Educational Programs
Meet the Expert Instructors of Nonprofit Center Workshops and Customized Trainings
Jason Alexander is a senior partner at Capacity for Change, LLC, which provides management consulting to nonprofits. He has served as a management, planning and development consultant for nonprofits, state and local government agencies, consortia, foundations, and grassroots organizations. He has an MA in Public Policy and Urban Affairs from the University of Delaware and a BA from College of the Holy Cross.
Gail Bower, president, Bower & Co. Consulting LLC., specializes in raising the visibility, revenue, and impact ofnonprofit organizations.She is a professional consultant, writer, and speaker, with 20 years of experience managing important events, festivals, and sponsorships. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Gettysburg College.
June Cason, is a freelance consultant in fundraising and board development. She spent 15 years as general manager of Wilmington’s Minikin Opera Company and as director of development for OperaDelaware and for Arts and Humanities at the University of Delaware. A Certified Fund Raising Executive, she earned her MM from University of Houston and BA from the University of Rochester.
Chris Coward is a licensed clinical social worker and leadership coach with over 10 years experience supervising, managing and leading people working in nonprofit agencies. She has worked with individuals and teams in various organizations, helping them improve their communication and gain clarity around their goals and mission. She is an experienced workshop facilitator and also uses adventure- based learning in some of her trainings. She received her coach training from MentorCoach.
Patrick Feeley has over 13 years of experience in generating donations and sponsorships from corporations. Currently director of institutional and events fundraising at the Children’s Hospital Foundation at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, he was previously director of corporate and foundation relations for La Salle University. Prior to that, he worked with Junior Achievement. He earned an MBA from La Salle University and a BA from Millersville University.
Jane Finkle is a career consultant and principal of Career Visions, as well as a career counselor at Bryn Mawr College. She brings over 20 years experience in helping individuals with career assessment and planning, job search strategies and workplace adjustment. She previously served as associate director of Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her MS in Counseling from the University of Rochester
Donna Freyman has served as director of human resources at the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia for over 11 years, overseeing all aspects of HR, including employee recruitment and retention, compensation and benefits, performance management, training, and employee relations. She previously served as assistant vice president of training and development at the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society. She holds a BA in Education from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and has done graduate work in management at the University of Pennsylvania and La Salle University.
George Gephart, Jr.,founder, George Gephart Interview Coaching, brings almost 30 years of corporate and communications experience to his consulting on making effective presentations. His clientele ranges from former CEOs to 12-year-olds, as he provides them with tricks to best present their backgrounds and personalities. George’s previous experience includes 20 years as senior managing director of an investment firm. He received an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a BA from Yale University.
Kim Huggins is the owner and president of K HR Solutions, LLC, which provides innovative and customized leadership and team solutions in human resources. She brings over 16 years of professional human resources organizational assessment and design, change management, leadership development, talent management, executive coaching, management training/supervisory development, and diversity. She holds a BS in Business from Drexel University.
Adrienne Jenkins is director of consulting at The Nonprofit Center. With 20 years of professional experience in market research and analysis, business development, financial analysis and planning, in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors, she was the former executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance as well as president of the Executive Service Corps of the Delaware Valley. She holds an MBA from Drexel University and a BS from Penn State University.
John Kelley, Ph.D., is executive director of planning, training, and institutional research at Villanova University. Well-recognized in program evaluation with over 25 years in the field, he has trained and taught extensively in this area and has participated in hundreds of evaluations at the federal, state and local levels. He holds a Ph.D. from Medical College of Pennsylvania and an MA from Bryn Mawr College.
Diane Kiddy is a healthcare executive with more than 15 years experience as a hospital administrator, most recently as director of government affairs for a national chain of hospitals. She has also held several government posts including executive director of the first Mayor’s Commission for Women. She has taught at the American College of Healthcare Executives and graduate programs at Temple and St. Francis Universities. She earned a Master’s degree from Bryn Mawr College.
Pamela Leland, Ph.D., is principal of The Leland Leadership Group and former executive director of the Nonprofit Community Resource Center, University of Delaware. She has been affiliated with The Nonprofit Center at La Salle for several years as a consultant and instructor in leadership, evaluation, strategic planning, and board governance. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Delaware, her MS from Georgia State University and her BA from the University of Georgia.
Suzanne McCall, senior training for Pinnacle Group Business Resources & Solutions, has extensive experience in facilitating on topics such as communication skills, stress management, presentations skills, facilitation, and meetings management. She specializes in helping individuals and organizations improve the way they communicate one-on-one, within teams, and to larger audiences. She has a BFA from Florida State University in Theatre.
Kathleen Pereles, Ph.D. is an associate professor in the Department of Management/MIS at Rowan University and has been teaching at the collegiate level since 1981. Her most recent work includes publications in the areas of labor arbitration and the contingent workforce. She serves as an organizational development consultant for nonprofit organizations in the Delaware Valley. She earned a Ph.D. from Temple University in Human Resources Administration and Organizational Development, an MBA from Widener University, and a BS from St. Bonaventure University.
Elizabeth F. Pilacik, CPA, chairs the Nonprofit and Tax-Exempt Services of Asher & Co., Ltd., a team of professionals seeking to optimize the financial performance of nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations. Elizabeth is experienced in conducting audits in keeping with generally accepted auditing standards as well as with specific government and industry regulations. She works with clients on accounting for endowments, contributions and government funding, and improved internal control procedures. She holds a BS in Accounting from St. Joseph’s University and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Richard Przywara is executive director of the West Chester University Foundation where he had also held the university position of associate vice president for advancement. He previously served as the General Manager for the Special Services Department for New Castle County DE. Richard received his B.A. in Criminal Justice and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Delaware.
Susan Redding, senior trainer for Pinnacle Group Business Resources & Solutions, has 15 years of experience in management and professional development, process improvement, communication skills and time management. She has taught on the university level and is a frequent speaker. She earned her Master’s in Management from La Salle University and her B.S. in Communication from the University of Delaware.
Jennifer Shropshire is a principal with Edward F. Swenson & Associates, Inc., a management and fundraising consulting firm, where she uses management and fundraising expertise to support her nonprofit clients. She was formerly director of development for the Walnut Street Theater. In addition to her consulting work with The Nonprofit Center, she is a CLEAR Circle facilitator, working with nonprofit executive directors. She holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a BS from the State University of New York.
Michael Smith, Ph.D., is an associate professor of Communication at La Salle University and director of the graduate program in professional communication. He teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in public relations, organizational communications and conflict. He has worked with the Cultural Center for Art and Historical Artifacts and has presented crisis communication training to organizations throughout the country and region. Mike earned a Ph.D. in Communication at Purdue University, and his MA, MS and undergraduate degrees at Central Michigan University.
Laura Solomon, Esq. maintains a law practice, Laura Solomon, Esq. & Associates, devoted to forming and advising nonprofit, charitable organizations. She provides a full range of corporate and tax legal services, including representation for mergers, joint ventures, and complex financings. Her clients include public charities and private foundations, museums, hospitals, schools, religious groups, business leagues, and political action committees, and range from small start-up organizations to large health systems and multi-national charities. She received her B.A. from Tufts University and her J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
Sonia J. Stamm is principal of her own consulting firm. A staff member of The Nonprofit Center for more than seven years, Sonia served as director of educational programs and director of leadership programs, as well as a consultant and instructor in governance and leadership. Prior to her work with The Nonprofit Center, she spent a decade as an executive search consultant for emerging companies. She earned an M.Ed. from Temple University and a BS from Ithaca College.
Lynne A. Texter, Ph.D., is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication at La Salle University. An award-winning educator with over 20 years of teaching experience in the U.S., Czech Republic, and Greece, Lynne consults with a variety of organizations, including the New York State Department of Health, the Association of Government Accountants, JEVS, Habitat for Humanity/Germantown, Siloam Ministries, and the Kelly Anne Dolan Foundation. She received her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo and her Master’s from the Newhouse School of Communication at Syracuse University.
Allison Trimarco is the founder of Consulting for Nonprofits, which works with nonprofit organizations of all types to increase their management capacity. Her practice focuses on fundraising, communications, strategic planning, and board development projects. Prior to beginning her consulting practice, she worked for a wide range of nonprofit organizations, including libraries, public television, theatre, and the financial services industry. She earned her MA in Arts Management at Carnegie Mellon University, and her BA in Theatre at Smith College.
Janis Von Culin is founder and president of Von Culin Associates, a human resources consulting firm, working in organizational effectiveness and human resource strategies. With more than 25 years experience in industry and human services, she combines the knowledge of a hands-on human resources professional with that of a senior level business executive. Prior to starting her consulting practice, she spent 18 years with a Fortune 500 company, where she led the HR function for nine divisions operating in North America and Asia. She has a BA from Pacific Oaks College and an MA in Organizational and Industrial Psychology from California State University, Los Angeles.
Roger Walton, vice president, Premiere Financial Group, has 12 years experience in the financial planning field. He was the founder of his own consulting company specializing in debt consulting and finance management. His specialties are Wealth Management and creating financial plans. He has a degree in economics from Pennsylvania State University.
Eric Wichner, former principal of Aunt Bunny Marketing and director of corporate relations and major gifts at the American Red Cross of Southeastern PA, he brings 15 years experience in individual and corporate fundraising, volunteer utilization, and corporate and nonprofit marketing alliances. As executive director of the AIDS Fund, he was the driving force behind the unparalled growth of Pennsylvania’s largest AIDS fundraising organization. Eric currently spends most of his time in Puerto Villarta, Mexico.
