Palm Court

Summit Registration opens at 8am.

During this time, we invite you to check out the Impact Marketplace, nourish yourself with our Summit breakfast (found in Palm Court), and connect with others in this space.

Lakeview Room

We’ll open the day by grounding ourselves and acknowledging the collective energy in the room. Together with CNM’s President & CEO, we’ll set the tone for moving beyond a charity mindset toward one of impact, power, and possibility—and preview the experiences that will guide us through the day.

This portion will be led by Michelle Escamilla, Engagement and Outreach Manager; Efrain Escobedo, President & CEO; Cynthia N. Cortez, Vice President of Learning and Innovation, from the Center for Nonprofit Management.

Lakeview Room

Keynote: Brenda Solorzano, CEO, The California Endowment

Description:

The summit’s keynote will be a powerful message from Brenda Solorzano, the President and CEO of The California Endowment. Part context setting, part uplifting, and wholly powerful, this address will invite attendees to critically explore what is possible given the current times. What does it mean to build something new? What pitfalls should we be mindful of?What could our work look like when collaboration drives our efforts?

Moderator: 

• Alicia Lara, President & CEO, Community Partners

Panelists: 

• Jennifer Price-Letscher, President & CEO, Parsons Foundation

• Joanna Jackson, President & CEO, Weingart Foundation

• Miguel Santana, President & CEO, California Community Foundation

Gain insight into philanthropy’s response to a rapidly shifting nonprofit landscape. This dynamic panel features powerful philanthropic leaders, highlighting how they are navigating today’s challenges and what nonprofits can expect from the philanthropic sector moving forward. The conversation will shed light on perspectives and recommendations that can guide nonprofits as they navigate today’s challenges and strengthen connections with funders.

Lakeview Room

Facilitator:

• Tammy Khan, Vice President of Operations, SHEIKH/Impact

• Linna Hanson, Senior Philanthropy Consultant, SHEIKH/Impact

• Sierra Smith, Executive Director, Open Paths Counseling Center

Nonprofits everywhere are feeling the squeeze in today’s funding landscape, and it’s clear we need to navigate this moment together. In this session, Sheikh/Impact — a social sector consulting firm — teams up with a long-time client organization to share a case study on how we’ve tackled these challenges head-on, together. The session will include a philanthropy perspective from one of our team members who has spent their career on the grantmaking side. They will share reflections, trends, and insights from decades in the field. Together, we’ll explore practical tools and big-picture perspectives to help strengthen fundraising strategies for these uncertain times.

Salon 1

Facilitator:

• Sarah Kelly, Director for Outcomes AI, Project Evident

AI is powerfully shaping how nonprofits fulfil their mission, allowing them to scale impact, increase efficiency, and serve their clients in new ways. This workshop will showcase how nonprofits can leverage AI for mission impact, with a focus on how AI can help nonprofits leverage evidence and data more effectively. From using AI to improve program evaluation to leveraging risk factors surfaced through predictive analytics for program improvement to supporting coaches in building evidence plans, AI can be a critical tool for data-driven decision making. This workshop will introduce key ethical and socio-technical dimensions nonprofits must consider to make effective use of AI and feature case studies of nonprofits who have made particularly effective use of AI.

Salon 2

Moderator:

• Cynthia N. Cortez, Vice President of Learning and Innovation, Center for Nonprofit Management

Panelists:

• Brandon Dean Johnson, Executive Director, CreateNow

• Erica Bernal-Martinez, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO)

• Jan Victor Fernandez Andasan, Development Director, Legacy LA

As First Generation Professionals (FGPs) continue to enter leadership roles, it is critical to pause and look at the bigger picture of the sector’s financial landscape, pressures for right sizing, and hostility towards DEI efforts. Part wisdom sharing and healing, hear the experiences of this diverse panel standing relentlessly firm on their values. This session will also highlight the unique strengths of FGPs—proximity to community, cultural identity, and a social justice vision—while unpacking how these lived experiences shape leadership, organizational culture, and the future of the sector.

Salon 3

Facilitator:

• Caroline Bhalla, Director of Civic Engagement, USC Lusk Center for Real Estate

• Cameron Yap, Systems and Data Manager, Neighborhood Data for Social Change

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to transform raw data into compelling stories that inspire action. Together, we will explore strategies for collecting and analyzing meaningful data, crafting community needs statements, and weaving insights into narratives that strengthen programs, fundraising, and advocacy. Walk away with practical tools to showcase your impact and confidently communicate your organization’s story through data.

Salon 4

Moderator:

• Jai Phillips, Senior Director of Special Initiatives, Center for Nonprofit Management

• Eric Derghazarian, VP of Research and Social Impact, Center for Nonprofit Management

Speakers:

• Andrew King, Department of Angels

• Kate Marr, Executive Director, Community Legal Aid SoCal

• Diego Cartagena, President & CEO, Bet Tzedek

From natural disasters to policy threats, nonprofits are on the frontlines of multiple crises impacting our communities. This session explores the impact of LA Wildfires, Federal DEI executive orders, and ICE raids as three recent crises nonprofits have had to quickly respond to. Learn how nonprofits are building sustainability in turbulent times. In this session, participants will engage with peers around their specific issue area, share practices that have served them well, and identify common themes that can inform future sector-wide strategies. Learn how nonprofits are building sustainability in turbulent times.

Gazebo

Facilitator:

• Okha Shank Butler, Founder and Executive Director, The Heart Center

This outdoor session offers a gentle and restorative experience designed to help nonprofit leaders pause and recharge. Through mindful breathing techniques, grounding practices accompanied by the healing sounds of instruments, and quiet reflection in nature, participants will leave with simple tools they can carry into daily life. This space of respite welcomes anyone seeking calm and connection. Limited space, first come first serve.

Palm Court

Lunch will be available in Palm Court. We invite you to explore the Impact Marketplace, in the Greenhouse Room. This year, we are featuring fellow capacity building organizations to affirm that together, we are Unstoppable!

Lakeview Room

Join Supervisor Solis for a conversation during lunch hour on the critical role nonprofits play in shaping a stronger social impact sector across Southern California. She will share her perspective on this moment in time, the importance of public–nonprofit partnerships, and why working together is essential to addressing some of the region’s most pressing needs.

Lakeview Room

Facilitator:

• Jessica Huey, Director, BDO USA

As nonprofits confront financial forecasting challenges, tough decisions cannot be delayed. Come learn from BDO to understand mindsets, tools, and strategies to successfully lead your nonprofit forward. Special consideration will be given to the heaviness that comes with decision making that stems from unstable funding resources. This session will also focus on preparing organizations to remain grounded, inspired, and future-focused—equipping leaders with ways to carry vision and clarity into the next chapter of their work.

Salon 1

Moderator:

• Eric Derghazarian, VP of Research and Social Impact, Center for Nonprofit Management

Presenters: 

• Jessica LaBarbera, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF)

• Shannon Sedgwick, Senior Director for Institute of Applied Economics, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC)

Now is a pivotal moment to understand the realities facing nonprofits and identify how we can best sustain the organizations that anchor our communities. This session examines the current state of our sector through insights from two CNM-sponsored reports- the LA Nonprofit Sector Report from the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF) and the LA nonprofit industry report from the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation (LAEDC). The session will spark a broader dialogue on where the sector stands now—and what lies ahead. Learn how peer organizations are navigating today’s funding, staffing, and operational landscapes.

Salon 2

Moderator:

• Alicia K. Avalos, Senior Learning Integration Manager, Center for Nonprofit Management

Panelists:

• Victor Lopez - HR Consultant, Center for Nonprofit Management (HR considerations)

• Crystal Gonzalez, Founder & Principal Consultant, RevComm Consulting (CNM L&I Consultant)

• Sylvia Juarez-Magaña, Founder, Juarez Consulting (Consultant Best Practices)

Consultants, subcontractors, temporary staff, and external service providers can help nonprofits gain real-time operational and program support. They can be very effective forms of capacity strengthening. To maximize resources, come learn when to hire staff vs. a consultant, strategies on how to best manage contracted support,  and tips to regularly assess the effective use of these powerful resources. This session will also invite you to explore what’s possible through consultant partnerships and provide tools to help determine if, when, and how this practice can strengthen your organization.

Salon 3

Facilitator:

• Carrie Harlow, Director of Programs & Partnerships, Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative (NSI)

• Otha Cole, Director of Strategy of Communication, Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative (NSI)

The financial landscape has accelerated the need for thoughtful succession and scenario planning. As leaders face pressure to make the decisions today that will sustain their organizations, we invite them to shift their frame to impact resilience. Come learn about sustained collaboration models such as program transfers, shared service arrangements, co-location, parent/subsidiary agreements, and the creation of network backbone organizations. Hear from the Nonprofit Sustainability Initiative about when sustained collaboration is the right strategy, predictors of success, and how to access targeted funding for the exploratory process. Join us for a candid conversation about the tough decisions leaders are facing and the tools available to make them strategically.

Salon 4

Moderator:

• Angelica Frias, VP of Action & Engagement, Center for Nonprofit Management

Panelists:

• Geoff Green, CEO, Cal Nonprofits

• Cielo Castro, Chief Impact Officer, California Community Foundation

• Will Campbell, CEO, Quantasy & Associates

This high-impact session will ignite a conversation around one of the most urgent imperatives facing our sector: the need to rewrite the story of who we are and why we matter. As political scrutiny intensifies and outdated perceptions persist, it's time to stop playing defense and start shaping the public narrative ourselves. Through a two-part structure, we’ll first frame the current landscape and challenges facing the sector, then shift into a collaborative visioning process to reimagine and reclaim how our story is told.

Gazebo

Facilitator:

• Ponti Lambros, Founder, Art Rebel

This outdoor guided session is a purposeful space to reflect, create, and connect with your intentions. Using art as a tool for storytelling, participants are invited to share their nonprofit journey, rediscover their purpose, and express what matters most—no skill required, all levels of creativity welcome. Space is limited, so don’t miss this opportunity to explore your story through color, movement, and imagination.

Lakeview Room

Facilitator(s):

• Michelle Escamilla, Engagement and Outreach Manager, Center for Nonprofit Management

• Patricia Navarro, Senior Learning Manager, Center for Nonprofit Management

After much learning and connecting, this space is to encourage thoughtful networking with colleagues. The session will start with an overview of the significance of networking as a key strategy for sector strength. Through an engaging activity, participants will have the opportunity to explore their own strengths, reflect on what fuels their purpose, and confidently share both what they bring to the table and what they need from their nonprofit peers in order to remain inspired and effective.

Lakeview Room

Facilitator:

• Cynthia N. Cortez, Vice President of Learning and Innovation, CNM

We’ll close the Unstoppable Summit by coming together in dialogue and community, reflecting on the insights, stories, and commitments shared throughout the day. This final session offers a space to uplift one another and name the next steps—both personal and collective—that will carry our sector forward.

Performer:

• Elektra Armenta, Drag Performer

Close out the day with joy, energy, and connection at the Summit Social Club—a space to celebrate and simply be. Witness an uplifting performance from drag performer Elektra Armenta. As we wrap up the day, let us never forget that even through the toughest moments, we are truly unstoppable together. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with peers and grow your network. It is an atmosphere you won’t want to miss.