2026 Leadership Retreat Sessions
Full participation in the 2026 Leadership Retreat is applicable for points in Category 1.B-Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification. (Point value to be announced soon.)
Track One:
Philanthropy
Track Two:
Issues & Opportunities
Track Three:
Executive Think Tank
The Gratitude Edge: The Well-Being Advantage in Philanthropic Leadership
February 9 4:30 P.M.
Pre-Retreat Session
Philanthropy leaders often face high demands and emotional intensity. This program focuses on a vital but frequently overlooked aspect of leadership: your well-being. As leaders, your ability to perform at your best, inspire your teams, and drive organizational success is deeply connected to how well you manage your own well-being. This session will introduce you to ethos, key dimensions of well-being and the flourishing elements that must be in place to ensure the achievement of your well-being goals. Together, we'll explore how personal well-being fuels effective leadership and sustainable philanthropic success. Attendees will learn evidence-based strategies for achieving greater health and well-being, the science behind them, and practical tools to enhance their well-being and flourish in their roles.
Linda Roszak Burton
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
OPENING PLENARY
Philanthropy in Flux: Redefining Healthcare Giving in an Age of Disruption
February 10 8:40 A.M.
Combined Track Session
Health care philanthropy is being rewritten in real time. Disruption is everywhere—economic volatility, care model transformation, political uncertainty and the accelerating force of technology. At the same time, donor behavior is shifting dramatically: donors are no longer content with transactional giving; they want purpose, proof and partnership. They want to invest assets, not just income. They want transparency, innovation and meaningful alighment with their values. This session unpacks the forces reshaping our field and what they mean for the future of our work. We'll also consider how disruption can be leveraged as a catalyst for innovation—reframing philanthropy not as charity, but as a drive of transformation in health care and community well-being. Participants will leave with a clear-eyed view of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, and practical strategies to adapt: moving from income to assets, from transactions to relationships, from short-term gifts to long-term investments. The question is no longer whether health care philanthropy will change—but how we will rise to lead that change.
Betsy Chapin Taylor
CEO
Accordant
10:00 A.M.
Unlocking Tranformative Giving: Tools and Models for Principal Gifts Success
February 10 10:00 A.M.
Track One: Philanthropy
Successful work with principal-level health care donors demands complex high-level strategies—dedicated staff, board leadership, development analytics, clinical allyship, executive partnership and thoughtful project selection to inspire transformative giving. This principal gift toolkit, grounded in data and developed with insights gleaned from an anonymized review of 100+ principal gifts to health care, translates “what works” into a practical operating model to guide health foundations establishing or maximizing a principal gift function, accompanied by a principal donor engagement workplan. You will receive guidelines for staffing, portfolio management and proposal support; clear roles for CEOs, boards and physician allies; project selection and vibrant stewardship. We will demonstrate the toolkit for two case-study foundations, illustrating portfolio selection, prioritizing a Top 10 list and sequencing moves to maximize potential.
Cindy Reynolds
Principal Consultant
Accordant
Debbie Ferguson
Senior Consultant for Philanthropy Operations and Data
Accordant
Pulse Check: Is Your Communication Strategy Still Breathing?
February 10 10:00 A.M.
Track Two: Issues & Opportunities
Great communication is oxygen for your foundation—it fuels it so much. Unfortunately, we can easily become overwhelmed by turnaround demands and slowly abandon real strategy, shifting instead to an editorial calendar mindset. Discover how design thinking, target audience driven planning and messaging tools can revitalize your team, optimize workflows and deliver fresh stories and creative.
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Create a custom plan that smartly evolves without abandoning strategy
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Build custom messaging tools that create consistency
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Deliver donor communications in unexpected new ways
Michael Beall
Principal Consultant and Communications Practice Leader
Accordant
12:00 P.M.
POWER LUNCH
Live Podcast: “Human First + AI Forward”
February 10 12:00 P.M.
Combined Track Session
“Human First + AI Forward” is more than a theme—it’s a conversation about what it really means to lead with humanity in an age of accelerating technology. For our first-ever live podcast in front of an audience, we’re exploring how nonprofit leaders can embrace AI not as a replacement for human creativity and compassion, but as a catalyst to amplify both. Together, we’ll unpack how this mindset helps teams scale impact, strengthen trust, and unlock new value—proving that when we put people first, technology follows in the right direction.
Nathan Chappell
Chief AI Officer
Virtuous
Scott Rosenkrans
VP of AI Innovation
DonorSearch
1:00 P.M.
Corporate Giving in the New Era: Crafting Corporate Partnerships That Thrive in Today’s Changing Climate
February 10 1:00 P.M.
Track One: Philanthropy
This interactive session will explore the new realities of corporate philanthropy in a politically and economically shifting America. With shifting priorities for businesses, healthcare nonprofits must continue to adapt their approach to corporate giving. Participants will learn how ESG and CSR expectations are evolving, how corporate motivations for philanthropy are changing and how to strategically position your organization as a high-impact, values-aligned partner. This session will share real-world examples, hear from your peer colleagues and help you to create a clear plan to navigate corporate giving in 2025 and beyond.
Amy Dorrill
Principal Consultant and Community Health & Well-Being Practice Leader
DonorSearch
Peak Performance Leadership: Coaching Techniques to Hire, Inspire and Retain High Performers
February 10 1:00 P.M.
Track Two: Issues & Opportunities
Many leaders assume their leadership is strong because they meet goals or avoid major issues. But you might be leaving potential on the table. The best leaders don’t just manage, they coach, they inspire their team and lead by example. This interactive session will challenge what you know about motivating others and give you the tools to coach individuals and teams for peak performance. You’ll learn proven strategies for identifying future philanthropy professionals, unlocking untapped talent, navigating behavioral differences and building a culture where people thrive.
Lori Counts
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
James Gold
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
Executive Think Tank Part 1
February 10 1:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
Track Three
Seating is limited to 14 in this intimate boardroom setting where you will hear short presentations from Accordant team members followed by opportunities for questions and discussion. Topics will include the role of the Board and volunteers during a campaign, how to foster alignment between the CEO and philanthropy, adding spice to a stale Board and more. Sign up in advance of the retreat for this special session (no additional fee required).
1:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.
Where Project Selection Meets Strategy and Campaigns Take Off
with Betsy Chapin Taylor and Heather Wiley Starankovic
2:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Hit Reset on Your Board
with Betsy Chapin Taylor
2:30 P.M.
The Hidden Path to Grateful Engagement: Patient Experience as a Philanthropy Driver
February 10 2:30 P.M.
Track One: Philanthropy
This dynamic session will explore the intersection of grateful patient engagement and patient experience strategies, revealing opportunities to enhance philanthropic outcomes without adding undue burden on caregivers. A key focus will be culture-building strategies that foster gratitude and connection by elevating opportunities for story sharing and making it easy for everyone to engage with the Foundation. Participants will see how this can be achieved through enhanced communications and collateral, QR codes, and seamless integration into existing processes and workflows such as MyChart and leader rounding.
Erin Stitzel
Principal Consultant
Accordant
Finding Your Value in the AI Era: Cultivating Flexibility, Adaptability & Human-Centered Leadership
February 10 2:30 P.M.
Track Two: Issues & Opportunities
This session showcases how nonprofit leaders can build a culture where continuous learning, curiosity and human judgment become the differentiators in an AI-augmented workplace.
Scott Rosenkrans
VP of AI Innovation
DonorSearch
3:45 P.M.
COOL DOWN CONVERSATIONS
February 10 3:45 P.M.
Combined Track Conversations
Attendee will select one Cool Down Conversation to attend.
COOL DOWN CONVERSATION 1
Building Back and Sustaining Trust in an Instant Gratification World
John Donovan
Principal Consultant
Accordant
Michael Beall
Principal Consultant
Accordant
COOL DOWN CONVERSATION 2
The Philanthropy Leadership Exchange
Lori Counts
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
COOL DOWN CONVERSATION 3
Major Gifts: It Takes a Village (No Cowboys Allowed)
Heather Wiley Starankovic
Principal Consultant
Accordant
COOL DOWN CONVERSATION 4
Resilient Leadership: Doing More with Less While Inspiring Your Team
Sarah TeDesco
COO
DonorSearch
BUZZ SESSIONS
February 11 8:00 A.M.
Combined Track Session
Attendee will select one Buzz Session to attend.
BUZZ SESSION 1
Connected Leadership: Transforming Philanthropy Through Engagement Intelligence
The advancement landscape is shifting rapidly. Digital engagement, wealth analytics and AI have given teams unprecedented visibility into donor behavior and potential. But real transformation requires more than new tools; it demands reimagining how we connect, collaborate and execute strategy. This interactive roundtable invites leaders to explore how modern engagement intelligence can spark better donor relationships, more connected teams, streamlined processes and measurable impact.
Sarah TeDesco
COO
DonorSearch
BUZZ SESSION 2
Keeping it Fresh: Sustaining Engaged Clinician Partnerships
This roundtable invites participants to explore strategies that keep grateful patient engagement dynamic and impactful over time. We’ll discuss ways to maintain clinician enthusiasm in the face of competing demands and burnout, while preventing programs from slipping into routine or losing momentum. Topics will include refreshing engagement tactics and evolving recognition practices to keep connections meaningful. Participants will share and learn practical approaches, such as rotating engagement formats, introducing new collaborative touchpoints and personalizing follow-up, to keep relationships strong. This interactive conversation will highlight how to infuse creativity and flexibility into grateful patient initiatives, ensuring they remain a source of inspiration for clinicians, patients and donors alike.
Sarah Burdi
Principal Consultant
Accordant
BUZZ SESSION 3
Leadership and Team Assessments: Unlocking the Self-Awareness Superpower
Ready to shake up your leadership game? Join us for a lively roundtable where we’ll dive into how assessments can unlock powerful insights for high-performing teams. We’ll explore why self-awareness isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a leadership superpower—and how inviting your team into that journey can spark real growth. From personality profiles to team dynamics tools, we’ll unpack the best ways to kick off your own leadership quest. Expect candid conversations, shared wins and a few “oops” moments too. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or just starting out, this session will help you reflect, connect and maybe even laugh a little as you explore how assessments can elevate your team and yourself.
Lori Counts
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
James Gold
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
BUZZ SESSION 4
A Roadmap to Building AI Literacy and Adoption in 5 Steps
AI is reshaping fundraising, but adoption stalls when teams aren’t sure where to start. This 40-minute interactive roundtable invites participants from any role of a fundraising team, in any size shop, to share ideas while co-creating a practical five-step roadmap for AI literacy and responsible adoption. We’ll begin with a quick readiness scan to surface goals, risks and “no-regret” use cases such as briefing bios, call prep, donor segmentation and relieving repetitive tasks. Next, we will discuss how to pick low-risk pilots, set clear success metrics, and establish privacy, security and ethics guardrails. Facilitated prompts and simple worksheets keep the discussion focused and actionable. Attendees will leave with a 90-day plan to move from experiments to durable, governance-aligned practices.
Debbie Ferguson
Principal Consultant for Philanthropy Operations & Data
Accordant
BUZZ SESSION 5
Take the Harvard Human Flourishing Assessment
The Harvard Human Flourishing Assessment offers a measured approach to human flourishing, based around five central domains: happiness and life satisfaction, physical and mental health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, and close social relationships. Each of these is nearly universally desired, and each constitutes an end in and of itself. Round table participants will be able to take the 12 question assessment to measure and track their overall level of flourishing.
Linda Roszak Burton
Principal Consultant and Certified Executive Coach
Accordant
BUZZ SESSION 6
Marketing Meets Philanthropy: Who Really Owns the Donor Story?
When marketing and philanthropy meet, the results can be magical—or messy. This facilitated 40-minute roundtable discussion invites Chief Philanthropy Officers and team members to explore the sometimes exhilarating, sometimes uneasy intersection between advancement and brand storytelling. Through candid discussion, participants will examine whether giving is best framed as generosity or investment, when visibility supports cultivation versus when it risks donor trust and how the personal relationship competes with—or complements—the institutional message. Using real-world scenarios and role-reversal exercises, we’ll unpack how these tensions influence donor expectations, stewardship strategies and institutional reputation. Participants will leave with sharper perspectives on aligning their narrative with both mission and market, and develop some actionable ideas for partnering with marketing leaders to reimagine the donor story.
Michelle Rovang
Of Counsel
Accordant
BUZZ SESSION 7
New Thinking in Engaging Your Board in Prospect Development
This session will discuss new approaches to engage Board and other volunteers in the prospect identification and engagement process. Volunteers require a fresh perspective to expand beyond the tried-and-true approaches. Providing pathways for engagement suited to their preferences through tiered engagement prospect mapping, multi-peer joint efforts and new ways of engagement will be shared. The session will discuss how to remove barriers and build confidence while giving board members and other volunteers multiple pathways to leverage their relationships authentically.
John Donovan
Principal Consultant
Accordant
9:15 A.M.
KEYNOTE
Building a Culture of Curiosity to Thrive in the AI Era
February 11 9:15 A.M.
Combined Track Session
In a time of rapid technological change, the most successful nonprofit professionals won’t be the ones with all the answers—but the ones who ask the best questions. Curiosity is the key to innovation, adaptability and meaningful impact, yet too often, organizations prioritize efficiency over exploration. As artificial intelligence reshapes the way we work, the ability to think critically, challenge assumptions and seek new possibilities will determine who thrives in this new era.
In this engaging and thought-provoking keynote, Nathan Chappell, one of the world’s leading experts on AI and philanthropy, explores how nonprofit professionals at every level can unlock the power of curiosity to drive innovation and deepen their mission impact. Attendees will discover:
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How a Culture of Curiosity leads to better decision-making, stronger donor relationships and more resilient organizations.
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The science behind curiosity and why it fuels engagement, creativity and personal growth.
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The role of AI as a curiosity amplifier—and how to ensure it enhances, rather than replaces, human ingenuity.
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Practical strategies to cultivate curiosity in your daily work—whether you're engaging donors, crafting campaigns or leading teams.
This session is for anyone working in the nonprofit sector who wants to embrace curiosity as a superpower—one that drives innovation, strengthens connections and ensures that AI serves humanity, not the other way around. Join us for an inspiring conversation about how curiosity can transform your career, your organization and the future of philanthropy.
Nathan Chappell
Chief AI Officer
Virtuous
10:45 A.M.
Advancing Your Campaign: Leading Staff and Volunteers Through Uncertainty
February 11 10:45 A.M.
Track One: Philanthropy
Campaigns rarely unfold in calm conditions. Leadership changes, competing priorities and shifting markets test even the strongest philanthropic teams. Yet in every great campaign, clarity, communication and culture become the stabilizers that keep progress possible.
This 75-minute session helps philanthropy leaders translate chaos into coordinated action. We’ll explore how to narrow focus, strengthen voice and reinforce culture across staff and volunteers—so both groups stay aligned, inspired and moving forward. Through real-world examples, peer discussion and practical frameworks, participants will develop “Do What I Can” lists and engagement models that make campaigns resilient.
Attendees leave with tools to sharpen priorities, elevate volunteer leadership and foster a shared sense of calm, even when conditions are uncertain.
Heather Wiley Starankovic
Principal Consultant
Accordant
Amy Dorrill
Principal Consultant
Accordant
Don't Make Me Work: Designing the Future of Fundraising Software
February 11 10:45 A.M.
Track Two: Issues & Opportunities
Software has evolved from "don't make me think" to "don't make me work." But how do you build products that amplify human connection rather than replace it?
Join Jason VanLue, VP of Product at Virtuous, to explore Virtuous' philosophy of human-centered, AI-forward product development. You'll see real examples of how Virtuous is building intelligent agents designed to give fundraisers more time for the relationship-building that drives generosity. We'll dig into our approach to AI architecture, the customer insights that shape our roadmap and why the future of fundraising software isn't about replacing fundraisers, it's about removing everything that keeps them from doing their best work.
Walk away with practical insights on AI strategy, product development and the evolution of enterprise software, grounded in real examples from Virtuous' journey to create a Generosity Operating System that empowers nonprofits to build deeper donor relationships.
Jason VanLue
VP of Product
Virtuous
Executive Think Tank Part 2
February 11 10:45 A.M.
Track Three
Seating is limited to 14 in this intimate boardroom setting where you will hear short presentations from Accordant team members followed by opportunities for questions and discussion. Topics will include the role of the Board and volunteers during a campaign, how to foster alignment between the CEO and philanthropy, adding spice to a stale Board and more. Sign up in advance of the retreat for this special session (no additional fee required).
Closing the Leadership Gap: Inspiring the C-Suite to Own Philanthropy
with Betsy Chapin Taylor and Lori Counts
Participants will learn how to reposition philanthropy from a support function to a leadership imperative by strategically engaging and activating the C-Suite to lead, champion and own philanthropic impact.
12:15 P.M.
POWER LUNCH / CLOSING KEYNOTE
Scaling Authenticity: Data, Engagement and Trust
February 11 12:15 P.M.
Combined Track Session
Authenticity can scale, but only when data and empathy move in sync. Today’s fundraising leaders are awash in information but often disconnected from the people behind it. This keynote explores how connecting charitable gift data with digital engagement data can reveal the whole person behind the profile, elevating trust and human connection at scale. By aligning data, engagement and empathy, we will raise more money today while building lifelong relationships rooted in authenticity.
Brent Grinna
Founder and President
EverTrue
1:15 P.M.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Illusion of Connection: Reclaiming Authentic Donor Relationships
February 11 1:15 P.M.
Combined Track Session
Social media culture has taught us to perform connection rather than live it. Philanthropy risks falling into the same trap. This talk challenges fundraisers to step away from the “highlight reel” and rediscover the power of genuine engagement—where donors feel seen, respected and part of something meaningful.
Pamela Ronka Maroulis
President and Principal Consultant
Accordant