Please plan to arrive early. A light breakfast will be available.

CalNonprofits Board Chair Chet Hewitt will open the conference.

CalNonprofits CEO Geoff Green will be joined by California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta, who has led California’s fight to protect its people and funding during a time of increasing federal overreach.

Speakers:

• Geoff Green (Moderator), CEO, CalNonprofits
• Rob Bonta, Attorney General, State of California

The elections are over, but the policies shaping your nonprofit’s future are just getting started. Join CalNonprofits’ Sacramento Advocate Jennifer Fearing alongside a panel of legislative and election experts for an exclusive insider briefing. Get past the headline noise and straight into the takeaways that matter. Together, they’ll unpack key post-election takeaways, pull back the curtain on legislative trends, and share how California nonprofits can prepare for 2027 and leverage state policy to deepen their impact. 

Speakers:

• Jennifer Fearing (Moderator) Sacramento Advocate, CalNonprofits
• Dora Rose, Deputy Director, League of Women Voters of California
• Angela Pontes, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
• Asm. Gregg Hart, Chair, Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector

Choose one session to attend:

SESSION 1 | Room: Anabella D
Protest, Documentation, and Dissent: Nonprofit Roles in Upholding Constitutionally Protected Rights and Advancing Democracy

The First Amendment does not just protect the right to speak; it protects the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to document the actions of those in power. However, these fundamental freedoms have been under significant pressure. For nonprofits — particularly those in the social justice and advocacy sectors — defending these rights is not just a legal necessity but a core part of their mission. The panel will analyze the recent surge in legislation and executive actions designed to discourage dissent and the specific threats these pose to nonprofit operations and donor confidence. We’ll also explore philanthropy’s responsibility: Why funders must move beyond “neutrality” to actively support the legal defense and infrastructure required for groups to exercise their right to protest.

Panelists:

• Jennifer Ferro, President, KCRW (Moderator)
• Karl Mill, Founding Attorney, Mill Law Center
• Hector Pereyra, Political Manager, Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice
• Chandra Bhatnagar, Executive Director, ACLU of Southern California.

SESSION 2 | Room: Gloriana
Nonprofits Navigating the New AI Frontier 

Artificial Intelligence is here. And while this powerful new technology offers opportunities for nonprofits to maximize their impact and streamline operations, it also introduces complex ethical, legal, and regulatory questions. High-profile corporate conversions like OpenAI have triggered intense scrutiny over charitable assets and accountability. Some sectors are well down the path of replacing human workers with AI. But what does the shifting AI landscape mean for the majority of the nonprofit sector? California nonprofits are caught between the urgent need to adopt efficient new technologies and the necessity of protecting sector integrity while safeguarding public trust. This session dives into how organizations can proactively prepare for potential regulations, manage the legal risks of AI integration, and advocate for frameworks that protect nonprofit independence. Learn how to responsibly leverage AI to advance your mission without compromising your compliance or values.

Panelists: 

• Neil Chase (Moderator), CEO, CalMatters
• Orson Aguilar, CEO, LatinoProsperity; Founder, EyesOnOpenAI Coalition
• May Harris, Founder/CEO, For Purpose Law Group (FPLG); Founder/CEO, Nonprofit Counsel
• John Bennett, Director, California Initiative for Technology and Democracy (CITED)

SESSION 3 | Room: Anabella C
Regional Nonprofit Alliances as Force Multipliers: Turning Local Grassroots Advocacy into Statewide Impact

While statewide advocacy is essential, the “boots on the ground” work of California’s nonprofits happens in distinct regional contexts. This panel explores the power of regional nonprofit alliances as essential infrastructure for local CBOs. These networks serve as “force multipliers,” providing small, neighborhood-based organizations with data, support, political access, and collective power. In a state as geographically and economically diverse as California, a “one-size-fits-all” advocacy approach often fails local CBOs, so this session highlights how regional networks—from the Inland Empire to the North Coast—are organizing to ensure that local voices aren’t just heard, but are instrumental in shaping equity and advocacy initiatives in regional contexts.

Panelists: 

• Susan Gomez (Moderator), President/CEO, Inland Empire Community Collaborative (IECC); CalNonprofits Board Member
  
• Georgia Farooq, CEO, The Alliance of Nonprofits for San Mateo County (Thrive Alliance)
• Efrain Escobedo, President/CEO, Center for Nonprofit Management
• Michelle Byerly, Executive Director, The Nonprofit Partnership

Return to the Anabella Ballroom A/B for a three-course lunch.

Be inspired by the written word and artistry of two talented, local poets.

• Clara Mejia-Yuan, Orange County Youth Poet Laureate
• Gustavo Hernandez, Orange County Poet Laureate

Donor-Advised Funds should be subject to a mandatory annual payout requirement.

Speakers:

• Jan Masaoka, Co-Chair, Philanthropy Project; former CEO of CalNonprofits
• Jeff Hamond, Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates

Join us for fast-paced, actionable insights on how community-focused organizations can drive policy change, collaborate in coalitions, and advance successful advocacy efforts to support a mission. 

LEARNING LAB 1:
Melanie Sadek, President and CEO, Valley Humane Society 

LEARNING LAB 2:
McKenna Mustazza, Policy & Executive Associate, NextGen Policy

LEARNING LAB 3:
Ellina Yin, Founder and CEO, Dreaming Collaborative, Inc.

CalNonprofits Board Member Dr. Le Ondra Clark Harvey will be joined by Sen. Jerry McNerney to discuss 2026 legislative session outcomes and his support of the nonprofit sector via SB 1240.

Speakers:

• Dr. Le Ondra Clark Harvey, CEO, California Behavioral Health Association; CalNonprofits Board Member (Moderator)
  
• Sen. Jerry McNerney, Chair, Senate Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector

A conversation with Glen Galaich, Ph.D., CEO of the Stupski Foundation moderated by CalNonprofits Board President Chet Hewitt. 

Speakers:

• Chet Hewitt, CEO, Sierra Health Foundation (Moderator)
  
• Glen Galaich, Ph.D., CEO of the Stupski Foundation and author of Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short
  

CalNonprofits CEO, Geoff Green, will give final remarks.

Join us for a drink in the ballroom foyer.