Women in Nonprofit Leadership Conference

Jennifer Alleva

Managing Partner, YPTC

Jennifer Alleva came to Your Part-Time Controller in 2003 after spending 8 years in public accounting with Arthur Andersen and as CFO of a bank and a start-up leasing company. “I was intrigued by YPTC’s specialization in part-time outsourcing. It seemed like such a practical solution and an interesting opportunity. Later, I realized the added benefit of working with nonprofit organizations is the feeling that I am furthering their missions through my work,” she says.

Jen is a graduate of the Boston College School of Management with a B.S. in accounting and is a CPA. In addition to her work with nonprofit clients, Jen has a background in volunteer and board service with many community organizations, including fundraising for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy. She serves on the Board of Directors of Catholic Partnership Schools in Camden, N.J., and has a background in board service with many other community organizations including the Junior League of Philadelphia, Junior Achievement, and the Nonprofit Development Center of South Jersey.

“The most rewarding work in my career has been at Your Part-Time Controller,” she says. “I love that we are able to help nonprofit organizations that are in trouble and turn them around as well as support all of our clients in their quest to make the world a better place.”

Sarah Besnoff

Associate, Paul Hastings, LLP

Sarah Besnoff is an Associate at Paul Hastings LLP in their Employment Law group. Previously, Sarah completed a clerkship in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Sarah is a Lecturer at the Penn Law and the Fels Institute of Government.

She formerly served as the Executive Director of the Fels Public Policy Challenge, a competition she won as a student with her team Closing Schools, Opening Opportunities. In 2015, Governing Magazine named Sarah a "Rising Star" in its Women in Government Program.

Sarah was awarded a J.D. from Penn Law, where she served as the Comments Editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review. Her article "May Contain: Allergen Labeling Regulations" was published in the Law Review. She is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Sarah also earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the Fels Institute of Government. Sarah graduated phi beta kappa from Barnard College.

A native Philadelphian, Sarah can frequently be spotted giving tours of historic Philadelphia to friends and family.

CHENORA BURKETT, CPA

Chief Administrative Officer, United Way

Chenora Burkett is responsible for United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s long-term financial health, manages accounting and control operations, and oversees the organization’s campaign processing.

Chenora comes to United Way from the Municipality of Norristown, where she served as director of finance responsible for financial forecasting, budgeting, systems development, debt and cash management, compliance reporting, pension administration and information technology. Prior to her work at Norristown, Chenora managed the fiscal operations of the Barnes Foundation, where she served as controller. She has also served in financial leadership roles for the West Philadelphia Community Mental Health Consortium and the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation and as an auditor with Mitchell and Titus LLP.

A graduate of Temple University, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting, Chenora is also a certified public accountant. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Headlong Dance Theater in Philadelphia, a member of the Philadelphia Housing Authority Audit Committee and the treasurer of the African American Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Monica Cawvey Gallagher

Principal, Three Foxes Consulting LLC

Monica has over 18 years of experience as a frontline fundraiser. She got her start as the Associate Director of Development at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, followed by roles at the Museum of Science and Industry and the Field Museum, also in Chicago. In 2006, she moved to Philadelphia to take on the position of Vice President for Development at the National Constitution Center, where she served for six years. Following that, she led the development function at the University City Science Center and the Academy of Natural Sciences before founding Three Foxes.

Throughout her years, she’s rebuilt development departments and created fundraising programs from scratch. She knows how to start-up and how to transition.

Monica’s areas of expertise include development program structure and growth, recruitment and hiring, board governance, fundraising training and coaching, revenue diversification, writing, annual fund, individual giving, corporate giving, foundation giving, nonprofit technology, and information management.

Diane Cornman-Levy

Executive Director, Women’s Way

Diane brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership, coalition building, and fundraising experience to WOMEN’S WAY, a Philadelphia-based organization dedicated to the advancement of women and girls. A tireless advocate for gender equity, Diane joined WOMEN’S WAY after running for State Representative of the 168th District, where she secured the highest percentage of votes on the Democratic ticket. Prior to that, Diane was co-founder and executive director of two non-profits, both of which work to improve education and economic equity for families. In each of these positions, Diane challenged the status quo through forging cross-sector partnerships, and designing new programs that increased economic and education opportunities for families, teens and returning citizens. Diane served as the Co-Chair of the City of Philadelphia’s Food Policy Advisory Council (FPAC), and currently is a member of Thomas Jefferson University’s School of Population Health’s Advisory Board, and the Social Innovations Journal, Institute and Lab Advisory Board.

Deesha Dyer

Executive, Ford Foundation & Board of Directors for MNDFL Ed and SIECUS

Deesha Dyer is a speaker, community leader, creative event and strategy consultant, and most notably known as the former Obama Administration Social Secretary. The Philadelphia native became a White House intern at the age of 30 and completed a seven-year tenure there that honed her expertise in event coordination, logistics, protocol, and statecraft. Her storied career is unconventional at best, with themes of reinvention, drive, and a commitment to community service integrated throughout. An award-winning event producer, Deesha has been featured in national media outlets including TIME, The New York Times, Marie Claire, Essence, Vogue, Refinery29, Forbes, The Root and Washington Post. A charismatic speaker with unbridled optimism, she now shares her message of hope, hard work and living life on your own terms with audiences across the country, while working at a social justice philanthropy foundation in New York.

Dominique Goss

Strategy Senior Manager, TD Charitable Foundation

Dominique is a compassionate, astute and progressive philanthropic leader in the Philadelphia metro area; who recently has been promoted to TD's Charitable Giving Strategy Senior Manager. She is responsible for aligning TD's corporate giving to its broader strategic priorities in partnership with regional Charitable Giving Managers. The TD Charitable Foundation's goal is to drive broader philanthropic impact that aligns with the bank's global corporate citizenship strategy "The Ready Commitment."

In 2017, Dominique was featured in Generocity's, "12 people of color leading the social impact charge in Philadelphia. Most recently, she was honored as a Minority Business Leader by the Philadelphia Business Journal.

Dominique dedicates her time with organizations impacting economic inequality & the racial wealth gap, financial stability, youth empowerment, and arts & culture. She was recently elected to attend the Greater Philadelphia Economy League's 2018 Leadership Exchange in Seattle and the Food Trust's "Food & Health Equity National Working Group". She also currently serves as a think-tank contributor for the Brandywine Health Foundation. She's a board member for the Anti-Violence Partnership and serves as Treasurer for She Can Win Political Action Committee. Lastly, she's an active member with Emerging Practitioner's in Philanthropy and Association for Black Foundation Executives.

Eileen R. Heisman

PRESIDENT AND CEO, National Philanthropic Trust

Eileen R. Heisman is a nationally recognized expert on charitable and planned giving. Ms. Heisman was among the first fundraising professionals to earn the distinguished ACFRE certification. She has been named four times by NonProfit Times as one of their Power and Influence Top 50, an annual listing of the 50 most influential executives in the philanthropic sector, most recently in 2018. She has been invited by the Chinese government to speak to their emerging nonprofit sector about philanthropy. She is also the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ 2014 Outstanding Fundraising Professional.

Ms. Heisman is currently a member of the faculty at Leadership Philadelphia, as well as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work graduate program and a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. She is a regular lecturer for the Nonprofit Board Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and a member of the Governance Committee for the Nonprofit Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. She also serves on the Advisory Board at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work.

Jessica Hilburn-Holmes

Executive Director, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation

The Philadelphia Bar Foundation is the only foundation solely dedicated to supporting Philadelphia’s legal aid community. As Executive Director, Ms. Hilburn-Holmes collaboratively manages the Foundation’s many fellowships, awards, and activities while overseeing annual grantmaking efforts to nearly 40 civil legal aid non-profits. In addition, Ms. Hilburn-Holmes works to effectuate the reality of the Philadelphia Equal Justice Center (EJC) -- a social justice initiative that will centralize, integrate, and streamline the provision of legal aid and related social services for many of the non-profits that receive grants from the Bar Foundation. A former diplomat and international lawyer, Ms. Hilburn-Holmes holds more than 35 years of legal, managerial and diplomatic experience, and a life-long commitment to working for equal access to justice. Jessica is a graduate of Brandeis University and the Georgetown University Law Center.

Annette John-Hall

Cohost and Producer, The Why

Annette John-Hall is cohost and producer of The Why. Monday through Thursday, The Why deep dives into one story affecting Philadelphia and the region. Prior to The Why, Annette served as the WHYY reporter for Keystone Crossroads, a statewide public media initiative focused on the problems facing Pennsylvania’s cities. She also spent 19 years at the Philadelphia Inquirer, the last six as the paper’s metro columnist.

Nancy B. Katz, MBA, MPA

Executive Director, Corporate Relations & Strategic Engagement Foundation and Corporate Relations Office of Institutional Advancement, Drexel University

Nancy B. Katz is a seasoned professional with a deep understanding of private, public, and not-for-profit sectors, business development and strategic planning. Nancy currently serves as the Executive Director of Strategic Relations in Drexel University’s Office of Institutional Advancement. As a member of Institutional Advancement’s Foundation and Corporate Relations team, Nancy is primarily responsible for leading the implementation and execution of strategic partnerships with corporations. In her current role, Nancy works closely with key stakeholders across Drexe1’s 14 colleges and schools to develop innovative approaches to building relationships and submitting cutting-edge proposals that generate new revenue streams.

Prior to working at Drexel, Nancy served as a Senior Manager in Vaccine Marketing at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). During her 10-year tenure at GSK, Nancy held positions across US Pharmaceuticals and Research and Development. Nancy also worked as the Director of Operations in New York City’s Department of Finance and as Senior Project Planner in the Mayor’s Office of Operations.

Nancy is also an alumnus from Drexel’s LeBow School of Business where she received her executive Master of Business Administration in 2002 and was elected in Beta Gamma Sigma. Nancy also holds a Master in Public Policy and Administration from Columbia University, and a Bachelor’s degree from Drew University. Originally from Boston, Nancy lives in Philadelphia with her four children and husband, Richard Greenwald.

Camille Nickow

Program Director Women’s Economic Security Initiative, WOMEN’S WAY

Camille joined WOMEN’S WAY in the fall of 2017, and currently serves as the program director for the Women’s Economic Security Initiative. In this role, Camille works to support and catalyze cross-sector collaborations that address structural inequalities, build community power, and test innovative solutions to entrenched and complex problems.

Having spent the last decade working to advance social and economic justice, Camille fervently believes that engaging and uniting the public, private and nonprofit sectors is critical to enacting lasting change. Prior to joining WOMEN’S WAY, Camille served a variety of grassroots organizations, causes, and campaigns. Most recently, she worked for 270 Strategies—a mission-driven consulting firm started by Obama campaign alumni—where she designed and delivered training programs for clients from 25+ countries. Before that, Camille was organizing director at FACE AIDS, where she empowered a national network of high school and college students to raise funds and educate their peers about global health inequities.

Camille also served as deputy regional field director for President Obama’s re-election campaign in Florida and as a case manager at Connections for the Homeless in Evanston, IL. Camille holds an MBA from University of California – Berkeley and a BS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University.

MAARI PORTER

Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Mayor, City of Philadelphia

Maari is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Strategic Initiatives in the Office of the Mayor, City of Philadelphia. Maari leads on policy for the Mayor J. Kenney’s administration and is responsible for advancing and aligning a set of high priority strategic initiatives of the Kenney administration ranging from Pre-K and Community Schools through to Workforce Development, Violence Prevention, Transportation and others. Prior to this position, Maari was Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives for the Office of the Managing Director.

Maari returned to City government in 2016 after close to two years as Executive Director for Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia representing over 150 philanthropic organizations in the Greater Philadelphia region who together award close to 1 billion dollars annually.

Maari migrated to the United States in 2010 during the Great Recession to establish and lead the City of Philadelphia’s new Recovery Office setting direction for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 2009 “stimulus” funds attracting and wisely spending $350 million in funding to create jobs and grow the economy. After that role Maari was appointed as Chief Grant’s Officer attracting $50 million in federal and philanthropic funding in two years.

Maari held several policy analyst positions for the UK Government during the Blair Administration including in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, Cabinet Office. Maari has an MSC in Comparative Politics, London School of Economics, United Kingdom (2005) and a Bachelor of Urban Planning, University of Auckland, New Zealand (1994).

Ebony Staton Weidman

Southeast Regional Director, U.S. Senator Bob Casey

Ebony oversees all regional outreach and operations and acts as the Senator's liaison to government, community, business, and education leaders.

Prior to her role with Senator Casey, Ebony held strategic roles at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, Fairmount Ventures, and Comcast. In those roles, she was responsible for brand strategy and building partnerships with a variety of stakeholders.

Ebony volunteers her time as a board member at Community Integrated Services and Wissahickon Charter School. She is also a member of Campus Philly’s Corporate Advisory Council, and an advisory board member of Get Hype Philly, a citywide health initiative focused on positive youth development.