve Shaker, Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

4B: Love, U: Successes and Pitfalls of the University of Utah’s $3B campaign

• Claire Martinez, University of Utah
• Brooke Abel, University of Utah

4C: Engaging Beneficiaries in Donor Relations Activities: Group Problem Solving

• Meg McAndrews, V Foundation for Cancer Research

4D: Building Blocks of Change: Revisiting Recognition Societies

• Jen Riordan, The George Washington University

• Colton Withers, Donor Relations Group

4E: Advancing Together: Inclusive Hiring and Retention Strategies

• Amanda Halbert, University of Michigan, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

4F: Connecting the Dots & Coloring Outside the Lines: How Collaboration Creates a Positive Donor Engagement Experience at Three Donor Stages

• Adrienne Lotoski, Boston University's Development and Alumni Relations
• Amber Stout, Rhode Island School of Design
  

4G: Part 2: Email Fundraising, Communications, and Digital Analytics Bootcamp (Ends @4pm)

• Beth Hatcher, Beth Interactive

4:30 PM – 5:15 PM

Break

5:15 PM – 7:15 PM

Networking Reception

6:30 PM

Dine-Arounds

Time

Event 

7:45 AM – 4:30 PM

Registration Desk Open

7:45 AM – 8:45 AM

Breakfast 

8:45 AM – 9:30 AM

Skyward Leadership Fireside Chat: The Role of Donor Relations Professionals in Shaping Futures

• DeeDee Merritt, Managing Director, NCAA Leadership Development
• Bill Stanczykiewicz, Senior Assistant Dean for External Relations, Clinical Associate Professor, Director, The Fund Raising School
• Howard Milton, Chief Development Officer, University of Illinois Athletics and National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) Executive Committee Member

9:30 AM – 10:00 AM 

Networking Break with Exhibitors

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM   

Concurrent Sessions 5 

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

• Cheryl  Lintner, Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation

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

• Angela Altamore, BFW

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

• Megan Kintzer, Lafayette College

5D: Uniting Volunteers in Stewardship for Everlasting Connections

• Chelsea Poch, JDRF International

5E: TechXchange: Chasing the Cloud(s)

• Sara Moïse, Tulane University

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

• Corrine Green Endres, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Megan Cheever, Rochester Institute of Technology

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

•   Anton Lipkanou, Delve Deeper

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM   

Concurrent Sessions 6

6A: Chipping Away at the Marble Wall: Novel Approaches for Donor Recognition

• Pandora Hess, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
• Ben Dudek, Acrylicize

6B: Show Off That Box of 64 Crayola's! Developing Visible Stewardship Reporting

• Carol Wilkie, University of St. Thomas

6C: From DIY to VIP: Building an Enterprise-Level Donor Engagement Program

• Alex Kwak, CommonSpirit Health Philanthropy
• Beth Hatcher, Beth Interactive Inc.

6E: Donor Surveys are Amazing - Now What Do I Do with this Data?!

• Megan Rehberg, Knox College
• Misty Sayre, Air Force Museum Foundation

6F: Getting to the Heart of the Matter: How to Find, Tell, and Leverage Stories of Impact

• Meghan Goff, Onword Communications
• Liz Blaszkiewicz, Onword Communications

6G: Predictably Irrational: Utilizing Decision Science to Transform Donor Relations and Fundraising

• Michael Johnston, Hewitt and Johnston Consultants Inc.
• Thomas Kurmann, Oxfam America

1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Networking Break with Exhibitors

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM   

Concurrent Sessions 7

7A: Don't Wait to Celebrate: Tips for Maximizing End-of-Campaign Stewardship

• Kathryn Munro, Dartmouth College

7B: Engage That Donor!

• Meg McAndrews, V Foundation for Cancer Research

7C: Do I STILL Want to do This? A Conversation for Those Who've Been in DR a While

• Mark Lanum, Brown University

7D: Leading with Equity and Inclusion in Donor Communications Part 1

• Leticia John, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Sharday Urtarte, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Aimee White, Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky

7E: Time for an Endowed Fund Audit

• Debbie Meyers, Rutgers University Foundation
• Kathleen Diemer, George Mason University

7F: How to Scale AND Streamline Your Stewardship Reporting Process with the Mythos Platform

• Katie LeClair, Brown University
• Robb Hoffheins, Head of Product, Mythos

7G: Video Messaging Part 1: Edit Your Way to Engagement: Reel Results Using Video Messaging

• Emily Thornton, Stanford University
• Kaylyn Adams, Butler University
• Alyssa Cacini, Butler University

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Break

Concurrent Sessions 8

8A: Creating Moments of Joy and Delight: Gratitude at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

• Danielle Josephine DeWitt, Corewell Health Foundation West Michigan and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Foundation

8B: Tag! You're It! -- How Donor Relations Portfolios Can Keep Your Donor Cycle Game Strong

• Michele L. Miller, Purdue For Life Foundation
• Jeannine M. Bergeron, Purdue For Life Foundation

8C: No Whining: Making the Case For New (People, Programs, or Processes)

• Eliza McNulty, Stanford University

8D: Leading with Equity and Inclusion in Donor Communications Part 2

• Leticia John, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Sharday Urtarte, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Aimee White, Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky

8E: Captain Planet: Creating Sustainable Donor Relations Practices

• Colin Daly, Medical College of Wisconsin
• Bethany Olson, Medical College of Wisconsin

8F: The Friendship Bracelet Model: How to Weave A Long-Lasting, Meaningful Donor Journey with Technology

• Chelsea Poch, JDRF International
• Bethany Watson, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
• Brent Bridwell, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana
• Frank Mumford, Gravyty

8G: One Stitch at a Time: What Knitting Taught Me About Donor Relations

• Scott Eichinger

6:30 PM

Dine-Arounds

Time

Event

8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Registration Desk Open

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Breakfast 

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Concurrent Sessions 9

9A: Trends in Fundraising 

• Bill Stanczykiewicz, Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy

9B: New President: It's Giving...Opportunities to Meet Donors and Collaborate with New Teams 

• Jacob Makowski, Wayne State University

9C: Postcards to My Less Experienced Self 

• Kathleen Diemer, George Mason University
  
• Debbie Meyers, Rutgers University Foundation

9D: Planning and Budgeting for Fundraising Success

• Kerri Laubenthal Mollard, Mollard Consulting

9E: Igniting Donor Passion: Crafting Impactful Narratives in the Digital Era

• Sarah McAlpine, Ovrture

9F: From Donor Survey to Strategic Plan: How Answers Led to Action 

• Beth Hatcher, Beth Interactive Inc.
• Rita Andolsen, The MetroHealth Foundation

9G: Part 1: Journey Mapping: Unlocking Deeper Donor Relationships and Building a Supporter-Centric Organization 

• Michael Johnston, Hewitt and Johnston Consultants Inc.

10:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Networking Break with Exhibitors

10:15 AM – 11:15 AM   

Concurrent Sessions 10 

10A: Issue-Based Storytelling: Staying True to Your Mission While Responding To Your Donor's Interests

• Azra Husejnovic, Obama Foundation
• Erin Prestage, Obama Foundation

10B: You've Got the Questions; We've Got the Research

• The ADRP Research Committee

10C: Stew-ivation | Where Stewardship and Cultivation Collide 

• Gracie Herbert, Miami University
• Jordan Marshall, Central Michigan University

10D: Boxes & Bows & Bearcats, Oh My!

• Jessica Fischbach, University of Cincinnati Foundation
• Valerie Milinovich, University of Cincinnati Foundation

10E: Gift Agreements and Protected Class: Thinking Outside the Box While Mitigating Compliance Issues

• Cassi Strain, University of Colorado Boulder
• Christina Hoagland, Boston University

10F: Storytelling with Data: Metrics Are More Than a Number 

• Stephanie Kohls, MPA, CCS Fundraising
• Mary-Chapin Snow, M. Ed, CCS Fundraising

10G: Part 2: Journey Mapping: Unlocking Deeper Donor Relationships and Building a Supporter-Centric Organization

• Michael Johnston, Hewitt and Johnston Consultants Inc.

11:15 AM – 11:30 AM

Break

11:30 AM – 12:45 PM

20th Anniversary Celebration and Closing Keynote with Penelope Burk, author of the best-selling industry standard, "Donor-Centered Fundraising."

Let Donors Be Kids Again, Too

Book signing to follow. 

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

2024 Excursion: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (Optional: Pre-registration is required.)