Celebrating the Center’s 20th Anniversary

On September 15, 2017, colleagues and friends of the Center gathered at Georgetown University for a celebration to recognize the past two decades of progress. “Tonight’s celebration is as much about the accomplishments and aspirations of our nonprofit community as it is about the progress of the Center,” shared Kathy Kretman, Director of the Center. “This work is deeply gratifying because I’m constantly inspired by the dedication to improving the lives of others.”

Joe Ferrara, Vice President and Chief of Staff of Georgetown University, welcomed everyone to the event and commented on the continuing relevance of the Center’s work. “The Center’s mission is needed now more than ever. A major reason for its success is its commitment to developing leaders who work across different sectors and communities, don’t shy away from the need to solve challenging public problems, and promote positive social change.”

Pablo Eisenberg, CPNL senior fellow and one of the foremost leaders in the sector, has contributed to the development of the Center since its founding. Addressing the guests during the Celebration, Pablo shared his perspective: “I am so happy to say that the Center has made a real impact through its strong overseas presence, success in training countless nonprofit leaders to promote social change, and ability to highlight philanthropy for students, nonprofit executives, and members of the university.”

Assistant Director of the Center, Luisa Boyarski highlighted the success of the Center’s endeavors. “It’s hard to believe that more than 1,300 nonprofit leaders have attended our signature Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program,” she remarked. “We are so thankful that they have allowed us to play a role in their leadership development.” She also acknowledged the importance of partnerships with organizations including Prosperity Now and the Crimsonbridge Foundation, which allow the Center to serve even more nonprofit leaders of color.

CEO of La Cocina VA, Patricia Funegra was one of the first recipients of the Crimsonbridge Leadership Fund scholarship, which enabled her to attend the Certificate Program in summer 2016.

Patty shared, “The Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program offered me not only knowledge about trends and approaches, but also space for the discussion of ideas and aspirations. My newly-acquired experiences and knowledge helped me expand my board of directors, navigate challenging HR issues, and create a more comprehensive approach to building metrics and indicators for the expansion of my programs.”

Looking forward, the Center is committed to continuing its work on racial equity. This year, Kathy Kretman is serving as 2017-2018 Waldemar A. Nielsen Chair in Philanthropy and Tamara Copeland, President of the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, joins as the Visiting Nielsen Fellow. In addition to pursuing two different research projects, they will co-teach “Philanthropists’ Response to Racial Inequity in America: Why, How, What’s Next” in spring 2018.

Tamara noted, “I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work with students and go beyond the walls of philanthropy. I feel driven by a personal commitment to do all that I can to address race and racism in this country, and share my experience as a person of color to people who may not walk in my shoes.”