Through the Noise

Compensation is a touchy subject for many drawn to the mission-driven world so we've brought in a guest familiar with associations and the salaries offered across country. Joel Poznansky is the President of Columbia Books & Information Services which publishes a number of essential guides for nonprofit management such as the annual Nonprofit Compensation Report and a comprehensive report of all active associations in the United States. CBIS also publishes the website Association Trends to help association executives keep abreast of current nonprofit developments. Joel Poznansky took over Columbia Books and Information Services in 2007 after spending twenty years in the publishing and education industry. Originally a Brit, he came to Harvard Business School for a well earned rest after graduating from Cambridge University and Sandhurst. A 50 year old Washington based publisher that provides information and training for specialized professional groups - particularly the association and non profit world, the congressional and government relations communities, the federal grants and federal contracting communities, and groups impacted by federal regulatory bodies including the FDA and FERC. (Publications include Association TRENDS, the original US Congress Handbook, the Almanac of American Politics, Thompson's Grants Management Handbook).

Ernesto is back! Stopping back unexpectedly for a break from paternity leave, we have three hosts on the show today since Stephanie Cerulo is still with us as our guest host. Rick Stamberger, the CEO of SmartBrief joins us to talk about the 200 different publications his company produces for over 200 trade associations and 6.6 million subscribers. In business since the early days of email, SmartBrief employs 170 editors, writers, and tech staff who comb over 10,000 different media outlets to bring relevant news for your association. The staff of many nonprofits are focused on mission-driven activities and don't have the time or ability to focus on sending thoughtful, researched news pieces when they matter and SmartBrief makes that possible. If you work for a nonprofit or create a product or service that is essential to those in that industry, this episode could start some wheels turning and potentially save you lots of time, money, and energy to focus on your real work. Rick Stamberger is president and CEO of SmartBrief, which he co-founded with Dan O'Brien and Tom Wheeler. He has spent much of his career at the intersection of business, public policy and the not-for-profit sector. Serving nearly 6 million senior executives, thought leaders and industry professionals, SmartBrief is the leading digital media publisher of targeted business news. By combining technology and editorial expertise, SmartBrief filters thousands of sources daily to deliver the most relevant industry news in partnership with leading trade associations, professional societies, nonprofits and corporate entities.

Regular listeners of Through the Noise may recall that Ernesto Glueksmann was about to be a father for the second time and he is now enjoying some much needed paternity leave with his lovely new baby. While Ernesto is away, we are pleased to welcome guest host, Stephanie Cerulo. Today Blake and Stephanie chat with Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd, the Director of Marketing and Communications for the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association. NAIMA is a trade organization representing nine companies involved in all facets of fiberglass and mineral wool insulation. Though not always considered the most glamorous of topics in housing renovations, Ms. Fitzgerald-Redd walks us through several reasons why insulation ought to be on the top of your home care list whether buying, selling, or simply staying put. Did you know, for example, that insulation is one of the very few improvements that boast a 100% (or more) return on investment? If you want to save money today and tomorrow, with the side benefit of reducing your carbon footprint, check out this episode so you don't miss an opportunity to start saving 30% on your energy costs. Stacy Fitzgerald-Redd is Director, Marketing and Communications for the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA). Fitzgerald-Redd is responsible for developing and implementing marketing and communications initiatives designed in support of the mission of NAIMA for fiberglass, rock and slag wool insulation products. Fitzgerald-Redd earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration from Virginia State University. She and her family reside Springfield, Virginia. Prior to joining NAIMA in 2013, Fitzgerald-Redd was with the USA Rice Federation, where she spent six years developing and implementing communications strategies, writing and editing, reports, publications and newsletters, implementing and managing social media outreach and serving as a media and crisis communications spokesperson. She also worked in employee and customer communications at AMTRAK and spent 13 years working in research, communications and education for the Food Marketing Institute, the international trade association of the supermarket industry.

Ernesto and Blake are joined by Kevin Haley of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) for a conversation about the present and future of energy. As Director of Communications for ACORE, Mr. Haley is responsible for ACORE's Energy Fact Check website which addresses and debunks the myths that persist regarding renewable energy. ACORE is a membership organization and their membership base is comprised of businesses and organizations -- many that are revolutionizing the face of energy production in the U.S. Concerned about jobs and job growth in the transition from non-renewables? Mr. Haley can set your mind at ease. Join us as we delve into some of the myths (and legends!) surrounding the renewable energy industry. Kevin Haley is responsible for the strategy and execution of the American Council On Renewable Energy's (ACORE) communications and marketing outreach across the clean energy industry. Prior to joining ACORE in 2013, Kevin worked in the clean tech space as a communications and research consultant for numerous trade associations, non-profits and private companies. ACORE is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the renewable energy sector through market development, policy changes, and financial innovation.

Elizabeth Scott helps make nonprofits more effective by building their internal capacity. With a PhD in Human and Organizational Systems, Dr. Scott has "written the book" on harnessing the emotional intelligence of staff members so organizations can do more of what they do best. She is the Founder and CEO of Brighter Strategies, a non--profit consulting firm that works with non-profits as a "thought partner" to help build capacity and make the most of their greatest asset -- their human capital. Brighter Strategies hosts a quarterly conference, the Nonprofit Capacity Conference at which 150-200 organizations come together to share best practices and to build capacity within the organization so they can have a greater impact. Dr. Elizabeth Scott is a scholar-practitioner who has focused her career on providing thought leadership and high value organizational development consulting in support of a stronger social sector. In addition to her work at Brighter Strategies, she is also on the faculty at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where she teaches in the Business Psychology department. Brighter Strategies helps nonprofits and associations build internal capacity so they can better meet their missions.

On Through the Noise, we've have the opportunity to engage Executive Directors, COOs, Communications Directors, In-field Staff, and neary every staff position essential to running an effective non-profit organization. Though we've recorded over 200 episodes with different non-profit guests, we have never hosted a Board member. Until now. Please welcome Fred Bollerer, Treasurer of the Board for Child Trends, an organization we're pleased to welcome back to the show. This is an excellent opportunity to hear from the perspective of someone so deeply committed to the mission of the organization that they donate their expertise for free. Mr. Bollerer has worked in the financial sector for most of his career and thrives most when he is fixing organizations that are floundering. He points out that non-profits are currently providing 85% of social services in the U.S. -- so how can we make them most effective? Is your organization ready to hire a new Executive Director or other members of the Executive Team? You won't want to miss this episode to hear from a seasoned Executive on what qualities are most essential for good leaders and the changing nature of funding. "Fred had 32 years in banking with the last position of President and CEO of Riggs Bank until 1997. Then very active in running and serving on the boards of several non-profits and for-profits retiring for the fifth time as Executive Director and President of the Corcoran Museum of Art and the Corcoran College of Art and Design in July, 2013. " Child Trends is the nation's leading nonprofit research organization focused exclusively on improving the lives and prospects of children and youth; is #18 and #39 in the country for best places to work for recent grads and women (http://reviews.greatplacetowork.com/child-trends); and is growing so check the website for job postings www.childtrends.org/careers.

Joshua Caulfield runs an organization that works to keep future nonprofit leaders in good shape to change the world (well, sort of). As Executive Director of the American Medical Student Association, he heads an organization that is driven by the medical students that comprise its membership. AMSA works to improve the lives of medical students and to prepare them for the challenges of becoming a physician, but also places a large emphasis on activism and being part of "the change" in the medical profession. With 40,000 members, they are a vibrant, chapter-based organization and there's still a chance for you to become a member and sign up for their Fall Conference in Puerto Rico! Registration closes October 5! Joshua is a non-profit manager who has been blessed to work with a number of associations in the last 18 years. Most recently he has had the opportunity to engage with organization facing serious challenges and helping them reboot successfully. A professional society for the support and advocacy of physicians in training.

Today we return to our exploration of the international development world with our guest Peter Saling of Winrock International. Winrock International was founded by Winthrop Rockefeller to "empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity and sustain natural resources across the globe" using several different approaches. Mr. Saling takes a break from his role in sustainable agriculture to share some of the projects he manages around the globe which both help individuals as well as the larger economy of countries where Winrock works. Cognizant that development is most effective when done with local populations, we learn more about their collaborative efforts as well as a new strategy they will be unveiling soon. Peter Saling is a Program Manager for Winrock International. He is an international development professional with experience in designing and managing financial sector, economic development, and agriculture programs in 15+ countries. Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources.

Have you wondered if it's time for your organization to get an in-house counsel? If you work for a growing organization, you won't want to miss this episode when we sit down with attorney Jeffrey Tenenbaum of the law firm Venable LLP. He chairs the firm's Nonprofit Organizations Practice Group and is intimately familiar with the law as it pertains to nonprofits. There are so many ways that organizations can fall behind and get themselves in legal trouble even by having an out of date employee handbook. Delve into this and other legal questions with Jeffrey, Blake, and Ernesto.

As summer comes to a conclusion around much of the United States and outdoor activities become less common, we invited Michael Clements to join us to talk about some other recreational opportunities that can be enjoyed by people of all ages -- might be particularly appealing to the staff of nonprofits after a long day sitting in front of computers. Michael Clements is the founder of ArtJamz, a social art studio where people come together to imbibe tasty beverages in a social environment while painting. Created with the mission of making the world a more creative place, ArtJamz creates jobs for artists by hiring them to work with the attendees of the sessions. If you're in the DC area, stop by to unwind after work one day and create something while meeting new people -- or go with friends. (((Tell them Through the Noise sent you))) I'm an artrepreneur. I synthesize my experiences in the arts, entertainment, media, tech, live events and business to form start-ups which disrupt traditional arts paradigms. My overriding philosophy is Business+Creativity=Happiness®. ArtJamz® is dedicated to making the world a more creative place. We've become paint and sip's most authentic brand by focusing on creatively enabling the creation of original works of art in a social art studio. Our unique freestyle approach is influenced by the spirit of independence and innovation of the Washington D.C. creative scene, home of The Washington Color School, Chuck Brown and Go-Go music, Duke Ellington, Dave Chappelle, Marvin Gaye, Dave Grohl, Henry Rollings, and many more.

Laura Wexler has been in the storytelling business for a decade and is host of the popular live storytelling event "the Stoop" in Baltimore. The Stoop has an archive of nearly 1000 stories told by different people -- real life stories that don't revolve around a moral or a script -- and allow listeners and the storyteller to deeply connect with each other. Although live storytelling events are now common in most cities around the U.S., when Ms. Wexler started the Stoop, few people understood the concept, but now they sell out every time because people are clamoring to hear other people being real. The Stoop is now a podcast -- you should check it out! Laura Wexler is the co-founder and co-producer of The Stoop Storytelling Series, a Baltimore-based live show and podcast that features "ordinary" people telling the extraordinary true stories of their lives. Laura frequently presents workshops and coaching sessions to nonprofits and businesses that want to harness the power of true, personal storytelling to communicate a larger story. The Stoop Storytelling Series is a popular live show and podcast that features the extraordinary true tales of "ordinary" people. Since its founding in 2006, The Stoop has sold out nearly every show, and recently expanded its listenership through a weekly podcast.

Today we are excited to welcome back Bryan Fratkin who joined us last July on Episode 85 (can you believe that was a year ago? Listen to it here: http://throughthenoise.us/mediacast/85-whistle-stop-digital-bryan-fratkin/) as SparkInfluence was getting off the ground. SparkInfluence connects associations and advocacy organizations with marketing -- integrating all the different platforms typically used separately and simplifying the process. Many organizations adopt the non-policy of latching onto any new piece of technology without a plan and use only a fraction of its capacity -- wasting the time of their staff and supporters as well as financial resources. Don't miss this episode if you've ever been frustrated by the abundance of technology, trying to keep up, or getting your message across in a uniform way across all platforms. Bryan is founder and Managing Partner of Whistle Stop Digital (WSD), leading a team in devising and implementing digital strategy for issue advocacy and PAC campaigns. The goal is always the same; Using a mix of both traditional and innovative tactics, the team works to bolster online communities, build trust in the campaign's efforts and empower stakeholders into action. Whistle Stop Digital (WSD) is a digital strategy and software firm founded on the idea that issue advocacy, politics and marketing are all converging. WSD's software platform gives organizations the tools they need to address this changing landscape, allowing them to quickly and easily identify influencers, empower stakeholders, reach decision makers and affect change.

Listening to today's 33 minute episode with Melanie Spring TODAY is probably one of the most valuable ways you could use half an hour. You'll probably want to take some notes too because during and after this show you will think differently about yourself, your coworkers, and your organization. Melanie Spring is the "Chief Inspiration Officer" of Sisarina, a branding agency in Washington, DC and she has a lot of questions! Join us today as we play the Inside Out Game and Blake and Ernesto assess themselves and each other to find out what they're good at and where they're failing. You can make this a participatory podcast and "workshop" yourself as well. Bonus -- come up with a unique and fun way to answer that often-dreaded question at parties "So, what do you do?" Melanie Spring is the Chief Inspiration Officer at Sisarina, DC's brand strategy agency. She's an entrepreneur, international speaker, and approachable badass spreading the gospel of branding on purpose. Sisarina is a brand strategy agency that starts a bigger discussion in order to create extraordinary marketing, motivated teams, and inspired brand promises - on purpose.

Laura Verdun is today's guest and while she does not work with a nonprofit, those who are in the nonprofit world could benefit from her expertise as a speech pathologist. Regardless of our professional roles, almost all of us could stand to be a little more eloquent, to slow down our speech, and to breathe more. Ms. Verdun is a partner in a voice, speech and communication consulting business that addresses and treats a wide range of speech problems ranging from traumatic physical injury to the voice box or muscles to people trying to become better speakers before addressing Congress (since they are based in Washington, DC) or an important meeting or convention. Blake and Ernesto take the opportunity to apply some of her expertise to the world of podcasting and she emphasizes that even though listeners can't see the hosts or guests, they can hear a smile, they can hear engagement and enthusiasm and it's important to speak confidently but at a pace where people can understand you. Don't miss the opportunity to improve your own speech with some great tips from a speech pathologist. Laura Purcell Verdun is a licensed and certified speech pathologist who has worked for more than 20 years in the clinical care of voice, airway, motor speech and swallowing disorders. Additionally, she specializes in the refinement of voice and speaking skills for professionals whose skills are not meeting their daily demands, or who are seeking to bring their skills to the next level, so they can present themselves and their message with confidence and clarity. Voicetrainer, LLC provides customized training and therapy programs for professionals and patients, whether delivering a career-making presentation, discovering your ideal voice, speaking with more precision, impact and confidence, or rehabilitating a life-long or acquired speech, voice, or breathing disorder.

Today we take the opportunity to talk to someone who is has excited about podcasts as we are. Tom Webster of Edison Research -- a firm based in New Jersey that specializes in polls, marketing, and research. In May they released a report "The Podcast Consumer 2016" which revealed the results of their decade of studying podcasts. Podcasting has grown exponentially in the past 12 months and traditional advertisers are scrambling to find ways to target the audiences that were once easily accessible on television and radio. We have been working with a number of clients to help develop their own podcasts and as Blake mentions -- everyone always wants a lot of quality (engaged) listeners immediately -- so on this episode we explore developing an audience. Want to know where podcasts are going in the future? Don't miss this episode!

Listeners of the show may recall that Blake has recently become a(n unlikely) vegan and a more frequent consumer of some items eschewed many -- like the soybean -- fundamental ingredient of the often misunderstood tofu. So today we chat with Patrick Delaney of the American Soybean Association who helps dispel some myths about soybeans. Have you ever wondered about the "man boob" rumor -- that soybeans are packed with estrogen and will make men less masculine? We'll address that issue before we dive into some of the other facets of the ASA which is a policy organization, like many associations we have on the show, and they face many of the same problems such as how to get your story heard "through the noise" (can you hear Blake ringing the bell and shouting "ding ding ding!"?). The ASA has 25,000 members in 30 states and has had a fascinating approach to holding their annual conference. Don't miss this episode to learn about the collaborations they're building to strengthen farmers across the board (and country). Patrick Delaney is the director of policy communication for the American Soybean Association, where he directs the association's public messaging on a variety of federal policy issues impacting soybean farmers. Prior to his time with ASA, Patrick managed communication for the United Fresh Produce Association and has experience in the radio, print, sports, and agency public relations industries. The American Soybean Association represents all U.S. soybean farmers on domestic and international issues of importance to the soybean industry. ASA's advocacy efforts are made possible through voluntary farmer membership by farmers in 30 states where soybeans are grown.

We had some questions about the financial side of operating nonprofits and so we invited two people on the show to set our minds at ease. Orin Schepps is Founder & CEO of Consultance Accounting Services and Jennifer Arminger of Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman join us to talk about two sides of the nonprofit accounting coin. Consultance Accounting Services is an accounting firm that helps nonprofits streamline their accounting procedures and Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman have worked with over 500 nonprofit clients in the auditing capacity. We pick their brains for their favorite apps to boost time and financial management skills and they have some great suggestions for integrating these systems with your bookkeeping to keep the process as painless as possible. Jennifer Arminger, CPA is an Audit Partner with Gelman, Rosenberg and Freedman, CPAs and specializes in auditing and accounting services for tax-exempt organizations, both domestically and nationally. Additionally, she has extensive expertise in compliance audits in accordance with uniform guidance (formerly A-133), and helps manage the employee benefit plan practice in the firm. Gelman, Rosenberg and Freedman, CPAs is a nationally and internationally recognized firm in the field of non-profit auditing and tax compliance, working with over 500 exempt organizations.

Jennifer Ayers runs J. L. Ayers Consulting, a management consulting firm that works exclusively with nonprofits to help them become more effectitve and efficient. We spend much of the episode talking about the Board of Directors -- how to pick them, how to train them, how much to involve them, how to keep them fundraising. Ms. Ayers is a proponent of the "State of the Union" address to hold annually for the board to make sure they are aware of the work of the association -- especially for the boards of larger, national nonprofits where the board may not know each other. JL Ayers Consulting is an independent management consulting practice designed to help organizations determine how to understand where they are, where they want to go and how to get there. With good assessment, solid business practices and high quality back-office infrastructure, organizations may become more innovative, creative and prepared to realize goals. Jennifer Ayers started her consulting practice after 15 years in the nonprofit industry. She now has nearly 20 years of experience working and serving nonprofits at an Executive level. She has worked for traditional 501c3, professional societies and others. Her clients and projects are normally experiencing some sort of change- they range from professional and trade groups to start up 501c3 to political organizations. Jennifer also serves as the secretary of the Board of Directors of PRS, Inc., and is the President of Living Legends of Alexandria.

Abigail Goliber of the Center for Democracy and Technology joins us today to talk about her role as Director of Development and some of the stratgeties she employs to effectively raise money. The Center for Democracy and Technology is a "policy shop" that focuses on keeping the internet "open, innovative, and free" for everyone. As Director of Development, she is usually not the person to do the Ask but does the preliminary work of determining who should be asked and cultivating those relationships -- then the CEO or another person will actually ask for the contribution sometimes doesn't happen for 1-2 years. In Ms. Goliber's fundraising research she uses a process called "LAI" to determine the top 10 people to approach to ask for money and then builds the relationship to make the Ask possible or likely. If you are responsible for fundraising for your organization, you can't afford to miss this episode! Abigail Goliber is the Director of Development at the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT), a champion of global online civil liberties and human rights. Prior to joining CDT, Abbie led the development efforts at 501cTECH, a local nonprofit supporting the technology of other nonprofits in the region, and honed her fundraising skills at two international human rights organizations, the RFK Center for Justice & Human Rights and Freedom House. She is fond of dusty vinyl, databases, and her two children.

Regular listeners of Through the Noise may remember today's guest, Dave Wakeman who joined us about 50 episodes ago to discuss why nonprofits should run like a business. Check it out after this episode. (http://throughthenoise.us/mediacast/151-david-wakeman/). His last appearance was so packed with valuable info, we just had to see what we secrets we could get him to spill this time. Principal of the Wakeman Consulting Group, he's known as the "Revenue Architect" and helps organizations -- nonprofits and for-profits -- become more effective and make more money. Sounds great, right? Today we'll talk about the importance of storytelling in conveying your mission. Through the lens of Bunnies for Bethesda, we'll figure out how to grow effectively and scale that growth in a way that makes sense for the mission. You'll also find out more about the new Non-profit Advisory Board Networking Group we've recently initiated. Dave Wakeman is known as "The Revenue Architect." His firm works with organizations to maximize their revenue structures. Dave writes a weekly newsletter all about value creation in your organization

Today we are celebrating the 200th Episode of Through the Noise and we do so by welcoming Dr. Arlene Pietranton of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. ASHA is a major membership organization -- representing 186,000 members working to make "effective communication, a human right, accessible and achievable for all." Their members use both science and art in order to diagnose their patients and the staff also takes an innovative approach to running the organization. Rather than "supervisors", managers and other directors play the role of "coaches," leading, guiding, and mentoring the staff, rather than overseeing. Dr. Pietranton has been in the field for 22 years so you won't want to miss her expertise as a pathologist or the insights she shares after many years as a C-level executive.

Karen Cunningham of the Capitol Hill Group Ministry joins us to talk about their work to help people get and maintain safe and stable housing in Washington, DC. The CHGM has been working to empower individuals in the Capitol Hill area of DC since 1967 when it was formed by a number of congregations in the area aiming to collaborate on social justice issues. Ms. Cunningham's interest in this field started as a child when she was inspired to run a canned food drive to help those less fortunate in her community. We learn about the District (of Columbia)'s ambitious plan to eradicate homelessness among veterans, individuals, and families and get down to the nitty-gritty details of managing an nonprofit. Don't miss the discussion on the importance of staying focused on your organization's strategic plan and pursuing programs that contribute to those long-term goals. Karen Cunningham is the executive director of Capitol Hill Group Ministry (CHGM). She has worked in nonprofit management and provided legal and social services for domestic violence survivors and homeless individuals and families for more than fifteen years. CHGM is a non-sectarian, independent nonprofit that provides empowering human services to help homeless and at-risk individuals and families on Capitol Hill and across the District of Columbia access and maintain safe and stable housing.

Charlie Meisch joined the Federal Communications Commission just over a year ago as Senior Advisor to the Incentive Auction Task Force. He describes the FCC as the "stewards of the public's airwaves" and as such are responsible for the ways that people communicate wirelessly. In 2002 the Commission identified the need to make more space for broadband and while a solution was found and authorized by Congress in 2010, the Auctions just started this year. The Task Force developed an innovative approach to the ever-increasing problem of limited bandwidth for our data-hungry lives and earlier this year implemented the Incentive Auction -- a way of freeing up extra space on the broadcast spectrum to embrace new and evolving technologies. Mr. Meisch describes his role as "Explainer in Chief" and a lot of his role involves speaking to journalists, small groups, and podcasts like Through the Noise to clarify the what these auctions may mean for the American consumer -- and how they can assist and influence similar agencies in Latin America and Europe. Join us today to learn more about this crucial way we communicate and get a behind the scenes look at many of the facets of technology we take for granted. Charlie Meisch is a policy communications professional with 20 years' experience serving the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Long fascinated by our legal institutions' flexibility to adapt to new knowledge, Charlie specializes in science and technology policy. His expertise lies in taking a deep dive into the substance of issues and emerging with plain language that is accessible to lawmakers, the press, and the public - without sacrificing the key details. The Federal Communications Commission regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. An independent U.S. government agency overseen by Congress, the commission is the United States' primary authority for communications laws, regulation and technological innovation.

Today we're joined by Natalia Pane of Child Trends who manages to make even the Government Accoutability Movement sound compelling. As Senior Vice President for Research and Operations, Ms. Pane has her hand in many facets of running the nonprofit Child Trends -- a research organization focused on improving the lives of children and their families. As a research organization, their work can be considered successful even when they discover that something is not working -- when they can prove a program or strategy is ineffective or even harmful and eliminate it. This can have positive impacts for children, families, and other organizations by publishing the results and making them widely available, although as Ms. Pane points out, many publications are loathe to publish findings that are negative so they make their research known to their 25,000 subscribers and other followers. Beyond the research, Natalia Pane walks us through some of the ways Child Trend is succeeding on the human resources front and how they became listed as 39th best employer in the country for women. For more than 20 years, Natalia Pane has worked closely with the leadership of government agencies, foundations, and nonprofits to collect and use better data—from federal statistics to performance measures—to improve children's lives. Her work and commentary has appeared in the Washington Post, Chicago Tribute, CNN, NBC News, and Huffington Post Parents amo­­­­­­­­ng others, and she now oversees about 110 research staff and is responsible for ensuring the effective management, strategic growth, and quality of research and workplace at Child Trends Child Trends is the nation's leading nonprofit research organization focused exclusively on improving the lives and prospects of children and youth; is #18 and #39 in the country for best places to work for recent grads and women (http://reviews.greatplacetowork.com/child-trends); and is growing so check the website for job postings www.childtrends.org/careers.

Andy Wilson, Vice President of Development for the International Fund for Animal Welfare joins us today to explore a new topic for Through the Noise -- animals. Andy Wilson ensures that the International Fund for Animal Welfare has enough funds to complete their operations --- raising $75 million each year to support 250 staff doing projects in 40 different countries. The IFAW was started in 1969 by a man who was frustrated with the killing of seals for fur in Canada and has since grown exponentially and continues to have a great impact in protecting individual animals and animal ecosystems. Recognizing that human development is intrinsically linked to the elimination of animal habitats, they work to address the causes of the problem holistically. Listen up for some tips on development and how the heartwarming success stories of those not-so-cuddly Siberian Tigers help grow the organization. Andy Wilson leads IFAW's global development team including major donors, foundation relations, direct mail, advisory councils and online giving. Andy supports IFAW's mission by creating innovative marketing strategies that lead to increased awareness, fundraising revenue, relevance and respect among our current target donor audiences as well as identifying new audiences to meet our fundraising needs into the future. The International Fund for Animal Welfare's mission is to rescue and protect animals around the world through campaigning and advocacy.

Today's guest is Lindsey Buss of the World Bank Group. As Senior Officer for Community Outreach, he works with a program called Community Connections and facilitates the giving back of $6.6 million by 69% of the 10,000 person staff of the World Bank. Unlike grants which require the recipients to spend their funds in a certain fashion, the contributions collected by the WBG are not restricted and do not require detailed reporting. The Community Connections program is part of the corporate social responsibility arm of the World Bank which also allows staff to volunteer during the work week for local nonprofits, contributing their expertise to local causes about which they are passionate. Join us today for a discussion about the benefits of giving back to the community where you live and work and how that involvement through the workplace can attract and retain key talent. Lindsey Buss is Senior Officer for Community Connections at the World Bank Group, where he oversees philanthropic, volunteer, and a variety of other community activities such as the high school internship program. Prior to joining the World Bank, Lindsey served for nine years as President & CEO of Martha's Table, an education and nutrition nonprofit in Washington, DC and seven years as an attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. The World Bank Group's mission is to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity worldwide and through its Community Connections program it supports those efforts in its host city of Washington, D.C. with a variety of corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Kevin Morgan specializes in helping companies and nonprofits become more effective and efficient. He is the CEO and Founder of The C-Suite and joins us today to talk about his work making great organizations even better and helping struggling organizations become functional and successful so that they can more fully focus on their mission. He is an advocate for mentorship and addresses the value he has received as a mentor and a mentee, saying "if you don't have a mentor, you're doing yourself a disservice." Do you agree? Don't miss this episode of Through the Noise for this conversation and to get some tips for making your department or organization thrive. Kevin Morgan, founder of TheC-Suite.co, is a corporate and nonprofit turnaround specialist. He has helped stabilize, optimize, and scale nonprofits and companies as CEO, COO, as well as head of finance, HR, client service delivery and as a board member. TheC-Suite.co builds better nonprofits by implementing business discipline at the tactical, strategic, and governance levels.

Rebecca Ballard is the Founder and CEO of Maven Women, a socially conscious clothing company that creates professional clothing for women that considers the social and environmental of their product along every step of the supply chain. Though Maven Women is not a nonprofit, Ms. Ballard has a background in both nonprofits and consulting and her company is founded on many of the same principles that motivate nonprofits. She joins us today for a conversation about social entrepreneurship, paying the "true cost" of products we purchase, and how our choices can shape our world. She has three important tips for our listeners who may be considering a change in their buying habits to reflect a more broadly-sustainable approach, factoring in the human, social, and environmental cost. Serving as a Chief Marketing Officer for the last decade, Jimena has been responsible for the design, direction and implementation of marketing strategies and programs for Raffa, P.C. -a certified B –Corp, Top 100 nationally ranked professional services firm dedicated to helping great organizations thrive. She also leads and manages the firm's corporate social responsibility initiatives and reporting. Prior to joining Raffa, Jimena was a successful entrepreneur , a nonprofit consultant and also a teacher.. With nearly 250 on-staff professionals and 17 partners, Raffa is now recognized as one of the 100 largest and best-managed accounting firms in the U.S. They are among the first Washington DC area businesses to earn B Corporation Certification. Serving as advisors and back office solution providers to nonprofit organizations and businesses, Raffa's client-centric, customized approach helps each client meet its potential and ensures that each client's success is sustained and maintained.

Today we're excited to welcome Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia's 8th District to Through the Noise to discuss civil engagement and participation and the best ways to effect change. Congressman Beyer represents one of the smallest districts in the country by area but one of the most dense in population. Congressman Beyer explains his motivations for the daunting task of running for office and the desire to make a positive difference in the world and to leave the world a better place is a major driver for him as he ages. He is deeply concerned with climate change and works devotely to be a voice of reason and factual information when so many are spreading misinformation and doubt. Don't miss our first ever episode with a U.S. Congressman! Congressman Don Beyer is serving his first term as the U.S. Representative from Virginia's 8th District, representing Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church, and parts of Fairfax County. He serves on the Joint Economic Committee, the House Committee on Natural Resources, is Ranking Member on the Oversight Subcommittee to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and a member of the New Democrat Coalition. He was the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1998, and was Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein under President Obama. Creating the new American economy, fighting climate change, ensuring women's economic empowerment.

Jimena Ryan is the Chief Marketing Officer with Raffa PC, an accounting and technology consulting firm focused on empowering nonprofits and other companies working to make positive change in the world. She joins us to talk about socially responsible investing, what it means to be a B Corporation, collaborating with other members of the B Corp community, and how companies can use their resources and influence to improve the communities where they work and live. Ms. Ryan owned a high end event planning firm for 20 years prior to joining Raffa and the story of her career transition is valuable for anyone considering a career change. Serving as a Chief Marketing Officer for the last decade, Jimena has been responsible for the design, direction and implementation of marketing strategies and programs for Raffa, P.C. -a certified B –Corp, Top 100 nationally ranked professional services firm dedicated to helping great organizations thrive. She also leads and manages the firm's corporate social responsibility initiatives and reporting. Prior to joining Raffa, Jimena was a successful entrepreneur , a nonprofit consultant and also a teacher.. With nearly 250 on-staff professionals and 17 partners, Raffa is now recognized as one of the 100 largest and best-managed accounting firms in the U.S. They are among the first Washington DC area businesses to earn B Corporation Certification. Serving as advisors and back office solution providers to nonprofit organizations and businesses, Raffa's client-centric, customized approach helps each client meet its potential and ensures that each client's success is sustained and maintained.

Michael Cummings of Tate Cummings is our next guest we meet during our time at the ASAE headquarters in Washington, DC. Tate Cummings is an association consulting company serving nonprofits of all types, but specializing in associations and branding. Today's episode is packed with information that any association executive or human resources manager won't want to miss. Are the human resources of those in Human Resources being wasted on hiring and firing? Some associations are catching up with the corporate world in recognizing the changing nature of work with the transition of generations as Millennials become more dominant in workplaces -- but many are stuck in their old work model and aren't quite sure how to react to increased demands not just for work-life balance, but also work that will be satisfying and have a positive impact. Is your organization still creaking along, demanding hourly commitments rather than results? Michael Cummings has some brilliant insights to offer when he sits down with Ernesto and Blake -- join us too. Having been steeped in a brew of Association & Nonprofit Management and Consumer & B2B Branding, Marketing, Public Relations and Sales for more than 25 years, Cummings will take your situation, let it percolate, then provide you with a set of recommendations that may not always be what you want to hear but will always be what you need to know. And if he can't execute on the recommendations himself, he will find you someone who can. tate / cummings was established with the core belief that the symbiotic relationship between the board, staff and suppliers is essential to the individual success of all three components: where the group succeeds so does the individual.

We bring you another episode of Through the Noise from the headquarters of the American Society of Association Executives and chat with Mariana Barros of the National Association of Federal Veterinarians. The NAFV represents about 1,000 of veterinarians that work for the federal government and help protect our food supply. Stationed at every plant involved in food production, federal veterinarians ensure the safety of the food Americans. The National Association of Federal Veterinarians is part of the American Veterinary Medical Association although it's members are more specialized and focus on public health rather than care of animals as pets. Much of their membership is close to retirement and so Ms. Barros and others in NAFV work to let new veterinary students know that there are other options besides private practice. Mariana C. Barros, began working in the arts non-profit sector in 2012, then transitioned to the NAFV, a medical association, in 2014. "NAFV is the recognized representative organization for veterinarians employed by the federal government. "Federal Veterinarians Protect and Improve Public and Animal Health and Welfare" NAFV Continuing Education Portal – in partnership with the World veterinary Association, NAFV brings a resource for continuing education & development with courses available from world class universities and education institutions."

Through the Noise is still reporting from ASAE headquarters and invited an association head to join us on the show -- Matthew R. D'Uva, Executive Director of the International Assocation for the Study of Pain. IASP was founded in 1974 and now has chapters in 90 countries, which rotate hosting the "World Congress of Pain," their biennial convention. IASP's membership is comprised of scientists, clinicians, health-care providers, and policymakers and the organization brings these parties together to share advances and improve the adminstration of pain relief for people throughout the world. Mr. D'Uva tells of the IASP's unusual founder -- John J. Bonica who wrestled professionally while putting himself through medical school, and you won't want to miss his responses to the WAG segment!

Friend of the show John Graham is our guest today as we report from the offices of the American Society of Association Executives. He last joined us to talk about his role as President and CEO and the work of ASAE on Episode 74 (http://throughthenoise.us/mediacast/74-asae-john-graham/) and today's episode is just as illuminating as the first. Other associations work to advance the goals of their mission while ASAE's work serves the executives of those organizations helping make them more effective. We learn about their "NPD" or New Product Development structure of creating business plans for nonprofit offerings as well as their exciting new conference, the Experience Design Project which connects leadership across the spectrum of meeting and conference planning. You won't want to miss this or our thrilling new segment WAG -- the Word Association Game. John H. Graham has been the President and CEO of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) since 2003, and he has been involved in associations for more than 40 years. Previously, he served as CEO of the American Diabetes Association (ADA) for 13 years and worked for a total of 24 years at ADA. ASAE is a membership organization of more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners representing 9,300 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world.

Mickey Panayiotakis, the managing partner of Infamia joins us in the studio to discuss some of the most common tech problems facing nonprofits today. Infamia is the web services company he runs with your friendly Through the Noise host Ernesto Gluecksmann for a behind the scenes look at the work that motivated Blake and Ernesto to team up and create this podcast focusing on nonprofits "sprinkled with technology." Mickey discusses some common causes of hacking and how to avoid them; setting realistic expectations for website creation and development based on the size, scope, and budget of an organization -- and why we can't all have a website like Uber. Mickey Panayiotakis is the managing partner and technical director for Infamia with 17 years of experience in the Internet backbone industry. He has worked for a variety of nonprofit and private sector organizations since 1995, with a commitment to process-driven management. He is an experienced leader of development and design teams with a unique capacity to translate client requirements into technical documentation and provide integral insights to clients throughout a project lifecycle. Infamia manages website and databases for nonprofits.

Today we take a little respite from the world of strictly nonprofits and speak with Rory Kelly whose role is quite different than most of our guests on Through the Noise. Kelly is the Chief Investigator for Washington, DC-based law firm Stein Mitchell Cipollone Beato & Missner and is responsible for the research and analysis for cases -- often cases brought against corporations as whistleblowers. There's a bit more intrigue than usual as we dive into some of the realms Mr. Kelly investigates. Listen up for a change of pace as Blake and Ernesto pepper Mr. Kelly with questions and fit in a few questions about nonprofits. Mr. Kelly's investigations largely focus on pharmaceutical and financial fraud. He has vast experience guiding clients through the process of filing whistleblower claims and conducting large-scale, global investigations in conjunction with various federal and state agencies. Stein Mitchell is a leading litigation law firm based in Washington, D.C. and has provided seasoned and effective counsel in complex, high-stakes litigation and investigations for clients for more than 50 years.

Evan Glass, Executive Director of Gandhi Brigade Youth Media joins us to talk about the after school programs in media development his organization offers for middle and high school students in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded in 2005 as a way for youth voices to be heard during the early days of the Iraq War when they were mostly unheard, the Gandhi Brigade teaches students skills in graphic design, documentary film making, and other media arts. They recently produced a documentary about the juvenile justice system in Maryland that won best high school film at the DC Independent Film Festival and was nominated for a number of other awards. Don't miss this episode -- Through the Noise learns about a different type of organization than we normally have on the show and we explore Snapchat and other new media that (nearly) puts Blake over the edge! Evan Glass first arrived in Washington, DC to attend American University and study journalism and political science. He then began a 12-year career as a CNN producer covering Congress, national politics and the 2008 presidential campaign. Evan is also a civic activist in his Silver Spring community, advocating on behalf of affordable housing and public transportation. He became executive director of Gandhi Brigade Youth Media in the fall of 2014 Gandhi Brigade Youth Media is a nonprofit that runs after school programs teaching youth empowerment through media creation and community leadership.

Tonya Winders is President and CEO of the Allergy & Asthma Network, a national nonprofit working to raise awareness about and provide support for those suffering from allergies and asthma. The organization has only been around for 30 years but has a membership of 2 million -- mostly comprised of families dealing with the problems of allergies and asthma -- with a 10% representation from the people who treat them. Membership is free so they are able to reach as many people as possible and get them involved without financial barriers and they raise money through ads in publications and other sources. Allergies affect over 50 million Americans and the numbers are continuously rising and the length of allergy problems is growing with climate change so the Allergy & Asthma Network provides education and outreach through their network of 800 volunteers. Tonya Winders is the CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network, the nation's largest nonprofit dedicated to ending needless death and suffering due to asthma, allergies and related conditions through outreach, education, advocacy and research. Tonya has over 16 years experience in healthcare and is the mother of five children, four of whom have allergies and/or asthma.

Meghan Donohoe joins us from the American Intellectual Property Law Association where she is the Chief Operations Officer. The AIPLA is the professional membership organization for lawyers practicing in the field of Intellectual Property Rights. The AIPLA is responsible for creating the continuing education programs and credits which help the practicing lawyers become better at their jobs and stay current with developments or changes in the law. In existence since 1897, the AIPLA is well versed in the needs of property lawyers and the clients they serve helps grow the industry and ensure it is represented on Capitol Hill. Meghan Donohoe is the Chief Operating Officer at AIPLA, and has served in this capacity for the past 15 years. Association management is the career path that Ms. Donohoe chose. Prior to joining AIPLA, Ms. Donohoe was employed for several years at the Roscoe Pound Institute, a civil justice institute and "think tank". The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) is a national bar association constituted primarily of lawyers in private and corporate practive, in government service, and in the academic community, wth nearly 14,000 members. AIPLA represents a wide and diverse spectrum of individuals from law firms, companies and institutions involved directly or indirectly in the practive of patent, trademark, copyright, and infair competition law, as well as other fields of law affecting intellectual property. Our members represent both owners and users of intellectual property.

Today's guest, Stephanie Cerulo is Vice President of Major Markets Account Development for Infogroup, a company that gets your message in the hands of the people most likely to support your organization -- and support it at a higher level. (Infogroup is also a sponsor of your friendly podcast about nonprofits, Through the Noise) They run a cooperative donor database as part of their direct mail program and are able to remove those who already donate to eliminate the embarrassment of doing a first time "ask" of someone familiar with and supportive of your work. If you'd like to find out how your organization can cut "through the noise" to reach people the people who really need to hear your message, don't miss this episode. Stephanie Ceruolo is Vice President and General Manager of the Nonprofit Solutions business unit within data company, Infogroup. She has over 20 years' experience helping non-profit organizations with fundraising and marketing, most of it focused on direct marketing strategies and the data that drives them.

Susan Goodell today joins us to talk about her role as Executive Director of the Global Fund for Children. The Global Fund is a nonprofit that funds and strengthens smaller, grassroots organizations around the world that are using creative approaches to solve problems for the world's most vulnerable children. Ms. Goodell talks about the importance of corporate partnerships which allow her organization to have a greater impact by reaching, training, and funding additional groups that may not have access to corporate donors. They currently assist and are helping grow 230 partners around the world with a small staff of 25 and understand the necessity of storytelling in fundraising and awareness campaigns. Susan Goodell is an experienced non-profit professional who has been serving as the CEO for The Global Fund for Children for just over two years now. She came to The Global Fund for Children with a background in fundraising, corporate partnerships, non-profit management and public policy, and is now committed to strengthening the work of grassroots partners working with children around the world. The Global Fund for Children finds and invests in small, locally led grassroots organizations that transform the lives of the world's most vulnerable children.

Lynn Thomas, Executive Director of Community Lodgings and Jasmine Witcher, Director of Development join us today to talk about their work in Alexandria, VA which works to lift people out of homelessness and help them transition into stable housing and self-sufficiency. Lack of affordable housing is a growing problem around the country and it is particularly bad in the Washington, DC area so Community Lodgings provides a way for families to live in an apartment, rather than a shelter, while going through their very successful program. Working with dedicated caseworkers, the clients learn budgeting skills, receive help getting out of debt, and resolve other barriers to transition to full housing. Jasmine Witcher shares her persuasive "Ask" which is key in fundraising to make the work of Community Lodgings possible. Lynn Thomas joined Community Lodgings as Executive Director in January 2014 bringing 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience, particularly in grants administration, affordable housing and supportive housing management. She is a certified housing counselor, holds a Master's of Human Services from Lincoln University, PA and is an active member of the Governing Board of the Alexandria Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness. Jasmin brings over a decade of experience in the non-profit sector, specializing in housing and homelessness issues. In her role at Community Lodgings, Jasmin oversees all aspects of a comprehensive development program to provide long-term funding stability for the organization. Community Lodgings is an Alexandria, VA based nonprofit established in 1987 with a mission to lift families from homelessness and instability to independence and self-sufficiency through transitional housing, affordable housing and youth education programs

Graham McLaughlin has a pretty cool job. He gets to help his community and help his colleagues do the same through managing the Corporate Responsibility office of the Advisory Board Company. The Advisory Board is a consulting firm focused on making mission-driven organizations do their work better and more effectively but they are also known for their commitment to giving back to the communities around the world where their 4,000 employees live. Through their corporate responsibility program, they encourage employees to donate their time and skills to local organizations doing something meaningful and allow everyone to volunteer 10 daytime hours every month in order to maximize their impact. Don't miss this episode to find out how a workplace policy that builds in the ability to work for others is making the individuals volunteering more focused and better at their jobs while improving their cities and towns. Could something like this work for your organization? Graham McLaughlin is the Managing Director of Community Impact at Advisory Board Company. In addition to his business role, he is the co-founder of Clean Decisions, a social enterprise supporting and hiring only individual coming out of incarceration, and has been published or profiled in Guardian Sustainable Business, Washington Post, ABC News, Forbes, National Journal, Washington Business Journal, and others for this professional and personal work The Advisory Board Company, a global technology, research, and consulting firm partnering with 125,000 leaders at over 4,000 organizations across health care and higher education

Today we sit down with Eric Schaeffer, Artistic Director of Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. He founded the nonprofit theater in 1989 with actor Donna Migliaccio to stage smaller, more innovative, and challenging productions then available at the time in the Washington, DC area. Their productions are consistently nominated for awards and in 2009 they won a Tony award -- the most prestigious award of the theater world -- for best regional theater. Signature Theatre also has an educational component with two full-time staff and teaches programs in schools as well as teaching adults. Find out how Eric Schaeffer turned a dream into a one of the most respected theaters in the country. Eric Schaeffer is the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Arlington's Signature Theatre. Under his leadership, the Theatre was honored with the 2009 Tony Award® for Outstanding Regional Theatre in America, as well as 90 Helen Hayes Awards with an additional 368 nominations for theater excellence in Washington, DC. On Broadway, Schaeffer directed Gigi, the critically acclaimed Follies as well as the Tony Award®-winning Million Dollar Quartet, Glory Days and Putting It Together. Recipient of the 2009 Regional Theatre Tony Award®, Signature Theatre is a non-profit professional theater company in Arlington, Virginia dedicated to producing contemporary musicals and plays, reinventing classic musicals, and developing new work.

John Cox is a managing partner of Verto Solutions, an association management firm which run most -- or all -- staff functions of associations. Working with seven different organizations, they help plan and execute conferences, membership programs, and technology solutions. Social media is one key realm where nonprofits need to improve in order to have a dialogue with their members. Don't miss this informative episode covering generational change, Millennials, technology, and connecting people. John Cox focuses his skills helping associations serve their members in effective and innovative ways. He has provided advocacy, communications, and legal counsel to the food and cosmetic ingredient industries since 2000. John is a lawyer, a communicator, and an association executive, bringing passion and expertise to all three roles. Verto Solutions is a professional management and scientific services company located in Washington, DC. We specialize in providing thoughtful and effective solutions to clients in food, agriculture, and science-focused industries.

Today we're joined by Donna Groh, Executive Director of Unemployment Services Trust -- a sponsor of Through the Noise. Like many of the guests on our show, Unemployment Services Trust exists to serve nonprofits helps them become more effective organizations. Many -- if not most -- nonprofits overpay in taxes and UST analyzes nonprofits and provides cost-saving support. They are also expanding their focus to assist nonprofits in retaining employees while also offering a placement assistance programs in the event that someone must be laid off. Ms. Groh mentioned that 65% of their members don't pay annual admin costs for the programs because the interest from their savings account covers it. Listen up to find out how you can save your organization money and better prepare for the future As the Executive Director of UST, Donna Groh is responsible for the effective management of the Trust and manages relationships between UST, its service providers and its partners to assure the Trust is meeting the needs of its members. Groh has broad experience in not-for-profit organizations, associations and healthcare. Donna was the Executive Director of Toastmasters International where during her tenure the international membership grew by 50% and their net assets doubled. Prior to that, she served as Director of Operations & Business Development for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Previously, Groh was Vice President/COO of the Irvine Medical Center and Regional Hospital. She has a BS and Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and has completed coursework for an Ed.D in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University. UST's purpose is to help nonprofit organizations manage and reduce their unemployment costs, while also helping remove back-office burden and paperwork, so they have more time and more money for their missions.

A lot of people get into nonprofits because they are passionate about the mission or cause of an organization, not necessarily because they are stellar accountants (though there are some). That's why we've brought back Cathy Galbraith and Nicolie Lettini of CostTree to clarify some of the most opaque aspects of nonprofit management. Lately, funding trends have started moving in the direction of understanding direct and indirect costs and it is important for nonprofits to get it as well. Too many are stuck in the "Nonprofit Starvation Cycle" -- constantly struggling to produce tremendous results without accurate funding in place. Join us today to find out how you can more appropriately fund your work. Overhead on the mind of most nonprofit leaders these days. The new Uniform Guidance, which pulls together eight different OMB circulars, has changed the way federally funded nonprofits get reimbursed for their indirect costs (overhead). For more than 16 years, CostTree's CEO, Nicolie Lettini, has created cost allocation plans and indirect cost rate proposals (ICRP) for government agencies. Now she is bringing that experience to the nonprofit world. According to Lettini, "It's time to stop starving nonprofits and allow them to achieve their true impact. It starts with reimbursing them for their true costs," CostTree is a cloud-based cost allocation software that simplifies the process of creating an indirect cost rate and allows for maximum transparency.

Brad Halsey is CEO and Founder of Building Momentum, a firm based in Alexandria, VA that specializes in intensive technological training with practical applications. Working in the high-paced, high-stakes, and high-pressure environment of a warzone, he created solutions that were put into place to directly save lives. His enthusiasm for education is contagious and since returning from his time in Iraq, he has been using it to educate government contractors, government officials, teachers, and -- recently -- children. Ernesto and Blake have some great ideas to help him grow his newest venture. Brad Halsey, CEO of Building Momentum and of the non-profit TechGarden, is at his best when he is solving, or teaching others to solve, the hardest, most important, and the most time-critical technical problems we face. Brad prides himself as an experienced and extremely motivated scientist who thrives at leading or mentoring teams of fellow scientists, engineers, educators, community members, veterans, and kids to develop bespoke technology to rapidly solve critical technology problems—especially in challenging, austere, and combat environments. TechGarden is focused on providing the resources for teaching problem solving with technology to the community—especially underserved communities, veterans, educators, and kids. TechGarden aims to create a project-centric educational resource—a build space—where people learn how to create solutions using the tools of technology.

Our guest Daniel Domenech joins us from the American Association of School Administrators. He has been the Executive Director AASA since 2008 and a member since 1979. Known as the "School Superintendents Association," AASA represents 13,658 administrators who manage every facet of the school system from the details of the classroom to the grounds of the schools. 98% of school superintendents used to be teachers so they have an intimate understanding of the workings of the classroom and the needs of students, teachers, and parents and bring that to the running of the school system. While all superintendents manage a tremendous workload with each school, the size of school districts vary widely and the school systems in Virginia and Maryland are some of the largest. Join us to learn more about the workings of school systems, a discussion of teacher vs baseball player pay, and moving away from No Child Left Behind. Dan Domenech is the Executive Director of AASA The School Superintendents Association. AASA represents all of the nation's school superintendents and is an advocate in the Nation's Capital for public education and a provider of professional development for its members. For 27 years Domenech was the superintendent of schools in Fairfax County Virginia and school systems in New York. He is the author of "Personalizing 21st Century Education" and numerous other articles and publications.

Dennis Goris is the principal of Goris Communications who joins us not long after the firm he helped found 30 years ago underwent a transformation from Bremmer & Goris. Goris Communications now focuses (almost) exclusively on nonprofits to help them project a unified brand and identity. With so much turnover passion and personalities in the nonprofit world, it's easy and common for organizations to lose sight of the big picture of what they are showing the world and Goris Communications helps by bringing a fresh, outside perspective to redefine, refocus, and emphasize their brand. As Dennis Goris asks "Do you want to be a house of brands or a branded house?" Selling ideas, concepts, and solutions can be a lot harder to distill than something concrete like a car, a house, or an experience. Join us for business and stay for pleasures as the conversation turns to the exploration of art and how to rectifiy commerce and art when your passion becomes your living. Dennis is president and creative director at Goris Communications in Alexandria Virginia where he has directed projects and campaigns for over 300 organizations, including associations, nonprofits, fortune 500 companies, and the US government. Goris Communications is a creative powerhouse specializing in branding, messaging, and communications that add value by helping organizations identify what makes them unique.