Convention Workshops

2022 Annual Convention & Expo Workshop Tracks

1. Legal and Financial Update and Best Practices
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Anita Lichtblau, Attorney, Casner & Edwards, LLP
  • Scott Harshbarger, Attorney, Casner & Edwards, LLP
  • Sharon C. Lincoln, Attorney, Casner & Edwards, LLP
  • Dyan D Reinhold, CPA/Managing Director/Shareholder, CBIZ & MHM, LLC
  • Janet O’Neill, CPA/Managing Director/Shareholder, CBIZ & MHM, LLC
• Description:
  • Join legal and financial nonprofit experts for updates on: practical implications of various legal affiliation structures, including mergers and sole members, used to share services; accounting and financial auditing update; best practice considerations for lease standard adoption; and legal and policy impact of new governor and Attorney General.

2. How to Build Your Private Grants Program
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Jessica Culverhouse, Vice President, New Client Partnerships, Elevate
• Description: 
  • For many organizations, corporate and foundation grants are a critical slice of the larger fundraising strategy. But if your grants program is lagging, it can be hard to know where to spend your time for maximum impact. Join us to explore the key building blocks of a strategic grants program.

3. Systems Change and Restorative Justice
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Dennis Everett, Director of Restorative Justice, Executive Office of Public Safety and Security
• Description:
  • Join this session to hear about the restorative justice work happening in and across the state of Massachusetts to repair the harm of structural violence and racial injustices and move towards healing and systems change.

4. Community Inclusion: What It Is (&Isn’t) and How To Achieve It
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Lisa Drennan, Founder/ Inclusion Consultant, MERGE Inclusion Consulting
• Description:
  • Within community programs the term “Inclusion” can have different meanings or may be labeled “inclusive‚” when in fact their structure, goals and supports are not creating an authentically inclusive setting. We’ll explore the models of participation and review top tips for successfully accessing these programs.

5. End of Life and Grief Support for Providers and Clients
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Lindsey Monahan, Senior Clinician Sovner Center, Bridgewell
  • Olivia Bertolino, LMHC Intern, Bridgewell
  • Imogen Rosenbluth, LMHC Intern, Bridgewell
• Description:
  • This workshop will look at the End-of-Life journey primarily for adults with Developmental Disabilities but can apply to everyone! Learn how to support families, staff, peers, and self. Stories of supporting peers, clients, group homes, clinics, and community with grief. Opening a dialogue about loss and finding support.

6. Chat with the Commissioners: Children, Youth and Family
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Amy Kershaw, Acting Commissioner, Department of Early Education and Care
  • Maria Mossaides, Director, Office of the Child Advocate
  • Erin Quinn, Associate Commissioner for Employment and Training Programs, Department of Transitional Assistance
  • Linda Spears, Commissioner, Department of Children and Families
  • Cecely Reardon, Acting Commissioner, Department of Youth Services
• Description:
  • Hear about departmental updates from the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families, the Office of the Child Advocate, Massachusetts Department of Youth Services, Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance.

7. Chat with the Secretaries & Commissioners: Public & Mental Health, Veterans Services & Elder Affairs
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Elizabeth Chen, Secretary, Executive Office of Elder Affairs
  • Margret Cooke, Commissioner, Department of Public Health
  • Brooke Doyle, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
  • Cheryl Lussier Poppe, Secretary, Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services
• Description:
  • Hear about departmental updates from the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services, and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

8. Allyship in Action
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Sonia D’Alarcao, Vice President of Learning & Development, BAMSI
  • Aisha Bonny, Sr. Vice President of Behavioral Health & Community Services, BAMSI
• Description:
  • This session explores what it means to practice active allyship, including when to step up and when to step back, actions to implement, and behaviors to avoid. You will have the opportunity to create your own allyship commitment and action plan.

9. Naming My Professional Strengths
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Jim Ognibene, People Development Consultant, Visioneer Consulting
• Description:
  • The world has changed: Covid, hybrid/remote work, record breaking resignations and retirements, work/life balance challenges, to name a few. Yet, extraordinary opportunities wait for those currently serving in human services jobs. Human Services staff can move towards taking ownership of their careers. This session will help newly emerging leaders define their niche in human services with definitive, practical action steps they can begin right away.

10. Celebrating Yourself: Developing the Habit of Self-Care
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Cristina Pachano, Clinical Director, Family Center Inc dba Parenting Journey
  • Additional Presenters: Delores Reyes, Senior Trainer & Facilitator, Parenting Journey
• Description:
  • When you hear self-care is your reaction ‚”when am I supposed to fit that into my schedule?” Come and learn about self-care as an embodied mindset, as an investment process. Learn to customize your coping strategies to honor who you are and the rhythm of your life.

11. Embracing Strengths and Perseverance: Empowerment Through Music
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Emily Hawley, Board Certified Music Therapist/Lead Music Therapist, Roman Music Therapy
  • Erik Hylan, Board Certified Music Therapist, Roman Music Therapy Services
  • AJ Gaudreau, Board Certified Music Therapist, Roman Music Therapy Services
  • Meredith Pizzi, Founder/Executive Director, Roman Music Therapy Services
• Description:
  • Join us for a music-based immersion of connection and celebration! Throughout this presentation you will be taken through a variety of experiences that amplify personal and community-wide strengths. In exploration of musical elements such as rhythm and lyrics, we will identify strengths, foster shared joy, and maximize feelings of empowerment.

12. Strengthen Your Team-Building Muscle through Improv
(AM Slot: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Katrina Manegio, Clinical Director with Developmental & Brain Injury Services, ServiceNet
  • Amy Timmins, Vice President of Community Relations, ServiceNet
• Description:
  • Improv levels the playing field as we take chances, risk vulnerability, and succeed together. Learn some cool improv storytelling and theater games that will help you build team connections, go deeper, laugh longer, and become more flexible. Most of these can be adapted for online play and/or a hybrid format.

13. The Fundamental 5: The Fastest Way to Fund Your Nonprofit
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Sarah Lange, CEO/Founder, Sarah B. Lange
• Description:
  • The Fundamental 5 is my Signature System, which has helped me raise nearly $90M. It’s designed to help you work across 5 key areas of fundraising: donors, grants, your board, communications & planning. In this workshop, I’ll give you 3 strategies in each area so you can uplevel your fundraising.

14.  How to Protect Your Organization from Data Breaches
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Russell Greenwald, Vice President, Insource Services, Inc.
  • Lorelei Olson, Senior IT Manager, Insource Services, Inc.
• Description:
  • Make sure your team has the right tools in place to ensure your PHI is not exposed. In this presentation, we will explore how to have the right tools in place to protect your nonprofit from bad actors and data breaches while maintaining a solid framework to prevent exposure.

15. Charitable Giving Panel
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Kerry Harrison, Vice President / State Director of Public Affairs, Northern New England, Citizens
  • TBD
• Description:
  • This workshop provides a look into the trends in charitable giving, as well as a funder’s perspective on priorities and strategies in charitable giving. The workshop will also provide attendees an opportunity to have their questions about charitable giving answered by a panel of experts

16. Adjusting, Accommodating, and Adapting for Aging in Place
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Eve Montague, MSM, MT-BC, Director, Day Habilitation Services; Board Certified Music Therapist, New England Village
• Description:
  • Home, where comfort, consistency, and support can meet to maintain quality of life. This workshop looks at elements of universal design, adult learning theory, and habilitation training to offer/demonstrate accommodations and adaptations that will help support individuals with ID/DD, dementia, and Alzheimer’s remain at home and age in place.

17. DBT Informed Consult: Creative Adaptations in Clinical Supervision for multidisciplinary teams
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Elizabeth Plante, Director of DBT and Trauma Services, Open Sky Community Services
  • Additional Presenters: Elizabeth Kelly Maher, Behavioral Health Clinical Services Director, Open Sky Community Services; Kerrin Westerlind, Director of Evidenced Based Practices, Open Sky Community Services
• Description:
  • With many challenges, time is limited for providing training, consultation, and group supervision to a multidisciplinary team. Our agency has DBT expertise but was challenged to translate this knowledge into teams supporting individuals with complex needs. Clinical leaders piloted DBT Informed Consult. Presenters will discuss implementation, limitations, and future directions.

18.   Chat with the Commissioners: Disability and Community Services
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • David D’Arcangelo, Commissioner, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
  • Dr. Opeoluwa Sotonwa; Commissioner, Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
  • Jane Ryder Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services
  • Toni Wolf, Commissioner, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission
    
• Description:
  • Hear about departmental updates from the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services, and Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission.

19. Leadership Transitions: Planned and Unplanned
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • David Harris, Partner, Interim Executive Solutions
  • Additional Presenters: Sarah Bingman Schott, Partner, Interiem Executive Solutions and Patrice Keegan, former Executive Director, Boston Cares, contract Interim Executive Director for IES
• Description:
  • Leadership transitions are often stressful for board leaders and staff alike, as a pending change in leadership brings uncertainty and potentially adds work all around. Yet a time of transition is when an organization often needs a professional, calming influence and is the ideal time to assess what is working, what can work better and how to set that organization up for a successful search and tenure for the next leader.

20.  Winning the War on Talent: Creating Your Employee Value Proposition
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Allison Ebner, VP of Membership & Partnerships, Employers Association of the NorthEast
• Description:
  • Learn how to win the war on talent! During this workshop, you will learn how to create a robust and exciting employee value proposition (EVP) that when combined with a total rewards package creates increased employee engagement. We’ll share many no cost or low strategies!

21.  Words Matter: Advancing an Asset-Based Approach to Organizational Communication
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Kelly Laflamme, Senior Consultant & Grant Writing Specialist, Pear Associates
  • Keliane Totten, Vice President, Client Services, Pear Associates
• Description:
  • How we describe the people we work with or provide services for and the communities in which they live matters. Using words like ‚”at-risk‚” reduces people and places to their greatest weaknesses and reinforces stereotypes. We can counter deficit-focused ideas by highlighting the community’s strengths to solve problems.

22. Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness 101
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Ellen Perkins, DHILS Assistant Manager/Hard of Hearing Skills Trainer, Center for Living & Working, Inc.
  • Joan Philip, Director, DHILS (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Independent Living Services), Center for Living & Working, Inc.
• Description:
  • Did you know? Approximately 48 million Americans have hearing loss. Over 90% of deaf children are born to non-Deaf parents Come learn: The difference between Deaf & Hard of Hearing; What are Deaf Culture and ASL Effective communication strategies; Assistive technology and more!

23. Taking Your Power Back and Finding Peace
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenter:
  • Shaplaie Brooks, Executive Director, MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth
• Description:
  • This session is designed for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Anti-Racists and individuals with multiple intersecting identities to take your power back and find peace in a nation filled with civil unrest. Anti-Racists will walk away with ways to replenish themselves and support those they are advocating for.

24. Got Conflict? Deal with Conflict Effectively: Tools for Your Toolbox
(PM Slot: 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

• Presenters:
  • Gail Packer, MSW, Executive Director, Community Dispute Settlement Center
  • Additional Presenters: TBD
• Description:
  • This interactive workshop will help you to polish your skills at handling conflict effectively and will add some new tools for positive conflict engagement. We will debunk myths about conflict, examine different styles of responding to conflict and identify points of conflict escalation, as well as strategies for de-escalation.