Harold Rice
Chief Executive Officer
The Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Inc.
Harold Rice, Jr. came to CEDA in 2014, bringing more than 35 years of organizational leadership in both the non-profit and corporate sectors. His responsibilities involve developing long-term strategy, executing operating plans and managing government relationships. Prior to joining CEDA, Mr. Rice was the Executive Director and CEO of Albany Park Community Center and Chief Development Officer for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. He is an active Board member of Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies, as well as, Cook County Social Innovation Commission. Mr. Rice earned an Associate of Arts Degree in Engineering Technology from Kennedy-King College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Minnesota. He also holds a Master of Science Degree from Cardinal Stritch University.
About Harold Rice
Follow Harold Rice
Chief Executive Officer
The Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County, Inc.
Kevin Adler
CEO
Miracle Messages
Kevin Adler is an award-winning social entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, author, and speaker. Since 2014, he has served as the Founder and CEO of Miracle Messages, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping people experiencing homelessness rebuild their social support systems and financial security, primarily through family reunification services, a phone buddy program and direct cash transfers, including one of the first basic income pilots for unhoused individuals in the United States. Kevin’s pioneering work on homelessness and relational poverty has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, in his TED Talk, on a billboard in Times Square, and in his book, When We Walk By. Kevin is also the author of Natural Disasters as a Catalyst for Social Capital. He has been honored as a Presidential Leadership Scholar, TED Resident, and Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. He received his MPhil in sociology from the University of Cambridge and his BA in politics from Occidental College, where President Obama’s favorite professor said, “in 40 years of teaching, Kevin is the single best student I’ve ever had.” Kevin lives in the Bay Area with his wife, Tajáh. Motivated by his late mother’s work teaching at underserved adult schools and nursing homes, and his late uncle’s 30 years living on and off the streets, Kevin believes in a future where everyone is recognized as invaluable and interconnected.
About Kevin Adler
Follow Kevin Adler
CEO
Miracle Messages
Etsemaye P. Agonafer, MD
Deputy Mayor of Homelessness and Community Health
City of Los Angeles, Mayor's Office
Dr. Etsemaye P. Agonafer is an internist, medical educator, and community engaged researcher committed to advancing health equity and justice for vulnerable individuals and populations —including Veterans, individuals experiencing homelessness and incarceration. Mayor Bass recently appointed her as the City of Los Angeles’ first Deputy Mayor of Homelessness and Community Health. She is on leave of absences as Assistant Professor in the Department of Health System Science at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. She previously provided clinical care for individuals entering and leaving one of the nation’s largest jails, in the Inmate Reception Center at Los Angeles County Twin Towers Correctional Facility. In 2021-2022, she was appointed in the Biden-Harris Administration as a White House Fellow placed in the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. She completed the National Clinician Scholar Program at UCLA with a M.S. in Health Policy and Management with an emphasis on Implementation Science. Before completing her internal medicine residency and chief residency at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, she earned a B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Southern California, a M.P.H., and M.D. from the UCLA/Charles Drew University PRIME-LA dual-degree program.
About Etsemaye P. Agonafer, MD
Follow Etsemaye P. Agonafer, MD
Deputy Mayor of Homelessness and Community Health
City of Los Angeles, Mayor's Office
Beth Bergman, Esq.
Partner
Bergman and Allderdice
Beth is a partner at Bergman and Allderdice where she represents numerous local and national tax-exempt organizations, affordable housing developers, charter schools, community development financial institutions, institutional lenders and government agencies. Her practice areas include corporate, real estate, real estate financing, affordable housing, economic and community development, tax-exempt governance and tax-exempt financing. Prior to entering private practice, Beth was Assistant Housing Coordinator to Mayor Bradley. After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, she was a counsel to the Los Angeles Housing Department and facilitated real estate loans between the City and nonprofit corporations, utilizing tax credits, bonds and City subsidies to help rebuild the City's housing stock. Beth currently serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and has served as associate editor for the American Bar Association Journal of Affordable Housing and Community Redevelopment Law. Articles Beth has authored have appeared in numerous legal and not-for-profit association journals. Beth lectures in the areas of tax-exempt formation, nonprofit subsidiaries, affordable housing, joint ventures and social enterprise. She has taught Constitutional Law at Loyola Law School and Environmental Law at Glendale School of Law. She is recognized as a top rated Nonprofit Organizations Attorney by “Super Lawyers®” in Southern California and is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer recognition for ethical standards and legal ability. Beth is a graduate of Brown University, Phi Beta Kappa, and of Harvard Law School, J.D. She attended a fellowship program at Stanford University Medical School. She was an Associate Editor for the Stanford Law Review and Clerk to the Hon. Chief Judge Consuelo B. Marshall, U.S. District Court, Central District of California.
About Beth Bergman, Esq.
Follow Beth Bergman, Esq.
Partner
Bergman and Allderdice
Tai Blythe
Executive Director, Pace
Pace Community Action Agency; WiseCAP Training & Consulting
Tai is the Executive Director for Pace Community Action Agency, Inc. She has been with the agency for over 17 years in various roles within the Head Start, CSBG, and Energy Programs. In the past, she has been an adjunct university professor, health educator, and Americorp volunteer. Tai was previously named one of the top 50 Exceptional Emerging Leaders in Early Childhood Education in the United States. She has worked with a variety of non-profit organizations and Fortune 500 companies to consult and train on employee wellness, governance, and leadership. Efficiency and compliance are her specialties. Tai holds a Master’s degree in Leadership Development from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Southern Indiana.
About Tai Blythe
Follow Tai Blythe
Executive Director, Pace
Pace Community Action Agency; WiseCAP Training & Consulting
David Bradley
Co-Founder and CEO
National Community Action Foundation
For more than 30 years, David has been one of Washington’s leading advocates on behalf of low-income programs. In 1981, David helped found the National Community Action Foundation (NCAF). As a private nonprofit organization funded solely by non-governmental contributions, NCAF represents funding and policy interests of the nation’s 1,000 Community Action Agencies before Congress and the Executive Branch. In this role at NCAF, David was the primary architect of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Act. Besides the CSBG, David’s legislative activities include Weatherization Assistance, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Head Start, and job training programs. In an age in which partisan gridlock is too often the norm, David has shown an uncanny ability to make poverty issues a concern to both parties. After facing elimination in the 1995 House Republican’s Contract with America, David was able to work with key House Republican leaders to ensure CSBG funding procured the largest percentage received of any domestic program in FY 1997. In his role at NCAF, David has also helped power CAPLAW and CAPPAC, a Political Action Committee. Prior to joining NCAF, David worked in Congressional Affairs at the Small Business Administration under President Jimmy Carter. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from George Washington University. In 1987, he was a Senior Executive Fellow at the John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University. David’s mentor, Sargent Shriver, perhaps described David’s advocacy best when he wrote “no one has done more to keep the War on Poverty fresh in the hearts and minds of individuals than David Bradley.”
About David Bradley
Follow David Bradley
Co-Founder and CEO
National Community Action Foundation
Erin Bradrick, Esq.
Principal
NEO Law Group
Erin is a Principal at NEO Law Group, where she provides corporate, governance, and tax counsel solely to nonprofits. Erin writes extensively and frequently speaks to various audiences on legal issues impacting the nonprofit sector. She also regularly conducts trainings for nonprofit staffs and Boards of Directors on a range of governance and legal issues. In addition, Erin is a Lecturer in the Nonprofit Management Program at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. Prior to joining NEO Law Group, Erin was a litigator with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. She has recently been recognized as the “Outstanding Nonprofit Lawyer – Young Attorney” by the American Bar Association’s Nonprofit Organizations Committee and awarded the American Bar Association’s “On the Rise – Top 40 Young Lawyers” by the Young Lawyers Division. Erin is a graduate of UCLA and Yale Law School.
About Erin Bradrick, Esq.
Follow Erin Bradrick, Esq.
Principal
NEO Law Group
Emily Center-Bregasi, Esq.
Staff Attorney
CAPLAW
Emily Center-Bregasi is a Staff Attorney at CAPLAW. She advises community action agencies nationwide on legal matters including corporate governance, federal government grant compliance, and tax-exempt law. Prior to joining CAPLAW, Emily was a corporate law associate at Cooley LLP, where she advised public and private companies as well as institutional and strategic investors on a range of general corporate matters and transactions. She also represented individuals seeking asylum and survivors of human trafficking. Emily previously worked as a legal intern with CAPLAW and is a graduate of Manhattan College and Boston University School of Law.
About Emily Center-Bregasi, Esq.
Follow Emily Center-Bregasi, Esq.
Staff Attorney
CAPLAW
Khari Garvin (Invited)
Director
Federal Office of Head Start
Khari is the director of the Office of Head Start at the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration in March 2023, he served as the president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Greensboro in North Carolina, leading the mission to end generational poverty in the Greensboro metro area.?Khari served as the executive director of a Head Start program for a large, multi-state grantee serving children and in rural communities across five states in the southern, southeastern, midwestern and Great Plains regions of the U.S. As the director of North Carolina’s Head Start collaboration office, he convened 55 affiliate grantee organizations including public school systems, community action agencies, county governments and private non-profits that served over 28,000 children and families in all 100 counties. Khari is a proud alumnus of the National Head Start Fellowships program, where he worked at the Office of Head Start. He previously served as a Head Start grantee program manager in Illinois. He was an assistant Head Start/Early Head Start program director at a North Carolina Head Start program. Khari holds a degree in psychology from Emory University and a master’s degree in education from Southern Illinois University.
About Khari Garvin (Invited)
Follow Khari Garvin (Invited)
Director
Federal Office of Head Start
Lonnie Giamela, Esq.
Partner
Fisher Phillips
Lonnie is a Partner at Fisher Phillips where he represents a broad range of clients, from small businesses to national companies. Lonnie has handled a full range of labor and employment matters in both federal and state courts as well as before state and federal agencies. Lonnie counsels employers on measures to prevent litigation from arising on various issues including wage and hour compliance, independent contractor classification, mass layoff strategy, and management training. He has assisted in the preparation of more than 500 handbooks and has developed policies and procedures manuals. Lonnie’s experience with his family's restaurants in the San Fernando Valley enables him to find practical, compliant legal solutions to clients’ everyday employee relations issues. Lonnie is a frequent lecturer and has presented over 350 seminars to management, executives, human resources professionals and employer groups on a wide range of employment law topics. Lonnie has been recognized by his peers and clients for his legal abilities and ethical standards including being a recipient of the highest peer review rating issued by Martindale-Hubbell, the “Labor & Employment Star” in Benchmark Litigation, as a Super Lawyer, as one of Los Angeles’s “Leaders in Law”, as one of the Top 100 Up and Coming lawyers, and as a Client Service All-Star. Lonnie earned his bachelor's degree from Geoge Washington University and law degree from Georgetown Law.
About Lonnie Giamela, Esq.
Follow Lonnie Giamela, Esq.
Partner
Fisher Phillips
Denise Harlow
CEO
National Community Action Partnership
Denise has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Community Action Partnership since December 2014. She has been with the Partnership since 2011 and served as Senior Director of Training and Technical Assistance and Interim Chief Operating Officer. Prior to her tenure at the Partnership, she was the CEO of the New York State Community Action Association and Sr. Vice President for Capacity Building for the New York Council of Nonprofits. Denise has more than 29 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, has served on several nonprofit boards of directors, and was an appointee to the Governor’s Early Childhood Advisory Council in New York State. She started her Community Action career as a social worker with the Schenectady Community Action Program. She has a master’s degree in Social Work from the University at Albany where she was also a Fellow on Women and Public Policy at the Center for Women in Government and Civil Society, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Valparaiso University.
About Denise Harlow
Follow Denise Harlow
CEO
National Community Action Partnership
Dawn Z. Hommer
CEO
Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico
Dawn has been the Chief Executive Officer at the Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico since 2011. Dawn is a Certified Community Action Professional and a graduate of the Paso Del Norte REALIZE leadership program. She serves on several Community Action boards including as Chair of the New Mexico Association of Community Partners, Region VI Community Action Partnership, and CAPLAW. She holds a Master of Business Administration from NMSU where she also received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, with Distinction in University Honors. Dawn is a Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest Woman of Distinction and was nominated for Business Woman of the Year in 2015.
About Dawn Z. Hommer
Follow Dawn Z. Hommer
CEO
Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico
Keith Hundley, CPA
Partner
Carr, Riggs, & Ingram
With 25 years of diversified CPA experience, Keith provides accounting and auditing services to governmental entities and not-for-profit organizations across the United States. As a part of the firm’s governmental and not-for-profit audit team, Keith participates extensively in audits of community action agencies, Head Start programs, and state and local government, specializing in the Single Audit Act and the OMB Uniform Guidance. Additionally, Keith provides accounting and consulting services to not-for-profit organizations in the areas of budgetary compliance, cost allocation plans, tax planning and compliance, special transactions accounting assistance, fiscal operations training and technical assistance, and board training. As a consultant for the Head Start National Center on Program Management and Fiscal Operations’ Fiscal Consultant Initiative, Keith provides T/TA services to Head Start programs across the nation. Keith regularly serves as a continuing education leader for CRI. Keith is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA). Keith is a graduate of Troy University and an inductee to the Troy University Accounting Hall of Honor.
About Keith Hundley, CPA
Follow Keith Hundley, CPA
Partner
Carr, Riggs, & Ingram
Stuart Jackson
Chief Financial & Operating Officer
Downtown Women’s Center
As the Chief Financial and Operating Officer at the Downtown Women’s Center, Stuart provides vision and executes strategy for the finance, human resources, administration, information technology, facilities, and the Day Center kitchen departments. Stuart is responsible for the fiscal stewardship of the Downtown Women’s Center’s $10 million operating budget; providing organizational structure to the mission to end women’s homelessness through housing, wellness, and advocacy. Stuart Jackson has been giving back to society through his focus on nonprofit finance for the past 25 years. Prior to joining DWC, Stuart worked at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) as Controller in 2008 and was then promoted to Chief Financial Officer in 2016. Stuart had a leadership role in restructuring how homelessness is addressed in Los Angeles, focusing on the coordinated entry system, and emphasizing a community and systems approach to ending homelessness. He oversaw the expansion of LAHSA’s operating budget to address the homelessness in the County and City of Los Angeles from $60 million to a $300 million. From 1993-2008 Stuart was with the Join Wayne Cancer Institute (JWCI) in Santa Monica, CA. Stuart started as an accountant and by the end of his tenure, he had achieved the position of Director of Finance, Contracts and Grants. Stuart holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA in Finance from the University of Kansas.
About Stuart Jackson
Follow Stuart Jackson
Chief Financial & Operating Officer
Downtown Women’s Center
Mark Jacobs, Esq.
Partner
Fisher Phillips
Mark is a Partner at Fisher Phillips where he focuses on defending employment-related lawsuits and administrative complaints on a variety of issues, including harassment, retaliation, and discrimination. Mark represents employers in both state and federal courts as well as before state and federal agencies. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to preventive employee relations programs that include supervisory training and the development and administration of effective human resources policies and practices. Mark is a frequent lecturer and regularly conducts in-house management seminars and training sessions for executives, supervisors, managers, and human resources professionals in all aspects of labor and employment law, including hiring and firing, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), arbitration, wage and hour compliance, and equal employment opportunity law. Prior to joining Fisher Phillips, Mark worked as a Legislative Aide in the California State Assembly and served as a Deputy Attorney General in the California Attorney General's Office. Mark earned his bachelor's degree from Univesity of Redlands and his law degree from University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law.
About Mark Jacobs, Esq.
Follow Mark Jacobs, Esq.
Partner
Fisher Phillips
Charisse Johnson
Director of the Division of Community Assistance
Federal Office of Community Services
Charisse is the Director of the Division of Community Assistance, which administers the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG). Charisse’s career in human services spans over 30 years in a wide range of roles and leadership positions. All of her roles have required her to act as a change leader. Charisse’s work in the Administration for Children and Families began in 2010 as a Program Specialist in the Children’s Bureau within the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. In 2012, she became the Branch Chief for the Healthy Marriage and Responsible Fatherhood Discretionary Grant Program in the Office of Family Assistance. Since 2018, she served as the Director of the Division of Community Strengthening Grants in the Office of Grants Management. Previously, Charisse worked in North Carolina’s child welfare system. From 2007 to 2010, she served as the Section Chief, and in that capacity provided primary leadership and oversight for the state’s child welfare system. She also has served on a number of state and national nonprofit boards and advisory groups. As the Deputy Director of Wayne Action Group for Economic Solvency (WAGES), a CAA in North Carolina, Charise had oversight for Head Start, Early Head Start, CSBG, childcare services, and a home visiting program. Charisse earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work from East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina.
About Charisse Johnson
Follow Charisse Johnson
Director of the Division of Community Assistance
Federal Office of Community Services
Nikki Kerman, Esq.
Counsel
Venable LLP
As Counsel at Venable LLP’s LA office, a full-service national law firm, Nikki helps clients establish, maintain, and donate to successful charitable organizations while avoiding excise taxes and penalties at both the state and federal level. In addition to advising tax-exempt organizations on a variety of tax and governance matters, including the formation of new tax-exempt organizations, mergers, the termination of private foundation status, charitable solicitation registration, and general tax and corporate compliance requirements, Nikki also counsels high-net-worth donors and for-profit clients on grantmaking, philanthropic planning, and charitable fundraising. A respected advocate, Nikki is adept at managing the matters critical to maintaining successful operations while guiding clients through the most challenging and nuanced issues. Prior to law school, Nikki honed her creative problem-solving skills and learned to think on her feet as a Teach For America corps member in Houston, Texas. She currently serves as the Co-Deputy of her firm’s affinity group designed to empower Black attorneys through fostering and promoting strong professional networks and educational initiatives. Nikki serves on the board of trustees of the Baltimore Educational Scholarship Trust (B.E.S.T.), a nonprofit organization providing financial and academic support to low-income, academically ambitious Black students attending independent schools in the Baltimore area, and on the board of directors of Love 146, a global anti-child trafficking nonprofit. She is a member of the California and Maryland bars, and has been recognized as a top lawyer in Hollywood by Variety’s Legal Impact Report. Nikki earned her bachelor's degree from Columbia University and her law degree from Duke University School of Law.
About Nikki Kerman, Esq.
Follow Nikki Kerman, Esq.
Counsel
Venable LLP
Gabrielle Lessard
Senior Counsel, Health Justice Policy
National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
Gabrielle Lessard is Senior Counsel, Health Justice Policy at the National Immigration Law Center (NILC). NILC works nationally to defend and advance the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants. Gabrielle works to expand low-income immigrants’ access to healthcare and to combat policies deter immigrant families from meeting their essential needs. She is a frequent presenter on immigrant health issues has authored or coauthored many NILC, resources, most recently the On the Path Toward Health for All series. A public interest lawyer for over 30 years, Gabrielle served as NILC’s first Health Policy Attorney from 2001-2005 and rejoined the organization in 2013. Gabrielle has also been the Legal Director of the Insight Center for Community Economic Development, a lecturer at UC Berkeley Law School and an independent attorney and consultant to tax-exempt organizations.
About Gabrielle Lessard
Follow Gabrielle Lessard
Senior Counsel, Health Justice Policy
National Immigration Law Center (NILC)
Sharon Lincoln, Esq., CPA
Partner
Casner & Edwards LLP
After working as a history teacher (in Brussels and Boston) and then as a newspaper editor, Sharon surprised friends and family by going to law school and becoming a tax attorney. She is a Partner at Casner & Edwards, LLP and enjoys the challenge and creativity of advising nonprofit organizations on a wide variety of strategic matters related to their tax-exempt status, governance, and operations. In addition, she assists clients in matters directly involving the Internal Revenue Service, including audits and in Tax Court. Her clients range from small startup nonprofits to well-established charitable institutions. Sharon graduated from Dartmouth College (summa cum laude) and from Harvard Law School (cum laude), is licensed in both California and Massachusetts, and is admitted in Tax Court and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
About Sharon Lincoln, Esq., CPA
Follow Sharon Lincoln, Esq., CPA
Partner
Casner & Edwards LLP
Barbara Low
Senior Manager
Wipfli LLP
Barbara is a Senior Manager on Wipfli’s Talent Management consulting team. She has over 25 years of human resources and consulting experience. Her primary focus has been on HR compliance, structure and alignment reviews, talent planning and management, education and succession planning. She earned a Master of Science degree in Management and Organization Behavior from Benedictine University, Lisle, Illinois and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point (Wisconsin). She has also achieved the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) designation.
About Barbara Low
Follow Barbara Low
Senior Manager
Wipfli LLP
John Maceri
CEO
The People Concern
John Maceri is the CEO of The People Concern, formed in a merger of two housing and social service organizations, OPCC and Lamp Community, and is one of the largest agencies of its kind in Los Angeles County. With more than sixty years of work in the community, The People Concern is a leading provider and advocate for evidence-based solutions to the multi-faceted challenges of homelessness and domestic violence. The organization provides a comprehensive and fully integrated system of care, including housing, mental health care, primary medical care and domestic violence services. With an annual operating budget of $91 million, a staff of 800, and an active volunteer corps of 700 the agency serves over 16,000 individuals and families a year. Prior to his current position, John served for twelve years as the Executive Director of Homestead Hospice & Shelter, providing residential care and supportive housing for people living with HIV & AIDS. In addition to his work with the Santa Monica Bay Area Human Relations Council where he’s the past Chair and member of the Executive Committee, he also serves as a Board member of Lost Angels Children’s Project, a non-profit in the Antelope Valley serving at-risk youth. He previously served on numerous Boards including the Business Alliance of Los Angeles, the Westside Coalition, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, North Valley Caring Services, NoHo Home Alliance and Children Affected by AIDS Foundation, a national funder of agencies providing services to children and their families infected and affected by HIV & AIDS.
About John Maceri
Follow John Maceri
CEO
The People Concern
Allison Ma'luf, Esq.
Executive Director & General Counsel
CAPLAW
Allison is the Executive Director and General Counsel of CAPLAW. She advises community action agencies on a wide range of legal issues, including board responsibilities, Head Start, employment law, and tax-exempt organization law requirements. Prior to joining CAPLAW, Allison practiced law as a corporate associate at Goodwin Procter LLP in Boston, Massachusetts and Troutman Sanders LLP in Atlanta, Georgia where she represented public and private companies and nonprofit organizations in general corporate matters. She also completed a two-year appointment to the Staff Attorney’s Office at the United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. Allison received her undergraduate and law degrees from Wake Forest University.
About Allison Ma'luf, Esq.
Follow Allison Ma'luf, Esq.
Executive Director & General Counsel
CAPLAW
Tiffney Marley
Senior Vice President, Practice Transformation
National Community Action Partnership
Tiffney is the Senior Vice President for Practice Transformation at the National Community Action Partnership (NCAP). She is a Head Start Alumni and former Community Action customer and regards her life as a manifestation of the power of this important movement. In her current capacity, she leads training and technical assistance strategies that maximize impact for local CAAs aiming to build social and economic mobility for everyone. Additionally, she leads and contributes to organizational processes, specifically related to mission alignment and equity that are central to NCAP’s strategic positioning and impact, and manages strategic stakeholder relations. Tiffney has developed leaders and organizations across various disciplines for the good. This includes leading national-scale, USHHS funded projects and other philanthropic initiatives that involve working with CAAs to redesign their programmatic strategies and collaborating with governmental and private stakeholders on special initiatives to transform organizations and systems. This work has touched CAAs in every region of the nation positioning them to leverage additional partnerships, resources, and millions of dollars to move families and communities forward. She is a Certified Community Action Professional, a Nationally Certified ROMA Master Trainer, and a Rx Racial Healing Practitioner. She also holds a Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate from Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education from North Carolina State University.
About Tiffney Marley
Follow Tiffney Marley
Senior Vice President, Practice Transformation
National Community Action Partnership
Mona Masri
California Director of Strategic Initiatives
Economic Security California
Mona is the California Director of Strategic Initiatives for Economic Security California, an affiliate of Economic Security Project. Mona’s work focuses on advancing key strategies around direct cash payments including Guaranteed Basic Income and tax credits as effective strategies to reduce poverty, increase economic security and address the affordability crisis at the state level. Mona works in California to advance key policies to expand, modernize and ensure more inclusive access to tax credits such as the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Young Child Tax Credit. Her work also involves collaboratively engaging with community partners to develop and advance policy solutions that address monopoly power and corporate concentration in the state to ultimately build more public options and reduce the harmful impacts on all Californians. Mona has over 25 years experience in advancing asset building and preservation for low-income communities of color by lifting up intersectional issues related to the racial and gender wealth gap including housing, entrepreneurship, social determinants of health, occupational segregation and guaranteed income. Mona has a Masters in Urban & Regional Planning from USC. She lives in Oakland (on Ohlone land).
About Mona Masri
Follow Mona Masri
California Director of Strategic Initiatives
Economic Security California
John Mathews
Facilities Specialist
National Center on Program Management & Fiscal Operations
John has over 45 years of experience managing and directing over $5 billion in project development, design, and construction management of capital projects for both public and private sectors for architectural engineering and consulting firms, a large regulated utility company, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Naval Facilities Engineering Command. He managed project management professionals, architects and engineers, planners, and contractors/construction managers in the planning, design, estimating, construction, start-up, and commissioning of significant private and public sector projects, most recently in Education. He earned a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and a master’s in public administration at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is also a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts.
About John Mathews
Follow John Mathews
Facilities Specialist
National Center on Program Management & Fiscal Operations
Veronica McDonnell
Assistant General Manager, Community Investment for Families
City of Los Angeles
Veronica is the Assistant General Manager of the Los Angeles Community Investment for Families Department (CIFD), where she leads the Consolidated Planning and Program Operations Division. In this role, she oversees the planning and administration of the City's Consolidated Plan and a diverse portfolio of programs. Additionally, she holds the position of the City's state-recognized Community Services Block Grant Executive Director. Under her leadership, she implements groundbreaking initiatives such as LA's Guaranteed Basic Income pilot and a Children's Savings Account program, both among the largest in the nation. Veronica also oversees the FamilySource System, the City's flagship antipoverty program, as well as programs that support survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and homelessness prevention. Recognizing the importance of inclusivity, she champions immigration and language access services alongside innovative childcare initiatives. Veronica provides strategic direction to the Commission on Community and Family Services, the Community Action Board, and the Domestic Violence Alliance, ensuring alignment with the department's mission and objectives. Before joining CIFD, Veronica was the Executive Director of Central City Neighborhood Partners, a non-profit organization that catalyzes systemic change for low-income families. Veronica received her degree in Business Administration with a finance emphasis from California State University Long Beach.
About Veronica McDonnell
Follow Veronica McDonnell
Assistant General Manager, Community Investment for Families
City of Los Angeles
Michelle Picklesimer
Chief Financial Officer
South Central Community Action Partnership
Michelle is currently the Chief Financial Officer for South Central Community Action Partnership (SCCAP) in Twin Falls, Idaho. She has worked with grant funded programs for over 30 years. She has worked extensively in the financial management as well as the administration of Weatherization Programs, Community Service Block Grants, Low Income Home Energy Assistant Programs, Mutual Self Help Housing, other housing programs and other programs including Head Start. Michelle also helped SCCAP start up a for-profit company which primarily makes weatherization services available to all residents in their service area. She has been providing financial management training and technical support to other non-profits for 20+ years.
About Michelle Picklesimer
Follow Michelle Picklesimer
Chief Financial Officer
South Central Community Action Partnership
Rick Pins, Esq.
Partner
Stinson LLP
Rick is a Partner and Co-Chair of the Labor and Employment Practice Group at Stinson LLP. He splits his practice equally between the labor and employment disciplines, and both counsels and litigates on behalf of clients. Rick also has considerable commercial litigation experience. He has appeared before numerous state and federal judges and administrative agencies, including the Department of Labor, the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Rick counsels clients daily in a variety of employment-related areas, including wage and hour, drug and alcohol testing, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), discrimination, hiring, discipline, separation, privacy, background checking, record keeping, and workplace violence. He also counsels clients on compliance with state and federal prevailing wage laws and transportation regulations. Rick frequently trains supervisors and employees on the basics of employment law, positive employee relations, and preventing workplace harassment and discrimination. He has been regularly selected for inclusion in both Super Lawyers® and Top 40 Employment Super Lawyers®. Rick received his bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School.
About Rick Pins, Esq.
Follow Rick Pins, Esq.
Partner
Stinson LLP
John Polson, Esq.
Chairman and Managing Partner
Fisher Phillips
John is the Chairman and Managing Partner of Fisher Phillips and leads the firm’s Management Committee which serves as the firm’s board of directors. He is Co-Chair of the firm’s PEO and Staffing Industry Team, and Co-leads the firm’s Gig Economy Industry Team as well. John has a diverse practice that includes compliance, litigation, contracts, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and startup representation. In addition to a wide array of labor and employment related litigation, he has handled cases involving unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, contractual disputes, and third-party claims related to employment. He has extensive experience providing advice and counsel on joint employer, co-employe, and other employer status issues. John is a member and past Chair of the Legal Advisory Council of the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO). He has served as a Professional Advisory Director for the Employer Services Assurance Corporation and as an Instructor in the University of California Irvine Human Resources Certificate Program. John is ""AV"" Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. The Best Lawyers in America publication has included John since 2008 and named him “Lawyer of the Year” in Employment Law – Management multiple times. John earned his bachelor's degree from Universty of South Florida and his law degree from Loyola Marymount University, Loyola Law School.
About John Polson, Esq.
Follow John Polson, Esq.
Chairman and Managing Partner
Fisher Phillips
Bertha Proctor, EdD
Lead Consultant
WiseCAP Training & Consulting
Bertha formerly served as the Chief Executive Officer, ED, and Head Start Director of Pace Community Action Agency. She is currently a Lead Consultant for WiseCAP Training & Consulting, and the former Board President of CAPLAW. Her expertise in leadership training and staff development stem from advanced education in Communications, Human Resource Development and Educational Leadership. She previously received the Chamber of Commerce’s Woman in Business Award in her county. Dr. Proctor has served as an adjunct faculty member at local universities, a member on various boards, and she has conducted state and national trainings. She has also developed and implemented a variety of management systems and business initiatives. Bertha is a graduate of the University of Maryland, Indiana State University, and Oakland City University.
About Bertha Proctor, EdD
Follow Bertha Proctor, EdD
Lead Consultant
WiseCAP Training & Consulting
Arnold Ramirez
Fiscal Team Lead
National Center on Program Management & Fiscal Operations
Arnold has over 43 years of Head Start experience at the local, state, regional, and national levels in grants management/administration, contract negotiations, community partnerships, governance, fiscal management, program planning/development, and human resource management. He has worked with Head Start Program Performance Standards from a service delivery standpoint, as a technical assistance provider, and an advocate for change. Arnold has directly operated programs and assisted agencies in meeting both program and fiscal compliance standard requirements. He received a Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Arts, both from Arizona State University.
About Arnold Ramirez
Follow Arnold Ramirez
Fiscal Team Lead
National Center on Program Management & Fiscal Operations
Kay Sohl
Owner
Kay Sohl Consulting
Kay has provided training and consultation for Executive Directors, CFOs, and Boards of Directors of over 8,500 nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. She focuses her work on rethinking nonprofit strategies for financial sustainability, Board financial oversight, compliance with federal funds management requirements, and the challenges of nonprofit accounting and financial reporting. She is a frequent presenter for state and regional coalitions of nonprofits, and continuing professional education programs for attorneys and accountants serving the nonprofit sector. She has worked extensively with Community Action Agencies, CAPLAW, and the National Community Action Partnership. Kay has authored multiple financial management toolkits for CAAs and other nonprofits, including resources for cost allocation, financial reporting, dashboard development, and the new OMB Uniform Guidance. She is a licensed public accountant and graduate of University of California at Berkeley. She has a master’s in teaching from Reed College and completed post-graduate work in accounting and business law at Portland State University.
About Kay Sohl
Follow Kay Sohl
Owner
Kay Sohl Consulting
Kristin Steele
Owner and Creative Director
Swaim Strategies
As a writer and teacher by trade, Kristin partners with nonprofits to increase their impact and fundraising by strategically improving how they tell their story at events. Kristin helped start the consulting firm Swaim Strategies. She is the co-author of the book “Planning a Successful Major Donor Event” and a co-host of the podcast “The Fundraising Elevator.” As a passionate nonprofit advocate, she speaks nationally to help organizations generate change in their communities through the stories they tell. Kristin earned her bachelor's degree in English, Language and Literature/Letters from Portland State University and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from Goddard College.
About Kristin Steele
Follow Kristin Steele
Owner and Creative Director
Swaim Strategies
Samantha Swaim
Owner
Swaim Strategies
Samantha has more than 20 years of event planning and fundraising expertise. She founded Swaim Strategies, a fundraising event consultancy, working internationally with nonprofit organizations to produce impactful events that move missions forward. She is an expert in the integration of virtual events and hybrid events into your fundraising event strategy, having produced hundreds of event broadcasts with her introduction to broadcast events as a production manager of The Grammy Awards webcast. Samantha is the co-author of “Planning a Successful Major Donor Event” and the founder of the annual Elevate fundraising event conference and co-host of the podcast “The Fundraising Elevator.” She travels internationally to teach nonprofit professionals the tools they need to elevate their impact through events. Samantha earned her bachelor's degree in Communications and Theatre Management from University of Portland and University of San Diego.
About Samantha Swaim
Follow Samantha Swaim
Owner
Swaim Strategies
R. Brian Tipton, Esq.
Managing Director
Tipton KPCL
Brian is Managing Director at Tipton KPCL in metro Atlanta, Georgia. Previously, he practiced law in Montgomery, Alabama, with Sasser, Sefton, Brown, Tipton & Davis, P.C., as a Shareholder. Prior to entering private practice, he completed a judicial clerkship with Senior United States District Judge James H. Hancock, of the Northern District of Alabama. His practice is concentrated in the representation of nonprofits and other tax-exempt organizations. He regularly represents Community Action Agencies and Head Start Programs in the areas of regulatory compliance, audits, funding source disputes, administrative appeals, and litigation. In addition, Brian consults with organizations on governance, human resources, programmatic, and corporate matters, and develops and presents training programs for nonprofits. He is a summa cum laude graduate of both the Louisiana State University and the Cumberland School of Law of Samford University.
About R. Brian Tipton, Esq.
Follow R. Brian Tipton, Esq.
Managing Director
Tipton KPCL
Denes Tobie, CPA
Partner
Wipfli LLP
Denes, a partner in Wipfli LLP’s nonprofit, government and education practice, oversees audit engagements and consulting opportunities and works with clients to maintain compliance with laws and regulations. In addition, she trains nonprofits and government agencies in regulations, best practices, and governance. Clients appreciate the positive impact of Denes’s work and recommendations in helping them achieve their missions, improve their organizations, and the communities they serve. Denes earned her business administration and accounting degrees from University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
About Denes Tobie, CPA
Follow Denes Tobie, CPA
Partner
Wipfli LLP
Yasmina Vinci
Executive Director
National Head Start Association
Yasmina serves as Executive Director of the National Head Start Association (NHSA). As a seasoned leader in both executive and policy roles, her professional experience and capabilities have delivered improvements in the lives of children at the national, state, and local levels. Yasmina came to NHSA after several years as principal and founder of EDGE Consulting Partners. As the first Executive Director of the National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (now Child Care Aware America), she led NACCRRA’s transition from an all-volunteer association of fewer than 200 child care resource and referral agencies to a powerful national network of 860+ community-based organizations. Under her leadership, NACCRRA organized the national grassroots campaign that was instrumental to securing the funding for child care in the welfare reform legislation. In State government, she had the opportunity to supervise Head Start research, administer the federal Dependent Care Grant and plan for New Jersey’s implementation of the very first Child Care and Development Block Grant. Yasmina currently serves on numerous advisory boards and is a member of the International Organizing Committee for the World Forum on Early Care and Education. Yasmina received her Master in Public Administration degree from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
About Yasmina Vinci
Follow Yasmina Vinci
Executive Director
National Head Start Association
Edwards Waters, Esq.
Managing Partner
Feldesman Leifer LLP
Ted serves as the Managing Partner of the law firm Feldesman Leifer LLP and is a member of the Health Care and Federal Grants practice groups. Ted focuses his practice on helping organizations to solve problems, often in crisis situations. A national authority in the area of federal grants, particularly in the health and community service spheres, he advises clients on all aspects of program requirements, including issues such as cost-based reimbursement, governance and the never-ending list of grant administration matters. For over 35 years, Ted has counseled numerous health and community service organizations, negotiated with federal and state officials, and represented clients in front of state and federal courts, administrative tribunals, Offices of Inspector General, and federal agencies. Ted has extensive experience advising Boards and senior leadership in organizations undergoing major management changes, often in high-profile situations. He also serves as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University Law School. Ted graduated with a B.A. in Economics from Washington University in St. Louis and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
About Edwards Waters, Esq.
Follow Edwards Waters, Esq.
Managing Partner
Feldesman Leifer LLP
Alex Weekes, CPA
Principal
ML Weekes & Company, PC
Alex is a Principal in ML Weekes & Company, PC located in Guilford, Connecticut. For over 30 years, he has provided a variety of services to assist clients who receive grants and contracts from federal agencies including the National Institute of Health (NIH), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Department of Labor (DoL) and the Department of Defense (DoD). He assists in the evaluation, interpretation and implementation of procurement and administrative regulations related to government grants and contracts. He has extensive experience with the federal regulations and guidelines governing NIH and DoD grants and contracts including the Federal Acquisition Regulations and 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance). Alex has served many Hospitals, Not-for-Profits, and Colleges and Universities with various federal grant and contracting matters. He specializes in assisting clients with optimizing direct and indirect cost reimbursement while minimizing compliance risk. His experience and services include the preparation and analysis of Facilities and Administrative (F&A) and indirect cost rates and the negotiation of these rates with government representatives. He is recognized nationwide for his expertise on direct and indirect cost recovery. Alex earned his accounting degree from Plymouth State University.
About Alex Weekes, CPA
Follow Alex Weekes, CPA
Principal
ML Weekes & Company, PC
Cheryl Williams, Esq.
Executive Director
National Association for State Community Services Programs
Cheryl is a seasoned executive with more than 20 years of public policy and operations experience in the federal government and nonprofit sector. As Vice President of the Women’s Congressional Policy Institute, she provided strategic leadership to bring together women policymakers and trusted partners to advance issues important to women and girls, develop the next generation of women leaders, and foster a more effective and representative democracy. Previously, Cheryl served as Associate Director of Government Affairs for the United Negro College Fund, where she advocated on behalf of historically black colleges and universities and to increase access to higher education for students with low incomes. As senior legislative assistant to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, she was a trusted advisor on voting rights, women’s health, labor and employment, education, and appropriations, among other issues. A native Washingtonian, Cheryl serves on the boards of Everyone Home DC and the CKA SAVE Project. She also is a longtime volunteer with Food and Friends and SisterMentors. She earned her bachelor's degree from Spelman College and her law degree from American University.
About Cheryl Williams, Esq.
Follow Cheryl Williams, Esq.
Executive Director
National Association for State Community Services Programs
Luther Wright, Jr., Esq.
Office Managing Shareholder and Assistant Director of Client Training
Ogletree Deakins
Luther is Office Managing Shareholder and Assistant Director of Client Training at Ogletree Deakins. He began his career with a general practice firm in the litigation section. He spent the first several years of his legal career practicing in the general litigation area before joining the Labor & Employment team. He has significant experience in the areas of labor and employment law, corporate business litigation and complex litigation, including class action and collective action lawsuits. He typically represents management in all forms of employment discrimination litigation, including litigation based on federal anti-discrimination statutes, state statutes and common law, violence in the workplace, Fair Labor Standards Act claims and independent contractor disputes. Luther is a member of Ogletree’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Team that provides timely client advice and guidance on diversity related matters. Luther also devotes a significant amount of his practice to day-to-day client advice, general supervisor/employee training, training and advising on diversity and inclusion issues and workplace violence issues, and also acts as the Assistant Director of Client Training as part of the Ogletree Deakins Learning Solutions (“ODLS”) team. ODLS provides employee and supervisor training in a variety of formats, including in-person training, training by webinar/webcasts and customized video training products. Luther earned his bachelor's degree from Middle Tennessee State University and his law degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law.
About Luther Wright, Jr., Esq.
Follow Luther Wright, Jr., Esq.
Office Managing Shareholder and Assistant Director of Client Training
Ogletree Deakins
