Robert Reich, Economist
Keynote Address: Economic Forecast and Implications for Nonprofits
Professor Reich has served under three national administrations, most recently as Secretary of Labor under Bill Clinton. He also served on President Barack Obama's economic transition advisory board. In 2008, TIME magazine named him one of the ten most successful cabinet secretaries of the past century. He is currently Chancellor's Professor of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley.

 

Fred Ali, CEO of the Weingart Foundation has over thirty-five years of senior management experience with non-profit organizations, educational institutions, and government.  In June 1999, Fred was elected the President of the Weingart Foundation and  was  designated Chief Executive Officer in 2006. THe Weingart Foundation is among the nation's leading philanthropic institutions, making grants exclusively in Southern California. Fred also chairs the Board of the Center on Philanthropy and Public Policy, University of Southern California. He is also a senior Fellow of the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.  weingartfnd.org

 

Glenn Backes, MSW, MPH, has worked for, or lobbied for the nonprofit sector since 1987. Among other gigs, Glenn worked as an HIV prevention educator, street outreach worker and counselor for homeless youth, program officer at the Open Society Institute/Soros Foundation, and consultant to UNAIDS and UNICEF. He directed the California Capital Office of Drug Policy Alliance from 2001 to 2006, and since then has built a lobbying and policy research practice dedicated to representing progressive non-profits in the California State Legislature. Glenn and his family live in beautiful Sacramento.

 

Jeanne Bell, MNA is the CEO of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services--one of the country’s leading providers of leadership and organizational development services to nonprofit organizations. She is the co-author of "Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions for Financial Viability" (Jossey-Bass) and "Financial Leadership for Nonprofit Executives: Guiding Your Organization to Long Term Success" (Turner). Jeanne currently serves on several boards, including the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, The Nonprofit Quarterly, and Intersection for the Arts.  compasspoint.org

 

Danielle Brazell, executive director of Arts for LA, is an innovative leader in nonprofit advocacy for the arts, engaging government and the larger arts education community in Los Angeles. Under her stewardship, Arts for LA has become a formidable coalition advancing the arts in the largest county in the county. Danielle has transitioned Arts for LA from an ad-hoc steering committee comprised of local executive arts leadership to a highly visible arts advocacy organization; she also serves on the board of California Arts Advocates.  artsforla.org

 

Melissa Breach is Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of California and the League of Women Voters of California Education Fund. Before joining the League, Melissa was Director of Programs at the Center for Volunteer and Nonprofit Leadership of Marin where she designed and led the acclaimed Emerging Leaders Program and developed the Rethinking Convention Wisdom and Conspiring for the Common Good conferences. In addition, she is an experienced Organizational Development Consultant—with extensive experience consulting and training on the issues of governance, organizational sustainability, and change management.  http://ca.lwv.org

 

Emmett D. Carson, Ph. D., is founding CEO of Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2006. With over $3 billion under management, Emmett oversees the community foundation’s work with donors and corporations whose giving is responsible for it being both the largest grantmaker to Bay Area nonprofit organizations and the largest international grantmaker among community foundations in the U.S. Before this, Emmett had a distinguished 12 year career as CEO of The Minneapolis Foundation and, prior to that, oversaw the Ford Foundation’s U.S. and global grantmaking program on philanthropy and nonprofit sector. Emmett has published more than 100 works on philanthropy and is an authority on issues of social justice, public accountability and African American giving.  siliconvalleycf.org

 

Meredeth Clark, is President & CEO of CalNonprofits Insurance Services, which serves more than 800 California nonprofits in their health, general liability, D&O, workers comp, and other insurance needs. She has worked for more than 30 years in the nonprofit sector, developing a unique combination of expertise including organizational development, financial management, service delivery with an understanding of the needs of the nonprofit community. Co-founder of the Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center, Parents Center and the California Association of Nonprofits she has experience in building nonprofits from concept through implementation and sustainability.  calnonprofitsinsurance.org

 

Pamela David, Pamela David is the Executive Director of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund, one of San Francisco’s most respected private foundations. Working within four primary areas of focus (public education, economic security, the arts, and Jewish life), the Fund’s mission is to help build a healthy, just, and vibrant society in which people feel connected to and responsible for their community. Prior to coming to the Haas Sr. Fund, Pam served in local government for over 12 years, working for three mayoral administrations in the areas of community and economic development, federal policy, and welfare reform. She also serves as an advisor to several other nongovernmental organizations and San Francisco’s Community Investment Fund.  haassr.org

 

Laura Deitrick, Ph. D., serves as the Director for the Caster Family Center for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research at the University of San Diego. She has been a nonprofit executive director, board member, management consultant, and researcher on major nonprofit trends. Her research has led to important reports on nonprofit ethics, nonprofits and public education, nonprofit human resource practices, executive transition, the economics of San Diego’s nonprofit sector, nonprofit confidence, and regional grantmaking. Dr. Deitrick is a faculty member in USD’s Nonprofit Leadership and Management master’s program where she teaches nonprofit research methods, program design, and evaluation.  sandiego.edu

 

Peggy Edwards is Executive Director of Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership and former Executive Director of United Homeless Healthcare Partners. Both organizations focus on public policy advocacy and capacity building and their members are service providers and advocacy groups. She is a strategic planning consultant and both projects were formed as a result of planning efforts.  lareentry.org

 

Rosemary Fei is a principal at the law firm of Adler & Colvin, San Francisco. Her firm represents nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations exclusively, and her practice spans the full range of nonprofit and tax-exempt legal issues, with emphasis on political advocacy issues and nonprofit corporate governance. Ms. Fei is a member of the Exempt Organizations Committee, Tax Law Section, American Bar Association, and Co-Chair of its Subcommittee on Political and Lobbying Organizations and Activities; the former Chair of the Board of Redefining Progress and a former director of The Conservation Campaign, Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest, CompassPoint Nonprofit Services, and The Marine Mammal Center. She also serves on the Public Policy Steering Committee of Northern California Grantmakers.  adlercolvin.com

 

Gihani Fernando is a manager at The Bridgespan Group in San Francisco. Since joining the firm in 2006, Gihani has worked on a range of engagements spanning education, youth development, neighborhood revitalization, workforce development, public health, international development, civic engagement, and foundation strategy. She also has played an active role in shaping Bridgespan's point of view around performance measurement and advancing the firm's capabilities in this area. Prior to joining Bridgespan, Gihani honed her analytic skills within Citigroup's public finance investment banking division where she worked on complex bond issues for transportation agencies, school districts, health care providers, redevelopment agencies, and nonprofits pursuing large infrastructure projects. She also has international experience that includes an internship completed at the World Bank in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and a consulting project with a Sri Lankan NGO to refine its expansion strategy following the tsunami that occurred in 2004.  bridgespan.org

 

Matt Foreman is director of Gay and Immigrant Rights Programs at the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund in San Francisco. The Haas, Jr. Fund has been the largest non-gay foundation funder of the movement for gay and lesbian equality, making over $65 million in grants since 2000. It was the first foundation – gay or straight – to support marriage equality. The Fund is also a leading supporter of immigrant rights, both nationally and in California, investing over $40 million since 2005. Before coming to the Fund, he led a national, a statewide and a local gay organization - the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (2003 - 2008), the Empire State Pride Agenda (1997-2003), and the New York City Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (1990-1996). A graduate of NYU School of Law, Matt is a founder of Heritage of Pride, the organizers of New York City’s annual LGBT pride events, and a former member of the New York City Human Rights Commission. He and his partner of 24 years, Francisco De Leon, were married in California in 2008.  haasjr.org

 

Dolores Garay is the Development Officer at Northern California Region for California Rural Legal Assistance. Inc. She is also a fundraising consultant who coaches Executive Directors, Development Directors and boards on their fundraising fears. She has over 17 years in the nonprofit field, focusing on development and fundraising, working with groups to further progressive social change. She has worked with organizations across the issue spectrum including education, health, youth, LGBT, media, social justice and philanthropic organizations. She has done extensive work on engaging donors of color and served on the Advisory Board for the creation of the Essentials in Diversity in Giving (EDG) Curriculum, and is on the Editorial Board of the Grassroots Fundraising Journal. Dolores attended UC Berkeley. She currently lives in Oakland with her son.  crla.org

 

Patricia Gardner is the Executive Director of the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits representing over 200 Health and Human Service nonprofit agencies in Santa Clara County. The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits works to magnify the voice on nonprofits in Santa Clara County. Ms. Gardner has led this organization since 2001 after being a nonprofit executive manager for over 20 years. She has a strong background in public policy advocacy and brings a depth of experience in working for both nonprofits and in the political process. In March 2011, Patricia was chosen as Woman of the Year by Assemblyman Jim Beall. Assemblyman Beall. In September 2011, United Way Silicon Valley named her Community Builder of the Year. In 2008. Ms. Gardner was recognized as one of 80 Women of Influence in Silicon Valley by the San Jose Business Journal. She is recognized statewide a leader in nonprofit advocacy and public policy.  svcn.org

 

Chris Hoene, Ph.D., is Executive Director of The California Budget Project, which engages in independent fiscal and policy analysis and public education with the goal of improving public policies affecting the economic and social well-being of low- and middle-income Californians. Prior to joining the CBP, he was director of the Center for Research & Innovation at the National League of Cities in Washington, DC, leading efforts to analyze trends in local and state government and promote constructive policy action on issues including public finance, economic development, governance, housing, sustainability, and infrastructure. Chris previously worked for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Public Policy Institute of California. In 2010, he was inducted as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration for his service and expertise in the areas of public policy and government. cbp.org

 

Carla Javits is President of The Roberts Enterprise Development Fund (REDF), which provides equity-like investments and business assistance to social enterprises. Prior to joining REDF, Carla was the President and CEO of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, program analyst with the California Office of the Legislative Analyst, and Director of Policy and Planning for the San Francisco Department of Social Services. REDF.org

 

Kim Klein is an internationally known speaker and author, and is well known for her ability to deliver information in a practical and humorous way. She has a wide range or nonprofit experience as staff and also always as a volunteer and a board member. Kim is the author of five books including Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times which won the McAdam Book Award in 2010. Her classic text, Fundraising for Social Change, now in its sixth edition, is widely used in the field and in university degree programs. She is the series editor of the Kim Klein Fundraising Series at Jossey Bass Publishers and a member of the Building Movement Project where she works on a project called “Nonprofits and the Common Good”. She has provided training and consultation in all 50 United States, five Canadian provinces and 21 other countries. She is a lecturer at the School of Social Welfare at the University of California, Berkeley, and has served as guest faculty at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, and Concordia University in Montreal.  kleinandroth.com

 

Kris Lev-Twombly is the director of public policy for the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), where he represents California’s nonprofit community in policy advocacy on prominent sector-wide issues. Kris draws upon nearly two decades of experience in public relations and advocacy and has spent the last ten years serving nonprofit advocacy organizations in California and nationwide. Prior to joining CalNonprofits, Kris was CEO of Discus Strategy and Development, a consulting firm providing advocacy, organizational development and fundraising services to nonprofit organizations such as California Wilderness Coalition, Californians for Safety and Justice, Defenders of Wildlife, Drug Policy Alliance, Friends Outside, Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership, Rebuild the Dream and others. Kris has also served as Associate Director and Director of Programs for the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, where he developed and led numerous programs and advocacy campaigns, spearheaded extensive advocacy on public safety issues, and executed two successful campaigns to defeat statewide ballot initiatives.  calnonprofits.org

 

 

Pete Manzo is President & CEO of United Ways of California, which improves health, education and financial results for low-income children and families by enhancing and coordinating the community impact and advocacy work of California’s 37 United Ways. Previously, Pete was Director of Strategic Initiatives for Advancement Project, a civil rights “action tank” that advances equity and expands opportunity for low income and vulnerable people, with offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.; Executive Director and General Counsel of the Center for Nonprofit Management, where he directed the expansion of the Center's information, training, consulting, technology and search and compensation services to nonprofits; and Directing Attorney of Community Development Programs for Public Counsel, the nation's largest pro bono law firm and the Los Angeles affiliate of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where he represented nonprofit charitable organizations in a broad range of real property, corporate, tax and other transactional matters. Pete practiced real estate and corporate law in the private sector, first at the law firm of Riordan & McKinzie, then at Tuttle & Taylor in Los Angeles, before moving into the nonprofit sector.  unitedwaysca.org

 

Jan Masaoka, is CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (CalNonprofits), leading the organization on a new course with renewed activity and impact through initiatives such as the Vote with Your Mission campaign. She is a leading writer and thinker on nonprofit organizations with particular emphasis on boards of directors, business planning, and the role of nonprofits in society. Jan also founded and managed Blue Avocado magazine, to which 63,000 people have subscribed online, and which has been described as the second-best read publication in the nonprofit sector. Prior to Blue Avocado, she served 14 years as executive director of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services. compasspoint.org

 

 

Nayantara Mehta, Senior Counsel with Alliance for Justice in Oakland, CA works through the Bolder Advocacy Initiative to support nonprofit advocacy, including lobbying and voter engagement. She provides training and technical assistance to nonprofit and foundation staff and board members on the rules governing advocacy and lobbying. Nayantara also serves on the board of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) and the Executive Board of the American Constitution Society Bay Area lawyer chapter. She holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, an M.A. from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.  afj.org

 

Shannon Miller is Chair of the Board of Directors of Health Care for All – California. She has been active both at the state level and in her local Health Care for All chapter for more than seven years, particularly with fundraising and web development. She travels extensively throughout California speaking about achieving universal health care through a single-payer public finance mechanism (Medicare-for-all). Shannon is also a tax accountant with her own practice in Santa Barbara, California where she specializes in helping the under-served with tax issues. Her other community service includes being Area Governor of Toastmasters and being the treasurer of a nonprofit that helps at-risk youth.  healthcareforall.org

 

Vincent Pan is the Executive Director for Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), a community-based civil rights organization in San Francisco. CAA advocates for systemic change that protects immigrant rights, promotes language diversity, and advances racial justice. At CAA, Vincent is helping to lead Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality, a new network-based approach for social justice movement building. Prior to CAA, Vincent worked with the Clinton Foundation on treatment programs for children living with HIV/AIDS in China. Before that he co-founded and led Heads Up, which ran after-school and summer programs by enlisting college students as AmeriCorps members.  caasf.org

 

Reshma Shamasunder has served as Director of the California Immigrant Policy Center since 2003. Under Reshma’s leadership, CIPC has helped to advance several successful campaigns at the state level, including preserving important health and human service programs, supporting survivors of human trafficking and domestic violence, stalling abusive employment verification practices, and furthering important immigrant integration efforts. Reshma currently serves on the board of Health Access California and previously served as co-chair of the South Asian Network in Los Angeles. Reshma was most recently an inaugural fellow with the Rockwood Fellowship for a New California, a leadership program for California’s immigrant rights leaders. She was previously Director of Benefits Policy and Government Affairs at the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, and also worked for several years on child labor issues in India.  caimmigrant.org

 

Libby Sanchez, owner of Sanchez Advocacy, is a lobbyist advocating on behalf of indigent criminal defendants, public sector labor union members, and local government entities. Previously, Libby was Principal Consultant to the California Senate Labor and Industrial Relations Committee, and Chief Consultant to the California Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment.   

 

Latonya Slack is principal and founder of Slack Global Consulting, which specializes in facilitating, visioning and assisting individuals and organizations with planning and navigating critical decisions. Previously, Latonya was Senior Program Officer at the James Irvine Foundation, Executive Director of the California Black Women’s Health Project, and was a political organizer for the Service Employees International Union. Latonya serves on the Board of Directors of CalNonprofits.   

 

Marc Spencer is CEO of JUMA Ventures and has twenty years of experience in the nonprofit management sector specializing in social enterprise, fund and program development; contracts and compliance; quality management; public-private joint ventures, and performance management. Dr. Spencer’s guiding interests are the development of programs and policies that promote socio-economic and educational achievement as essential components to sustain communities. In 2012, the San Francisco Business Times selected Dr. Spencer as the Most Admired Nonprofit CEO of the Bay Area. Dr. Spencer sits on the boards of the National Youth Employment Coalition, Social Enterprise Alliance, Evergreen Lodge, City of San Francisco Youth Council, Oakland Workforce Investment, and the Museum of the African Diaspora.  jumaventures.org