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Peter Brinckerhoff has spent his entire adult life working in, around, and for nonprofits. He is dedicated to the concept that a nonprofit organization is a mission-based business, in the business of doing its mission. When Peter formed his firm, Corporate Alternatives, Inc. in 1982, it was the first consulting and training company in the United States dedicated exclusively to the management concerns of 501(c)(3) organizations. A former VISTA volunteer, Peter knows how nonprofits work from his experience as a volunteer, his work as a staff member and later as executive director of two regional nonprofits, and from his service on numerous state, local, and national nonprofit boards. Peter is an award-winning author, with eight books and two workbooks in print, and over 60 articles published in the nonprofit press. The first two books in his acclaimed Mission-Based Management Series won the prestigious Terry McAdam Award from the Alliance for Nonprofit Management. The award is given for "The Best New Nonprofit Book" each year. He is the only author to win the award twice. Peter is also a highly acclaimed speaker and lecturer, presenting his ideas on how to make nonprofits more effective to dozens of audiences each across the United States as well as overseas. In 2003, Peter was appointed Adjunct Professor of Nonprofit Management at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University where he teaches the core graduate course. Peter received his BA from the University of Pennsylvania, and his MA in public health administration from Tulane University.
Gary Ostroske is President of the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area where he has been employed since May 1987. He has been part of the United Way system since 1973. During this time he has been involved with many United Ways across the country and served on numerous local and national committees, including United Way of America's National Professional Council; Long-range Strategic Planning; Task Force on Impact; Marketing and Re-branding; and Community Impact. Most recently he was named Chairman of the Louisiana Association of United Ways. Gary is committed to a focus on client outcomes in the United Way system as the key strategy for increasing accountability and maintaining United Ways' leadership in philanthropy and community building. He has spoken about this challenge to United Way audiences around the country, encouraging them to view it as an opportunity for significant growth. Gary has partnered with New Orleans business leaders to advance a strong economic development agenda. He has worked to strengthen United Way's public/private partnership at the local, state and federal levels to insure the implementation of a “2-1-1 Information and Referral System” that will provide the highest quality assurance and accountability to the citizens of Louisiana. He is very involved in recovery and rebuilding across the region. Gary received a BA in behavioral psychology from the University of Vermont as well as an MSW from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work in both community organization and group work.
Katharine DeShaw was named the founding Executive Director of United States Artists (USA) in 2005. With a mission to “nurture, support and strengthen the work of America's finest living artists,” USA annually selects 50 artists to receive a USA Fellowship; each receives an unrestricted $50,000 grant. To date, a total of 107 artists (including seven collaboratives) have been named USA Fellows. They come from across the country and work in the following artistic disciplines: Architecture and Design; Crafts and Traditional Arts; Dance; Literature; Media; Music; Theater Arts and Visual Arts. USA was launched with generous seed funding of $20-million provided by the Ford, Rockefeller, Prudential and Rasmuson Foundations. All USA Fellows are available to be named by donors. Generous philanthropists such as New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Los Angeles-based real estate developer Eli Broad and Target of Minneapolis have stepped forward to underwrite USA Fellows. USA's long-range vision is to permanently endow all 50 USA Fellowships. Katharine has worked in the nonprofit sector as a consultant, philanthropic advisor, senior development officer and teacher. Consulting from 2002-2005, she provided strategic management to national nonprofits and philanthropists. During that time she created and launched the Nimoy Foundation with Susan and Leonard Nimoy and serves as its Program Director. She spent 12 years in art museum management, leading development efforts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. She also served as the Senior Development Officer for Gay Men's Health Crisis raising the first major corporate, foundation and individual contributions in the fight against AIDS worldwide. Early in her career she led record-breaking fundraising campaigns for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and Twyla Tharp Dance based in New York City.
George B. Elliott, President of George B. Elliott & Associates, is a public relations veteran, nonprofit executive and community leader. His 30-year career in public relations for BellSouth's Alabama operations provided him with expertise in strategic public relations planning, project management, team building, media and community relations and special events. In this capacity, he also worked with numerous nonprofits including United Way, Children's Health System, the Birmingham International Festival, and Partnership Assistance To The Homeless (PATH). In 1995, Amelia, the Elliott's 17-year old daughter, was killed in a car-train accident. As a way of positively working through his grief and to make something positive come out of tragedy, George became the cofounder of The Amelia Center, a support service of Children's Health System that works with grieving children, parents and their families. As Chair of the first Board of Advisors for the Center, he learned much about the nonprofit management issues pertinent to starting and building a successful organization. From his work with nonprofits at BellSouth and his personal affiliation with starting The Amelia Center, George became committed to the ongoing work of nonprofit organizations, and, in 2003, became the Executive Director of the Nonprofit Resource Center of Alabama (NRCA), a capacity-building organization for Alabama's nonprofit sector. During his career, George promoted the need for a business approach to nonprofit management. As Executive Director, he worked with numerous nonprofits in the areas of board development and public relations and marketing. George has served as a part-time professor at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Samford University. A graduate of the University of Georgia and the University of Alabama, he has been active in professional activities throughout his public relations career.
Charmaine Caccioppi serves as President of the Louisiana Association of United Ways and Senior Vice President of Governmental Relations for the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area. She began her career in May of 1978 as an Executive Assistant and State Director to United States Senator J. Bennett Johnston of Louisiana. During her service in the Senate, Charmaine provided advice and assistance on major economic development projects throughout Louisiana and around the country. She also has served as the Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Economic Development for the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce, MetroVision and Greater New Orleans, Inc. Her responsibilities included intergovernmental liaison on the local, state and federal level. In addition, she had direct oversight for all economic development activities for MetroVision. Her expanded responsibilities included supervising the business development plans for the Oil and Gas Industry Cluster, Environmental Technology Cluster and Maritime Cluster. Charmaine served as the senior staff representative for the Gulf Coast Regional Chamber Coalition and the Metro Chamber Alliance. She was actively involved in investor relations and served as President of the Japan/Louisiana Association from 2000-2002. She currently serves on the U.S. Chamber's Environmental, Technology & Regulatory Affairs Committee and she is an active member of the National Business Coalition for Federal Research. Charmaine attended Nicholls State University and has been recognized as a Distinguished Fellow of the Loyola University Institute of Politics. She is a graduate of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute and a charter member of the board for the J. Bennett Johnston Science Foundation.
Carlton Dufrechou has been coordinating environmental restoration programs for over ten years. In June 1992, he became Executive Director of the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation where he coordinates the overall planning and implementation of efforts to restore and preserve the ecology of the 5,000 square mile Pontchartrain Basin surrounding metro New Orleans. Pontchartrain's restoration activities include water quality improvement, habitat preservation, and education/outreach projects. The projects range from construction of livestock waste retention lagoons to the creation of the 16,000-plus acre Big Branch National Wildlife Refuge and the development of Lessons on the Lake, a curriculum guide for environmental educators. The projects have received numerous recognitions including The National Watershed Award, two EPA Environmental Excellence Awards, and a Presidential Environmental Education Award. From December 1986 through June 1992, Carlton was a planner and project manager with the New Orleans District of the Corps of Engineers. He participated in the planning, implementation, and management of water resource, environmental restoration, and flood control projects throughout central and southern Louisiana. The projects include rural and urban flood control in central Louisiana, marsh creation and wetland restoration in the Mississippi River delta region, hurricane protection in the New Orleans metropolitan area, delta building in Atchafalaya Bay, and environmental enhancement projects in the Atchafalaya Basin. Prior to his association with the Corps of Engineers, Carlton had experience in real estate development, and civil and architectural design. He received both his BS degree in civil engineering and his MS degree in civil/environmental engineering from Tulane University.
Anne K. LaRock, Director of National Philanthropy for the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area, has 22 years of experience in development, public information, marketing and strategic planning. She specializes in helping organizations in transition that need to redefine their missions, build their boards, determine new strategic directions and present a compelling case for support to funders. She has worked for organizations and advised clients with missions that advance education, culture, media, social justice and health care. Anne was Deputy Director for External Affairs for the International Center of Photography in New York City, an accredited museum and school, where she helped achieve a $22.5 million capital campaign. For the Martha Graham Center and School of Contemporary Dance, she succeeded in securing major support in the aftermath of the events of 9/11. She also served as Director of Institutional Advancement at Metropolitan College of New York, Director of Development and Planning at Little Red School House and Elisabeth Irwin High School, and founding Development Director at The Diller-Quaile School of Music. Prior to her development career, Anne was Director of Product Development for Museum Industries in New York City, and, for three years, she was an art dealer in New York and Dallas, specializing in art for public spaces. She graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Rochester in New York and studied European history at the graduate level at the University of Essex in Colchester, England, and fundraising management at New York University.
Al Sassone is Chief Operating Officer for the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area. He has over 30 years experience as a President, CEO or COO, designing and directing campaigns generating more than $750 million in revenue. Al has served as the Chief Executive Officer at the Heart of America United Way in Kansas City, MO, and Chief Operating Officer in Philadelphia and Rochester, New York. He is also past President of a large community foundation in upstate New York. He has been a consultant to several nonprofits, including the United Way in Ft. Lauderdale. Al has a BBA degree from St. John Fisher College and has completed the Human Service Executive Management Program at Harvard University. He has served on United Way of America's National Professional Council, the National Marketing Committee and chaired its South Central Regional Committee. He has actively participated on numerous nonprofit hospital and Chamber of Commerce boards. He has received many local and national awards for distinguished service.
Beth Lee Terry is the Executive Vice President of the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area holding responsibilities for Community Impact. Community Impact is an inclusive phrase that summarizes what United Way wants to achieve in communities: truly strong and financially stable families that can provide those supports necessary to assure that their children are successful, a safety net for our vulnerable populations and those in crisis, and the ability to maximize health and independence for all people. Beth and her team work to accomplish these goals through a number of strategies: the distribution of funds to programs demonstrated to achieve positive results, networking and problem-solving at the regional and parish levels with citizens and providers focused on hurricane recovery, work to change the very systems that shape this community by impacting legislation and regulation surrounding service delivery, and the creation and support to vital demonstrations of best and innovative practice. Beth holds an MSW from Norfolk State University, a BS from Old Dominion University, and consults in the areas of outcomes measurement and research based, strategic planning. She has been with the United Way system for 27 years.
Katherine Gottlieb, MBA, serves as President and CEO of Southcentral Foundation (SCF) and has been honored for her management of innovations that have built SCF into a customer-owned, quality organization working together with Alaska Native people to achieve wellness for the entire community. Starting her SCF career in 1987 as an administrative assistant, Katherine gained more and more responsibility, ultimately resulting in her becoming the President and CEO in 1991. Under her direction and guidance, SCF has become a leader among the nation's health care organizations, winning national recognition for innovations such as the same-day access to care. SCF's unique and creative programs draw upon the Alaska Native culture to address health care challenges such as substance abuse, women's health issues, and family wellness. Katherine, a 2004 McArthur Genius Award winner, is the daughter of an Aleut mother and a Filipino father; the mother of six children; and the grandmother of 23 grandchildren. She holds a BA degree, an MA in business administration, and an honorary doctorate from Alaska Pacific University. She serves on numerous boards, including the Alaska Native Heritage Center and remains active at the national level in Native American policy issues.
Sven Haakanson, Jr. is the driving force behind the revitalization of indigenous language, culture, and customs on Kodiak Island. A native Alutiiq trained with a PhD in anthropology, he is straddling worlds in an effort to preserve and give contemporary meaning to Native history and local legends, rituals, and customs. The Alutiiq Museum, which he directs, is an archaeological archive and anthropological repository of cultural artifacts of the Kodiak archipelago. Under Sven's leadership, the museum also serves as a traveling resource, bringing innovative exhibitions, educational programming, and field research to Kodiak villages by boat and small plane. The museum provides him with a unique opportunity to establish and cultivate collaborative relationships with museums throughout the world whose holdings include ancient Alutiiq artifacts. Bridging cultures and continents, he has orchestrated the exhibition and acquisition of Alutiiq masks and other artifacts dispersed throughout Russia and France in the 18th and 19th centuries. He has also organized first-time, traveling exhibits of antiquities on loan to museums in Alaska. As an anthropologist, Sven is currently leading a large-scale study of a sacred Alutiiq site to identify and archive petroglyphs and stone carvings from the southern coast of Kodiak Island. As a skilled carver and talented photographer, his masks and images of isolated tribes and customs depict a way of life rarely seen outside the region. Through these and other activities, Sven is preserving and reviving ancient traditions and heritage, celebrating the rich past of Alutiiq communities and providing the larger world with a valuable window into a little-known culture. Sven received a BA from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and an MA and PhD from Harvard University.
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