Read the full text of Jacklyn P. Boice's wrap up of the Conference of Champions (Atlanta, 2006), published in the July/August issue of Advancing Philanthropy.
Diversity Programs at the International Conference
Arlington,
VA,
February 22, 2007
– Contact:
Elizabeth Lenart
VGS Marketing Group
972-395-9034
el@vgsmarketing.com
Joyce R. O'Brien
Vice President, Communications and Marketing
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP)
U.S./Canada: 800-666-3863 x457
Mexico: 001-866-837-1948
jobrien@afpnet.org or visit www.afpnet.org
ASSOCIATION OF FUNDRAISING PROFESSIONALS (AFP) INCLUDES DIVERSITY COMPONENTS
AT 44TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FUNDRAISING AT DALLAS CONVENTION CENTER
Plenary Speaker Maria Echaveste, AFP’s Annual Diversity Workshop and Diversity Art Showcase Emphasize Importance of Diversity in Fundraising
Dallas, Texas – February 22, 2007 – The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 44th International Conference, March 25-28, Dallas Convention Center, will highlight the importance of diversity in fundraising through speakers, workshops and the conference’s annual Diversity Art Showcase. The Diversity Workshop and the Diversity Art Showcase are sponsored by THE ALFORD GROUP. The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) defines diversity in fundraising as the seeking and achieving of a broad representation of experiences, perspectives, opinions and cultures as an essential source of vitality and strength for the effective pursuit of an organization’s mission.
Conference DIVERSITY Highlights Include:
MARIA ECHAVESTE, PLENARY SPEAKER
MARIA ECHAVESTE, former Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for President Clinton, will speak on Wednesday, March 28, from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., on how to create a shared vision for the future. She will discuss ways to do this that support existing staff and donors, motivate and generate new supporters, and engage new stakeholders. She will talk about how we can connect our organization to the work of others and leverage the increasing desire for community and connection to expand our work. One day passes are available to Echaveste’s presentation for $150. This pass also provides access to Wednesday's educational sessions and access to the Exposition on Fundraising and Philanthropy."
BACKGROUND ON MARIA ECHAVESTE
Maria Echaveste, co-founder of the Nueva Vista Group in San Francisco, has built a distinguished career working as a senior White House official, long-time community leader, and corporate attorney. Ms. Echaveste's background provides her with a unique understanding of how to develop and implement a successful legislative strategy and how to build new alliances to support the work of her non-profit and corporate clients.
Prior to founding the Nueva Vista Group, she served as Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff for President Clinton, a position she held from May 1998 through January 2001. In this role, Ms. Echaveste had oversight responsibility for many of the President's domestic policy initiatives, including education, civil rights, immigration and bankruptcy reform. Working with a team of core advisors, Ms. Echaveste developed communications, legislative and public outreach strategies for the White House. She also coordinated federal disaster relief, for both foreign and domestic disasters, and focused on international issues relating to Latin America.
As a long-time community leader and Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liaison at the White House from February 1997 to May 1998, Ms. Echaveste built an extensive network of relationships and contacts with diverse organizations and communities throughout the country. Prior to working in the White House, Ms. Echaveste served as the Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, from June 1993 to early 1997. In that capacity, she deepened her knowledge of U.S. labor laws and issues relating to labor and management relations.
Ms. Echaveste is a frequent guest on the weekly PBS television show "To the Contrary," a women's political roundtable focused on issues of national interest. She is involved in politics and national policy as a member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic National Committee. Ms Echaveste is also a member of the Board of Directors of People for the American Way, the Children's Law Center of Washington, D.C., and CARE, a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. She also serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the Woodrow Wilson Center's Mexico Institute.
Ms. Echaveste received a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology from Stanford University in 1976. In 1980, Ms. Echaveste received a Juris Doctor from the University of California at Berkeley. She worked as an attorney specializing in corporate litigation for firms in Los Angeles and New York, becoming special counsel in 1989 with the New York firm of Rosenman & Colin.
DIVERSITY WORKSHOP WITH TRACY BROWN
This year’s annual DIVERSITY WORKSHOP, Sunday, March 25, 1-3 p.m., will feature TRACY BROWN, author of "Breaking the Barrier of Bias" and several audio-learning programs. The Diversity Workshop is sponsored by THE ALFORD GROUP.
Featured in Money Magazine and other publications, Brown is the is president of Diversity Trends LLC, a consulting and training firm based in Dallas, Texas that helps organizations use diversity as a strategic advantage in teamwork, customer service and marketing.
Tracy Brown is an expert on the impact of diversity on productivity and interpersonal relationships. She fills her presentations with real-life examples and fills her audience members’ hearts with a desire to make a difference.
"Diversity is NOT a new thing in the U.S.A. What's new is the fact that we can no longer be effective living with the old stereotypes as a part of our daily operations,” said Tracy Brown, president of Diversity Trends LLC. “If we don't transform diversity into a strategic advantage, we won't be able to compete on a global scale.”
AFP DIVERSITY ART SHOWCASE, Exhibit Hall
Throughout the conference, attendees can view artwork by AFP members as well youths from The Oakridge School in Arlington, Texas, a private school representing 12 countries, at the AFP DIVERSITY ART SHOWCASE. The showcase, sponsored by THE ALFORD GROUP, strives to portray the uniqueness, value, and diversity of people and community through art, photos and poetry. First, second, and third place winners from the youth component will be honored during the opening plenary session of the conference. The artwork will be on display in the exhibit hall throughout the AFP Conference.
Sharon LeMond, CFRE, an AFP member, Fort Worth Chapter, conducted a workshop with the students at The Oakridge School to talk about philanthropy and its relationship to diversity. The students were asked to think of examples of situations that might need “philanthropy” in their classroom, community, and even throughout the world.
“The students learned that true philanthropic action will be aware of all humanity and seek to better individuals and groups in need regardless of their differences,” said LeMond, who is also director of development, The Oakridge School. “And they learned how to express these thoughts through art. It’s been a wonderful experience for all students involved.”
The Association of Fundraising Professionals also produces a quarterly diversity newsletter to its members around the world called Kaleidoscope, which brings to light the differences and similarities of human experience that we so often overlook. As its name implies, Kaleidoscope aims to inspire a vision of inclusiveness and harmony that can be achieved when true differences are respected and false perceptions are forgotten.
“If philanthropy means loving mankind or having a spirit of goodwill toward all people, then philanthropy is really diversity in action,” said, Paulette V. Maehara, CFRE, CAE, president and CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. “As the philanthropic universe has changed, so has the need increased for us to know and understand the requirements, desires and motivations of professionals with various backgrounds. The emphasis on diversity at the annual conference is an important part of AFP’s strategic goal of connecting communities around the world by promoting diversity to donors, boards and fundraisers.”
In addition to Maria Echaveste, AFP’s 44th International Conference on Fundraising will feature outstanding speakers such as Brooke Shields, Lance Armstrong, and Craig Kielburger as well as hundreds of educational sessions and the largest exposition on fundraising and philanthropy in the world, in the Dallas Convention Center, 650 Griffin St., Sunday, March 25 – Wednesday, March 28, 2007. The conference is the largest meeting of fundraising professionals in the world, annually gathering about 4,000 people to the sessions and other special events.
The AFP 44th International Conference on Fundraising features educational sessions on a wide variety of topics related to philanthropy, development, volunteerism, and leadership. The conference includes Master Tracks for the advanced professional as well as the Academy for Professional Development, including the Consultants School, Management School, and Professional Development School. Attendees will also learn new trends in fundraising in The Exposition on Fundraising and Philanthropy, the largest and most comprehensive gathering of fundraising products and services in the world.
Conference sponsors to date are Blackbaud, full conference sponsor, Advantage Consulting, Inc., Advanced Solutions International, Inc., AFP Foundation for Philanthropy, The Alford Group, American Express, AXA Advisors, LLC, Bentz Whaley Flessner, Campbell & Company, The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Community Counselling Services (CCS), DialogueDirect, eTapestry Inc., EU Services, Get Active Software, Grizzard, Ketchum, The Nonprofit Times, Paschal Murray, Inc., Sage Software, and Wiley.
The conference is open to the public interested attendees may register on site. Visit http://conference.afpnet.org/2007 for more details on conference costs and registration or call AFP at 1-800-666-3863.
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The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) represents nearly 28,000 members in more than 185 chapters in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Asia working to advance philanthropy and ethical and effective fundraising through advocacy, research, education, and certification programs. AFP International Headquarters and the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy are located at 4300 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203-4168. Call 703-684-0410 or visit www.afpnet.org for more information or to join the world’s largest fundraising association.
Press Contact:
Joyce O'Brien
800-666-3863
jobrien@afpnet.org
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