Support Center for Nonprofit Management: Workshop Facilitators

Frank Abdale has been teaching fundraising and advocacy at the Support Center since 2009. He is Principal of Abdale Consulting is the co-author of “Practical Abundance: A Comprehensive Guide to Fundraising and Development for Nonprofits.” Frank has a proven track record of successful grant writing as well as writing and editing numerous publications, articles, and manuals. He has helped design two on-line grant application processes for the funders Altria Group, Inc. and MAC AIDS Fund. As an Executive Director and a consultant he has successfully submitted numerous on-line grant applications and trained staff at several agencies to do the same.

Bryan is President of FAB Communications. For over a decade he has been responsible for putting his nonprofit and for-profit clients in media outlets such as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune and various network and public television news programs. Bryan belongs to Business Network International, The National Business Association, and Business Briefing Network.

Merrill has over 20 years of experience in adult education, writing, research, publication design, and fundraising. She has consulted with organizations working in economic development, the arts, affordable housing, and health care.

Vernon is President of Bramble & Associates, and has more than 30 years of corporate experience, including financial leadership positions at Grumman Corporation, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, The New York Academy of Sciences, and Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic. His consulting expertise includes business growth and turnarounds, transformational change, strategic planning and product development, organizational leadership, staff development, board and committee training and development and financial management.

Matt is the VP of Development at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) and previously served as Director of Development at El Museo del Barrio. He oversees all aspects of fundraising, including membership and individual gifts, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants and special events. Matt has also held senior posts at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, BAM Local Development Corporation and the Museum of the Moving Image, among other positions.

John is Senior Fellow at the Support Center. John is a recognized leader in nonprofit and human/social service management with over 20 years of experience (10 as an executive) in the public service sector. John is a professor in Nonprofit Management at NYU's Wagner School for Public Service, a New York City United Way Executive Leadership Fellow, and a member of Coros Leadership New York. John has a MPA from NYU and a MBA from American Public University.

Connie, a Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant, has been a financial advisor with Penn Mutual/Hornor Townsend & Kent, Inc. for 30 years. Her holistic approach includes review, recommendations and implementation of various insurances (life/disability, long term care and group) and investments (mutual funds, annuities and separate managed accounts) in both a personal financial context as well as benefit planning for small businesses and nonprofits. Married to the Rev. Deacon Amy Reichman, Connie volunteers with homeless LGBTQ youth at the Ali Forney Center.

Carolyn is an organizational development specialist who involves staff and board leaders in their process of organizational improvement, and helps them build capacity to accomplish their missions. She is a certified leadership coach, author and university adjunct with a tailored "high touch" approach to consulting. Over three decades, she has led projects with executive staff and board leaders to build positive change and a sense of community. Carolyn combines time-tested expertise with personal client service in the fields of health, arts, community development, human services and education. She has increasingly used the principles and practices of Appreciative Inquiry in her work.

Don is the Executive Director/CEO of the Support Center. He has more than 30 years of experience in the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors and is nationally recognized as a trainer and consultant in the areas of grants and funding development, developing effective boards, nonprofit leadership. He has held numerous positions in tri-state area organizations, including Board Member, Director of Research & Development, President and CEO. Don has been an affiliated consultant to BoardSource and is a trained facilitator of BoardSource's self-assessment process. He has served on the New York Times Nonprofit Excellence Awards selection committee. Don holds a BA in Psychology and an MS in Leadership and Strategic Management, and is an adjunct instructor of graduate studies at Manhattanville College and NYU's Heyman Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising

Michael facilitates board workshops and is a consultant specializing in board development with over 20 years of experience in nonprofit board and managerial leadership. Michael has worked with the boards of more than 40 nonprofit organizations in strategic planning, board development, retreat facilitation and transition management. He is the lead consultant for the United Way Linkages program, the Chair of Governance Matters, and a faculty member of Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy. Michael holds a BS in mathematics from New York State University College on Long Island, a JD from Columbia Law School and an MPh from Yale University.

Daniel started volunteering at the Support Center in 2010 where he facilitated How to Ensure Effective Management of US Government Funding. He is Principal and Founder of Stepladder Consulting, LLC, providing leadership coaching, facilitation and OD consulting to the not-for-profit sector. For over twenty years Daniel has enhanced organization effectiveness while in leadership positions at NGOs dedicated to environmental conservation, public health, inter-cultural education and the performing arts, with budgets ranging from $30,000 to $75 million. His technical expertise includes board governance, strategic planning, human resource development, budgeting & financial modeling, non-profit accounting, grants & contracts administration, international operations management, project launch & close-out, and IT project management. Daniel has worked in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and throughout Latin America, and is fluent in Spanish.

Sarah founded Big Duck in 1994 with the belief that nonprofits would benefit from the for-profit sector's best branding and marketing strategies. Today, Big Duck works exclusively with nonprofits to help them raise money and awareness. Clients include AmeriCares, Hale House, Robin Hood Foundation, and United Way of NYC. Sarah was featured as a 'Top Fundraiser Under 40' in the February 2006 issue of Fundraising Success Magazine, and is an adjunct faculty member at NYU.

Gary is the principal of Eisenkraft CPA and Associates, a New York City firm specializing in nonprofit organizations. He is a member of the Not-for-Profit Committee of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants. Gary has over 20 years of experience in accounting for nonprofits and has lectured at various forums, including the New York County Lawyers Association and Workshop in Business Opportunity. He has written for Innovation Journal, Focal Point, and the New York Times.

Amy is the Principal and Owner of Tri Point Resources, a full service consulting firm for nonprofit organizations and foundations. Before creating Tri Point Resources, Amy served for more than ten years in the nonprofit sector as a director of development in large and small organizations, including the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, the Associate Alumnae of Douglass College at Rutgers University, and Shelter Our Sisters, a battered women's shelter. For these organizations, she raised millions of dollars through event planning, grant writing, capital campaigns, direct mail, and major and planned gift solicitations.

Nancy facilitates Time Management. She is Founder and President of People Potential and has provided consultation and training services to public and nonprofit organizations since 1983. She applies her direct service experience in government and private agencies to her work, and is a specialist in team building strategies, leadership development, and work load management. She holds an MSW from Hunter College.

Susan Gabriel is a Senior Associate with Cause Effective. where brings more than 15 years of nonprofit experience to Cause Effective, most recently as Director of Development at the Correctional Association of New York. She was responsible for annual gala dinners, donor cultivation events and public information events, including large public forums. Formerly, Susan served as the Assistant to the President of the Citizens Committee for NYC, where she supported a wide range of special events, such as a $1.1 million annual fundraising dinner, an annual city-wide 70,000-volunteer event, and numerous other awards ceremonies and program events.

Tyrone is President of Targeting Alternative Growth (TAG) Resources Inc. He has over 23 years of human service, strategic planning, research and assessment, community outreach, and resource development experience and has an eclectic direct service and practitioner knowledge base. Tyrone has served in Executive Director, Senior Research Analyst, Nonprofit Consultant, Community Advocate, Group Facilitator and School Social Worker roles. Presently, the firm specializes in developing protocols and outcomes for public entities needing to meet Title VI compliance requirements in environmental justice and civil rights for Workforce Labor and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.

Meredith facilitates Volunteer Management. She is a Community Development Specialist for the Retired & Senior Volunteer Programs of the Community Service Society of New York. She has over 10 years of experience working in the nonprofit arena in the areas of case management, outreach, advocacy, and volunteer management with various populations including persons experiencing homelessness, Holocaust survivors, older adults, and English learners. Meredith is the co-chair of the Professional Development Committee of the New York Association of Volunteer Administrators.

Eric facilitates Data Collectin and Data Analysis. He is Managing Director of Usable Knowledge, LLC, a firm that provides program evaluation and capacity building to nonprofit organizations seeking to improve their effectiveness and achieve their strategic goals. Eric has been a volunteer facilitator at the Support Center for Nonprofit Management for over seven years and taught Survey Research in the Graduate Program in Applied Social Research at Queens College.

Anne is on the Support Center Leadership Council and a founding partner in Griffin Green Consulting (GGC), working as a management, governance and organizational consultant to New York City nonprofit organizations and their boards for the past twelve years. GGC also works with corporations to encourage their selected employees to become involved in the nonprofit sector after their participation in the GGC Nonprofit Board Excellence course.

Andrew facilitates Risk Management for Volunteer Programs. He is a partner with Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP and concentrates his practice in tax law with an emphasis on domestic and international tax-exempt organizations, charitable giving and philanthropy. Andrew has a wealth of knowledge and experience in structurings, organizational audits, development, planning and daily operational matters of tax-exempt organizations. Andrew is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey.

Deborah facilitates Conflict Management. She is founder of Guiding Change Consulting, is a transformative change facilitator and life-long learner whose life purpose is to enable positive transformative change in others and continue her own learning and growth in the process. Deborah is dedicated to helping individuals, teams, and organizations maximize their potential, enhance their effectiveness, and create and maintain work environments that are inclusive and just.

Harriet facilitates Coaching Tools for Leaders. She completed the NYU Executive Coaching Certificate and is a member of the International Coach Federation. Harriet has been the Chief Operating Officer at the Support Center since 2002 and is responsible for all internal operations including finances, administation, human resources, program operations, communications and technology. Previously, Harriet ran a small business for 15 years. She has a BA in Political Science from Fordham University.

Susan facilitates business and strategic planning and marketing and communications. She is president and founder of ARTISIN®, LLC, a business development and management services for the arts and cultural sector. Her passion for and participation working in continually evolving and changing communities benefits her clients by customizing services for implementation, examining the organization from a holistic base rather than piecemeal, and providing all aspects of planning including strategic, business, marketing and fundraising, in addition to concentrating on organization and capacity building. Her services include board retreats, visioning sessions, focus groups and town hall meetings. Susan is on the board of Craft In America and has served on the board of CERF (Craft Emergency Relief Fund). She serves on the advisory and work committees for ArtsPlan NJ and on several committees; she has chaired the steering committee for the Arts and Business Council of New York, National Arts Marketing Project New York.

Laurie faciliates Public Speaking at the Support Center. She possesses a diverse educational and professional background spanning the corporate, health care, image and entertainment industries. She has over 20 years of experience helping people from all over the world deliver dynamic, compelling presentations. Her seminars and lectures have been presented at law firms, corporations, financial institutions, and universities. Laurie has been featured internationally on BBC television, as well as in numerous publications throughout the U.S.

Janet Levine has worked in the nonprofit and educational sectors since 1988, beginning her career at USC. Just prior to starting her consulting company, she was VP of University Advancement at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Other positions included Dean for External Relations at Pasadena City College, Executive Director of the Foundation at El Camino College and development positions at the American Film Institute, the University of Oregon and the Reason Foundation. In addition to consulting for a wide variety of nonprofit and educational organizations, Janet regularly teaches courses in non-profit management, fundraising and grant development, both face-to-face and online.

Andrée facilitates Training of the Trainer and is an affiliate consultant with the Support Center. She is President of Andrée Lockwood Associates, and has over 20 years of experience as a consultant, trainer, and facilitator. She conducts workshops and facilitates retreats on topics including communications skills, "training of the trainer," time and stress management, and customer service. Representative clients include: Fund for the City of New York, Grand Street Settlement, Maimonides Medical Center, New York Public Library, Project FIND, and UJA-Federation of NY. Andrée holds a Divinity degree from the University of London.

Tony facilitates planned giving. He is founder and Managing Director of Martignetti Planned Giving Advisors, a company dedicated to supporting compelling nonprofit missions. He inaugurated the planned giving programs for Iona College in New Rochelle, New York and St. John’s University in New York City. As Director of Planned Giving at St. John’s, he raised $20 million dollars in five years. He is experienced in the relationship-building, marketing and technical aspects of planned giving. Over the years Tony has trained and motivated volunteers on boards of trustees, campaign committees, and advisory boards.

Greg serves as VP and Director of Sustainability at Beckerman, where he handles the firm's green and cleantech accounts. He has eleven years of experience working in politics, government and non-profit groups. With an expertise in political grassroots organizing, Greg has aided candidates on both sides of the isle, including local officials, governors, members of Congress, and U.S. senators. His work includes public relations, communications, strategy development, volunteer management, and fundraising. He is a speaker at political debates and lectures on a variety of topics. Greg holds a Masters of Public Administration from New York University.

Gilles faciliates Interim Executive Leadership Training and is a Senior Associate at the Support Center. Most recently, he completed Interim Executive assignments at Abraham House, Reeves-Reed Arboretum, the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York and Abraham House. His consulting experience covers a broad range of organizational work in the nonprofit sector, including executive leadership transition, organizational restructuring, mission change, search, development, as well as addressing structural deficits.

Sharon is President and owner of Expert Events, a special event planning company, founded in 1992. Prior to forming Expert Events, Sharon spent 12 years at the University of Pennsylvania doing special events for development and alumni relations. Her primary focus is working with nonprofit organizations and academic institutions for their milestone events such as anniversaries, inaugurations, groundbreakings, building openings and campaign launches.

Barbara facilitates Strategic Planning, Non-Financial Managers Guide to Financial Statements, and Budgeting for Grant Proposals. She is a Senior Partner in Management Solutions for Nonprofit Organizations, LLC, which provides consulting, training and management services in the areas of strategic planning, financial management, board development, fundraising and overall organizational development. Prior to joining Management Solutions, Barbara was a Senior Staff Consultant at the Support Center.

Laurel facilitates Meaningful Outcome Measurement. She is Founder and CEO of Innovations Quantified (IQ), a consulting firm that has been helping organizations increase their impact since 1999. Through program planning, implementation, and outcome measurement services, IQ has served an international client list that includes the Actors Fund of America, Atlanta Womens Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs, FDNY Counseling Unit, and the International Labor Organization. Laurel holds an MPA from NYU, and has published an instructional guidebook on outcome measurement.

Bonnie is Director of Development at CAMBA, a Brooklyn human service agency with a $63M annual budget. She has over 25 years of development experience, both managing development departments and as an independent contractor, providing training and consultation to government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Bonnie received the New York City Mayor's Voluntary Service Award for her volunteer efforts with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management. She has an MPA from NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Tonia is on the Support Center Leadership Council and President/Founder of MDI Consulting. Tonia provides outsourced CFO services and assistance, designs and installs accounting systems and procedures, and provides telecommunications consulting services to nonprofit organizations. She taught Financial Management for Non-Profit Organizations at the New School for Social Research and was an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University. Tonia received her MBA from Columbia University and her BA from Macalster College.

Regina facilates workshops at our New Jersey location. She is the President of The Leadership Group and has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Regina has worked as an executive director and interim executive director with state and local governments, and as nonprofit board member. She has an MPA from Rider University.

Ginny is President of Ginny Pulos Communications, Inc., where she helps clients communicate facts and ideas with power, passion and persuasion, and also to develop leadership abilities that allow them to achieve excellence. Some of her clients include Gods Love We Deliver, the New York Times, Johnson & Johnson, The Tiger Woods Foundation, and UNICEF.

Pat has been affiliated with the Support Center since 2002 in many capacities, including as a volunteer facilitator of workshops, affiliated consultant, C.O.O. interim, and most recently the Interim Director of Consulting. She consults (PRQuickhelp) nonprofits and foundations both large and small. Areas of expertise include proposal writing, strategic planning, program planning, research, and organization assessments. Fields of expertise include health, developmental disabilities, and domestic and substance abuse. Pat has a Master's in Public Administration from Pace University and has completed advanced coursework in alcoholism studies from Rutgers University.

Robin facilitates Stewardship. She is the Deputy State Director, Principal Gifts at the The Nature Conservancy. Previously, Robin served as Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Development at Columbia University Medical Center. She has also worked as the AVP for Continuum Health Partners, the Development Director of the Ms. Foundation, museums, other environmental and women's organizations. She teaches fundraising at Columbia University, NYU, and the Support Center.

Adrienne facilitates Volunteer Management in our New Jersey Locations. She is the Executive Director of VolunteerConnect, an organization that helps potential volunteers find suitable opportunities through nonprofit organizations and community groups. Adrienne was the Associate Director for Class Affairs at Princeton University for 13 years, managing Princeton Reunions and supporting non-fundraising class volunteers and alumni community service and civic engagement programs. She holds an AB in Music Theory and Composition from Princeton University and is a former associate of the Society of Actuaries.

Ruthellen is a frequent workshop facilitator and an affiliate consultant for the Support Center for Nonprofit Management. She consults to nonprofits and philanthropies to address short term fundraising challenges and/or to design long term strategies to build sustainable development initiatives. Ruthellen has over twenty years of experience in all aspects of fundraising as a member of several nonprofit and institutional boards and also professionally as a fundraiser and marketing specialist. She is a professor at the George H. Heyman Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at NYU, Ruthellen teaches courses in technology, nonprofit board effectiveness and the annual appeal.

Deidre has been facilitating Volunteer Management at the Support Center since 2009. She is a Project Director for the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program of the Community Service Society of NY. Her main role is managing program evaluation, which includes overseeing the agency’s evaluation software. She is also responsible for the agency’s AmeriCorps VISTA program. Deirdre has worked in the non-profit sector for over 15 years, in the areas of fundraising, grant writing, program implementation and volunteer management.

Nancy publishes the Getting Attention blog and e-newsletter for nonprofit communicators. Nancy also founded and runs Nancy Schwartz & Company (NS&C), providing results-driven marketing and communications services to nonprofit and foundation clients. She draws on many years of diverse experience, on staff and as a consultant, with organizations as varied as the National Association of Mothers' Centers, New York Botanical Garden, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Association of Small Foundations. NS&C's specialties include branding, communications planning, message development, online communication innovations, and developing revenue streams for nonprofit organizations.

Maria facilitates Prospect Research in New Jersey for the Support Center. She is Principal of The Prospect Finder, LLC. The firm provides extensive research on individuals, foundations and corporations that are considered major donor prospects. Maria is a member of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, serves as a consultant for New Jersey's Partnership in Philanthropy program and is a founding member of the Nonprofit Consultants Collaborative in New Jersey. In 2007, she authored two downloadable training manuals which include an extensive compilation of prospect research resources.

Geri Stengel Geri serves 'good businesses' as President of Stengel Solutions, a strategic planning and marketing firm, and Ventureneer, online professional development. Geri co-founded Women's Leadership Exchange, a social enterprise. She also headed marketing for Dow Jones Information Services and launched Physicians' Online. She is Vice Chair of Governance Matters, was a past board member of National Association of Women Business Owners-NYC, and teaches Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise at The New School.

Calvin is a Senior Assocaite with the the Support Center and has over 15 years of experience in consultation services to nonprofit organizations in strategic planning, organizational assessment and development, and board development. He has conducted hundreds of staff development workshops and seminars focusing on customer relations and service, effective communication skills, cultural diversity, leadership development, team building, team mentoring and facilitation.

Farra Trompeter Farra is Vice President of Client Relationships and Strategy at Big Duck, a communications firm that works exclusively with nonprofits to help them raise money and awareness. Farra's expertise focuses on helping nonprofits use the internet (email, websites, social media, multimedia, etc.) to connect with donors and activists. Farra holds an MS degree in nonprofit management from The New School and currently serves on the board of the NYC Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project.

David Vinjamuri David is President of ThirdWay, Inc., a marketing training company, and the author of "Whats in a Name? Branding Comes to the Nonprofit World;" published in the 2004 edition of the Journal for Nonprofit Management. He has over 15 years of marketing and management experience and has worked for Johnson & Johnson, Coca-Cola, and Citigroup. David is an Adjunct Professor of Marketing at NYU. His book on entrepreneurs, "Accidental Branding: How Ordinary People Create Extraordinary Brands," was published in March 2008.

John is a Senior Associate with the Support Center. John has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 30 years. He has extensive experience consulting in the areas of organization development, planning, board development, evaluation, conflict management and executive director coaching. John has published numerous articles and monographs on organization and leadership issues.

Cathy Wasserman Cathy provides career, executive, and depth coaching to individuals seeking to increase their personal and professional fulfillment and realize their authentic talents and goals, through her business Self-Leadership Strategies. She has over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector including work as a training director at the Support Center, a recruiter, and an organization development consultant. Cathy has an MSW from Smith College and a BA in Psychology from Wesleyan University.

Janet facilitates the majority of the Support Center's Management & Supervision Certificate trainings and is an affiliate consultant. She is a human resources and organizational development consultant with more than 25 years of experience. Her consulting expertise includes supervisory, leadership, and management development; employee relations; employment regulations; executive and management coaching; meeting and retreat facilitation; and organizational assessments. Prior to becoming a consultant, she was the Managing Director of Employee and Volunteer Resources at GMHC, and held senior and corporate HR positions in the publishing and financial printing industries. Janet has an MSW from NYU.

Audrey is Principal of OMG! Organizational Management Group. With over 25 years of experience, Audrey has directed many aspects of organizational management and business operations including mediating and negotiating business relationships, coaching nonprofit start up operations and leadership training. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University's Center for Public Service and the Seton Hall Non Profit Sector Resource Institute.

Marie is an affiliate consultant with the Support Center. She trains and consults internationally in the areas of fundraising, board and staff development, strategic planning, executive director coaching, effective meetings, supervisory skills, and team building. She was formerly a Senior Staff Consultant with the Support Center.