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Meet Our Trainers

CNE partners with a wide range of expert trainers and facilitators in developing and providing its programs and services, many of whom volunteer their time to CNE because they’re committed to strengthening the sector. We’re lucky to know them, and grateful for their deep expertise and willingness to share it.

 

The speakers below have led and facilitated trainings for CNE WorkshopsAdvanced Training SeriesLeadership Circles and Academies.

Amy P. Nisenson

Consultant
Amy Nisenson Consulting
CNE Programs: Workshops

Amy’s consulting expertise includes strategic planning, board development/governance work, board and staff meeting facilitation, organizational development, succession planning, executive search and CEO evaluation, and resource development. Her over 30 years as a senior philanthropy professional includes work on both… Read More

Rachael Kesler Palm

Independent Marketing Communications Consultant
CNE Programs: Workshops

Rachael Kesler Palm has more than 20 years of experience in journalism, marketing, and fundraising communications. She has previously worked in the for-profit sector and has more than a decade of… Read More

Maryfrances Porter

Partnerships for Strategic Impact
CNE Programs: Management Academy

Maryfrances Porter, Ph.D., Founder of Partnerships for Strategic Impact™, brings over 20 years of experience in research and using data in leading local change initiatives across service sectors. Partnership for Strategic Impact helps nonprofits, governments, foundations, and corporations demonstrate the… Read More

Andrew Robinson, Ph.D.

Program Manager
CNE
CNE Programs: Board Academy, Management Academy

Andrew brings over ten years of classroom experience at the college level. During his time as a graduate student he fell in love with teaching and sought out opportunities to connect with other practitioners and better understand how learning… Read More

Laurie Jarrett Rogers

Independent Grant Writer
CNE Programs: Advanced Trainings - Annual Fund Series, CNE Workshops, Management Academy

Since March 1995, Laurie has worked as an independent grant writer for non-profits in the Metro Richmond area. From that position, she has assisted in all aspects of fund raising such as starting or increasing annual funds, formulating strategies… Read More

PJ Rooney, Ph.D.

Trainer
CNE Programs: Workshops, Leadership Circles

Dr. Rooney currently serves as Chief of Staff at the U.S. Army’s National Ground Intelligence Center.  Concurrently, she is Adjunct Faculty at the Brookings Institution, the FBI’s National Executive Institute, and Mountain Shepherd Wilderness Adventure School teaching leadership courses… Read More

Allison Scholl

Founder
Acorn Group
CNE Programs: Leadership Circles

Allison Scholl formed the Acorn Group to harness the power of philanthropy and positively—even radically—benefit and transform communities. Allison’s dedication to the non-profit… Read More

Russell Willis Taylor

Former Board Chair
Center for Nonprofit Excellence
CNE Programs: Board Academy

Russell Willis Taylor served as interim Vice President for arts and leadership at The Banff Centre in Canada from 2016 to 2018. Prior to that, she served as President and CEO of National Arts Strategies from January 2001 to… Read More

Elizabeth Turrisi

Senior Consultant
ResilienceMaker Strategies LLC.
CNE Programs: Workshops

In her 20+ years of experience in leading nonprofit organizations, most recently as Sr. Head, Membership Products at CFA Institute, Elizabeth has built and led teams in a variety of functional areas including IT support, website management,… Read More

Ebony Walden

Founder & Principal
Ebony Walden Consulting
CNE Programs: Workshops

Ms. Walden has over a decade of community development experience working with a diversity of practitioners and residents to transform communities. She leverages her experience as an urban planner and community builder to design and facilitate community workshops, trainings and… Read More

Bev Wann, M. Ed., PCC

Leadership Coach
Bev Wann: Leadership for Conscious Change
CNE Programs: Advanced Trainings

Bev is a leadership coach and consultant and has served as an adjunct faculty member at the Federal Executive Institute since 1990. She offers workshops to emerging and senior leaders that integrate mindfulness, applied neuroscience, resilience, and leadership. Bev… Read More

Katherine Whitney

Co-founder and Director
Warren Whitney

Katherine Whitney has over 25 years of experience in helping organizations reach their potential. Most of Katherine’s work involves understanding the current position of an organization and working with its staff, management, board members, and other supporters to determine strategic… Read More

Susan Wilkes

Wilkes Consulting

Susan Brock Wilkes, Ph.D., is the founder and managing partner of Wilkes Consulting, a leadership development firm specializing in work with nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education. Susan is an organizational psychologist with extensive experience in executive coaching,… Read More

Trina Willard

Founder
Knowledge Advisory Group

Trina Willard, founder Knowledge Advisory Group, provides organizations with program evaluation and measurement services which inform business planning and future organizational development. Trina’s methods typically focus on the implementation and effectiveness of programs, policies, and procedures that help clients… Read More