The 14^th Annual Nonprofit Leadership Conference had record attendance at this year’s event. Presented by Sterling Seacrest Pritchard, Truist, and BoardWalk Consulting, the annual conference attracted almost 200 attendees. The event is attended by nonprofit leaders from across the southeastern United States and focuses on providing nonprofit leaders an opportunity to share ideas and best practices with peers.

The Nonprofit Leadership Conference was held Wednesday, October 22^nd at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. This year’s event was hosted by Adriana Lawton, SVP Not for Profit Specialty Practice at Truist; Kathy Bremer, Senior Director of BoardWalk Consulting; and Dave Mathews, Partner with Sterling Seacrest Pritchard. 

The focus of this year’s conference was “Meeting the Moment: Philanthropy and Nonprofits – The Power of Partnership” and featured keynote speaker Carmen Rojas, PhD. As President and CEO of the Marguerite Casey Foundation, Dr. Rojas has worked with multiple foundations, financial institutions and nonprofits to improve the lives of working people across the United States.

The event started with a three-question poll to immediately engage attendees in conversation about the current state of operations and funding within the nonprofit sector. Dave Mathews, Partner with Sterling Seacrest Pritchard and event Co-Founder states, “It was important to our event leadership team that our attendees were engaged through innovative discussion. By starting the day with peer interaction, attendees were able to immediately connect by sharing their own creative ideas and educational experiences.” 

The conference also included a CEO Panel followed by table discussions and networking opportunities. The panel was moderated by Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO with Independent Sector. Panelists included Beth Schiavo, Executive President and Board Director with Center for Puppetry Arts; Brittany Collins, Executive Director of the Betty and Davis Fitzgerald Foundation; Frank Fernandez, President and CEO of the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta; and Julio Carrillo, CEO of Hope Atlanta. Additional guest speakers included a discussion with Atlanta Community Food Bank President and CEO Kyle Waide and Board Chair Althea Broughton, moderated by Kim Anderson, Principal with Chrysalis Lab.

Mathews continues, “This year’s event was a reiteration that we cannot be complacent in the nonprofit industry. It is important to recognize and implement innovative ideas and work as partners, which will not only benefit our organizations but also our communities.” 

For additional information regarding the Nonprofit Leadership Conference, go to http://www.nonprofitconf.com.