Bill Crouch is the founder and CEO of BrightDot, a nationally recognized fundraising strategist, speaker, author, and former college president. For more than 40 years, Bill has worked in higher education leadership, philanthropy, and nonprofit advancement. He began his fundraising career at Gardner-Webb University, Baptist Children’s Homes of North Carolina, and Carson-Newman University before serving for 22 years as president of Georgetown College, retiring from the presidency in 2013. He then joined Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners as Senior Managing Partner. In 2015, he left the firm to found BrightDot, where he helps organizations strengthen donor relationships and build cultures of generosity. Bill earned his bachelor’s degree from Wake Forest University and master’s and doctoral degrees from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. A former trustee and Honorary Fellow of Regent’s Park College, Oxford, he is also the author of Start with Heart and the new book Mattership. In this episode, we trace Bill’s journey from childhood to what he calls “the fourth quarter” of his life — from ministry to the college presidency to national leadership in philanthropy and fundraising. Our conversation begins with the story of his tight-knit family, a neighborhood tragedy, and the conversation with his father that shaped the course of his life.

Michael Wyland is a nonprofit governance expert, consultant, executive coach, writer, and partner in Sumption & Wyland. For more than four decades, Michael has worked across government, business, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector. His career has taken him from Capitol Hill and the oil and gas industry to nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, board governance, executive coaching, and organizational consulting. Michael has advised more than 100 nonprofit associations and charities, worked with dozens of hospitals and healthcare organizations, and presented more than 200 workshops, seminars, and keynote addresses. He also wrote more than 400 articles and features for The Nonprofit Quarterly, where he served as a consulting editor and editorial advisory board member. In this episode, we talk about Michael’s path from his newspaper route to a career in nonprofit consulting, the challenges of board leadership, and what his relationships with philanthropist T. Denny Sanford and his step-grandmother Margaret Towsley taught him about wealth, responsibility, and legacy.

Derric Bakker is founder and CEO of DickersonBakker, fundraising strategist, consultant, speaker, and author of A Better Way to Fundraise: Treat Every Donor Like a Major Donor.For more than three decades, Derric has helped nonprofit organizations strengthen their fundraising, leadership, strategy, and capacity for impact. What began almost by chance with his first fundraising position in 1990 grew into a career spanning frontline development, major gifts, capital campaigns, organizational leadership, and consulting.Today, Derric leads a national team of more than 50 professionals serving nonprofits across the country. He is also a leading advocate for reimagining relationship-based fundraising by using AI and emerging technologies to extend the principles of major gift fundraising across the entire donor base.In this episode, we talk about Derric’s journey from his childhood as an itinerant pastor’s son to the McDonald’s breakfast that changed his future trajectory, the work in fundraising that shaped his professional life, and his thoughts on living a life of purpose.

Christal M. Cherry is the founder of The Board Pro, speaker, consultant, author, and creator of Fabulous Female Fundraisers. With more than 20 years in the nonprofit sector, Christal has become a leading voice on board leadership, fundraising, equity, and belonging. Through The Board Pro, she helps nonprofit boards lead with love, courage, and strategy — whether that means navigating tough conversations, recruiting stronger board members, interrupting bias, or helping CEOs breathe again. Christal is also the founder of Fabulous Female Fundraisers, a network uplifting Women of Color in the nonprofit sector, and the author of the children’s book Mac and Cheez: Being Different is Okay.  In this episode, we talk about Christal’s journey from New York to Atlanta and from Wall Street to nonprofit leadership, and explore the major events that have shaped her life and work.

Rohan Dileep and Beatrice Norman are co-presidents of Meals Matter, the Wisconsin-based, student-led nonprofit honored with the 2026 William R. Simms Award for Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy. Meals Matter began in 2024, when two Middleton High School students saw the scale of food insecurity in their community and decided to do something about it. What started as a grassroots food-collection effort now includes chapters across Wisconsin, Texas, and even South Korea. As co-presidents, Rohan and Beatrice help coordinate large-scale food drives, recruit and manage student volunteers, build community partnerships, engage younger students, lead outreach, and speak publicly about the urgency of food insecurity and the power of youth leadership. Recorded live in the Exchange at AFP ICON 2026, this conversation explores how Meals Matter grew from a local student project into a multi-chapter movement.

Jen Newmeyer, CFRE is senior director of digital fundraising strategy at PBS, founder of CharityJen, author of Digital Fundraising Transformation, and recipient of the 2026 AFP/Skystone Partners Prize for Research on Fundraising and Philanthropy. Jen has spent more than 20 years helping nonprofits modernize fundraising programs, strengthen donor engagement, grow audiences, and build more sustainable strategies for the digital age. At PBS, she leads national digital fundraising strategy and transformation efforts supporting more than 150 member stations across the country. Before joining PBS, Jen directed digital membership at WHYY, led integrated fundraising at PBS North Carolina, and built the first comprehensive digital fundraising and engagement program at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, where online revenue grew from $150,000 to more than $1 million annually. She has raised more than $10 million online, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, led teams, presented nationwide, served on three AFP chapter boards, launched a podcast, published a newsletter, and written two books on digital fundraising transformation. Recorded live in the Exchange at AFP ICON 2026, this conversation explores Jen’s path into fundraising, why digital strategy still lags, and how nonprofits can build more integrated, experimental, and resilient fundraising programs.

Tatumn Zale, CFRE is assistant director of development at AllThrive 365 and one of AFP’s 2026 Outstanding Young Professionals. Tatumn has quickly built a reputation as a creative, disciplined, and deeply human fundraising leader. At AllThrive 365, she has helped revitalize donor communications, rebuild fundraising events, strengthen corporate partnerships, and grow both recurring and individual giving — including a 131% increase in individual giving in just one year. She now manages $6 million in annual grant revenue, has increased event sponsorship revenue by 233%, secured major gifts, and expanded practical in-kind partnerships serving low-income seniors.  Tatumn is also the co-founder of Kindling Impact Consulting which works with small to mid-sized nonprofits.  Recorded live in the Exchange at AFP ICON 2026, this conversation explores Tatumn’s journey into fundraising, how theater and sales helped shape her presence, storytelling, and connection with donors, how caring for a family member has informed her work with older adults, and what the coming silver tsunami means for philanthropy, nonprofits, and the future of care.

Amari Duncan is director of philanthropic impact at Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region and one of AFP’s 2026 Outstanding Young Professionals.Although she entered the fundraising profession only four years ago, Amari has quickly built a record as a strategic, mission-centered, and community-rooted advancement leader. At United Way of the Greater Capital Region, she managed more than 40 corporate partnerships, helped rebuild Emerging Leaders United, and mobilized more than 1,500 volunteers across nine counties.Since joining Girls Inc. in 2023, she has led non-grant fundraising, modernized the advancement program, launched new signature events, and helped more than double philanthropic support. She is now helping lead Girls Inc.’s first capital campaign in more than 40 years.Amari also serves in a community leadership role with KIPP Capital Region and Albany Academy for Girls, where she became the youngest and first Black woman to serve as president of the Alumnae Council.Recorded live in the Exchange at AFP ICON 2026, this conversation explores Amari’s path from sports to fundraising, the role of mentorship, and how a winner’s mindset has set her on a course for success.

Torrie Taj is a nonprofit executive, fundraising leader, educator, coach, and the 2026 Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year, the highest honor awarded by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.For more than three decades, Torrie has helped shape Arizona’s nonprofit landscape. She spent 23 years at A New Leaf, rising from direct service roles to executive leadership, helping grow the organization and expand housing, shelter, and support services for vulnerable families. Since 2015, she has served as CEO of Child Crisis Arizona, where she has led dramatic growth in both mission impact and philanthropic support, including a transformational campaign that created the Center for Child & Family Wellness.She is a longtime champion of ethical fundraising, professional development, mentorship, and what she calls an abundance mindset—challenging nonprofit leaders to think beyond scarcity and invest boldly in people, infrastructure, and mission. Recorded live in the Exchange at AFP ICON 2026, we explore her leadership journey, the lessons she has learned along the way, her abundance mindset, and the importance of growing things.

Birgit Smith Burton is a fundraising leader, advocate, author, and founder and CEO of the African American Development Officers Network.Birgit launched AADO at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1999 to create mentorship, professional development, and networking opportunities for fundraisers of color. During her 26-year career at Georgia Tech, she helped lead efforts that secured more than $700 million in foundation support for scholarships, research, and major initiatives.She also made history as the first African American woman elected chair of the global board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Along the way, she has become one of the most respected voices in the profession on leadership, inclusion, mentorship, and the future of fundraising.Recorded live in the Exchange at AFP ICON 2026, this conversation explores Birgit’s journey, the evolution of AADO, leadership in philanthropy, and what it takes to build a more inclusive and equitable future for the sector.