Lower Shore
Nonprofit Summit
The
April 25th & 26th | Salisbury, MD
Presenters
Maureen Cody | Avery Hall | Non-Profit Insurance Pitfalls to Avoid
Maureen Cody is Vice President of New Account Executive Development in Salisbury. She joined Avery Hall in 2009 as an account manager before being promoted to account executive in 2013. She was promoted to her current position in 2023. As Vice President of New Account Executive Development, Maureen specializes in working with business owners to determine the insurance necessary to protect the business and its assets. She also works with newer account executives to teach them how to better serve clients using her many years of experience. Professionally, Maureen has earned her designations as an Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) and Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR). She has more than 30 years of experience working in the insurance industry! Maureen is very involved in her community. She volunteers with multiple Chambers of Commerce and several local nonprofits.
Dr. Sarah Guy is the Founder and Principal of SG Insights, LLC. SG Insights is a comprehensive research and consulting firm, providing top-tier services to public, private, and nonprofit clients across industries. Sarah has over 16 years of experience in applied business, economic, and community research and consulting, specializing in data analytics, scenario analysis, strategic planning, and economic impact estimation. She has helped hundreds of organizations investigate complex concepts, make better-informed decisions, and communicate project findings to a variety of stakeholder groups. She has a passion for leadership development and mentoring. Sarah holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore as well as an MBA, a B.Sc. in Marketing, and a B.Sc. in Management from the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business at Salisbury University.
Dr. Sarah Guy | SG Insights, LLC | Data Mining with ALICE
Annette Johnson is the Founder of AJLEADS, LLC, a leadership, empowerment, awareness, and development solutions boutique consulting business. She is an accomplished global corporate leader with over 30 years of experience in Human Resources championing leadership development, diversity, equity and inclusion. Annette is a certified Leadership Coach for women and Founder of the "Fly Coach - Guiding Women to Lead and Soar." She is a mentor for Women Unlimited, Inc., - an organization that prepares high potential managers for senior leadership roles. Annette published her first book, Forgive & Love Yourself, in 2014. She also hosts a Podcast, "Living in the Good Space" on You Tube. Currently Annette is Head of the Cultural Programs practice for a software company. She is married, has two daughters, two grand-dogs, and resides in Ocean Pines.
Annette P. Johnson | AJLEADS, LLC | Leading Inclusively
Michele joined the Maryland Historical Trust (Department of Planning) in April 2023 as Director of the Maryland 250 Commission. She previously served two decades in senior leadership roles in small nonprofits – as Executive Director of a community leadership program and Vice President of a scholarship provider, where she led advocacy for a successful first-in-the-nation bill in Maryland. She has actively volunteered – as past Board Chair of Congressman Elijah Cummings Youth Program, as a member of a county Board of Zoning Appeals, candidate for political office, and with national associations focused on college affordability. She graduated from the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia, is married with two young adult children, and is a Talbot County resident.
Michele W. Johnson| Maryland 250 Commission | Plenary Speaker
Shawna Kearsley is an accomplished professional with a strong background in non-profit work, volunteerism, and community service. She has received prestigious awards such as the Mary Gladys Award for Volunteerism and Service, the Governor Schaffer Volunteer of the Year in Somerset County, and a Governor Hogan citation for her dedicated service in community initiatives. As the Director of Vehicles for Change Delmarva, Shawna plays a vital role in driving positive change and improving the lives of individuals and families. Her extensive experience in non-profit organizations and volunteer work has equipped her with a deep understanding of community needs and effective strategies to address them. In addition to her responsibilities at Vehicles for Change, Shawna actively participates on various executive boards, including the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and the Shore Transit Board.
Shawna Kearsley | Vehicles for Change Delmarva| Panel Member
Dr. Lili Leonard is a career fundraising professional with more than 14 years of experience in annual and mid-level giving, major gifts, event planning and management, grant writing, and fundraising strategic planning. She has worked in higher education, large national nonprofits, small- and mid-sized local nonprofits, and global membership associations. Committed to the field of philanthropy, Lili earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive designation in 2017. She is also a Standards for Excellence Licensed Consultant. A lifelong Marylander, Lili earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Salisbury University and her Doctorate from Frostburg State. Lili is Immediate Past President of the SU Alumni Association BOD, and member of the Sugarloaf Citizens Association BOD. She lives in MD with her wife, Alexis, and is a proud volunteer at Great & Small, a non-profit therapeutic riding center in Boyds, Maryland.
Dr. Lili Leonard | Black Dog Philanthropic | Don't be Scared of Fundraising!
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Christian Metzger | AbsoluteCare| Panel Moderator
Christian is an experienced nonprofit executive and consultant with 20+ years of experience in business development, capacity building and philanthropy within the nonprofit sector. Christian has provided a variety of services, including revenue generation, stewardship programs, capital campaign projects, capacity building, grant development, building a culture of philanthropy, social determinants of health, social impact strategies, and teaching nonprofits how to utilize healthcare analytics. He spent the last 15 years as CEO/Executive Director of three human services organizations that provided programs for food access, healthcare services, economic mobility, housing, legal, workforce development, basic needs, care management, mental health, socialization for people with disabilities, adult education, re-entry and operated social enterprises. Christian earned a business degree from Salisbury University.
Amanda H. Pollack, P.E. is a Water Resources Engineer at the Center for Watershed Protection and has 27 years of engineering experience. The Center for Watershed Protection is a nonprofit organization dedicated to research and education on watersheds and is a national leader in stormwater management and watershed planning. Prior to joining the Center, Amanda was in consulting engineering at George, Miles & Buhr for 16 years and municipal engineering at the City of Salisbury, Maryland for 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University and is a licensed Professional Engineer in Maryland.
Amanda Pollack | Center for Watershed Protection| Panel Member
Jaime Riley has many years of grant experience. After completing her Master’s degree in Psychology she became the Core Service Agency supervisor for the Somerset County Health Department where she oversaw the TriCounty CoC grant funding provided to area shelters & homeless serving agencies. From there she became the Director of Wicomico Partnership for Families & Children which is the 100% grant funded local management board for Wicomico County. Here she was able to quadruple the amount of grant funding they received for community programs. She is currently the Assistant Director of Administration for the Wicomico County Department of Social Services. Jaime is almost done her PhD in Developmental Psychology with an added focus on Public Health Policy. She resides in Salisbury with her 2 teenagers & her dog!
Jaime Riley | Wicomico County DSS | Get that Grant!
Dr. Michele Schlehofer holds a PhD in Applied Social Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. She is a Professor of Psychology at SU and has partnered with numerous nonprofits and advocacy groups in the region on a variety of organizational capacity-building projects. She co-directs the REACH (Re-Envisioning Ethics Access and Community Humanities) initiative which engages representatives of local businesses, community organizations, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders in ongoing discussions about community ethics and ethical decision-making. She has received numerous awards, including a USM Board of Regents Faculty Award in Public Service, the SU Distinguished Faculty Award, and a USM Elkins Professorship. She holds Fellows status in Division 44 of the APA, a membership designation reserved for psychologists whose work has had national or international impact.
Dr. Michele Schlehofer | Salisbury U.| Ethical Accountability for Nonprofits
Dan Shortridge is a marketing consultant and author who works with nonprofit organizations as director of content with Hook PR & Marketing. A former journalist, he’s the author of “DIY Public Relations: Telling Your Story on a Zero-Dollar Budget.” Dan has led marketing and public relations for Delaware’s agriculture department, state housing agency, and a vocational-technical school district. His writing on communications and marketing topics has been featured in publications serving summer camp directors, school administrators, and construction company owners. He's also the co-author of several local-interest books on Delmarva history and travel. In the last two years, Dan has presented on PR and marketing topics for the UMES Small Farms Conference, the Greater Lowell (Mass.) Development Group, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, Preservation Delaware, and more.
Dan Shortridge | Hook PR & Marketing | Your 1-month Marketing Roadmap
Amy R. Thompson | OCMD Chamber| Volunteer Management
Amy Thompson currently serves as the Executive Director of the Greater Ocean City, MD Chamber of Commerce. She has decades of experience in both the corporate and nonprofit worlds, managing multi-functional teams to successfully deliver products to market, managing volunteers to exceed fundraising goals, guiding clients to maximize efficiency and effectiveness with technology solutions, and training & developing sales leaders. She is focused on high quality execution across various industries while developing cohesive teams to meet business objectives. Amy has taken those experiences and poured them into her coaching, training and public speaking on mindset, soft skills, strategic planning, and purpose. She delivers these concepts in a this-is-serious-but-let's-not-take-ourselves-so-seriously way that makes her presentations interactive, entertaining, and thought-provoking.
Rev Roosevelt Toussaint is the Executive Director of the Haitian Development Center of Delmarva Inc, (HDCD) located in Salisbury, with the central mission to empower Haitians living in the Delmarva Peninsula to achieve self-sufficiency. As a well-known community leader, Rev. Toussaint’s goal is to bring a culture of change, improvement, and progress within the Haitian community in the area. In this role, he develops and implements new humanitarian, social and educational services to HDCD and connects Haitian immigrants to other local services. Prior to taking on this critical mission, Rev. Toussaint founded and managed the Word of Life Center Church in Salisbury where he has been working as the Senior Pastor and Manager for 28 years. The WOLC Church is the largest non-denominational Haitian congregation in the area with its 700 Haitian members, assisted by 7 other pastors and 30 ministry representatives.
Rev. Roosevelt Toussaint | HDCD | Scaling Success: From Vision to Impact
Ryan Weaver is a Lecturer at the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, Presidential Citizen Scholars Program, ShoreCorps Program, and Interdisciplinary Studies at Salisbury University (Salisbury, MD). Ryan grew up in the Red River Valley and relocated with his family to the Chesapeake Bay region where he has been a nonprofit leader and engaged citizen in his community for over fifteen years. Ryan holds a graduate degree in leadership from the University of Oklahoma. In addition to his teaching and civic work, Ryan is a storyteller, entrepreneur, and youth baseball coach. Ryan believes that Story is the most powerful pathway for understanding, motivation, and belonging in a democracy.
Ryan Weaver | Salisbury University | Panel Member
Christina Williams is Director of Development for Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County. Christina joined HFHWC in 2018 as Development Coordinator before her promotion to her current position in 2022. With over 11 years in the nonprofit sector, Christina’s passion is listening to donors and connecting their hearts with programs that inspire and excite them. In 2022 Christina earned her Certified Fundraising Executive through CFRE International, marking her commitment to fundraising at a high standard of excellence and ethics. Christina serves as a volunteer with multiple organizations, including the University of Maryland Extension Office as a Master Gardener, the Lower Shore Land Trust, and is a member of the City of Salisbury’s Sustainability Advisory Committee. Christina lives in Salisbury with her husband, cat, and too many plants.
Christina Williams | Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico | Panel Member
Heather Iliff, President & CEO of Maryland Nonprofits, leads efforts to enhance the nonprofit sector's effectiveness, ethics, and accountability through collective action and advocacy. Previously serving as Vice President and Director of Maryland Nonprofits Consulting Group, she brings extensive experience in facilitation, training, and management across various nonprofit levels. Heather's background includes a 4-year tenure on the Prince George’s County Board of Education and roles in educational policy and nonprofit management, including with the Alliance for Nonprofit Management and Open Society Institute – Budapest. A sought-after speaker, she has presented at national conferences on organizational development and nonprofit performance. Heather holds degrees in international studies and political science and is a licensed consultant with the Standards for Excellence Institute.
Heather Iliff | Maryland Nonprofits | Intersection of Culture & Strategy
Theresa Young is the Executive Director for the American Red Cross, Delmarva Chapter and has received a Certificate of Merit, the highest award for an individual who saves a life while utilizing skills learned at Red Cross. She has served in the non profit community for over 20 years with the last 7 being at American Red Cross. Theresa was a thought leader for business continuity during the Pandemic and deploys for disaster relief to work with our elected officials and to help Executive Directors in impact areas nationwide. She was first boots on the ground for the Kentucky tornados and was in command and control for the Afghanistan Repatriation and Operation Allies Welcome.
Theresa Young | American Red Cross | Emergency Preparedness
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