Connext: Emerging Nonprofit Leaders

 

January 21, 2021

Refresh + Renew with Connext

Attendees engaged in interactive, personal and professional conversations about their intentions for the coming year. Conversations included vision board building, group meditation, and traditional goal-setting; all while resourcing fellow nonprofit colleagues’ expertise and care.

 

February 16, 2021

Connext Coffee Talk: Black History Month Conversations

In a two-part coffee talk, attendees engaged with leaders of the African-American community in Kansas City with conversations on the history of the observance, its impact on our lives, and ways we can properly celebrate, followed by a Q&A. The conversations were led by Krishna Lee, the Athletics Director at Kansas City Parks & Recreation; Melanie Miller, the CEO of Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey; Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw; Bandon Calloway, the Executive Director and co-founder of Generating Income For Tomorrow; Ray Doswell, the Vice-President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; Chandler Johnson with Pick Progress; and Willy Pegues IV, Vice-President of DEI for McCownGordon Construction.

 

March 8, 2021

Let’s Connect: Young Professionals with Connext

In concert with Nonprofit Connect, the Connext board hosted a panel followed by breakout rooms to discuss the importance of mentoring, finding a mentor, and the mentor/protegee relationship. We heard from current and past mentors/mentees about how they managed and grew from their relationships.

 

April 29, 2021

Student Loans – Am I Doing This Right?

Connext partnered with Student Debt Crisis (a non-profit committed to fundamental reform of our nation’s student debt policies) and Savi (a technology startup that helps navigate the student loan field to find savings) to help attendees make sense of the tricky world that is student loans. The workshop covered topics like understanding your current debt, monthly payments, loan forgiveness, and more.

 

May 27, 2021

Connext Lunch & Learn: Are You Ready for the Interview?

Brenda Rush, SHRM-CP, the International Human Resources Director at Unbound, and Neveda Wayland, SHRM-CP, a human resources manager at Unbound, talked to attendees about interviewing etiquette, asking questions, and challenges faced in the interview process.

 

June 16, 2021

Meet the Nonprofits with Connext: Five You’ve (Maybe) Never Heard Of

In a brand new program, Connext brought together dozens of attendees to meet five nonprofits that have could use a little more recognition with an informative panel session followed by a Q&A where the nonprofits had a chance to tell their stories. We were joined by Brothers Liberating Our Community, equity2, Kanbe’s Market, The Golden Scoop, and Theatre Community Fund of Kansas City.

 

July 15, 2021

Connext Lunch & Learn: Taking A Trauma-Informed Approach

Connext partnered with Alive and Well Communities to lead a training on Trauma Awareness with attendees. This session gave attendees a glimpse of how to better approach their work and other aspects of life with a trauma-informed lens and how to consider trauma when interacting with different individuals. Attendees also left with a Certificate of Completion from Alive and Well Communities.

 

August 26, 2021

Prioritize Prioritization with Connext: Setting and Maintaining Priorities in Work and Life

In a world with so many to-do’s and lists, Connext hosted a panel with May Ampon, the Director of Project Management and Operational Support for Goodwill of MOKAN, Rachel Ibok, the Community Engagement Coordinator for Harvesters, and Rachel Russell, the Community Engagement Manager for Cross-Lines Community Outreach. The group explored actionable tips and approaches for setting and maintaining priorities amid all the things to do.

 

September 21, 2021

Salary Negotiations with Connext: Make the Uncomfortable Comfortable

Compensation is an uncomfortable topic, so the Connext team dug right into it with how to have those tough conversations and make those difficult raise asks. The panel was comprised of Jermaine Jamison, President of 3E, LLC; Kirstyn Spieth, HR Business Partner at McCownGordon Construction; and Tom Bachman, HR Business Partner for the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

 

October 26, 2021

Connext: Conversations on Toxic Leadership

The Connext board hosted an exclusive program with Dr. Kevin Sansberry, the host of the Toxic Leadership podcast. Dr. Sansberry shared his expertise and research on toxic leadership and held a space for attendees to share stories and learn from each other.

 

November 18, 2021

Nonprofit Awareness Campaigns with Connext

The Connext group got a behind-the-scenes case study of a national awareness campaign at The Veterans of Foreign Wars with M&C Corp. Monica Tiffany, Creative Director/Principal, and Meggan Rorvig, Vice President of Marketing and Development, took attendees through concepts like managing barriers to internal stakeholder buy-in, adapting campaign strategy in real-time, defining success and more.

 

December 9, 2021

Connext’s Holiday Sweater Happy Hour

The Connext group celebrated 2021 with their annual Holiday Sweater Party at Chicken N’Pickle with a great group of emerging nonprofit professionals.

 

February 2020

Connext Headshot Happy Hour at KC Pet Project

Young Professionals kickstarted the new year with a brand new headshot opportunity with a tour and networking happy hour at KC Pet Project’s recently opened new headquarters! Each attendee received a digital version of their headshot for professional or personal use.

 

February 2020

Connext Lunch & Learn: Generations in the Workplace with Tracy Blasdel, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing and business communication in the Helzberg School of Management at Rockhurst University.

During this discussion-based presentation, attendees from different generations gathered to dispel myths, challenge assumptions, and discuss strategies for thriving in a multi-generational workplace given that working with employees from different generations continues to be one of the most common challenges in the modern workplace.

**Beginning in May 2020, all Connext events switched to a virtual platform due to COVID-19.**

 

May 2020

Connext Webinar - Get Unstuck: Three Tips to Beat Stress, Overwhelm and Burnout with Mona Raglow, Director of Membership & Programming at Central Exchange

In this interactive presentation, nonprofit team members discussed how juggling multiple hats while inspiring can cause feelings of being stuck and constantly behind. Then attendees were re-inspired for personal purpose with three practical tips that would help increase impact on a personal and professional level in the community.

 

June 2020

Connext Webinar - How to F.U.N.D. Your Nonprofit Career with Katie Lord, Vice President of Nonprofit Development at Proof

In this workshop, career paths and development throughout the nonprofit sector was discussed, including positions as fundraisers, program managers, and funders and supporting fields. Young Professionals learned how to “F.U.N.D.” their career paths by examining Financial goals, Unique strengths, Network building and Development planning through "bootstrapping" their professional development and planning their own growth. Each attendee left with a Professional Development Plan for a career in philanthropy that was actionable and ready to execute.

 

July 2020

Connext 101: Board Recruitment Virtual Happy Hour

Young Professionals learned more about the Connext Young Nonprofit Professionals Board and how to apply during an informational happy hour where board members share what they do, why they do it, and next steps to apply.

 

August 2020

Social Media and Employer Policy: How to be Yourself Without Getting Fired with Marisa Farris, Social Media Manager at GlynnDevins, Brian Noland, Trial Attorney, James & Noland; Of Counsel Wickham & Wood, LLC, and Larissa Uredi, CEO and Lead Content Strategist at No-Where Consultants

During this panel discussion, speakers discussed the power of Social Media answering questions such as:

Can you post what you want without causing employer retaliation? If so, how?

What can/should you do if your employer takes action because of something they saw on your social media?

How to understand the implications of your employer’s social media policy, and potentially advocate for changes in it?

 

September 2020

Connext Board Recruitment Events (Coffee Chat & Happy Hour)

Interested applicants for the Connext Board had the opportunity to join current Board Members for an intimate event designed to put them in the driver's seat. The board shared a quick run-down of what to expect during the application process and how to apply followed by small breakout sessions with members of the board where attendees were able to ask any questions they had about Connext and being a board member.

 

October 2020

Connext Webinar - Tips for Leading and Participating in Effective Virtual Meetings with Laura Ritterbush currently serves as Chief Mission Officer for Goodwill of Western Missouri and Eastern Kansas and Sharon Wingron, CPTD, CEO & President of DevelopPEOPLE

During this powerful presentation, attendees gained insights and advice on making meetings, especially virtual meetings, purposeful, effective and successful. A small panel shared their guidance and insights for participating in and hosting meetings – in person or virtual.

 

November 2020

Connext Webinar: Race and Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector with panel and moderator, Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, co-director of the Building Movement Project

After the release of the report, Race to Lead Revisited, Connext gathered a panel and discussed race and leadership in the nonprofit sector. The new report was based on over 5,000 responses collected in 2019 that build upon previous report findings and insights and showed three key findings which were discussed at-length during the virtual event:

1. The original Race to Lead report is still relevant three years later.

2. There is a white advantage in the nonprofit sector.

3. DEI efforts are widespread and their effectiveness is uncertain.

 

November 2020

Diving Deeper: A Discussion about Race and Leadership in Kansas City Nonprofits with Connext Board Members

Connext Board Members gathered with fellow professionals in a casual, virtual setting to dive deeper into conversations about race and leadership in a follow-up discussion about the Race to Lead Revisited report released by the Building Movement Project and featured in the Nonprofit Connect webinar, Race and Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector.

 

December 2020

Connext Holiday Sweater Virtual Happy Hour

Attendees gathered in a low-key social setting to celebrate the holidays and the close of 2020 where individuals were encouraged to buy, borrow or DIY an ugly sweater. The happy hour consisted of games, cocktail/mocktail tutorial and virtual networking on the MVP of 2020 – Zoom.