Please plan to arrive early to allow time for the building’s security check. A light breakfast will be available.

CalNonprofits Board Chair Joel John Roberts will kick-off the conference, followed by CEO Geoff Green, who will discuss the State of the State for Nonprofits in California and new changes at CalNonprofits.

Whatever the outcomes of the election (and all may not have been resolved as of our event date), we’ll need to take stock of where things stand and consider the consequences and potential opportunities for the year ahead for our sector.

PANELISTS

• (Moderator) Chet Hewitt, CEO, Sierra Health Foundation
• Kate Gordon, CEO, California Forward
• Arnie Sowell, Executive Director, NextGen Policy
• Jodi Hicks, CEO, Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California 

CHOOSE ONE:

The Looming Insurance Crisis: Understanding What’s At Stake for Nonprofits and Californians (Ballroom)

Nonprofits face multiple challenges in the insurance marketplace, some of which pose significant risks to mission delivery and exposure to serious liabilities. Among the most concerning recent examples is the non-renewal of insurance for foster family agencies across the state. What will this coverage crisis mean for the sector, and what can nonprofits do to find coverage in the short term, while advocating for policy change in the long term?

PANELISTS

• (Moderator) Christine Stoner-Mertz, CEO, California Alliance of Child and Family Services
• Julissa Castillo, COO, CA Youth Connection
• Colleen Lazanich, CEO, CalNonprofits Insurance Services
• Ed Howard IV, Senior Counsel & Senior Policy Advocate, Children’s Advocacy Institute
• Pamela Davis,CEO, Nonprofits Insurance Alliance

The Nonprofit Newsroom and Public Policy in an Era of Deep Divisions and Eroding Trust

We live in an era of eroding trust in institutions of all types. Discussing and debating anything seems harder than ever with echo-chambers of opinion crowding out journalism and investigative reporting. As the “most trusted sector,” what role can nonprofit journalism have in re-establishing fact-based debates, well-researched policy analysis, and common understanding of issues?

PANELISTS

• (Moderator) Jennifer Ferro, President, KCRW 
• Neil Chase, CEO, CalMatters
• Matthew Tinoco, Publisher, Los Angeles Public Press
• Soraya Membreno, Chief Operating Officer, Institute for Nonprofit News

• Improving the partnership between government and nonprofits is a top priority for our sector. With the California Nonprofit Equity Initiative, we organized our efforts around greater flexibility, fewer barriers, and more support for nonprofits. But what’s next for our policy agenda, and what can we learn from mixed results in the 2023-24 legislative session? Hear from leading advocates, legislators spearheading policy solutions, and nonprofit leaders who are collaborating for effective changes.

PANELISTS

• • (Moderator) Susan Gomez, CEO, Inland Empire Community Collaborative
  • Assemblymember Gregg Hart (AD-37)
  • Sandra Celedon, CEO, Fresno Building Healthy Communities
  • Le Ondra Clark Harvey, Ph.D., CEO, California Council of Community Behavioral Health Agencies (CCCBHA)
  • Jennifer Fearing, Sacramento Advocate, CalNonprofits 

• CEO Geoff Green will sit down with Elizabeth Kim, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General for a discussion about the coming modernization of the charitable registry.

After the end of the conference, please your fellow conference attendees on the rooftop for an open bar, hors d’ouevres, and connection.