Before joining The Advocacy Academy, Saba was a Director in operations and human capital consulting, working primarily in the travel and hospitality industry. She has over eight years of experience in management consulting, and has also worked in venture capital, primarily in AI and hardware. She launched her career leading healthcare initiatives in the Western Sahara refugee camps.
Saba is also the Treasurer of Citizens UK, one of the oldest community organising movements in the UK, and Governor of the Belham, a local primary school. She has an MBA from Wharton Business School, and a Masters in Mathematics from Imperial College London.
Mazarine Treyz
Mazarine Treyz is a coach, speaker and best selling author of “The Wild Woman’s Guide to Fundraising”, serving people in over 70 different countries. She works with government, nonprofits, and individuals, supporting people to bring their full selves to work.
Mazarine specializes in helping nonprofit leaders land their dream career and fundraising goals through authentic relationships both online and offline. As a result, clients have received $30K raises, transitioned into new careers and created their own global nonprofits. Check out the testimonials here.
Mazarine has co-founded a nonprofit and has over a decade of experience as a nonprofit fundraiser in small shops. Two of her proudest accomplishments were raising $250K in sponsorships, up $100K from the previous year, as well as taking a nonprofit to $120K in grants, up from $7K the previous year. Today, Mazarine leads the nonprofit workplace justice movement to create a better nonprofit work culture through her writing, training, podcast and keynote speeches.
She is featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, and NonprofitPro as well as many other outlets. She has spoken around the world including England and Jamaica, as well as AFP International Conference multiple times. She leads monthly community events in the Portland/Vancouver area. She lives in Portland and loves weightlifting.
Natalya Kolosowsky
Natalya Kolosowsky is a communications consultant and branding strategist specializing in bringing out-of-the-box ideas to life.
Natalya has over a decade of experience in communication roles for non-profits, as well as supporting women-led organizations in creating innovative systems for sustainable business growth.
Natalya’s background is unique - from growing up in a socialist utopian city, to a career trajectory that has involved neuroscience laboratories and the circus (yes, really!) Natalya’s insights span across disciplines, languages, and cultures. She is the founder of Shadow Tender - an interdisciplinary project that teaches people how to dance with their demons (i.e. transform fear into sincere connection and inspiration.)
Her work has been featured across the USA, as well as in Norway, Italy, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, Russia and the Czech Republic.
Kierra Taplin
Kishshana Palmer
Naira Bonilla
Christal M. Cherry
Christal M. Cherry is a nationally recognized nonprofit executive and professionally trained fundraiser. With over 20 years in the nonprofit sector, she has supported higher education institutions, human services organizations, and faith-based missions. Her career portfolio, as a full time professional includes American University, the United Negro College Fund, Spelman College, Nicholas House, the Interdenominational Theological Center, Florida A & M University, and Action Ministries. Christal also served as a Senior Consultant at the GA Center for Nonprofits and is currently the CEO of The Board Pro, a consulting firm designed to transform leaders through board service.
With passion and a wide breadth of experience, Christal works with clients to create and implement fundraising strategies that secure the resources needed for meaningful impact, organizational growth, and a thriving operation. In each role, Christal has interfaced, guided, and collaborated with diverse stakeholders including individuals, corporate executives, pastors, alumni, parent, students, foundation program managers, and board members raising more than $30 million dollars over her career.
Today as The Board Pro, Christal’s works with nonprofit boards to coach, train, and counsel them to be effective governing and fundraising arms for their organizations. She also assists with; finding qualified and diverse talent to add to boards; onboarding; and culture assessments.
Christal earned a MA in Counseling from Hampton University, a BA in Liberal Arts from Hofstra University and professional development certifications in nonprofit leadership, social media fundraising, and nonprofit management.
She currently serves on the board of the Greater Atlanta chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Villages of Carver YMCA. She is on faculty at CANDID where she teaches courses in fundraising and board development. She also enjoys her membership in the African American Development Officers Network, Toastmasters, and F3, Fabulous Female Fundraisers which she founded.
Vanessa Brasfield
Vanessa B! Also known as PleasntlyTwstd on Twitch is a Charity Success Manager at Tiltify, and a part time charity streamer. Her focus is on cultivating community, with an emphasis on activism efforts surrounding black and LGBITQIAP2+ communities. The content she creates ranges anywhere from friendly casual baking streams, to no-hit runs of Dark Souls 3. Her full time passion is ensuring everyone gets what they need and views charity as a driving force to achieve goals otherwise impossible.
Elaine Lou Cartas
Elaine Lou Cartas is a business and career coach and speaker, serving clients in 23 different countries.
Elaine specializes in helping women of color entrepreneurs land their dream career and create business opportunities through authentic relationships both online and offline. As a result, clients have made multi 6-figure and 7-figure incomes, received $25k raises, earn 6-figure corporate salaries, transitioned into new careers and create their own global businesses.
Elaine has over a decade of experience as a political grassroots organizer, and nonprofit fundraiser. One of her proudest accomplishments was raising $1 million in student scholarships in 6 months, providing 200+ scholarships. Today, Elaine is the founder of the Color Your Dreams Movement™, an initiative to inspire and support women of all colors to create their dream business and life.
She has been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, Badassery Magazine, and Pasadena Magazine, and Good Morning La La Land. She has spoken around the world including Sweden and Indonesia, as well as Universal Music Studios. She leads monthly community events in the Los Angeles area. She lives in Pasadena, California with her boyfriend, and loves boxing.
Marian Bacol-Uba
Marian Bacol-Uba is the Founder of Thriver Lifestyle and ThriverCon, TEDx and Keynote Speaker, Business Coach and Bestselling Author. She is also the host of Thriver Lifestyle Podcast and Thriver TV.
Marian helps womxn & non-binary entrepreneurs become fully expressed, get consistent clients through speaking and generate 6-figures+ in their business. She merges her 15+ years of marketing, event production and business development experience with her mission to create positive social impact and help elevate the voices of womxn and BIPOC globally. She regularly speaks about public speaking, online business and mindset/resilience.
Marian is active in the non-profit community serving on the Board of Directors for Project by Project, a social justice and leadership development organization for Asian Americans, and also the Founding Member and USA Chapter Lead for KeyNote Women Speakers, a non-profit with a global mission to create more diversity on speaking stages. She has been featured on CBS, NBC, ABC-7 International Business Times, Thrive Global, Miami Under 40 and over 60 podcasts and publications. For more info visit www.marianbacoluba.com and follow her on Instagram @mbacoluba.
Nneka Allen
As a lover of justice, Nneka has inspired philanthropy as a Fundraising Executive in the non-profit sector for the last 20 years. She honours the spirit of generosity in all people and is passionate about the many contributions of Black Canadian philanthropists and fundraisers.
Her recent work includes a project with the Association of Fundraising Professionals called, Our Right to Heal. Nneka brought together a group of Black women at various points in their fundraising careers to share both their professional and personal experiences and gain strength and understanding through those connections. The project includes their authentic stories of healing and what “the right to heal” means to them.
Nneka is currently editing a book in collaboration with two other women from the Our Right to Heal Project under the Gail K. Picco imprint with Civil Sector Press. Collecting Courage: Joy, Pain, Freedom, Love will be published in November 2020.
Nneka is also the principal and founder of The Empathy Agency. She helps organizations deliver more fairly on their mission and vision by coaching leaders and their teams to explore the impact identity has on organizational culture and equity outcomes.
Nneka’s ultimate joy is her daughter Destiny, an Environmental Scientist working with Indigenous communities in British Columbia. Together Destiny and Nneka continue their family legacy of philanthropy and activism in Canada.
Muthoni Kariuki
From childhood, Muthoni fell in love with nonprofits working alongside her parents who valued the power of giving back to the communities they lived in. Her parents instilled in her that our lives become meaningful through the impact we make on others, more so than living and working just for ourselves.
Muthoni quickly developed a deep passion for charitable work, and in particular fundraising. This resolve stuck with her through her undergraduate education, and ultimately leading her to obtain her Master’s degree in Philanthropy and Non-profit Leadership (MPNL) from Carleton University.
Muthoni, is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), who spends her days assisting donors realize their potential to make an impact, through the power of philanthropy. When Muthoni isn’t fundraising, you’ll find her early in the morning at the gym where she goes to begin her day. However, her most important valued time, is spent with family and friends.
Kasharna Pusey
Kasharna Pusey is a passionate and dedicated Fundraising professional. Over the last two years, she dived into fundraising professionally and volunteering. In 2019, she was recognized for her volunteer work at PHAN (Peel HIV/AIDS Network). She is currently working as a Donor Relations and Fundraising Assistant at a national Canadian organization.
Kasharna has six years of dynamic work experience in customer service, marketing, advertising and sales. Her roles in these areas have enriched her with excellent communication and negotiation skills and a passion for fostering lasting relationships. She holds an Associate Degree in Communications and Media Studies from Sheridan College and recently completed her Post-Graduate Studies in Fundraising & Resource Development at Georgian College, where she achieved Dean’s list recognition three consecutive semesters.
Fatou Jammeh
Camila Pereira
Marva Wisdom
Marva Wisdom is a committed leader who profoundly believes in the importance of building inclusive spaces where we feel that sense of belonging. With this recognition and as a part of her journey she established Wisdom Consulting, more than a decade ago.
Marva inspires her clients whether local, national or international with the tools they need to facilitate meaningful growth through promising practices in leadership, active engagement, equity and inclusion.
Marva holds a Masters of Leadership from the University of Guelph and is a Senior Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto.
She is a keynote speaker, lecturer, commentator, community-engaged-researcher and fundraiser, working in the areas of leadership, equity and inclusion.
Melissa Watkins
Melissa Ellyn Watkins has over 15 years of development and capital campaign management experience in a variety of non-profit sectors including associations, religion, and food banks. She is currently the Executive Director of Major Gifts California State Polytechnic University, Pomona – prior to which, she served in development at California State University, Bakersfield for three years. Melissa earned a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Administration from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University. She is also a certified Project Management Professional.
She spearheaded and chairs the Cal Poly Pomona University Advancement Anti-Bias Working Group. Melissa serves on the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VII Cabinet and recently served as a moderator for A Candid Conversation with African American Professionals in Advancement panel. She has volunteered with Taproot Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and a number of other organizations that are focused on social change organizations solve critical challenges in their communities.
Rachel Wyley
Rachel Wyley has worked in service of students and communities in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years, primarily in the Los Angeles, Oakland, Atlanta, and San Francisco Bay Area communities.
She is committed to continually challenging societal structures and systems through her work in both program delivery and fundraising.
Rachel leads from a “people first” orientation and maintains especial interest in the empowerment of folks of color within all corners of the public and private sectors.
She is a member of the 2021 graduating class of the LeaderSpring Center Women of Color in Leadership Fellowship. Most importantly, Rachel is an artist and can, once in a while, be found singing on local and international stages.
Founder/Organizational Development Consultant, High Spades Consulting
Organizational Development Coach
Passionate about creating sustainable solutions centered around strategic planning, human resource development, and organizational structure, Gloria combines her 13+ years of experience in IT, healthcare, and financial operations to streamline business processes. She capitalizes on her propensity to analyze situations from a different perspective by providing strong project methodology techniques through roadmap visualizations.
After working extensively with Nike, Gloria decided to start her own business to provide HR services in line with strategic developments of business in a sustainable manner. One of her specific specialties, succession planning, puts training around diversity and cultural issues front and center. In the meantime, she counts Urban League of Portland, PHRMA, and Clark College, among others, as her clients.
Certified in PHR, SHRM-SCP, PMP, and PSM, Gloria is determined to share the mental wealth of her knowledge with others and create that better workplace environment for all.
She is also proud to be a summer solstice millennial and an Oregon Native.
Sponsorship:
Want to be part of the future of fundraising a sponsor? Sponsorship comes with many benefits. Email us at info@wildwomanfundraising.com to get started.
Recordings:
We are all about offering this conference at a price you can afford. That's why attending one day is $47. If you want to do 3 days, AWESOME! That's $99. If you want the recordings, you need to get the $150 ticket. These prices are simply incredible for the value you're getting.
Team/Grantee Pricing:
Do you have a team that wants to attend? Are you into getting a bigger bang for your buck? We have institutional pricing for groups of 5 or more. If you're a granting institution, your grantees could gain a lot from this. Just email info@wildwomanfundraising.com to get started. We have a limited number of seats, so get your tickets early!
Safe space vs Brave space:
What is safe space? Each day we'll make an agreement about safe space. It means we will not tolerate any sort of hate speech or trolling on this event and people who do it will get booted with no refunds. Totally serious here. This includes anti-LGBTQIA+, racism, sexism, ableism, classism, etc. By taking part in this conference, you agree to abide by the rules of safe space.
What is brave space? We WILL be going to ask people to get comfortable with being uncomfortable in looking at systemic and individual bias. We will be asking people to consider learning more about these topics to create structural change. This will involve brave space, being open to making mistakes, admitting your intentions were not the same as the results of your actions and we hope you will step into that with us.
Accessibility:
Platform: We will be using the Zoom meeting platform, so you can see other attendees and network with folks in small groups in the spaces between presentations, like at a real conference! If you would like to be more anonymous you can change your name in zoom and not engage your video.
Hearing: Zoom allows us to have live closed captioning, so if you have hearing issues, this event will still be accessible to you.
Seeing: If you are partially sighted or blind, we can arrange to get the materials to you in advance for your screen reader.
Mobility: This conference is online, so you can take part from home! If you want to make sure you get your questions answered live, please feel free to email questions in advance to info@wildwomanfundraising.com and we can get them to our presenters ASAP.
Language: Right now we do not have a plan to have simultaneous language translation. If that is something you feel like we should offer for next time, please let us know at info@wildwomanfundraising.com!
Times and Days and Zones: We surveyed our list and people told us they wanted a conference during the week. That's why we're choosing to do this conference on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. We are located in Pacific Time. (1 hour behind Mountain Time, 2 hours behind Central Time, 3 hours behind EST, 4 hrs behind Halifax Time, 2 hours ahead of Hawaii time.) We try to keep the conference as accessible with time as possible for everyone, so we're starting at 8am PT (11am ET) each day, and ending around 5pm PT (8pm ET) each day.
Cost: If cost is a barrier, we have a limited number of scholarships available for women of color, so if you want one, email us at info@wildwomanfundarising.com and tell us about your situation.