The Nonprofit Leaders Forum

Nonprofit Trends:
What to Expect & How to Prepare

The Nonprofit Leaders Forum Series is kicking off this February and will feature leaders, each with a business sensibility, a deep understanding of the role and power of nonprofit organizations, and a sensitivity to the marketplace of people and ideas.

The first program of the series by the Independence Business Alliance (LGBTQ+ Chamber of Commerce) will feature a panel of nonprofit leaders who will answer questions similar to:
 What is one of the most significant trends impacting the landscape of nonprofit organizations in the next five years and why should nonprofit board leaders be aware of this trend? What can they do to be even better prepared?

The program series is sponsored by RPM Consulting Group.
The Space & Hospitality Sponsor is Athena Global Advisors at 30 S. 15th Street on the 6th floor.

5:00pm: Welcome and Networking

5:30-6:00pm: Panel Discussion

6:00-7:00pm: Q & A and Networking

Tuesday, February 27, 2024
5:00-7:00pm
Athena Global Advisors
30 S. 15th Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102

REGISTRATION FOR THIS EVENT CLOSES ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26th! 

Moderator of Event:

Sultan Shakir (he/him/his)

Sultan Shakir’s leadership approach is heavily influenced by his early years working as a community organizer. Through that work, he came to respect the power of collective action for marginalized people through partnering with unions like SEIU and AFSCME to fight for the basic rights of low-income black and brown people. Additionally, he gained the skills needed to actively listen to people’s needs and discovered that the best decisions are those informed by the people most affected. He would go on to work in communities across the country: from cities like Philadelphia, where he met his husband while working to turn out the LGBT vote, to small, rural towns. In each community, listening, building trust, and creating buy-in and alignment among teams was the foundation for his success.

Shakir comes to Mazzoni Center from SMYAL, an organization dedicated to the well-being, support, and empowerment of LGBTQ youth.

Born and raised in North Philly, Sultan lives with his husband, Mark and their two dogs Blanche and Manny. Sultan is an avid artist and musician and enjoys the vibrancy and creativity of the queer and trans community.

Panelists Include:

Phil Fitzgerald (he/him/his)

Philip Fitzgerald leads the Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers initiative and its approach to youth economic opportunities across the U.S. Before joining the Citi Foundation, he oversaw discretionary grantmaking, scholarships, private foundation services, special grantmaking initiatives, and grantmaking operations, and supported organization-wide strategic priorities at Philadelphia Foundation. Prior to that he managed corporate giving and community outreach programs for VILLA and oversaw a grantmaking and capacity-building initiative at Nonprofit Finance Fund. Phil started his career preparing adult learners for the high school equivalency exam and teaching English to speakers of other languages in the US and abroad.

Phil is a graduate of Temple University’s Fox School of Business and École des Ponts Business School, having earned an MBA in International Business Administration. He also holds a Bachelor of Science cum laude in International Area Studies and a minor in French from Drexel University.

Pamela Henshall (she/her/hers)

As a nonprofit leader and visionary with experience in management, leadership, business development, marketing, administration, programming, and fundraising, Pam Henshall brings new opportunities to Women In Transition (WIT).

Pam's vision as the Executive Director is to expand WIT's impact by serving ALL Domestic and Intimate Partner Survivors and including Women, Men, LGBTQIA+, and Transgender communities. Her marketing, fundraising, and relationship-building experience will expand WIT's vision and strengthen the mission.

In her past, Pam has provided leadership for both 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) organizations. In addition, she demonstrated ability to develop, implement, and oversee innovative marketing and promotional campaigns for mission-based business and charitable associations. Pam consistently and successfully builds consensus and drives cooperative relationships with staff, Boards of Directors, government agencies, partner organizations, and the regional business community. She is a time-effective professional who can work under pressure, multi-task, and succeed in a team environment and independently.

Pam graduated from the College of New Jersey, formerly Trenton State College, with a BS in Business. Pam enjoys gardening, restoring antiques and flea market finds in her spare time, and frequents music concerts, live theatre, and wine festivals.

Dennis Maurice Dumpson (he/him/they/them)

Dennis Maurice Dumpson is an author, thought leader, strategic consultant, and racial equity practitioner. He is the Founder and Principal Consultant of #InvestBLK, a boutique racial equity and strategic planning consulting firm specializing in strategy development, training, community-based philanthropy, and coaching for nonprofits and leaders. He is also the Chief External Affairs Officer for Let’s Get Ready (LGR), a national college advising and access organization based in New York. Before launching #InvestBLK and LGR, Dennis spent 17 years as a lead fundraiser for organizations like Opportunity Finance Network, KIPP, Communities In Schools of Philadelphia, etc. Dennis has secured over $38MM in new funding for missions supporting racial, social, educational, and economic justice throughout his career.

He is deeply committed to freedom, especially for marginalized communities, and believes deeply in our right to define how we care for ourselves. As a thought leader, Dennis has published on racial equity, justice, and anti-Blackness. He has been consulted for articles in The Washington Post and Socialist Worker newspapers and CBS MoneyWatch. In 2011, he produced Journey 2 RAHA, an episodic documentary centered on Black women’s financial security and mental health journey. Dennis is the author of What My Colored Eyes See (2009) and Black Washed: A Collection of Essays, Poems, Dreams, and Letters Addressed to Black Folk (2021). Dennis’ next book, Other Side of Soil: Our Journey through Mud and Magic, will be released in 2023 (Very Black Books, 2024). 

Dennis earned his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy & Literature from Lincoln University of Pennsylvania and an MBA in Global Finance from Saint Joseph’s University with a fellowship and residency in South America. Dennis is currently shaping scholarship for his Ph.D. in Social Justice Education from the University of San Diego, which will analyze the communal injury systems of assimilation inflicted on marginalized communities in schools. Dennis lives in Philadelphia and enriches his life through a love of family, literature, live music, travel, beauty, and activism.

Sponsorship Highlights:

Series Sponsor:

RPM Consulting Group

We help clients navigate the complexities of their organizations with an eye tuned toward organizational growth and impact. By providing strategic guidance, structural recommendations, and roadmaps, we assist in expanding reach within communities, with donors, and with grantmakers.

Our team works closely with clients and their stakeholders to craft effective strategies that align with their missions and objectives, scaled to capacity. Let’s start where you are, succeed, and build.

Our work is concerned with the holistic well-being of your organization, but special attention may be paid to:

• Fundraising
• Communication Campaigns
• Donor Outreach and Engagement
• Coalition Building
• Nonprofit Governance
• Enrollment Management
• Building Administrative Systems
• Innovative Programming

By harnessing these areas of expertise, we empower our clients to achieve their goals, create a lasting impact, and contribute to building a better, more equitable world.

Space and Hospitality Sponsor:

Athena Global Advisors

Maggy Wilkinson is the Chief Executive Officer of Athena Global Advisors, a professional services company that specializes in program management, data-driven strategy and strategic marketing and communications. Founded in 2013 by Wilkinson, Athena services an expansive portfolio of clients in media, telecommunications, professional sports, fashion, healthcare and hospitality. By leveraging diverse talent and expertise, Athena devises strategies, crafts campaigns, activates experiences and optimizes operations to strengthen brands, improve perceptions and shape narratives. Athena is headquartered in Philadelphia. 

Wilkinson founded Athena with a mission to be a force for positive change. Whether it is spearheading Huddle for 100, one of the National Football League’s most successful community campaigns, supporting the city of Philadelphia’s recovery during the COVID-19 pandemic with Ready.Set.Philly! or helping Liberty Latin America build a market-wide digital equity program, community is the common thread that runs through the organization’s diverse client group. Athena is also proud to have Comcast as a client and supporting many of its initiatives. Other notable work includes an engagement to organize Philadelphia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup bid.