Summit 2025 - United Way of Westchester and Putnam

Tickets to United Way of Westchester and Putnam’s 2025 Nonprofit Leadership Summit Available Now!

Bestselling author Dan Heath

United Way of Westchester and Putnam is pleased to announce that tickets are now on sale for its 23rd annual Nonprofit Leadership Summit on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Purchase College in Purchase, NY. The event will feature two distinguished keynote speakers and explore the theme “Resilience & Innovation in a Changing World.”

Bestselling author Dan Heath will deliver the morning keynote address, coinciding with the launch of his new book “Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working.” The first 500 Summit attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the book. Heath, known for his previous bestsellers “Switch,” “Made to Stick,” and “Upstream,” which have sold over 4 million copies worldwide, will share powerful insights on change management and organizational transformation. He also currently hosts the popular podcast “What It’s Like to Be…” and has been widely recognized for his work on organizational change.

The afternoon keynote will be presented by retired Navy Captain Gail Harris, the first woman and first African American in naval history to serve as an Intelligence Officer in a Navy aviation squadron. Her 45-minute address, “Take Command & Win,” will draw from her remarkable 28-year military career, during which she provided crucial intelligence support from the Cold War to Kosovo. She is the author of the memoir “A Woman’s War,” has been profiled by BBC and Fox News and recognized by the Spy Museum for her groundbreaking leadership.

“Both Dan Heath and Captain Gail Harris embody our summit’s commitment to leadership, resilience, and innovation,” said Tom Gabriel, President and CEO of United Way of Westchester and Putnam. “Their extraordinary experiences will provide nonprofit leaders with actionable strategies to thrive in challenging environments.”

The summit will include a Q&A session following each keynote address, breakout sessions, a vendor tabling area, lunch, and networking opportunities. It is designed to support professional development for nonprofit staff and volunteers across the region.

Tickets are $75 per person or $65 each for groups of five or more.

retired Navy Captain Gail Harris

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Breakout Sessions

Morning Session

Session Title: Empowering Westchester-Based Nonprofits with Community Data

Speaker: Limarie Cabrera, Director of Data, Operations & Finance, Westchester Children’s Association, and Bijan Kimiagar, Founder & Principal, AEQUA Strategies

Session Style: workshop

Session Description: Nonprofits need community-level data for multiple purposes: grant writing, needs assessments, program development and evaluation, advocacy, strategic decisions, and more. To address these needs, we propose hosting a data walk–a hands-on workshop where participants view, comment, and discuss data in ways that support taking action on shared goals. The workshop will include:

A welcoming setting to speak with colleagues and learn about community data available for Westchester County.
Two dozen large-format data visualizations on important demographic trends and community conditions.
Information to use immediately in day-to-day work; and
Opportunities to voice the specific indicators and technical assistance their organizations need.

Session Title: The Art of Inspiring and Empowering Others

Speaker: Norma Carby, owner of Normaknowz

Session Style: lecture

Session Description: Master the art of effective communication, delegation, and mentorship in the workforce. With emphasis on:

Motivating teams to achieve ambitious goals.
Empowering staff to take ownership and initiative.
Fostering a culture where individuals can grow and develop into leaders.
Recognizing and celebrating individual and team successes.

Session Title: Leading with Purpose: Aligning Teams and Missions to Maximize Impact

Speaker: Jenn Maher, Soulful Prosperity Coach

Session Style: workshop

Session Description: Nonprofit leaders face unique opportunities to inspire their teams and drive mission-driven success. In this talk, Prosperous Jenn shares how to align your team with your mission to create clarity, momentum, and impact. Learn strategies to foster collaboration, build accountability, and streamline efforts for maximum efficiency. Discover how soulful leadership inspires staff and volunteers to take ownership, thrive with purpose, and stay deeply connected to the mission. This session provides actionable tools to strengthen your team, amplify your impact, and lead with intention in the nonprofit sector.

Afternoon Session

Session Title: Speaking Truth to Power: Tools for Influence, Confidence & Justice

Speaker: Katie Karlovitz, owner of On Speaking Terms

Session Style: workshop

Session Description: For this 45-minute workshop, I’d like to give each participant an opportunity to write and deliver a short mini-speech on a variation on “Why I do what I do, and why it matters”

Speaking truth to power is about getting a whole new challenge as the current White House administration is cutting funding to many, if not all, not for profits. By speaking up with integrity and confidence, people can expect to get their messages out and appeal to their audience’s compassion and care.

This workshop is conducted in a supportive and encouraging manner. Miss Karlovitz has been running them for 30+ years and considers it an honor to be helping people to excel in such a vital part of their careers and lives.

Session Title: Your Campaign Structure – Ready for Transformational Gifts

Speaker: Gary Laermer, Senior Consultant – DBD Group

Session Style: lecture

Session Description: Is your “annual campaign” just a call for next year? Many campaign structures are built from an internalized view, lacking donor perspective, which reduces urgency and impact. Today’s campaigns demand clear definitions, volunteer structures, and objectives to prepare for transformational gifts.

Are you ready to assess your readiness to design forward-looking campaigns that attract volunteer leadership, larger gifts, and excitement. This session will explore comprehensive approaches to building a fundraising campaign that is exciting, meets funding objectives, and aligns with key donor interests for solid growth. Join us to drive transformation and success!

Session Title: Working Together: Bridging Generational Gaps in Non-Profit Teams

Speaker: Lorraine Novack, Regional Director or DOROT Westchester

Session Style: lecture

Session Description: For the first time in history, workplaces commonly have up to five generations contributing to achieving organizational goals. With each generation having its own expectations of employment, professional values, communication styles and technology comfort levels, there can be many challenges to bridge the gaps that impact the effectiveness of our multigenerational teams. This workshop will cover underlying factors and how to build the team dynamics that enable your multigenerational teams to work together, leveraging their collective strength towards the success of your organization’s mission.