Second Annual Nonprofit Innovators Forum: Innovating Through Uncertainty
Hosted by:
Westfield State University's Master of Public Administration, Policy and Civic Engagement Program
Second Annual Nonprofit Innovators Forum: Innovating Through Uncertainty
Hosted by:
Westfield State University's Master of Public Administration, Policy and Civic Engagement Program
NEW LOCATION!!!
Thank you everyone who has registered!
To accommodate more participants, we are moving to a larger venue - Scanlon Banquet Hall located in Scanlon Hall (right next to Parenzo Hall).
Monday, April 7th, 2025
12:30 - 5:30 PM
Scanlon Hall, Westfield State University
577 Western Ave, Westfield, MA 01085
Nonprofit leaders are continually faced with uncertainty, which can lead to missed opportunities for innovation in pursuit of the organization’s mission. This conference will help nonprofit leaders and others interested in a nonprofit career learn to navigate common causes of uncertainty - such as self-doubt, financial instability, resource scarcity and a political climate in flux - so that they can develop and apply innovative solutions that will benefit their organizations and the people they serve.
An opening plenary session addressing federal policy changes affecting nonprofits in Western Massachusetts.
Small group sessions on a variety of approaches to innovating through uncertainty.
Networking with like-minded individuals, seasoned nonprofit professionals, and potential collaborators to expand your network and exchange valuable insights.
An experience that will leave you inspired and empowered to face adversity and make a difference in your community!
FREE REGISTRATION! see link at top of page
For event parking, go to Stanley Park, Gate 1.
located across the street from the university
Shuttle Service:
12:00 - 1:30 pm
4:30 - 6:00 pm
12:30 - 5:30 pm: Sponsors Showcase
Scanlon Banquet Hall
1:00 - 1:40 pm: Welcome
WSU MPA Director Charles DiStefano
WSU Associate Provost Brian Jennings
Remarks from U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey will be presented by Liam Horsman, Regional Director for the Senator, concerning the impact of recent changes in federal policy on Western Massachusetts nonprofits.
Scanlon Banquet Hall: Room A
1:50 - 2:40 pm: A Sessions
Scanlon Banquet Hall: Rooms A & B
Parenzo Hall: RIDE Center
2:50 - 3:40 pm: B Sessions
Scanlon Banquet Hall: Rooms A, B & C
3:50 - 4:40 pm: C Sessions
Scanlon Banquet Hall: Rooms A, B & C
Parenzo Hall: Room 107
4:50 – 5:30 pm: Networking Reception
Scanlon Banquet Hall
Appetizers and beverages will be served.
Special Thanks to our sponsors for keeping this a free community event!
Champions
($600+)
Founded in 2021, Willful Change is an innovative training and development firm renowned for its unique, non-traditional approach to igniting profound introspection among our esteemed clientele. Whether you engage with us during one of our compelling keynote presentations, enroll in our comprehensive training programs, or benefit from our personalized coaching services, our primary objective is to guide you through a transformative three-stage learning journey: Awareness, Training, and Practice. Our core philosophy hinges on the belief that our clients possess untapped reservoirs of potential and that the solutions they require to achieve their aspirations already reside within them. As your collaborative partner, our mission is to incite profound reflection, rigorously assess and stimulate your commitment, and ultimately, galvanize you to take purposeful strides towards realizing your coveted objectives.
Community Builders
($100-$349)
With a deep commitment to the nonprofit sector in the state, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts created a retirement plan specifically for small nonprofits with 20 or fewer employees at the time of plan adoption. The Massachusetts 401(k) CORE Plan was built for and is tailored to the Massachusetts nonprofit community.
To learn more about this program, reach out to the local representative, Lisa Cardinal, at Lisa.Cardinal@Empower.com or 617-510-4036.
If you already offer a retirement plan to your employees, Lisa can help you compare the two.
Also thank you to the Division of Graduate and Continuing Education for your support!
A Sessions
Research, Innovation, Design, and Entrepreneurial Center (RIDE) Open House
Lamis Jarvinen, Ph.D. , Executive Director
The RIDE Center is not just a fabrication lab—it's a place for developing innovative ideas and entrepreneurial practices in Western MA. We're dedicated to getting students involved by partnering with external stakeholders and community leaders to address complex problems. We use fabrication and design tools that encourage creativity and innovation, engaging and preparing our students to be thought leaders for jobs of the future.
RIDE Center, Parenzo Hall
Steady Hands in Shifting Sands: Harnessing Leadership Styles to Navigate Uncertainty
Wilbert Weche, Founder & CEO of Willful Change LLC
In this interactive discussion, nonprofit leaders will explore how different leadership styles—authoritative, pacesetter, democratic, coaching, and transformative—can be leveraged to effectively navigate the uncertainty often faced in the nonprofit sector. From financial instability to political challenges and resource scarcity, this session will provide practical strategies for leaders to build confidence, inspire innovation, and lead their organizations with resilience through times of doubt and change.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room A
Put Aristotle on Your Team
Tom Gardner, MPA, PhD, Professor, Department of Communication, WSU
We will mine some of the gems to be discovered in the works of the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, particularly in the area of rhetoric or persuasion, which are amazingly relevant today. Whether giving a speech or writing a funding proposal, the basic tools of persuasion – ethos, pathos, and logos - should be part of any advocate’s arsenal. We will apply these tools to participants’ current projects and organizational needs.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room B
B Sessions
Promoting a Positive Board Culture For Your Non-Profit
Rebecca Coolong, Human Service Forum Executive Director
This workshop will discuss the fundamentals of creating a healthy, positive nonprofit board culture. We will explore defining the purpose of your board, setting clear role expectations, respectful engagement, and cultivating a shared vision.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room A
Writing a Strong Funding Letter
Irene Eberwein, President, Sarah Gillett Services for the Elderly, Inc.
We will focus on the “Who, What, When and Why” of your appeal. In addition, emphasis will be directed to all the critical pre-publication tasks that must be considered and completed in the process.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room B
Meeting Your Mission in Times of Uncertainty
Hilltown Community Health Center Executive Staff: Dr. Michael Purdy, OD, MSPH, Chief Executive Officer; Vickie Dempesy, Chief Operating Officer; Debra DiStefano, PhD, Chief People and Compliance Officer
We will share what is Hilltown Community Health Center, what we do, what our mission is and how all decision-making and actions are centered on our mission, vision, and values. We will discuss successes and challenges and we strive to balance external forces with sustainability.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room C
C Sessions
Resource Scarcity
Rebecca Coolong, Human Service Forum Executive Director and Tanisha Arena, Arise for Social Justice Executive Director
Resource scarcity and the mindset surrounding it is one of the greatest challenges to the non-profit sector. This workshop will talk about the establishment of the narrative of scarcity and its impact on the wellbeing of the sector and its leadership. It will also talk about ways we can work to address this narrative and shift the mindset towards deserved abundance through resource management and collaboration.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room A
Developing Effective and Motivated Leadership Teams
Cody Fongemie, MPA
This session explores strategies for building effective nonprofit board teams that thrive in uncertain times. This is done by identifying passionate individuals and transforming them into a cohesive, high-performing group. Through innovative strategies, participants will learn to leverage strengths, address weaknesses, and align passions for greater impact. Discover how to navigate uncertainty with a dynamic, purpose-driven board leadership approach.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room B
Evaluating the Credibility and Reliability of Internet Sources
Corinne Ebbs M.Ed., M.L.S., Head of Education Resources Center, & Oliver Zeff M.L.S, Information Instruction Coordinator, Ely Library, Westfield State University
This session will feature practices that aid us in evaluating and assessing the reliability of the sources we find when searching for information on the internet. Whether you are searching for information on recent and upcoming political actions that may affect your nonprofit or searching for statistics and expert analysis to bolster your grant applications, the internet remains a tangled “web” with layers of information and sites with varying levels of authority. Come learn some best practices and approaches to identifying the best sources to use and cutting through the rhetoric to find all the facts behind a story. Attendees will get a chance to try out techniques such as lateral reading, mining for primary sources, and determining levels of bias.
Scanlon Banquet Hall, Room C
Exploring Nonprofit Career Paths - Special Session for Students
Giselle Frechette, M.Ed., Associate Director of Experiential Education, Westfield State University Career Center
In this session, we will discuss the various career paths in the nonprofit sector, review useful job boards and professional organizations that will help you identify open positions, learn about networking opportunities, and better familiarize yourself with the nonprofit landscape.
Parenzo Hall, Room 107
Tanisha Arena, Arise for Social Justice Executive Director https://www.arisespringfield.org/
Tanisha is a Black woman in community leadership as the executive director of ARISE for Social Justice, occupying the world’s messiest intersection, the space where race, gender, culture, identity, politics, history, and the law all collide. She is a commissioner on the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, advocating for the needs of women and girls across the Commonwealth. She has a passion for social justice, authentic leadership, and speaking truth to power. She is the host of the award-winning podcast, Unapologetic, bringing the hard truths of our social issues to the forefront, connecting past to the present as well as a consultant/trainer for Growing A New Heart and The Sojourner Truth School, all focused on teaching new ways to build connection, facilitate learning, and drive social change. She is a published author, public speaker, and freelance writer, but her best role is being Gram to Penelope, Jaalan, Jr., and Kyle, Jr.
Rebecca Coolong, Human Service Forum Executive Director https://www.humanserviceforum.org/
Rebecca has served as the Human Service Forum Executive Director since 2017, bringing a wealth of experience in both the entertainment and nonprofit sectors. In 2006, after working in live theater, film, and television, Becca transitioned her management expertise to the human service sector, assuming the role of Director of Youth and Family Services at the Springfield Jewish Community Center. Through her work in this field, Becca emerged as a staunch advocate for continuous learning and growth, with a steadfast commitment to social justice principles. Since 2016, she has sat on the advisory board for Duggan Academy as well as serving on support committees for several different organizations including CHD, the Hebrew Free Loan Society, and the Unity House Players.
Vickie Dempesy, Chief Operating Officer for Hilltown Community Health Center https://www.hchcweb.org/
Vickie joined HCHC as the Chief Operating Officer in 2020. She brings over 30 years of experience with increasing responsibility in healthcare organizations, strategic planning, operational efficiencies, with a goal of high quality clinic care while promoting patient, staff & provider satisfaction. Prior to joining Hilltown Community Health Centers, she directed outpatient services at Shriners Hospital for Children where she was responsible for performance improvement and implementation of change working with inter-departmental teams, resulting in dynamic performance and improvement projects. Vickie is honored and proud to be with the Hilltown Community Health Center team where she finds that staff embody courage, dedication, passion, integrity, kindness, and selflessness.
Debra DiStefano, PhD, Chief People and Compliance Officer for Hilltown Community Health Center https://www.hchcweb.org/
Dr. Debbie DiStefano serves as the Chief People and Compliance Officer for Hilltown Community Health Center. In her current role, she collaborates with staff to create an inclusive space for both staff and patients. She oversees HR and works with the HR Director to create policies and procedures that speak to the mission and vision of HCHC. She oversees career development and recruiting, building connections with local institutions to build a strong, consistent, culturally competent, primary care workforce. Dr. DiStefano served as a professor of Spanish at Southeast Missouri State University for 18 years. She is a Latin Americanist whose area of expertise is the history and cultural production of the many populations of Asian descent in Latin America.
Corinne Ebbs, M.L.S., M.Ed., Head, Education Resources Center, Westfield State University https://lib.westfield.ma.edu/home
During her 28 years supporting faculty and students at Westfield State University, Corinne established the library’s Information Instruction program as the first coordinator, served as Interim Library Director for 2+ years, and has revisited her K-12 education background by taking over direction of the Education Resources Center. She has also become a liaison to the burgeoning Health Sciences programs. These roles and collaborative work with colleagues emphasize teaching critical and reflective information literacy practices through active learning and student engagement. Corinne has a B.A. in Anthropology from Vassar College, an M.Ed. from Lesley University, and an M.L.S. from the University at Albany, SUNY.
Cody Fongemie, MPA
Growing up, community involvement was strongly emphasized for Cody. He participated in numerous nonprofit efforts throughout his youth and education, from food drives to financial fundraisers. After earning a degree in political science from Coastal Carolina University, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he currently serves.
Driven by his passion for making a positive impact, he pursued a Master of Public Administration from Westfield State University. He now serves on the national board of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers’ Armed Forces Initiative, which helps connect veterans with the outdoors, and has spent the past decade on the board of a youth leadership development organization and advising others in the public/political space.
Giselle Frechette, M.Ed. Associate Director of Experiential Education, Westfield State University Career Center https://careers.westfield.ma.edu/
Giselle has worked in the Westfield State University Career Center since 2007 and brings over twenty years of experience to her role. She has worked on federal grant reviews with the U.S. Department of Education, served as an adjunct instructor for the English and Psychology Departments, acts as the Disney College Program Coordinator, holds the position of Regional Coordinator with the American Association for Employment in Education as well as having received several certifications in her field including Career Development Facilitator and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
Prof. Tom Gardner, MPA, PhD, Department of Communication, Westfield State University
Former activist and journalist. PR Director for Alabama State Employees Association, Harvard Divinity School, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Media Education Foundation. Senior editor - Harvard Institute for International Development. Teaches Communication Law, Political Communication, Persuasive Communication and other courses in the WSU Communication Dept., and, formerly, PR for Non-Profits and Govt Agencies in the WSU MPA program.
Lamis Jarvinen, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Research, Innovation, Design, & Entrepreneurial (RIDE) Center, Westfield State University.
Dr. Lamis Jarvinen designed and established the RIDE Center in October 2023 with ’24-’25 being the first full academic year in operation for the Center. The diversity in her background as a Molecular & Cellular Immunologist developing therapeutic modalities to promote solid-organ transplantation tolerance and as an entrepreneur impacts the mission and vision of RIDE, supporting non-traditional innovators and entrepreneurs while creating a seat at the “design table” for those traditionally left out.
Dr. Michael Purdy, OD, MSPH, Chief Executive Officer for Hilltown Community Health Center https://www.hchcweb.org/
Dr. Purdy received his BS in Biology in 1999, a Doctor of Optometry from The New England College of Optometry in 2003, and a Master’s in Public Health in 2019. He joined HCHC in 2010 and has worked for over 19 years in Community Health, including his role as Chief Clinical and Community Service Officer. In 2023, he was appointed CEO for HCHC.
Wilbert Weche, Founder & CEO of Willful Change LLC https://www.willfulchange.com/
Wilbert, a distinguished professional who holds a prestigious Master's degree in Business Administration, specializing in Management & Leadership. But his pursuit of excellence didn't stop there; in 2020, Wilbert embarked on a remarkable journey with the renowned John Maxwell Team, obtaining certifications as a captivating keynote speaker, inspiring trainer, and empowering coach. With an innate gift for communication and an uncanny ability to connect with individuals from all walks of life, Wilbert has astounded countless professionals through his dynamic and engaging training sessions. Notably, Wilbert's expertise has transcended expectations, leaving a lasting impression on clients spanning the spectrum from entry-level managers to esteemed C-Level executives across diverse professional industries. As a result, his reputation for delivering unparalleled results continues to soar.
Oliver Zeff M.L.S, Information Instruction Coordinator, Ely Library, Westfield State University https://lib.westfield.ma.edu/home
Oliver Zeff has taught and coordinated Information Literacy instruction at the Ely Library of Westfield State University for 20 years. Oliver also serves as the liaison to the Social Work, Criminal Justice, Marketing and Management, Economics, and Accounting departments of the university. The Instruction Program of the Ely Library specializes in teaching source evaluation concepts and practices in research to first-year students, including students of the Westfield Promise early college program and the LEAD scholars program for first-generation college students. Oliver is a strong proponent of active learning and a constructivist teaching approach. He earned an M.L.S from Simmons College, and a B.A. in English from Tufts University.
Since 2004, the Master of Public Administration, Policy and Civic Engagement (MPA) program has proudly produced more than 200 graduates - many who now serve as esteemed state and municipal elected leaders, executive directors of nonprofit agencies, dedicated city and town managers, and municipal department heads. Additionally, our alumni include leaders in both state and federal agencies, along with professionals in private sector agencies that collaborate extensively with government clients. Concentrations are offered in Nonprofit Management, Criminal Justice Administration, Public Management and Public Healthcare Administration.
Dr. Charles I. DiStefano joined the Political Science faculty at WSU in 2017 and was appointed MPA director in 2019. During this time he has engaged with nonprofit and government organizations in Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut on many collaborative projects, including sixteen course connected civically engaged research projects providing students practical experience by applying the material they are learning in the classroom. He holds a PhD in Political Science with concentrations in Public Administration and American Government & Politics from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale and an MPA from Southeast Missouri State University.