Penelope Burk has over forty years of experience in not-for-profit management, fundraising, and research. A native of Montreal, Canada, Penelope began her professional career in market research, public relations and fundraising, becoming known as a “turn-around specialist” who advocated innovative solutions to improve revenue and institutional performance.  

Penelope and her company, Cygnus Applied Research, Inc., are known for their leading-edge research with donors and their skill in helping clients adapt their fundraising operations to reflect donors’ changing needs and preferences.  

Penelope’s innovative work, her advocacy for donors, and her passion for the philanthropic spirit led, in 2003, to the publication of her second book, Donor-Centered Fundraising. This best-selling text established her as the industry's foremost authority on fundraising research, training and strategic planning based on the principles of Donor-Centered Fundraising. The book is the only statistically-based research ever published on the effect of meaningful communication on donor retention and gift value.

Today, Penelope Burk is a highly sought-after presenter and researcher whose training sessions and forums are widely acclaimed as unique, engaging and among the most effective in the third sector. In addition to two books and a series of national research studies on donor behavior, she is also the author of more than sixty seminars, training programs, and dramatic plays, all written specifically for not-for-profit organizations. Penelope is currently writing her third book, Donor-Centered Leadership, on how to build and sustain a high performance fundraising team.    

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David Barnhardt has worked at the Akron Zoo for 18 years and is currently the Director of Marketing and Guest Services. David is third generation at the zoo and his grandfather was one of the founders in 1953 and his father spent the majority of his life working there.

David is responsible for all marketing and PR efforts at the zoo. as well as managing the Guest Services Staff. The zoo’s dynamic marketing plan and exceptional customer service has helped propel the zoo to record attendance and has now become the most attended attraction in Summit County.

David has been active in the “Brain Gain” of Akron as a past member of a Young Professionals organization, Torchbearers, serving on their board for four years. David has also been involved with numerous other boards and committees including the Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums, serving on their executive committee of regional conferences and as the vice chair of the programming committee. David currently sits on the Board of Mature Services, Inc.

David was the Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau’s 2005 Hospitality Person of the Year, Voted one of Akron Life and Leisure Top Ten Young Professionals in Akron in 2007, he was a Greater Akron Chamber 30 for the Future award winner in 2008 and in 2010 received a Distinguished Sales and Marketing award from Sales & Marketing Executives International.

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Father Norman Douglas co-founded and is now Executive Director of Heart to Heart Communications in Akron, which hopes to strengthen the connection between people’s inner spirit, ethical values and daily work. A graduate of The University of Akron and St. Mary Seminary, he was ordained a Catholic priest for the diocese of Cleveland in 1974 and served 11 years as an associate pastor and 14 years as a pastor in the Akron area. Currently he is Executive Director of Heart to Heart Communications and a part-time campus minister at the University of Akron. In 1997, Father Norm received the Charles Salem Humanitarian Award presented by the city of Akron Human and Community Relations Commission and in 2005 was one of the recipients of the University of Akron Outstanding Alumni Awards.

In 1986, Fr. Norm and attorney Larry Vuillemin established an area-wide Work-centered Reflection Group. In 1988, reflection groups for specific vocations were formed for lawyers, counselors and educators. This became the beginning of Heart to Heart Communications, a spiritually-centered not-for-profit organization which serves as a community catalyst for personal and spiritual development as a foundation for enriching workplaces. Today this organization has created a variety of programs, many of which have a special focus upon developing the inner life of leaders. Heart to Heart offers leadership development series, work-related programs, community-wide events, vocational reflection groups, work transition assistance and faith community experiences.

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Donae Ceja Eckert is Senior Vice President for Community Impact at the United Way of Summit County. As such she is responsible for resource allocation support including funding, volunteer activities and community advocacy. She previously served as the Vice President of Community Investment at Akron Community Foundation where she was responsible for managing the foundation’s grant distribution process.

Donae began her work in philanthropy after over 20 years of experience in the corporate sector with responsibilities in financial and human resource management. Donae was previously employed as the senior vice president, Finance Division, at AmSouth Banking Corporation in Birmingham, Ala., where she was responsible for strategic planning, budgeting, earnings forecasting and profitability analysis. She also served as the senior vice president, administration, at Consolidated Banking Corporation in Miami, Fla., where she had executive-level responsibility for human resources, purchasing, marketing, facilities management and corporate policies. Earlier in her career, as a financial analyst, she represented Southeast Bank of Miami as head of investor relations.

Donae received her B.A. in business administration from Baldwin Wallace College and her certificate in human resources studies from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University.

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Todd Eisinger is an entrepreneur and founder of Inspires 2 Aspire, which produces inspirational greeting cards to encourage individuals and families, including those whose lives are touched by disabilities. Todd received the Greater Akron Chamber’s 30 For the Future award and is a Special Olympics aquatics champion.

Todd, a 2003 graduate of Firestone High School, won more medals in a World Special Olympics Games than any other Ohio Special Olympian – ever. Competing in 4 events, Todd medaled in each event. Winning gold in the individual 100 and 200 meter freestyles, Todd also led off the TeamUSA 200 meter freestyle relay to a silver medal finish. His won his final medal, a bronze, with a come-from-behind finish in the 100 meter breaststroke.

Todd actually began competing in the alpine skiing events with Special Olympics before competitive swimming. At the age of 10, he was winning gold and silver medals, and the much older and bigger athletes weren’t too pleased about this newcomer. He still continues to win gold in the advanced downhill and advanced giant slalom.

Todd’s Special Olympic swim team, the Summit Special Olympic Athletic Club, is an Ohio sanctioned team organized by parents of individuals with developmental disabilities to allow their children to compete in athletic competition and socialize with their peers.

Todd became the first member of the Firestone High School Swim team with a developmental disability and he lettered all 4 years. His proudest moment in high school swimming was when the A team relay swam with him and they won the event. His favorite times were the Friday night events with the boys that always included him.

Todd’s goal is to continue to swim competitively at the national/world level and to improve his personal best times. He also wants to continue modeling and to appear in more movies.

With the start of his company, Inspires 2 Aspire, Todd hopes to inspire other individuals to be the best they can be. His cards are designed not just for individuals with developmental disabilities and their family and friends, but for all of us. We all need encouragement and support.

The Eisinger family credits Todd’s success to our community. They feel that the acceptance and encouragement Todd has received throughout his life have given him the confidence needed to aspire to and achieve his goals.

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Leigh Greenfelder, Vice President at Highland PR, manages clients' day-to-day communications needs, including strategic planning, public relations, advertising, media buying and branding. Her experience in public relations as well as planning and managing marketing campaigns and budgets allows her to coordinate and execute every aspect of a client¹s communications needs. Leigh is the account manager for several of our agency¹s largest clients including the Akron Zoo and the Cleveland Marathon, both of which have won national awards for their advertising campaigns under her watch. Leigh also assists in responding to new business opportunities and manages personnel for our firm.

She serves as president of the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity of Summit County, where she chairs the PR committee and serves on the steering committee for the capital campaign. Leigh is also the communications chair of the American Advertising Federation of Akron, and she serves on the event committee for Akron Zoo's Summer Safari.

She joined Highland PR with public relations and marketing experience both with an agency and a non-profit. She was director of media and community relations for the Akron Racers Foundation, where she managed all public relations for the non-profit organization as well as the women¹s professional fastpitch team. She also spent time at the largest public relations firm in Cleveland as a full-time intern, assisting with large national accounts and managing non-profit and pro-bono accounts.

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Mark Karavakis is an Account Executive with Convio, an Austin based technology firm that helps non-profit organizations leverage technology to find new supporters, manage constituent relationships, and raise funds online. Mark often speaks to AFP chapters and non-profit groups about the fundamentals and best practices of online fundraising and constituent relationship management.

Mark has been working in the field of online marketing and advertising since 1998. For the past 5 years he has focused on the nonprofit sector. Prior to joining Convio he spent over 15 years in the newspaper industry. During that time he held the positions of New Media Manager for The Columbus Dispatch and Internet Director for Add Inc., a division of the Journal Communications in Milwaukee.

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Rick Krochka is the President and owner of TRIAD Communications/Next Level Interactive, a marketing and communications firm established in 1994 specializing in traditional and interactive media for corporate and non-profit organizations.

In 2010, Next Level Interactive was established to brand and more prominently market the firm's interactive and digital services. Together, TRIAD/Next Level excels at producing visual communications for web, broadcast and print using high quality, innovative concepts while working within client budget requirements. The company's Design4Good program, rebranded in 2010, has benefited many non profit organizations over the years and its new application and review process has allowed TRIAD/Next Level to help more organizations than ever before, contributing over $300,000 in pro bono services over the last 15+ years. The firm's creative teams are some of the best in their field, winning over 100 regional and national awards -- and knowing the true meaning of customer service, for which the firm is renowned.

Before starting TRIAD Communications in 1994, Rick worked for several local advertising firms, beginning his career as a graphic designer. His interest in the arts and cultural institutions, coupled with a zeal for community service (he is a member of Class 27 of Leadership Akron) have led to many volunteer opportunities: serving on committees and advisory boards for the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank (Marketing & Communications Committee and a Trustee), Akron Urban League (Development & Marketing Committee), Boys & Girls Club of the Western Reserve (Marketing & Communications Committee), Canal Square YMCA: Business Advisory Board (President), Community AIDS Network (Trustee), Gay Community Endowment Fund/Akron Community Foundation (Advisory Board), Glenbeigh (Development Advisory Board), Greater Akron Musical Association/Akron Symphony Orchestra (Trustee and VP, Marketing & Communications), and the Summit County Regional Arts & Cultural Board (Vice President).

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Ann Manby is a CPA who had a 6 year career in the world of public accounting with a focus on auditing non-profit organizations. She currently serves as the controller of The House of the Lord in Akron. She is on the board and finance committee of the Rockynol retirement community and works with the Victim Assistance Program and the American Cancer Society to plan their annual gala events in the Akron area. She has also served on committees of the Summit County American Red Cross and United Way. She was honored as the Outstanding Communications Volunteer by the Summit County Red Cross in 2005, Volunteer of the Year by the Victim Assistance Program in 2010, and was part of Akron’s “30 for the Future” class of 2010. Ann graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a major in accounting and a minor in economics management.

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Lauren Reed is the Senior Account Planner of hfa. Her instinctive curiosity and training in anthropology make her uniquely skilled at getting to the root of what makes people tick and connecting insights to form marketing strategies. Her strategic guidance helps ensure that creative and tactical elements align with both customer needs as well as business goals.

Lauren’s branding experience ranges from healthcare to home improvement to automotive, and includes specific focus on developing strategies that work for both professional and consumer audiences. Her non-profit experience includes the Summit County Developmental Disabilities Board and the Akron Roundtable.

Lauren’s skills include strategic planning and stewardship; consumer insights; qualitative, quantitative and secondary research; interview, workshop and brainstorming moderation; research project management; and social media listening. She is also the chairperson of the agency’s Future Team.

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Laura K. Shank is the Director of Development at Pawsibilities, Humane Society of Greater Akron. She is on the Board of Directors of Torchbearers, the North Central Ohio Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Greater Akron Chamber’s Young Professionals-Next Generation Crew. Laura holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration with a Specialization in Marketing from Bowling Green State University.

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Kirstin Toth is Sr. Vice President at the GAR Foundation, which she joined in 2007. Previously Toth served as the consulting project director for the Great Lakes Environmental Finance Center at Cleveland State University's Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs. Toth has also worked in the private sector at Bank One and in the public sector as an aide to the president of the Board of Cuyahoga County Commissioners. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Ohio University, and a Master of Public Administration in economic development from Cleveland State University.

Currently, Toth serves as chair of the Summit Education Initiative and on Summit County's First Things First advisory committee. She is a member of the national Grantmakers for Education, and is active in the education advisory group of Ohio Grantmakers Forum.

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Larry Vuillemin, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and The University of Akron School of Law, is currently a partner with the law firm of Gorman, Malarcik, Pierce, and Vuillemin, where his practice includes a focus on employment relations and workplace issues. He previously served as a senior trial attorney with the Summit County Prosecutor's Office, an Akron city councilman, and an adjunct professor at the University of Akron School of Law. He received the Sir Thomas More Award in 2003 for his personal integrity, professional excellence, and community service and the University of Akron Law School Outstanding Alumni Award in 2005.

Larry and Father Norm were recipients of the 2002 Distinguished Leadership Award presented by Leadership Akron and the 2009 Betty Dalton Community Service Award. Both are certified as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator facilitators. They have received training in order to offer programs utilizing the Enneagram Personality System. Each Is certified as a Spiritual Director. With Steve Hallam, former dean of the University of Akron College of Business, they wrote a book, How in the World Do We Make a Difference: Getting to the Heart and Soul of Love and Work. Copies are available through the Heart to Heart office.

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Stephanie Snow Werren, Leadership Stark County’s development director, is responsible for annual fund raising, the sponsorship campaign and alumni programming. Stephanie brings a broad background in sales and community volunteerism to her position. She is a 2008 recipient of the ystark Twenty under 40 award for volunteerism and was named the Malone University Graduate School Alumna of the Year in 2009.

A Canton native, Werren holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Malone College and a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science/international studies from Miami University.

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Laurie Zuckerman, president of Zuckerman Consulting Group, Inc. is an organizational consultant with 23 years experience in strategic planning, leadership development, executive coaching, and teambuilding. Laurie has consulted with close to 100 organizations, including NASA, Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Children’s Hospital, Summa Health System, Stark County Department of Job and Family Services, and numerous closely held corporations.

Laurie’s life passion is to develop strong, competent leaders who act both strategically and with humanity. She is skilled at developing strong leadership teams that have a clear, intentional vision for their organization and know how to engage everyone in productive work toward that vision.

In addition, Laurie served on the faculty of the International Gestalt Coaching Program for five years. Laurie has a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, an MBA in Marketing, and more than ten years of training in human behavior (the latter at the Gestalt Institute of Cleveland and the Gestalt International Study Center). She is the author of On Your Own: A Woman’s Guide To Building A Business.