It is our long term goal to be delivering regular education across Australia, NZ and Globally.
We want to build a wide and diverse pool of speakers, from the very seasoned speakers to the never spoken before.
We want to develop and nurture new speakers and create confident, articulate future leaders. Not only do we want to shine the light on what you have to share, we want to make sure that you have the support, guidance, and training before, during, and after your session to make sure you are a successful, confident, and capable educator and storyteller.
Collaboration, co-design, and community led decision making is the ethos of what we do at the Fundraising Nest. How can we do this in a way that is open, honest, and transparent?
We aspire to create a Speaker Library – a library of people. Virtual shelves full of knowledge – a place where we can choose the narrators of our sessions. Speakers for events will then be chosen, selected, or voted for from the Speaker Library.
Jes is a passionate and highly driven fundraiser, with over a decade of experience working for charities in New Zealand and Australia. In this time, she has managed various successful fundraising campaigns with a focus on individual giving, utilising multiple channels both digital and traditional and has gained a strong understanding and capability in the successful planning and execution of donor-centric fundraising. Jes was named a 2023 Mover and Shaker and was recognised in the FINZ 2022 Conference with a High Commendation in the Individual Giving campaign category.
Fundraising | Individual Giving | Donor Care | Digital
“I te taha o tōku Papa ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te waka, ko Panguru ki Papata ngā maunga Teitei, ko Whakarapa te awa, ko Ngati Manawa te hapū, ko Ngati Manawa te marae, ko Te Rarawa te iwi. I te taha o tōku Mama, ko Ngāti Mahanga, ko Ngāi Tāmanuhiri rātou ko Ngāti Kahungunu ngā iwi.”
Managing director Kaye-Maree Dunn, along with brother Mita, created MEA in 2010 . Described by various media as a ‘wahine Māori tech entrepreneur’ who has made her mark in the digitech industry, she says she loves what she does within MEA and aspires to ‘use our influence for social and collective impact and to help transform the lives of others.’ Ultimately she would love to see the waka heading to ‘where our team are healthy and thriving, that we are all financially and emotionally wealthy, that we have time to spend on ourselves and our whānau and where inner peace is the ultimate goal for all.’ She is also the Managing Director of Ahau NZ Limited and Indigital Blockchain Limited and currently on the Interim Māori Spectrum Trust Board, North Hokianga Development Trust, Āhau Tātai Hono Trust and is a Sir Edmond Hillary Fellow and a Senior Atlantic Fellow through the University of Melbourne
Kaye-Maree currently resides in Wainuiomata and grew up in Feilding and loves to sing, eat and hang out with her friends.
Indigenous engagement | Strategic and business advisory | Planning and Project Management
Specialising in relationship building, strategy, facilitation and human centred design, Kaye-Maree wants to ensure individuals have the right tools and support to govern their organisations with confidence and competence. She has been working with a range of rangatahi and iwi groups with Te Whare Hukahuka for the past 6 years in the Ka Eke Poutama programme, and loves being involved in lifting the transformative capability of whānau, hapū, and iwi to actively contribute to the growth of New Zealand’s economic potential.
She has worked in the realm of Maori and Community development for over 21 years with a career spanning Child, Youth, and Family, The Department of Labour, The Māori Land Court, and NZ Maori Tourism and Community Housing. Previously she has served on the Board of NZ Tech, Te Paepae Arahi, a Māori mental health provider in Lower Hutt, Hui E Community, The Para Kore Trust and was one of the Wellington Representatives on the New Zealand Māori Council. She has recently been involved in Social Enterprise Development, Governance Training, E-Commerce Development, and Whānau Ora Planning, particularly with hard-to-reach families.
Alex founded Dataphoria in 2009, to provide clients with better leads for better results. Alex aims to make up with campaign ROI, what he lacks in hair and has built a well-respected team of consultants in the North-West of Sydney. Combining over 40 years of experience in media planning & buying and direct marketing data strategy, the business is designed to provide strategic data and lead generation solutions for Australian marketers and fundraisers.
“Dataphoria” is the feeling you get when data works for you. There are not too many data-driven marketers that haven’t shouted furiously at a spreadsheet, when things haven’t worked out, so Dataphoria aims to provide the opposite feeling. Direct telemarketing campaigns and direct mail campaigns sit on a foundation of data, so it needs to be built correctly every time.
Dataphoria work with a range of charity and non-charity clients and the business has generated over 7 million responsive leads for Australian and NZ marketers at last count. With a heavy focus on compliance, Alex and his team assist their clients in navigating the ever-changing personal data legislation landscape and work with government agencies to try to balance consumer privacy rights with the need for effective fundraising options.
Alex’s passion is in leveraging disparate data points to build responsive data sets, when solving marketing challenges. Demonstrating his nerdiness, you actually need to pass a maths test to become an employee of his business.
Prior to running Dataphoria, Alex worked for Equifax and Dun and Bradstreet in their marketing services divisions and had previously planned marketing campaigns across brands including Jaguar, LandRover, Volvo, Mitsubishi and Marie Curie Cancer Care in the UK.
Alex lives with his wife and 4 kids and can often be found mountain biking in the bush or paddle boarding on the harbour for a little peace and quiet.
Data-driven marketing: Outbound direct marketing data strategy, segmentation, testing and optimisation | Regular giver lead generation at scale, on a performance basis + how to build positive partnerships between lead generators, call centres and fundraisers | Building multi-channel donor journeys | Leveraging data with customer profiling and predictive analytics – simplifying the concepts | Data Privacy – now and into the future | Cyber security and protecting against hacks
Past Presentations:
Data Week 2023: The Great Unloved – How to leverage leads you can’t reach by phone | Panel – cyber-security + we built a checklist and handbook for members to use to evaluate their security.
Club Of United Business 2022: Consultative Selling – training session to business owners
FIA WA Conference & Declines User Group 2022: Are you letting the apples rot in your orchard? Overcome the limits of your database when hunting for reactivation gold.
Data Week 2021: FIA and PFRA Privacy Explainer Guide & Questionnaire launch (guide built by Dataphoria and FIA)
BBCon 2019: Hunting for Gold in your Prospect and Donor Data – Moving Beyond Analytics Buzz-words
Katie has over 20 years’ experience as a fundraising & marketing professional for not-for-profits across the UK, Australia and NZ, delivering successful fundraising programs that cover the full spectrum of channels and streams. She’s played a key role in the strategic development and growth of many high-profile charities, including The Fred Hollows Foundation in Australia and Amnesty International in both Australia and the UK.
After upping sticks and moving to Aotearoa, Katie joined Orange Sky in August 2021 to build this Australia-born organisation across the ditch. She’s leading and developing their fundraising program from the ground up, to build a sustainable future and long-lasting, meaningful relationships with their supporters to help grow their services in Aotearoa.
A self-confessed data nerd, Katie is an advisor to The Benchmarking Project. She also holds governance and advisory roles with WAI Wanaka and the Love Wanaka Community Fund in her hometown. When she’s not asking people for money, you’ll find her up in the hills or on the yoga mat.
Fundraising development & Strategy | Data insights and data driven fundraising | Individual & Regular Giving | Fundraising Campaigns | Mid Value Donors | Gifts in Wills
As Head of International Philanthropy for Chapel & York, Heather leads both charity management services and a global network of foundations. She is a seasoned leader, with over two decades of experience in the philanthropic sector, as well as a certified Quadrant 3 Leadership coach and an AFP Master Trainer. Her extensive background includes leadership and management; fundraising; marketing and communications; grant seeking; strategic planning and analytics.
A highly rated international speaker, she is passionate about giving back to the profession as a thought leader and volunteer. She has held the CFRE credential since 2009, is past Chair of the CFRE International Board of Directors and is Chair of Rogare, the international fundraising think tank. She is also an author who has written for key sector publications, including The Chronicle of Philanthropy (US), Fundraising Magazine (UK), Fundraising Europe (NL) and Fundraising Institute of New Zealand Newz Viewz (NZ).
Heather was named a Thrivent Fellow in 2013. She received the Jay Bleeke Award in 2014 for outstanding service as a young Association of Lutheran Development Executives (ALDE) member and the ALDE Creativity Award in 2017 for her “#thanksGivingTuesday” initiative.
When not striving to make the world a better place through her work and volunteer efforts, you can find Heather running, practicing yoga or curled up with her hairless cat.
Ethics | International/cross-border fundraising | Gender issues in the fundraising profession | Annual giving | Major gifts | Data-driven strategy and more.
I’ve been invited to speak on 6 of 7 continents (still waiting for the penguins to bring me to Antarctica) on a variety of topics and issues for the fundraising profession.
Past Presentations:
“Taking Your Message Worldwide – Obtaining Support from Alumni, Stakeholders & the Latin Diaspora” 2023 Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Latin America Congress
“Dismantling the Fundraising Patriarchy” 2023, hosted by Chartered Institute of Fundraising (CIoF)
“Beyond Borders: International Fundraising for Any Budget” 2022 Association of Brazilian Fundraisers (ABCR) Conference
“Women in Philanthropy – A Global Perspective” 2022 ABCR Conference
“The major giving digital revolution: From COVID realities to new operating systems” #FRO2022 Resource Alliance
Moderator for The Americas (full program) – #!FAB 2021, Chapel & York (https://chapel-york.com/ifabonline/)
“Together for Good: Grassroots Fundraising” 2020 ABCR Conference
“Buying Power: When Donorcentrism Becomes Donor Dominance” 2020 Fundraising Institute of Australia Conference
“Coaching Your Fundraising Staff to Excellence” 2020 FIA Conference
“Tackling Sexual Harassment in Fundraising” 2019 CIoF Fundraising Convention (UK)
“In Conversation: Donor dominance and sexual harassment in the fundraising sector” 2019 IoF Studio Session https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgZ4qOvfLMY
“Buying Power” 2019 ABCR Conference
“Global Trends in Fundraising” 2019 ABCR Conference
“Are you prepared to let your donors push you around?” 2019 Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conference (Co-Presenter)
“A Critical Look at Fundraising in the United States” 2019 AFP International Conference (Panelist)
“Killing GivingTuesday and Other Stories of Reestablished Relationships” 2019 ADRP NYC Conference
“Could it be unethical not to ask for a sufficiently high gift? 2018 International Fundraising Congress (IFC), Holland (Co-Presenter)
“How Do You Know What You Know about Fundraising?” 2018 AFP International Conference (Panelist)
“Inside the Donor Mind: Philanthropic Psychology” 2017 FIA Conference
“Data-Driven Fundraising” 2017 FIA Conference
Cherian Koshy is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP), & AFP Master Trainer. Cherian is the Vice President of Development at Merit America, a nonprofit organization that is closing the opportunity gap at scale by preparing talented workers in low-wage roles for well-paying careers – breaking the cycle of poverty, and building a new pathway to the middle class for tens of millions of Americans.
He is also the founder of the Nonprofit Operating System, a comprehensive platform designed to help organizations streamline their operations and maximize their impact. Prior to starting NonprofitOS, Cherian spent more two decades working in the nonprofit sector, working with thousands of donors and raising millions of dollars for various organizations and causes.
Cherian is a Certified Scale Architect, a Certified Mind Genomics Advisor, and holds advanced certifications in Behavioral Economics from Dan Ariely’s Irrational Labs as well as Harvard University. Cherian was also one of the most successful debating coaches in the United States and is the author of one of the most widely used debating textbooks currently used.
With 25+ years of fundraising experience in annual funds, major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaigns, he is also one of the most sought-after trainers and speakers in the nonprofit sector. As the head of fundraising for various nonprofits, he’s personally raised more than $100M. His industry-specific thought leadership has been featured in Advancing Philanthropy, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, the Institute of Fundraising (UK), and dozens of keynote presentations, blogs, webinars, workshops, and podcasts.
Cherian lives in Iowa with his wife Betsy, 2.3 kids, and their little dog too.
Cherian Koshy is a highly accomplished and respected professional in the nonprofit sector with extensive expertise in fundraising and philanthropy. As the Vice President of Development at Merit America, he plays a crucial role in closing the opportunity gap and empowering individuals in low-wage roles to transition into well-paying careers, thereby addressing the issue of poverty and creating pathways to the middle class for millions of Americans.
Cherian’s broad range of certifications, including being a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP), and AFP Master Trainer, reflects his deep knowledge and commitment to excellence in his field.
Furthermore, Cherian’s innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish the Nonprofit Operating System, a comprehensive platform that helps nonprofits streamline their operations and maximize their impact. His experience as a Certified Scale Architect and Certified Mind Genomics Advisor, along with advanced certifications in Behavioral Economics from Dan Ariely’s Irrational Labs and Harvard University, demonstrates his dedication to leveraging cutting-edge methodologies and strategies to drive positive change.
He is renowned as a sought-after trainer and speaker, leveraging his 25+ years of fundraising experience in annual funds, major gifts, planned giving, and capital campaigns to educate and inspire others in the nonprofit sector. Cherian is invited to present keynotes, breakout sessions, and webinars, which he conducts approximately monthly.
Dominique has over 20 years’ experience delivering successful fundraising programmes at several New Zealand charities. She is now working as a consultant helping charitable organisations realise their fundraising aspirations. Previously, Dominique led the integration of marketing, communications, and fundraising at SPCA New Zealand when the organisation transitioned from over 40 separate entities into one organisation while driving significant growth in fundraised income. It was during that time that SPCA’s Marketing & Fundraising team were presented numerous awards in recognition of their work, including the Supreme Excellence in Fundraising Award in 2019. Prior to SPCA, Dominique guided multiple capital campaigns for Coastguard New Zealand, two were recognised by FINZ with awards in 2011 and 2014.
In 2019 Dominique was awarded the inaugural FINZ Fundraising Leader of the Year.
Dominique is a fellow of the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand and serves on the Institute’s Ethics Committee, she also holds governance roles with the Student Volunteer Army and Orange Sky Aotearoa.
Capital Campaigns | Major Donor | Gifts in Wills | Leadership
I’ve been speaking, primarily for FINZ, since the 2000’s – local FINZ Learn @ Lunch events, then FINZ conferences and other workshops. I was also a instructor/facilitator for the Certificate in Fundraising when it was in place in NZ.
Ligia Peña, CFRE is an International Legacy Consultant and Strategist at GlobetrottingFundraiser. The firm helps charities around the world develop their legacy and fundraising strategy. Over the years, she has helped develop legacy strategies in 15 markets across the globe for various non-profits and NGOs. A hardcore legacy nerd, Ligia is also pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Kent where she’s researching national legacy marketing campaigns as tools to change society’s behaviour towards gifts in wills.
As a sought-after and seasoned international presenter, Ligia has trained thousands of fundraisers in the science and the art of legacy fundraising. She’s also the author of the ‘Small Shop Fundraising’ chapter in the 2nd volume of Excellence in Fundraising in Canada, various articles in AFP’s newsletter Advancing Philanthropy, as well as a guest on many industry podcasts.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ligia calls Montréal, Canada home or any place with wifi. She fluently speaks Spanish, French and English (and manages in Portuguese and Italian).
Gifts in wills | Annual and monthly giving | Middle and major gifts | Fundraising strategy | Communications
Ligia has presented locally and internationally at conferences such as: FIA, AFP Global, AFP-Toronto, CAGP, Swedish Fundraising Assocaition, AFP Mexico, AEDROS, ABCR, CIOF, AFF, Italian Fundraising Festival, IFC, Japanese Legacy Association, APRA, NAYDO, ACSO, and FINZ.
Terri Sheahan cut her teeth in Local Government media before establishing a freelance copywriting agency specialising in non-profit communications in the late 80s. (Yes: that long ago!)
A CFRE and Fellow of the Fundraising Institute of Australia, Terri has worked as a donor communications specialist across all cause areas in the not-for-profit sector.
Direct Mail is her speciality and donor-centric communications is her passion. She is also recognised as a sector authority on the crafting of a compelling Case for Support.
She has been a member of the Precision Fundraising team since late 2018 and in her current role as Head of Copy, she provides strategic guidance around direct mail strategy and other donor communication programs including Gifts in Wills and Regular Giving.
Terri also has experience as a hands-on fundraiser working in the major gifts and capital campaign spaces during her many years with Xponential Philanthropy. This included her role as the Director of a $16m Capital Campaign for Ronald McDonald House SEQ which won an FIA Award for Excellence.
Her work has been recognised through FIA Awards in both Capital Campaign and Direct Mail categories, and she has delivered professional development presentations at state and national levels in Australia and in New Zealand.
Terri loves raising money for good causes and is a vocal champion of fundraisers.
She is thrilled that the Fundraising Nest has hatched and is excited to do what she can to help fundraisers soar in the days ahead.
To be confirmed
It is important that at each step of this journey you feel involved in the process from the initial submissions to post event evaluations.
We promise to communicate with honesty and transparency and will review progress at regular internals to be sure we make the right decisions at the right time.
We look forward to working with you and are happy to discuss the speaker commitments in more detail at any time.
What you will need for the submission:
– A bio (max 600 words).
– A summary of your session/s (max 600 words total).
– A photo (or two) of yourself (at least 1750 px wide).
– The name and contact details of someone who can give you kudos.
To find out more or nominate a speaker email info@fundraisingnest.com today!
Fundraising Nest – Brought to you by Michelle Berriman. Supported by Cory Hall and Precision.
