2nd Alberta Nonprofit Leaders’ Summit

Presented by the Definity Insurance Foundation, BFL Canada and Economical Insurance

Strong connections between Alberta’s nonprofit leaders, public sector senior administration, and stakeholders such as funders and private sector champions are essential for advancing our collective work in building strong communities for all Albertans. The Alberta Nonprofit Leaders’ Summit opens up a purpose-built space for leaders across the Province to discuss urgent issues that require cooperative action, share learnings, and strengthen network connections.

Who

Kept purposely small at no more than 150 leaders to ensure valuable connections and conversations can be had, the Alberta Nonprofit Leaders’ Summit works to ensure representation by leaders from a range of nonprofits, funders, government ministries and private stakeholders from across the Province – both urban and rural.

Agenda

This year’s Summit will make space for learning, sharing and conversation focused on appropriate funding for the nonprofit sector and the nonprofit workforce. Conversations will be grounded in new research conducted by The Nonprofit Chamber aimed at gaining a stronger foundational understanding of issues in these areas as well as findings from a delegate poll presented by Janet Brown.

May 8

2:00-4:00pm

Law for Nonprofits Presentation and Consultation (Session Full)

Discover how Law for Non Profits is helping nonprofits across Canada access low-barrier legal guidance and resources on the most common legal issues. We'll also discuss what unique legal challenges nonprofits in Alberta face and how to build solutions.

Law For Non Profits is driven by a commitment to providing free and accessible legal tools to reduce the risk of legal crises arising in the day-to-day operation of charities and nonprofit organizations.

4:00-6:00pm

Summit Reception with delegates, UCP MLAs, Ministers and their staff. Greetings will be provided by Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women, the Honourable Tanya Fir. A cash bar and light food will be provided.

May 9

8:00-8:30am

Doors open and breakfast

Morning Sessions

Welcome and presentation of Summit poll on appropriate funding by Janet Brown

Panel on Appropriate Funding featuring Christi Cruz, John Hallward, Paul Nazareth, Liban Abokor, and facilitator Angie Gélinas.

Break out delegate conversations on appropriate funding

11:30am

Lunch and Networking Reception for delegates, NDP MLAs and keynote address by Naheed Nenshi

Afternoon Sessions

Presentation on the Nonprofit Chamber Alberta Nonprofit Workforce Feasibility Study

Break Out Sessions

Future of Good - Drawing on initial insights from the Changemaker Wellbeing Index — the most comprehensive and representative survey of nonprofit workers ever conducted in Canada, this data-driven conversation will explore the wellbeing of those who power Canada’s nonprofit sector. After this report's release in early May, we are excited to have a robust conversation about the story emerging from the data: the realities of burnout, food insecurity, job satisfaction, and mental health — and how these challenges are showing up in unexpected ways across the sector.

We’ll reflect on transformative findings, and ask: how can we better care for the people who care for everyone else? Whether you're a funder, leader, or frontline worker, this session invites you to engage with the implications—and possibilities—of this groundbreaking research. Presented by Anouk Bertner, Executive Director, Future of Good

The Nonprofit Chamber - Our latest report looks into the feasibility of a workforce strategy for Alberta’s 30,000 nonprofits that represent a workforce of nearly 300,000, 80% of whom are women. Our recommendation suggests a workforce strategy is necessary and important, under the guidance of a Nonprofit Workforce Sector Council to carry forward strategic priority areas while amplifying work already underway. Come find out more about the recommendation and help us build an even stronger nonprofit workforce.

Volunteer Alberta - This session will provide an overview of our research project regarding retirement savings for nonprofit workers in Alberta, specifically focused on defined benefit plans. We're looking to explore the feasibility and interest in establishing a sector-wide pension solution, and we want to hear directly from you – nonprofit leaders – about the potential benefits and challenges for your organizations.

2:30-3:30pm

Janet’s Wild Ride, a presentation by Janet Brown on the state of Alberta politics and a special launch announcement from the Nonprofit Chamber

Speaker Bios

Janet Brown

Based in Calgary, Janet Brown is one of Alberta’s most recognized pollsters and political analysts. With over 30 years of experience in polling and marketing research, Janet has developed a knack for asking the right people the right questions. Janet sees beyond the headlines and talk radio chatter to assess and interpret what’s happening beneath the surface in Alberta politics.

Together with Trend Research, Janet conducted the most accurate publicly released polls during both the 2019 and 2023 Alberta provincial elections.

In partnership with journalist Paul McLoughlin, Janet publishes the Wild Ride Update, a quarterly report that weaves political insight with proprietary polling.

Janet is often invited to comment on political and social trends. She is a regular commentator on CBC Calgary, Alberta Primetime, and the West of Centre Podcast.

Janet continues to be active in the academic community and has recently delivered guest lectures at the University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, and Concordia University in Montreal. Janet recently contributed chapters to “Orange Chinook: Politics in the New Alberta” (University of Calgary Press, January 2019) and “Anger and Angst: Jason Kenney’s Legacy and Alberta’s Right” (Black Rose Books, April 2023).

Christi Cruz

For the past 25+ years, Christi held a number of senior roles at TELUS, a global telecommunications and integrated data company, where she successfully developed and executed award-winning technology and social purpose programs. She is most proud of her work creating a Center of Excellence in Government Subsidies for the TELUS wireless technology team where she secured more than $250M in technology grants bringing connectivity to 39 underserved rural and Indigenous communities in Canada.

Recognized as a respectful disrupter, Christi brings a unique lens combining her private and social sector experience. She has presented at numerous conferences and regularly shares her experience in program development, community investment, cause marketing and sponsorships. She earned a Master of Education from the University of Western Australia; an Advanced Certificate in Corporate Citizenship from Boston College and she was one of two community investment leaders selected to represent Canada at Boston College’s inaugural Leadership Academy.

Her most recent adventure includes setting up a consultancy to help the social sector audit existing, develop new and scale innovative solutions to solve society's most pressing challenges. She can tell a good story in both English and Spanish and makes a really good grilled cheese sandwich. Although passionate about her work, she is most proud of her long-standing championship status as an award-winning boogeyman chaser and internationally renowned skinned knee kisser.

John is a graduate of Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario), BComm, 1983. He started his career at Procter & Gamble (Toronto) in market research, and then Johnson & Johnson (in Montreal) as the Market Research Manager.

In 1986, John co-created Tandemar Research, with his partner. This was a very successful market research enterprise, hiring hundreds of people, and doing business in Canada, the USA, and globally.

In 2000, Ipsos entered Canada by buying Tandemar Research and the Angus Reid company to become Canada’s largest research firm. John took on a global role supporting the expansion of Advertising + Brand Equity Tracking expertise within Ipsos around the world.

In 2007, John had his first book published by Wiley & Sons, New York; “Gimme! The Human Nature of Successful Marketing”.

In New York, April 2008, John won the Advertising Research Foundation “Great Minds” Innovation Award for his contribution to innovative thinking in the advertising research industry. John is one of the few Canadians to win such an award in the USA.

In 2008, John returned to his entrepreneurial spirit, but in a unique way. After learning that Canadian charity behaviour was waning, and that Canadian giving rates were half of Americans, John created GIV3 (a registered Canadian charity) with the mission to encourage more Canadians to be more giving. John and his family have been the main funders.

John published his second book in 2011; “The Happiness Equation. The Human Nature of Happy People”.

In 2016, John was honored with the highest recognition, in Canada, as “Fellow” of the Market Research and Intelligence Association (now the “Canadian Research Insights Council”)

More recently, starting in 2017, John started a social enterprise research firm, Sector3Insights (S3I), to leverage his professional career to help charities and non-profits. He continues to run Sector3Insights in support of various charities in The USA and Canada.

John retired from Ipsos in February, 2020, to concentrate more time on supporting the charity sector with GIV3, and delivering insightful sector surveys via Sector3Insights.

John Hallward

Paul Nazareth

Paul Nazareth has worked in Canada’s philanthropic sector for over 25 years. A part time instructor on philanthropic tax, financial, estate and gift planning with the Canadian Association of Gift Planners (CAGP), Paul was previously VP at the charity CanadaHelps. He was a philanthropic advisor with a national wealth management firm in a trust company and spent 15 years working with charities from Universities to Churches. Paul is part of the Governing Circle of The Circle on Philanthropy, on the board of Word on the Street, Canada’s largest literary festival, and on the editorial committee of The Philanthropist journal. He serves as faculty for the Master Financial Advisor in Philanthropy (MFA-P) program and has taught and sat on multiple post-graduate advisory boards at Georgian and Humber College as well as Carleton University’s Masters of Nonprofit Leadership. Paul writes on philanthropy for a variety of publications and regularly appears on national radio and television to speak about finding meaning in generosity.

Liban Abokor

Liban Abokor is the CEO of Reimagine LABS, a tech firm that harnesses AI for service design in the social and public sectors. He co-authored the "UNFUNDED" report, which revealed philanthropic disparities affecting Black Canadian communities. He co-founded the Foundation for Black Communities which was established as Canada’s first philanthropic foundation dedicated to investing in Black communities. Liban volunteers as a board member with the Samara Centre for Democracy, Shoot For Peace and Toronto's Economic Development Advisory. He holds a Doctor of Laws from Carleton University.

Anouk Bertner

Anouk Bertner is the Executive Director at Future of Good, a fast-growing award-winning social purpose media organization with a mission to equip changemakers with valuable news, insights and knowledge so they can make a bigger difference at work and in the causes they care about. Future of Good has a bold ambition to be a top professional resource for 1 million changemakers by 2030.

Given her experience managing the complexity of growth, Anouk leads all day-to-day management and is in charge of the impact model and organizational trajectory for the next phase of our mission. Anouk is also the Board Chair of Common Approach to Impact Measurement, a critical infrastructure and network for the social purpose sector.

Formerly, Anouk was Executive Director at EcoEquitable, a profitable award-winning employment-based social enterprise that supports newcomer women. EcoEquitable’s flagship charitable program, Sewing for Jobs, welcomes self-identifying newcomer women or women experiencing barriers to employment into an immersive educational experience where they learn how to sew professionally and develop soft skills, all while building their network in the community.