Speakers

Abby Adair serves as Director of Development for Pope Francis Center in Detroit, where she leads fundraising strategy in support of comprehensive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. In her leadership role, Abby oversees donor engagement, campaign strategy, and relationship development in a rapidly evolving nonprofit environment.
As an emerging leader in the sector, Abby brings clarity, courage, and innovation to conversations about power, voice, and shared authority within development teams. She represents the next generation of nonprofit leadership—professionals who are reshaping how collaboration, inclusion, and accountability function inside organizations.

Roger D. Ali, MBA, C.Dir., CFRE, is Chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Global Board of Directors and a respected nonprofit leader with more than 20 years of experience in fundraising, governance, and organizational leadership. A major gifts strategist, he has helped lead fundraising initiatives generating more than $200 million, including capital and endowment campaigns. Roger is an independent consultant specializing in governance, campaign strategy, and staff coaching, and serves as a Senior Associate with S. Sutton & Associates Inc.. He also serves on the board of Imagine Canada and has held numerous leadership roles within AFP.

Hannah provides coaching and consulting that is derived from 20+ years of experience as a professional fundraiser, non-profit executive, campaign consultant and board member. After a decade of “side hustle” consulting while in senior Development roles, Hannah founded The Philanthropy Coach - a boutique firm that empowers, trains and connects to change makers to permanently improve fundraising. Hannah has proudly supported dozens of nonprofit organizations in raising more than $150M, specializing in major expansion campaigns, board recruitment and development, program restructuring initiatives and the creation of strategic development plans.

Crystal Berry is the Head of Strategic Accounts and Partnerships at BetterWorld, where she leads national system partnerships, strategic accounts, and growth efforts across key sectors. She brings a deep understanding of advancement and the day-to-day realities of building sustainable fundraising programs.
Previously, she served as EVP of Business Development and Marketing at the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA) and oversaw shared-services advancement for Catholic schools in the Diocese of Sacramento.

Amelia Bird is a fundraising consultant and creative strategist who helps mission-driven organizations tell powerful, ethical stories. With15 years in nonprofit leadership, she raised over $5 million for food systems initiatives in New Orleans. Now with Agora Consulting and Next Day Animations, she supports nonprofits through strategic fundraising and storytelling. Amelia brings a background in nonfiction writing and design to her work, ensuring communications are both visually compelling and clear. She holds an MFA in Nonfiction Writing and Book Arts from the University of Iowa and is passionate about aligning messaging with values to drive impact.

Dan Blakemore, CFRE is Vice President of Philanthropy at the Conservancy for
Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Over a 19-year fundraising career, Dan has worked at the nation’s oldest continually operating community music school, a program and training facility for international graduate students, and a historic house museum.

Outside of work and keeping up with his family, he is Chair of the AFP U.S. Political Action Committee, sits on AFP’s U.S. Government Relations Committee, and on the Cuyahoga Arts & Culture Board. Dan is a proud alumnus of Howard University and NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

Tami is the first woman to lead AllThrive 365 in its 50-year history. Since 2022, she has championed programs that tackle Arizona’s most pressing challenges in health, housing, hunger, and caregiving. She brings 30+ years of nonprofit leadership from Catholic Charities, Ryan House, and Boys Hope Girls Hope. A Certified Fund Raising Executive, Tami also serves on statewide leadership councils for AARP Arizona, Arizona LeadingAge, and Governor-appointed committees. In 2024, she was named a Phoenix Business Journal Most Admired Leader and received the Virginia G. Piper Fellowship in 2025.

Naquana Borrero, CFRE, CCLA is a longtime nonprofit practitioner, executive leader, and fundraising strategist with more than 15 years of experience serving in leadership roles across housing justice, legal services, and arts organizations, where she has raised more than $45 million in philanthropic investment. She is the Founder Bella Vita Consulting Group, where she advises nonprofits on fundraising strategy, organizational leadership, and cross-cultural and intergenerational philanthropic strategies. Naquana is Immediate Past President of the AFP Professionals Greater Arizona Chapter and currently serves as 2nd VP of Finance and Fund Development for National Coalition of 100 Black Women Phoenix Chapter.

Jody Braunig, CFRE, is a nonprofit development leader with over 20 years of experience building fundraising systems, securing multi-million-dollar revenue, and strengthening board and donor engagement. She specializes in translating strategy into actionable fundraising infrastructure, helping organizations move from reactive fundraising to disciplined, data-driven development leadership. Jody is an AFP member, LMSW, CFRE, ACFRE Candidate.

A Midwest native, forging deep roots in the South, Erika R. Burnett serves as Executive Director for The Village, an impact incubator supporting leaders and strengthening organizations. Undergirded by her role as Co-Conspirator for Women of Color Collaborative, Erika embodies a commitment to inspiring professionals, deepening impact, and challenging the status quo while advocating, equipping, and resourcing communities. Erika received her B.A. from Tennessee State University and her M.Ed. in Community Development Action from Vanderbilt University. She is a proud AmeriCorps, & New Leaders Council Alum who has been committed to the nonprofit sector for nearly 20 years.

Birgit Smith Burton is the CEO and founder of AADO, which supports fundraisers of color. A respected speaker and author, she co-authored The Philanthropic Covenant with Black America and Collecting Courage. Over 26 years at Georgia Tech, she helped raise over $750M. Birgit served on the global board of AFP for over a decade and recently completed her term as Chair. She received the CASE Opportunity and Inclusion Award and was honored with the Be Haas Lifetime Achievement Award. The R.I.S.E. Fund was created in her honor to support women of color in fundraising.

Celeste Carlson is a nonprofit consultant and founder of Growing Good Consulting and BoardSpark, specializing in board development, fundraising leadership, and organizational capacity‑building. She has more than 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, including nearly a decade as a community foundation program officer partnering with organizations across urban and rural communities. Celeste now works with executive directors, fundraisers, and boards to strengthen governance and build practical, no‑ask fundraising systems that fit small shops and tight‑knit communities. She holds an MBA and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management.

Colleen Carroll, Community & Events Lead at Double the Donation, specializes in helping nonprofit professionals transform workplace fundraising from a passive revenue stream into a proactive growth engine. Leveraging her background in fundraising, mission-driven marketing, and community engagement, she has led sessions for K-12, higher ed, and nonprofit organizations ranging from small shops to enterprise institutions. Drawing on frontline insights from the fundraising community, Colleen provides the data-backed tools and peer examples needed to maximize revenue from matching gifts, volunteer grants, and corporate partnerships. A frequent speaker at industry events, Colleen ensures every attendee walks away with a sustainable plan.