AFP 2022 Program Calendar
January 19 – Dr. Shelley Prevost, Big Self School – 10 Traits of Emotionally Fit Leaders
Learn the skills that will help you excel as a leader and move your team through change.
Shelley is the Co-founder of Big Self School, a personal growth school supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of leaders through coaching, consulting, a podcast, and events. She is a licensed therapist, educational psychologist, leadership coach, and Enneagram practitioner. She has 25 years of clinical and coaching experience combined with 10+ years as a business coach and startup executive to help leaders be their wisest and most authentic selves
February 16 – Aaron Parker, Pennington Group – Transactional to Transformational: Using donor stewardship to reconnect donors to their own experience(s)
Aaron learned of Pennington & Company while serving as Chapter Advisor to his chapter of Phi Kappa Psi at The University of Iowa, and while working as the Assistant Director of Development for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. During his career at Iowa, he was specifically focused on the $50 million goal for the new, state-of-the art UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital facility as part of the $1.7 billion For Iowa. Forever More Campaign.
As Vice President with Pennington & Company, Aaron has a diverse set of responsibilities within three primary areas: capital campaign consulting, new business development, and national fraternity initiatives. As a capital campaign consultant, Aaron has raised over $20 million through the orchestration of nine capital campaigns.
While eternally an Iowan at heart, Aaron now resides in Nashville, Tennessee with his wife Bethany and dog, Huck. He’s a passionate volunteer locally, but also with his fraternity. Aaron continues to serve his chapter of Phi Kappa Psi, an advisor to the board, while also serving the national fraternity as an Ambassador. In their free time, you’ll find Aaron, Bethany, and Huck tackling a home project, exploring the outdoors, finding the area’s most local eateries and breweries, and running/cycling.
March 16 – Robin Harpek, Ideas United – Innovative Fundraising Campaigns and Messaging
Robin Zebrowitz Harpak is Director of University and Nonprofit Partnerships for Ideas United, a creative studio based in Atlanta. Prior to that, Robin was a major gift officer at Emory University, fundraising for the Laney Graduate School, and has nearly two decades in the nonprofit sector. When she's not at work, Robin loves to draw, run, ride her Peloton, cook, and spend time with friends and family. Robin serves on the board of the Atlanta Rescue Dog Cafe, is a Girls on the Run Coach, and is Development Chair for the URJ Henry S. Jacobs Camp. Speaking of camp, that is where Robin met her husband nearly 20 years ago, and now their 9 year old daughter is a camper there. Robin resides in Decatur, Georgia, is fluent in Hebrew, loves The Beatles and all things Disney, and can quote every line from The Princess Bride.
April 20 – Scot Scala – Grants Management (1 hour General Session, 1 Hour Extended Session Option)
Scot Scala, M.Ed, GPC & GPA Approved Trainer is the President and Senior Consultant for Scala & Associates LLC. Scot is recognized as one of the most insightful and inspirational consultants to the nonprofit sector. He is a Grant Professionals Certified [GPC] and award winning consultant who has helped organizations fulfill their missions through successful fund development, including $113,000,000 in grants.
Considered experts in the sector, Mr. Scala and his team are particularly well known for their capacity to design winning government grant proposals.
Mr. Scala is a highly-regarded speaker and trainer who frequently presents top-rated workshops that are sponsored by regional, national, and international groups such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Soroptimist International of the Americas, Chamber of Commerce, Grant Professionals Association, and an array of nonprofit organizations.
May 18 – Donor Advised Fund Panel
June 15 – Dr. Eddie Thompson, Thompson and Associates – 14 Characteristics of High Propensity Donors
Eddie Thompson, Ed.D., FCE, founded the unique Thompson & Associates process in 1996. As CEO of Thompson & Associates, Eddie provides leadership and direction to over 47 seasoned charitable estate planners with an inspiring sense of generosity, integrity and passion for helping others.
By creating a unique values-based model at Thompson & Associates, Eddie and his team have established a way for people to dedicate the necessary time to consider important life decisions and to engage in thoughtful discussion that leads to optimal results for all.
He has planned thousands of estates, which has generated billions of dollars to charity during his thirty plus years working with nonprofits. Eddie speaks to organizations from coast to coast on successful fundraising techniques, nonprofit management and charitable estate planning and has garnered many honors during his distinguished career. He credits his parents with shaping his personal and professional path; they were very poor, but very generous.
In 2008, Eddie and President Cayce Powell founded sister company Gift Clarity. Gift Clarity helps nonprofits build stronger relationships with their supporters through their strategic planning services, while utilizing the power of data to concentrate efforts and incorporating cloud-based technology with its automated time management system.
Eddie serves as the Chair of the Charitable Estate Planning Institute, a 501(c)(3) public charity offering top level education on charitable estate planning for development staff, gift planning officers and professional advisors. Eddie and a group of Thompson & Associates colleagues formed the Institute in 2012. He is also a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning (FCEP) awarded by the Institute.
A native of Florida, Eddie and his wife, Sheryl, have been married more than 40 years and have made Nashville their home. They have two sons, one daughter and four grandchildren. Eddie and his family are involved in many community organizations and their church. He is an instrument pilot with both land and seaplane ratings.
August 17 – Celebrating Black Philanthropy Month - Tracey Greene-Washington
September 21 - Mary McCormack, Augusta University/Augusta Health – Planned Giving
October 19 – Jowdy, Lighthouse Counsel – Board Engagement
A veteran of nonprofit leadership and fundraising, Jeff has been the guiding force behind Lighthouse Counsel since founding it in 1999.
As senior vice president of development for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee, Jeff led one of the nation’s most successful YMCA fundraising programs. He also was senior managing director at Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners. Prior to that, he served as advancement director at Mount de Sales Academy in Macon, Georgia. He began his fundraising career as executive director of the South Georgia Chapter of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation.
Jeff is past chair and board member of the Phi Kappa Theta National Foundation and past chair of the Board of Trust at The University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. He was also an executive committee member of UGA’s national alumni association for a decade. Jeff serves on the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Tennessee board and Troy University’s Sorrell College of Business Executive Advisory Council. Additionally, he is a member of the Rotary Club of Nashville, the Sons of the American Revolution and the Southern Federation of Syrian-Lebanese Clubs.
Jeff is a member of NonProfit PRO’s Editorial Advisory Board and writes the publication’s popular “Bedrocks & Beacons” blog. He is also past president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Nashville Chapter and was recognized as its Fundraising Professional of the Year. He has been named a Fellow by UGA’s Grady College and received the UGA College of Pharmacy’s Distinguished Service Award.
He is a member of the AFP Atlanta and Nashville chapters, as well as a graduate of AFP’s Faculty Training Academy and Executive Management and Leadership programs, as well as a graduate of Leadership Nashville and Leadership Middle Tennessee.
Jeff is a graduate of UGA’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and holds a master’s degree in human resource management from Troy University.