Schedule

Monday, September 14

3:00-5:00 | ME Leadership: Clarity, Purpose, and Intention

Before you can lead your team, your organization, or your community — you have to lead yourself. Arrive, settle in, and reconnect, both with yourself and with peers who understand exactly what it means to carry the weight of leadership.

5:00-6:30 | Networking Reception: Welcome to San Antonio! 

6:30 | Dinner on your own 

Tuesday, September 15

8:30 am Breakfast 

9:15 | The State of Us: Leadership in a Changing Sector

Shannon McCracken, President & CEO, The Nonprofit Alliance

9:45 | Keynote: Infinite Influence with Alyson Van Hooser

Today’s nonprofit leaders are navigating unprecedented complexity — shifting funding models, evolving public trust, workforce fatigue, and constant uncertainty. In this environment, leadership influence and impact are no longer heavily defined by position, authority, organizational cause, or expertise alone. Instead, impact is determined by the ability to influence — to see people clearly, connect authentically, and lead in ways that build resilience, trust, and long-term impact for yourself, your team, and your community.

In this highly interactive keynote-workshop experience, Alyson Van Hooser challenges leaders to rethink how they see themselves and the people they lead. Through a powerful perspective shift, practical framework, and facilitated peer conversation, participants will explore an immediately actionable and transformational leadership approach that helps leaders focus their most limited resources — time, energy, and money — to strengthen engagement, improve retention, and elevate influence across their organizations and the broader impact of their work.

11:15 | Break

11:35 | Seed & Cede: Building the Next Generation of Nonprofit  Leadership 

Every leader gets where they are because someone made room for them. This interactive session challenges nonprofit executives to ask a provocative question: Are you making room for the next generation? Through candid discussion, collaborative exercises, and personal reflection, participants will explore how to identify emerging leaders, including the “hidden gems” who may not yet see their own potential. Leave with a renewed commitment to developing leaders who will strengthen our organizations and communities for years to come.

12:45 | Lunch & Free Time 

2:00-3:00 | Clarity in the Age of AI, Part 1

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how nonprofits fundraise, engage constituents, support staff, and deliver on mission.

The first part of this session features a discussion about AI as a workforce and AI as a force multiplier. Two organizations put agents to work to engage donors and program beneficiaries. Two use it to accomplish what they otherwise couldn’t: building beyond current internal capacity and answering their own questions instead of waiting in the queue. 

Amina Alavi, Senior Director of Analytics & Data Science, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières-USA

David Hall, Director of Pipeline Development, USA for UNHCR

Rich Kostro, SVP and Chief Information Officer, Share Our Strength

Lindsey Nadeau, Vice President, Philanthropy Insight, UNICEF USA

3:00 | Break

3:15-5:00 | Clarity in the Age of AI, Part 2

The second part of the session is a hands-on opportunity to gain practical experience with AI tools, and leave with a concrete plan for bringing these ideas back to your team.

Kaz McGrath, Founder & CEO, PLAI

Stephen Silveira, Chief Operations Officer, PLAI

5:30 – 8:00 | Cocktails & Dinner

Enjoy the local vibes and continue your conversations over dinner on the Riverwalk.

Wednesday, September 16

8:30am | Breakfast

9:00 | The Latest in Sector Research: Center for Effective Philanthropy

Drawing on fresh findings from two Center for Effective Philanthropy studies — State of Nonprofits 2026 and Foundation Responses to a Sector in Crisis — this session will explore data on what nonprofits around the country report experiencing in today’s context. Examine mounting pressures around burnout, funding, and financial sustainability, along with new insights into how funder-nonprofit relationships are evolving in today’s environment.

Dr. Elisha Smith-Arrillaga, Ph.D., Vice President, Research

9:45 | The Nonprofit Generosity Narrative

A dynamic conversation among sector leaders explores how to build a narrative ecosystem that reconnects the public with the nonprofit sector. Drawing on the latest research, this interactive session challenges us to align our internal organizational choices with our public value and identifies how we can collaborate to amplify our collective impact.

Jody Levison-Johnson, Ph.D., LCSW, President & CEO, Social Current

Shannon McCracken, CAE, President & CEO, The Nonprofit Alliance

Elisha Smith-Arrillaga, Ph.D., Vice President, Research, Center for Effective Philanthropy

Michael Thatcher, President & CEO, Charity Navigator

Moderator: Mimi Carter, Managing Director of Arts, Culture & Foundations, Stillpoint Global Advisors

11:00 | Break

11:15 | Closing Mission Moment – Don’t Leave Early!

A grassroots story born from tragedy. A local hero you haven’t heard of yet, but won’t forget, our closing speaker will leave you with a reminder of why this work matters.

12:00  | Program Closes