Speakers

We are excited to learn from this year’s conference speakers! We will be adding information as we confirm speakers. Be sure to check back!

Kari Anderson is the founder and principal of Incite! Consulting, where she helps nonprofit organizations strengthen leadership, fundraising, and strategy so they can build sustainable impact. With more than two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector, Kari has worked with hundreds of nonprofit leaders as a consultant, coach, and facilitator. She brings firsthand experience as a nonprofit staff member, fundraiser, and executive director, giving her a practical understanding of the challenges organizations face. Through consulting, coaching, and speaking, Kari helps nonprofit leaders build stronger boards, clearer strategies, and more effective fundraising systems while navigating growth, change, and complex organizational challenges.

CEO, Nancy Bacon Consulting | Co-founder, Nonprofit Learning Center

Nancy Bacon helps nonprofit leaders make sense of complexity so they can decide and act with clarity during change, transition, and challenge. She is a teacher, instructional designer, and learning strategist with 25+ years in the nonprofit sector and is Founder and CEO of Nancy Bacon Consulting, an educational production company that designs and delivers learning experiences that lead people to action for nonprofits, associations, public agencies, and philanthropic partners. Nancy co-founded the Nonprofit Learning Center and co-hosts the Nonprofit Radio Show to expand access to practical learning for nonprofit leaders. Nancy has published three advocacy-related curricula and co-wrote “12 Ways to Build Your Influence” with Meps Schulte in 2025.

CEO, R Best Life Yoga & Coaching

Roxanne Best is a wellness educator, business coach, and workshop facilitator who helps leaders build sustainable lives and work aligned with their values. An enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, she works extensively with Native nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and community leaders across the country. Through her company, R Best Life Yoga & Coaching, Roxanne leads workshops, retreats, and trainings that combine practical leadership tools with wellness practices that support resilience, clarity, and burnout prevention. Drawing on her experience as a yoga teacher, entrepreneur, and facilitator, she brings a grounded perspective to conversations about leadership and wellbeing in mission-driven work, blending storytelling, reflection, and simple practices participants can immediately apply.

Nonprofit Communications Consultant, Allison Carney Consulting

Allison Carney is a communications consultant who has spent her career working with local and national nonprofits, with over 50 clients in Washington state. She develops communications strategies for organizations: from planning wide-reaching campaigns to coaching staff on best practices in social media. She frequently gives trainings and speaks at events on how nonprofits can effectively and realistically improve their communications. Previously, she led communications departments, created and implemented communications strategies, and launched an online community for foundations. She has her master’s degree from Georgetown University in public relations and her bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College.

President & Grants Practice Director, Cloudbreak Collective

Brittany Kirk is a nonprofit leadership consultant, fundraiser, and writer. Her work as a fundraiser is rooted in a commitment to clarity and capacity building, especially for small, new, and under-resourced organizations. Brittany is the founder of Cloudbreak Collective, a team of fundraisers and writers dedicated to delivering clear, calm, action-oriented fundraising services for nonprofits of all sizes, missions, and locations.

Brittany got her start in fundraising as a grantwriter, Today, she still specializes in institutional funding for nonprofits. Alongside the Cloudbreak team, Brittany has raised over $130M in public and private funding, including grants ranging from $100 to $6M; for nonprofits of all shapes and sizes; for operations, programs, capacity, and capital campaigns; and from a wide range of funders that include businesses, foundations, cities, counties, states, and the federal government.

Brittany’s real world experience is underscored by education in best practices; she holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Governance and Public Policy. She is also on the Board of Directors at Bainbridge Community Foundation, and has been a highly-rated presenter at events by the Puget Sound Grantwriters’ Association (PSGA), 501 Commons, the Nonprofit Association of Washington, Bainbridge Community Foundation, the Kitsap Center for Nonprofit Excellence, and the Nonprofit Leadership Conference of Southwest Washington.

Executive Director, La Casa Hogar

Asunción Márquez grew up in the small farming community of Sunnyside, Washington, where early mornings in the fields with his parents were just part of life. Those early years taught him the value of hard work, family, and perseverance.

After graduating from Sunnyside High School in 2005, he became the first in his family to attend college. At the University of Washington, he earned his Bachelor of Arts in 2010 and was actively involved in several student organizations focused on serving and advocating for the student body. That experience helped shape his commitment to leadership and community service.

In 2012, Chon began working in social services and quickly discovered a deep passion for helping others. Until recently, he served as the Executive Director of Rod’s House, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending youth homelessness in Yakima County. He was appointed to Executive Director of La Casa Hogar in May 2026. Returning to the Yakima Valley has been incredibly meaningful; it provides an opportunity to give back to the community that raised him and to help create a brighter future for young people in the region.

Executive Director, Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition

Abby Muro is the Executive Director of the Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition, where she leads efforts to build power, advance immigrant rights, and strengthen community in Eastern Washington. With a background in education and leadership focused on equity and access, Abby has spent her career creating pathways for first-generation, immigrant, and underserved communities to thrive. She is a relationship-driven leader who believes lasting change is built through trust, collaboration, and community voice.

Senior Director of People, Systems, and Culture, Greater Health Now

Manda Scott is Senior Director of People, Systems, and Culture at Greater Health Now, where she leads HR, workforce development, communications, marketing, finance, and administration. She brings 17 years of HR leadership experience across nonprofit and healthcare organizations, most recently in an executive HR role at a critical-access hospital in Ellensburg. Manda has deep board service experience in the nonprofit sector, including more than 13 years with the Junior League of Yakima, where she served on the Board of Directors and she has held Board President roles with the Dispute Resolution Center for Yakima and Kittitas Counties and the Washington State Healthcare Human Resources Association (WSHHRA). She holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, bachelor’s degrees in Public Health and Spanish from Central Washington University, and the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) credential.

Partner Alignment Lead, Greater Health Now

Tony serves as the Partner Alignment Lead for Yakima and Kittitas Counties, and the Yakama Nation. Before joining Greater Health Now, Tony served as the principal for ESD 105 Open Doors Program. He is incredibly involved in his region and embodies Greater Health Now’s value of collaboration.

Consultant, JAV Consulting & Driftbound Media

Jared Vallejo is an Ellensburg-based Brand, Marketing, and Technology Consultant helping small businesses and nonprofits modernize their processes. He teaches Entrepreneurship at Central Washington University and, as the founder of Driftbound and a Perplexity Business Fellow, brings deep, hands-on expertise in navigating the rapidly evolving AI landscape. He frequently partners with local groups, including the Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce, on strategic initiatives. Jared is passionate about making advanced tools accessible and affordable for Central Washington organizations so they can focus on what matters most: their mission.

Director of Performance and Improvement, Greater Health Now

Chase Ward is Director of Performance and Improvement at Greater Health Now, where he has served since January 2023, building performance monitoring and quality improvement capacity across the nonprofit Accountable Community of Health and its network of contracted partner organizations. He provides data-driven feedback and technical assistance to nonprofit and community-based partners across Greater Health Now’s nine-county region, helping them meet performance and compliance expectations. He also oversees HIPAA compliance for staff and partner agencies. Chase holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting and completed Advanced Process Improvement Training through the Virginia Mason Institute.

President, Cre8tive Minds Consulting, LLC

Heyward S. Watson is an accomplished governance leader and community‑centered strategist with more than 30 years of experience across non-profit, public, and financial sectors. His career spans operational banking, affordable housing finance, and executive leadership, including guiding Impact Capital through major organizational stabilization and strategic restructuring. Heyward has served on more than 10 nonprofit boards, bringing both local and international perspectives through his work with Habitat for Humanity and British Columbia Housing. Known for his steady, equity‑driven leadership, Heyward is recognized for building consensus, strengthening mission‑driven organizations, and grounding decision‑making in cultural humility and community wisdom. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in business management from Antioch University Seattle, along with certifications in succession planning, interim executive management, board governance, and cultural diversity.

President, Third Sector Company

Jeffrey R. Wilcox, CFRE, is president of Third Sector Company.  He is responsible for leading one of the nation’s largest organizations devoted to training and supporting interim executive directors for nonprofit organizations.  Many of those transitional leaders have encountered significant board challenges that may have led to the executive vacancy that is being filled.  Third Sector Company was named the Top Nonprofit Interim Executive Service Provider for 2026 by ManageHR Magazine. Jeffrey founded Board Chairs Academy in 2006 through a partnership with the Long Beach Business Journal to teach businesspeople responsible board stewardship for community organizations.  Board Chairs Academy providing training to over 400 nonprofits in the United States and Canada.  He was the nonprofit columnist for 8 years for the Long Beach Business Journal and he is the former Senior Vice President for Community Impact for United Way of Greater Los Angeles and Valley of the Sun United Way in Phoenix, AZ.  He has served as board chair of many local and national organizations and served as National Governance Chair for Camp Fire USA.

Rebecca Zanatta

Fundraising strategist & consultant, Cloudbreak Collective

Rebecca Zanatta is a nonprofit fundraising strategist and consultant with Cloudbreak Collective and President of RJZ Connections, Inc. She brings more than 30 years of experience helping nonprofit organizations build strong donor partnerships, successful fundraising programs, and sustainable strategies for growth. Rebecca has held senior development roles with organizations including the Pacific Science Center and the Washington State University Foundation and has worked with more than 160 nonprofit clients through her consulting practice. She specializes in board governance, major gifts, capital campaigns, and strategic planning, helping mission-driven organizations strengthen their fundraising systems and leadership capacity.

Alessandra Zielinski

Consultant, educator, and executive coach

Alessandra Zielinski is an independent consultant, educator, and executive coach. The driving force behind her career is capacity building for mission-driven organizations. She believe the best way to strengthen an organization is to invest in the capacity of its leaders by providing the tailored support they need to meet the moment. As a Certified Professional Coach, Alessandra partners with clients to proactively navigate their career trajectory and become more strategic, effective, and sustainable in their approach to work. Over the last few years, she has coached ~200 leaders across a dozen countries, from mid-level professionals to C-suite executives. In addition to her executive coaching and strategy consulting work, Alessandra teaches a graduate course on intercultural communication as well as a consulting course focused on growth strategy for social impact organizations. She holds an MBA from Cornell University, a Master’s in International Relations from Universidad Andina Simon Bolivar, and a BA from the University of Notre Dame.

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