Nonprofit Institute Conference

• Mindset Mastery - Jessica DiVito, Co-Founder, Nonprofit People
• The Magic of Self-Care  - J. Caprice Brown, Executive Director, UM Charles Regional Medical Center Foundation
• Transformational Thinking - James Vasquez, Director of Maryland Small Business Development Center, Southern Region

Session Overview:

We can't prevent burnout if we don't know what it is. In this deeply moving workshop, I bring a summary of the science of burnout to participants so that we can understand what burnout is at its core. Then we'll talk about, given the science, what are key ways to prevent burnout based on the degree of stress that an individual is experiencing.

 Speaker: Kelly McLaughlin, Founder & CEO, From Scratch Fundraising, Inc. 

Kelly McLaughlin has spent 17 years in the nonprofit sector, fundraising for human rights, climate advocacy, and social justice causes—the kind of mission-driven work rife with stress, trauma, and anxiety. When a health crisis at 27 forced her to figure out how to sustain her commitment to this mission-driven work while managing a chronic illness, she became deeply invested in understanding stress, burnout, and tools to stay grounded and committed in the face of difficult and sometimes impossible missions. Today, she runs From Scratch Fundraising where she works with small nonprofit teams to help them "raise more dough without burning anything" by crafting practical, implementable fundraising programs that are burnout-proof. She also just launched a new membership community called "Neurodivergent Nonprofiting." She's bringing all of her hard-won wisdom, her infectious humor, and practical tools to this workshop. Come learn, practice, and ground with her today.

Session Overview:

In an ever-changing environment, nonprofit leaders must anticipate challenges and seize opportunities to ensure their organizations remain resilient and mission focused. In this session, we will explore practical scenario planning and revenue diversification strategies that support financial sustainability. Through interactive discussions and examples, we will also identify key questions to ask during the scenario planning process. This session is the second webinar of YPTC’s Managing Through Uncertainty, a series designed to deliver real-time insights and practical guidance for the nonprofit sector.

 Speaker: Matthew Wright, YPTC Accounting Firm

Matthew Wright is a Manager at YPTC, operating out of the Washington, DC market, with over 12 years of comprehensive experience in non-profit accounting and finance. As a dedicated leader in non-profit management, Matthew excels in overseeing internal accounting and financial operations, including audits and Form 990 submissions, while implementing robust internal controls and improving processes. His extensive skill set encompasses budgeting, cash flow management, financial forecasting, a strong understanding of federal funds management and 2 CFR 200 compliance, and presenting financial information to boards, ensuring organizations remain both accountable and efficient. Matthew's diverse career also spans commercial insurance, human resources, software launches, and regulatory compliance, reinforcing his ability to address a wide range of organizational needs. Matthew is uniquely positioned to serve as a trusted advisor and consultant to non-profits. His holistic approach and multifaceted experience empower organizations to navigate the complexities of financial management while driving their missions forward.

Session Overview:

Crises rarely derail nonprofits because of mission. They expose fragile operations. This session explores the critical systems nonprofits must strengthen before the next disruption hits, from governance and decision clarity to capacity planning, financial visibility, and execution systems. Grounded in real operational work, the conversation shifts from reactive crisis management to proactive resilience. Participants will leave with a clear framework for identifying operational weak points and prioritizing changes that protect staff, stabilize leadership, and sustain impact when conditions are uncertain.

 Speaker: Laurin Kelly, CEO - Battle Plan Strategic Consulting

Laurin Kelly is the CEO and Principal Consultant of Battle Plan Strategic Consulting, a boutique firm specializing in project management, process improvement, and organizational development for nonprofits and mission-driven organizations. A certified Project Management Professional (PMP), Laurin brings over 15 years of experience leading cross-functional teams and complex initiatives across public health, healthcare, and philanthropy. She possesses a Master of Public Health and has a proven track record of helping organizations streamline operations, implement project management tools, and develop sustainable systems that drive impact. Laurin is also the founder of the Association of Black Women in Project & Program Management (ABWIPPM), where she supports the advancement and visibility of Black women in the field. Known for her people-first approach and relatable strategies, Laurin is passionate about equipping organizations and professionals with the tools they need to lead with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

Session Overview:

Nonprofit teams are carrying the weight of prolonged uncertainty—funding instability, staffing shortages, rising community needs, and the emotional toll of mission-driven work in challenging times. Many leaders are asking the same question: How do we rebuild morale when people are tired, resources are stretched, and “business as usual” no longer fits? This session focuses on moving teams from burnout toward belief—without pretending things are fine or adding more to already full plates. Grounded in psychological safety and human-centered leadership, participants will explore practical, realistic ways to rebuild trust, re-engage staff, and restore a shared sense of purpose after hard seasons. Rather than offering quick fixes, this session provides tools leaders can use immediately to stabilize teams, strengthen relationships, and create conditions where hope and motivation can take root again.

 Speaker: Sasha Thompson, CEO The Equity Equation

Sacha Thompson is the founder of The Equity Equation and a trusted voice on psychological safety, leadership development, and workplace culture. With over 20 years of experience across education, nonprofit, and technology sectors, Sacha helps organizations bridge the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

She is an ICF Associate Certified Coach, 4 Stages of Psychological Safety Certified Coach, Maslow Certified Leadership Coach, and Maslow Certified Executive Culture Coach. Sacha has been featured in Forbes, Newsweek, and Business Insider, and has appeared on MSNBC’s The Cross Connection.

Session Overview:

Grounded in a spirit of solidarity and mutual learning, this session will feature panel of funders in a conversation about strategic partnerships that address resource challenges. The speakers will provide insight into how philanthropy is thinking about their grantmaking priorities and supporting grantees in this moment.

 Speaker: Elisabeth Hyleck

Elisabeth Hyleck is the Vice President of Programs and Engagement for Maryland Philanthropy Network. She manages the Network's Affinity Groups and 100+ educational programs with a focus on moving funders from learning to actions that support equity and justice. Prior to joining Maryland Philanthropy Network in 2007, she worked at the Annie E. Casey Foundation as the Leadership Development Program Assistant and was the Administrative Coordinator for a residential treatment facility for women and their children.

She has a master’s degree in city and Regional Planning from Morgan State University, and a BA in English and French from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio. When not at work, she can be found assisting with school and church activities, and spending time outdoors.

Session Overview:

Many nonprofit leaders rely on what can best be described as a “spray and pray” approach to brand storytelling and media pitching, sharing broad messages across platforms and hoping something resonates. While well intentioned, this approach often leads to diluted messaging, missed opportunities, and stories that fail to reflect an organization’s true impact. This highly interactive session invites nonprofit leaders to move toward intentional, data-informed storytelling. Drawing on a background in journalism, public relations, marketing, social media, public speaking, and education, Professor Gibbs-Franklin demonstrates how data can serve as a powerful narrative guide rather than a reporting obligation. Participants will learn how to analyze common nonprofit data points, such as donor behavior, program outcomes, and audience engagement, to uncover authentic brand insights and stronger story angles. Through hands-on exercises, attendees will practice transforming metrics into clear, human-centered narratives that support smarter decision-making, more effective media pitching, and deeper stakeholder trust.

 Speaker: Tamara Gibbs-Frankin, Associate Professor, College of Southern Maryland

Tamara Gibbs-Franklin is a passionate and experienced communicator who empowers students, professionals, and executives on their journeys to developing effective soft skills in an ever-evolving digital landscape. She proudly serves as a communications professor and program coordinator at the College of Southern Maryland where, as a national board member of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, she supports chapter engagement. As an enthusiastic educator, she has taught communication theory, public speaking, public relations, media ethics, and journalism at flagship colleges and universities, including Trinity Washington University, the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, and North Carolina Central University. Equally important to Tamara is the well-being and success of both her students and faculty peers. As a Level 1 Facilitator under the Center for Improved Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER), she leads workshops that help faculty enhance communication and support mentoring practices grounded in belonging and collegiality. Tamara completed her bachelor’s degree in journalism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and holds a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Currently, she is pursuing a doctorate in counseling and industrial-organizational psychology.

Session Overview:

In a time of rapid changes, and limited resources, nonprofit organizations must be adaptive, anticipate future trends and adopt innovative strategies that ensure sustainability and deepen critical mission impact. This session explores how artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging innovations are shaping the nonprofit sector and how organizations of all sizes can begin using these tools responsibly and effectively. Participants will learn practical, real-world applications of AI for fundraising, operations, program delivery, and decision-making, while also addressing ethical considerations, data stewardship, and governance. Through examples, discussion, and guided planning, attendees will leave better equipped to implement innovation including AI with confidence, clarity, and mission alignment.

 Speaker: Ivonne Cameron, Managing Director • Entrepreneur • Trainer • Economic Development & Grant/Writer Management • Nonprofit & Corporate Strategist • Space Healthcare

Ivonne Cameron is a dynamic leader with over 18 years of experience in nonprofit management, grants, and project management. As Managing Director of ISE International Group and senior consultant for VerdAbility, she assists clients in navigating healthcare innovation, business development and training, both domestically and globally. While at Foundation International, Ivonne tripled revenue, secured the organization’s first $1M grant, and expanded its global outreach. As the Co-Founder and Board Chair of Third Millennium Health COOP (DC), she launched a $92 million health insurance cooperative, improving access for underserved communities. As an Assistant Professor at Howard University, Ivonne developed graduate curricula in global health, nurturing future leaders and was selected as a Harvard Policy Institute Fellow and Capitol Hill Senior Health Policy Fellow, influencing national health and energy policies. Ivonne holds a Bachelor’s Degree: Business Administration/Spanish Studies, SRU, PA,; Master’s Degree: Public Health Administration, Concordia University, Montreal and Professional Certifications: including Project Management and Non-Profit Executive Certification. Ivonne’s Passion for Impact is dedicated to empowering organizations to be sustainable, secure funding and create lasting change, both locally and globally.

Session Overview:

As the nonprofit business landscape changes, due to challenges with funding, staffing, and resources, nonprofits must learn to understand what partnerships are, how to create them, and also how to sustain and hold partners accountable. Effective partnerships should be sustainable relationships, beyond any staff or leadership changes. This session will discuss the importance of partnerships in building organizational sustainability, relieve some of the burnout from their staff, and help to build organizational capacity to result in effective change and enhance performance goals. Participants will also evaluate whether they feel they have been a good partner in the past with other organizations, and how to "course correct" if changes are needed. Participants will engage in an interactive process during the session to learn what their entities provide, and how they could start formulating relationships during the session that could lead to potential partnership outputs after the session.

 Speaker: Corae Young, Chief Executive Officer of Young Consulting Services, Inc. (YCS)

Corae Young is the Chief Executive Officer of Young Consulting Services, Inc. (YCS). YCS is a consulting firm that provides training and technical assistance to faith based and nonprofit organizations that help to build organizational capacity. While this business has been in existence for four years, Corae has been providing these services to organizations across the DC metropolitan area for more than 16 years due to her expertise in the field. She is currently part of the 2026 cohort for Leadership Southern Maryland. She is an independent, licensed consultant trained by the Standards for Excellence Institute. She currently serves as the Assistant Director for the Family Investment Administration at the Charles County Department of Social Services. This department is responsible for providing public assistance benefits and workforce development opportunities for eligible customers. Corae holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Sociology from the College of William and Mary, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Nonprofit Management from American University. Corae has a sincere heart for those who are most vulnerable and believes that collaboration is key in serving people effectively.

Session Overview:

Nonprofits are still delivering. Still showing up. Still holding communities together, often with fewer resources, tighter margins, and expectations that keep growing. What's at risk right now isn't your mission, but the flexible funding you need to lead well, adapt when circumstances change, and sustain your work with integrity. This session is about rethinking how unrestricted funding gets talked about, valued, and raised. We'll go deeper than tactics. We'll look at the beliefs and language that shape how you ask for support, and how to build funding relationships that honor your whole organization, your people, your systems, your judgment as leaders.

 Speaker: Wendy Wolff, MPH, Director of Strategic Engagement - Maryland Nonprofits

Wendy Wolff started her nonprofit career on the ground during the HIV/AIDS epidemic, building community responses that taught her a fundamental truth: the people closest to the challenges hold essential wisdom for solving them. That insight has shaped over 30 years of consulting work. As Director of Consulting and Strategic Engagement at Maryland Nonprofits, Wendy partners with organizations across sectors, nonprofits, government agencies, universities, and faith communities, to strengthen their work and deepen their impact. Her approach is rooted in curiosity: helping clients draw connections across

seemingly disparate information, dig beneath surface problems to find root causes, and discover solutions that actually fit their reality. What drives Wendy's work is a genuine belief that everyone in the nonprofit sector brings critical expertise to the table, regardless of their role or title.

Session Overview:

Most nonprofits in Southern Maryland have teams of ten people or less. What does that mean for developing big goals and, most importantly, executing for successful outcomes? It takes incredible leadership, a willingness to get out of the box and think strategically, accurately identify strengths of each team member, and ensure each person is operating in their most productive lane. Encompassing the concepts of Design Thinking, his will strengthen your leadership skills in a whole new way and you will leave this session knowing you can win.

 Speaker: Maria McDonald, Executive Director – Greenwell Foundation

Maria McDonald joined Greenwell Foundation as Executive Director in May 2024. Ms. McDonald brings over 30 years of non-profit experience focused largely on fundraising, strategic growth, programmatic assessment and long-term community engagement. Her experience spans small to large organizations serving the arts, educational equity, healthcare, and community-based missions in the greater Philadelphia and Southern Maryland areas.  Maria is a 2024 graduate of Leadership Southern Maryland, teaches grant writing classes through the Non-Profit Institute at the College of Southern Maryland since moving to Southern Maryland in 2022.

 Speaker: J. C. Martin, Co-Founder – Peak Performance

John (JC) Martin is a multidisciplinary leader at the intersection of technology, education, and entrepreneurship. With a background in aerospace engineering and data science, and more than a decade of experience at NAVAIR, JC excels at turning complexity into clarity and strategy into action. As COO/CFO of Peak Performance Solutions, JC leads operational strategy and financial oversight for a rapidly growing organization focused on capacity building, leadership development, applied learning design, and data-driven solutions. He manages a diverse portfolio supporting government, nonprofit, and private sector clients through impactful workshops, human-centered strategy, and scalable curriculum development. JC also serves as Director of the Future Workforce Readiness Academy, a flagship initiative aimed at preparing individuals and organizations for the evolving demands of the modern workplace. This academy blends technical literacy, leadership skills, and professional readiness, helping clients connect long-term vision with daily execution. 

 Speaker: Logan Nagle, CEO – Logan Nagle Enterprises, LLC

As the Chief Executive Officer of Logan Nagle Enterprises, LLC, he brings a deep commitment to serve and presents expertise as a growth marketing partner, using next level strategic in video marketing. Logan understands how to use social media platforms to identify, engage, track and convert the next generation of supporters to the Southern Maryland nonprofit community.  A leader in the Calvert County chapter of the Young Professionals organization, he became the positive catalyst for igniting a regional conversation on how to recruit, engage and retain the next generation of employees and people who care about making a difference.

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jacquelyne E. Bailey

Senior Director of Community Health
The Langston Hughes Center, Cleveland Clinic
Community Health and Education Center

More than three decades of nonprofit, private sector, and philanthropic experience have provided Dr. Bailey with incredible knowledge and insight into strategies to navigate challenging situations—making her the ideal speaker for this year’s theme.