AFP IL, Quad Cities Chapter Event: Success in Fundraising: From Seed to Success
May 1, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. CDT
Join us for an engaging and dynamic fundraising event designed to cater to all career stages with three tailored breakout tracks.
Newcomer Track
- Develop vital skills through sessions such as “Cultivating & Stewarding Supporters” and “The Art & Science of Asking.”
Featured speakers: Nancy Renkes, Sue Rector, Jennifer VonKaenel & Anne Calder
Mid-Career Track
- Enhance your influence with sessions on “Collaborative Partnerships” and “Empowering Ambassadors.”
Featured speakers: Mauricio Diaz, Becky Alpen, Marcie Ordaz, Hannah Howard, Courtney Thomas, Linda Wastyn
Seasoned Track
- Delve into advanced strategies like “Managing Burnout,” “The Psychology of Giving,” and “AI & Tech Tools.”
Featured Speakers: Linda Wastyn, Courtney Thomas & Amber Wood
Keynote Speaker: Courtney Thomas
"Every Connection Matters: Identifying and leveraging the strengths of the team to connect more deeply with donors + the community"
Courtney Thomas is the President & CEO of Newhouse, Kansas City's first domestic violence shelter, and Founder & CEO of Thrive 360. Courtney was named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Missouri, and she is also a Silver Stevie Award winner and Rising Star recipient. Courtney is a strategically wired visionary, complex problem solver, captivating public speaker, and dynamic people motivator. Her entrepreneurial approach, which leverages innovation to grow both people and businesses, has been the key ingredient to her successful career in business turnarounds.
Known as an innovative, empathetic disruptor, Courtney has transformed the customer + staff experience, delivered award-winning marketing campaigns, and unlocked new revenue opportunities for the animal welfare, veterinary medicine, leadership development, and social services industries since moving to Kansas City in 2002. As a true believer that magic lives inside of all of us, Courtney helps people and businesses discover their hidden potential and achieve it. She thrives in optimizing the strengths of people to amplify business + life outcomes and has dedicated herself to a life of service in Kansas City.