Date: Thursday April 10, 2025
Location: Temple University Ambler Campus
Empowering Nonprofits, where Temple University brings together nonprofit leaders for expert-led workshops, tools and strategies to enhance their effect. These were the speakers at the 2025 event.
has over 40 years in Philadelphia’s advertising and public relations industry. He founded BrownPartners, a leading minority-owned ad agency. The firm earned prestigious awards, including PRSA Pepperpots, a Gold Addy and a Mosaic Award. Brown is a recipient of PRSA’s David Ferguson Award for contributions to public relations education and the Ofield Dukes Educator Award from the National Black Public Relations Society. He is also Founder and Managing Director of CommonSoul Communications, offering strategic marketing to mission-driven organizations. Brown serves as Assistant Dean at Temple University’s Klein College and was named a “Champion of Change” by the Obama Administration. He leads the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, tackling gun violence in Philadelphia. An ordained United Methodist Reverend, Brown frequently contributes to the Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY, offering insights on urban and social issues.
is a nature enthusiast, community-focused resource mobilizer and advocate of mutual aid. She has worked in community spaces, nonprofits, grassroots movements and gardens for over ten years and is the founder of Veronica Anne Rae Consulting, a community-centered resource mobilizing consultancy. Her life’s work is to mobilize resources into the hands of those who are fostering community growth. Adams has executed and led campaigns ranging from $5,000 to $10 million for national non-profits, community spaces, grassroots movements, individuals and more. Using her personal ethos of equity, her holistic and unique education and her lived experience, Adams strives to strengthen community bonds and help shape the just and thriving world we all deserve.
has nearly 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, with a focus on organizational sustainability, leadership development, and grants development and management. She began her journey at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, where she partnered with Fortune 500 companies to implement cause marketing initiatives. Amanda has since served in leadership roles with Summer Search, Philadelphia Futures, American Heart Association, and Bebashi - Transition to Hope. Most recently, Amanda served in leadership at New Voices for Reproductive Justice, where she lead the organization's policy, development, and communications teams.
is Founder & Principal of Spur & Sprout, a nonprofit consultancy that partners with organizations to sow powerful missions through strategic planning, grant writing and fundraising. The organization provides project-based and capacity-building support, allowing nonprofits to tackle challenges and knowledge gaps. Anchored by trauma-informed principles, Spur & Sprout's approach spurs clients forward without depleting staff and financial resources. Heather focuses on driving strategic initiatives and growing nonprofit capacity. She shifted to nonprofit consultancy after working for the YWCA and Please Touch Museum. A community-minded leader, she serves as Treasurer of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Past President of AFP Central PA, and as a director on the Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland & Perry County and York Central Market boards. She is a registered yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance, teaching classes at Stepping Stones in Dover, PA.
is a Senior Research Associate at Temple University’s Harrisburg Campus, where she specializes in qualitative methods and contributes to various evaluation projects. She brings a unique combination of expertise in writing, social work and research that allows her to effectively communicate complex information to diverse audiences. Her recent projects have focused on evidence-based practices in community supervision, the training needs of probation and parole officers and the prevalence of racial and ethnic disparities in pretrial justice. A former full-time journalist, she has written articles on many topics, including behavioral health, aging, criminal justice and social work education. She earned her master’s degree in social work from Temple University and her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University.
is the Director for the Center of Anti-Racism at Temple University. A Civil Rights Attorney by training, he is a scholar of law, race and cultural studies. He earned his JD from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and his BA from Morehouse College. His scholarly work focuses on contemporary issues of racial identity in America and the intersection of racial classifications and the law in the American context, in addition to contemporary African and African American culture. His work as a scholar of law, race and cultural studies has allowed him to contribute to various media outlets, such as the CNN, CBS, BBC Radio 4, NBC News, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, NPR, The Huffington Post, WHYY, and REVOLT TV. He lives in the Philadelphia area with his wife and three children.
