Speakers

Tim Paris is the CEO and Co-Founder of Dataro, a leading provider of predictive AI for nonprofits. With a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience, Tim spent years researching how the human brain processes information before applying those insights to the charitable sector. Under his leadership, Dataro has helped hundreds of organizations globally, including Greenpeace and Save the Children, use machine learning to optimize donor engagement and move beyond traditional analytics. A frequent speaker on AI ethics and innovation, Tim is dedicated to demystifying complex technology, empowering fundraisers to use data-driven "Ranked Actions" to grow their missions and scale their impact.

James leads work at GivingTuesday to uncover insights into charitable giving behavior. With a background in Economics and Psychology, he specializes in statistical modeling, impact evaluation, and developing analytical tools to support decision-making. He’s passionate about using data to tell compelling stories and drive positive outcomes, and brings a pragmatic, collaborative approach to building knowledge in the social sector.

Giannina co-leads the San Diego Latino Giving Circle of the Latino Community Foundation. In their first year of grantmaking (2025), twenty giving circle members pooled their funds to give $37,000 to 3 Latin@-led/serving nonprofits. Giannina is passionate about democratizing philanthropy and proclaiming our “love of humanity”. She’s also a member of the Latina Giving Circle, San Diego Women’s Foundation and the El Camino Fund/San Diego Foundation. She is the former Senior Advisor for Early Childhood to Governor Newsom and a long-time champion of child and family well-being. She is currently consulting and serving as a coach to like-minded poderosas.

Sonya is a holistic leadership coach empowering change agents to lead more effectively with joy and ease, creating a life they love and impacting the world in positive ways. Sonya founded Leadership Atlas™ - a holistic approach to leadership development that integrates the mental, emotional, and embodied aspects of leading. She earned her MSLOC from Northwestern University and studied with world renowned neuroscientists and somatic coaches. Sonya has worked with nonprofit organizations for over 20 years. Her coaching integrates a culturally rooted and trauma informed approach.

Gail Perry, MBA, CFRE, is a nationally recognized fundraising strategist, governance expert, and keynote speaker with 30+ years of experience driving major fundraising success. As founder of the Gail Perry Group, she leads bold capital campaigns and empowers boards to become active fundraising partners. Gail authored Fired-Up Fundraising: Turn Board Passion into Action, the AFP guide to engaging board members—a go-to resource for board development nationwide. Her dynamic workshops and practical tools have inspired thousands of nonprofit leaders. Gail was named one of America’s Top 20 Fundraising Experts and a LinkedIn Top Voice in Philanthropy.

Anthony Petchel, MBA, CTP, CFRE, is the principal of Mission Trajectory Consulting and brings over 25 years of leadership experience in finance, fundraising, and strategic planning. He is an adjunct instructor at Portland State University, teaching finance and fund-development in the Masters of Public Administration program. Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Anthony spent over 16 years in commercial banking and finance. Anthony holds an MBA and degrees in Psychology and Sociology and has 30 years of nonprofit board service and is the current President of the Oregon SW Washington AFP chapter.

Arleen is a seasoned nonprofit leader and community organizer with over 25 years of experience. She began her journey in 1997 with the Lugenia Burns Hope Center on Chicago’s South Side, collaborating on leadership programs during gentrification alongside figures like Barack Obama. She has held executive roles with Communities In Schools National, Simon Youth Foundation, and the Food Bank of NWI. Since 2017, Arleen has led at Sojourner Truth House and now serves as Executive Service Director for Communications and Philanthropy Initiatives. A proud Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member since 1988, she leads with justice and faith.

Cultural Studies academic and recent winner of the Association of Healthcare Professionals "40 Under 40" award, Kelsey Picken, PhD, CFRE, CSPG currently serves as the Senior Director of Legacy Giving at The Dallas Foundation. In addition to her award-winning dissertation on philanthropy, she has served more than a decade in frontline fundraising positiions across higher education, healthcare, and the arts. Picken also currently serves as Treasurer of the Dallas Council of Charitable Gift Planners and on the Finance Committee of the Fort Worth Public Library Foundation. In her free time, she endulges in ceramics and playing tennis.

Lori Poer is passionate about supporting the health and effectiveness of the social impact community. In
her role at Blackbaud, Lori brings an empathetic and enthusiastic eye for the needs of those driving
change across the nonprofit sector grounded in her own deep experience of leadership at high-impact
organizations. She has owned the brand and communications functions at prominent nonprofits
addressing international human rights and American educational inequity. She served as lead editor of the
Washington Post bestselling book The Locust Effect (Oxford University Press) and has led and contributed
significant research initiatives across the social and private sectors.

Chad Polito is Director of Philanthropy at Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada, where he leads the national philanthropy team and oversees major gift strategy and donor engagement. With over 15 years of fundraising experience across healthcare, education, and faith-based sectors, he has coached gift officers, launched successful campaigns, and secured transformative gifts. Chad brings warmth, authenticity, and a strong dose of humor to every donor interaction and to every training moment. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Management (MNM) and has served on the boards of several nonprofits, bringing a collaborative and community-first lens to every initiative.

Will is a Strategy Manager and Deputy Product Manager for Deloitte's GivePrism portfolio. He brings over a decade of experience in fundraising and higher education, specializing in enterprise system implementations, analytics, and product-driven technology strategy and solutions to help organizations modernize operations and drive revenue growth. Prior to Deloitte, Will worked at the intersection of analytics and fundraising, leading technology-enabled initiatives across donor acquisition and retention at institutions including Georgetown University, the University of Virginia and the University of Georgia. Will holds a B.S. From James Madison University and an M.S. From the University of Georgia.

Gayle leads philanthropic growth strategies across AdventHealth’s Rocky Mountain Region encompassing five hospitals, two international missions, and hospice. Under her leadership, her talented team has achieved numerous historic “firsts,” resulting in triple-digit growth in giving and a 78% increase in net assets.

Building on 10 years of experience in Fortune 100 tech and 18 years in nonprofit executive leadership, Gayle’s passion for developing high-performing teams and a culture of philanthropy has been recognized by Harvard Business School’s Women’s Leadership Forum, the Denver Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business award, and the Colorado Women’s Chamber “Top 25 Most Powerful Women” award.

Marty Quessenberry is a digital strategist with over 25 years of experience leading transformation across sports, entertainment, and nonprofit sectors. From architecting complex tech stacks to launching mobile-first campaigns, Marty blends innovation with heart. He’s most at home where creativity meets code—and where mission-driven teams turn vision into measurable impact.

I am a fundraising and philanthropy consultant specialising in capital campaigns. I’ve been honoured to be admitted Fellow by the Fundraising Institute of Australia. I began my fundraising career in 1997. As a life-long learner, my education includes the FIA Certificate Skills Courses, the University of Indiana School of Philanthropy Fundraising 101 Course and as a participant with Yale University’s Yale in Asia Program. I hold a bachelors degree from Carleton University, Canada. I created My Major Giftgetter an app to help major gift fundraisers. In 2025 Hilborn Press will publish my first book One Year Before Your Capital Campaign.

Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier has fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has collectively raised approximately $5 million for over 75 organizations. She currently serves as CEO of ENP and runs her own nonprofit consulting firm, AQP Consulting, where she helps grassroots nonprofits with fundraising strategy, strategic planning, board development, and grant writing. She has received accolades such as AFP’s Outstanding Young Fundraising Professional, a Congressional Award Gold Medalist, NBJ’s 40 Under 40, and NBJ’s Women of Influence Nonprofit Leader.