NPC

La Salle University

Greater Philadelphia Region

Nonprofit Organizations

Everett Frank: What is now The Nonprofit Center (itself a nonprofit organization) was established under the leadership of Everett Frank, a man who had spent most of his working life in the corporate sector, but who recognized that nonprofits "could stretch one dollar in ways for-profit corporations could never imagine." He became La Salle's first "Executive-In-Residence," serving as a liaison between La Salle's School of Business Administration and the corporate world... After five years as a popular La Salle MTP group leader, Everett agreed to become the founding director of La Salle's Nonprofit Management Development Center, that evolved into The Nonprofit Center of today. The strategic planning and board development concepts that Everett custom developed for nonprofits remain the cornerstone of The Nonprofit Center's curriculum and consulting principles to this day. And the nonprofit consulting, training, research, and networking infrastructure he initiated have grown as the sector has.

William Penn Foundation: When La Salle University asked Everett Frank to serve as a group leader for its early Management Training Programs (MTP), funded by the William Penn Foundation in 1981, Everett combined his business acumen with his nonprofit sensitivity to discern the strengths of each sector and what they could learn from one another. When the MTP needed a strategic planning trainer, Everett took all the international strategic planning theory and experience he had gathered over 31 years of business experience and distilled it into an abbreviated planning process that would apply in the nonprofit setting.

Karen Simmons: In response to the increased demand for its services, Karen Simmons joined the Center as assistant director in 1987. In 1990, she succeeded Everett Frank as director. Under her leadership, a series of workshops was added for nonprofit executives. Today that annual slate of workshops surpasses 90 diverse programs. Consulting services in such areas as board development, fundraising and strategic planning were added and,the region's exclusive nonprofit job search newsletter, was created. In 2001, Simmons left the center to become president/CEO of the Chester County Community Foundation.

Laura Otten, Ph.D.: Director -- Laura Otten, Ph.D. whose diverse career has always included a commitment to the nonprofit sector and the people it serves, succeeded Karen as director. Instrumental in creating a Women's Studies Program at La Salle University, she later served as its second director. Once director of the Criminal Justice Program, she was an associate professor in the program. An author, researcher, and community advocate, Laura first began working with The Nonprofit Center in 1983 and became director in 2001. Today, she remains a standard-bearer for the use of best practices in all aspects of nonprofit management... Laura has the longest history with The Nonprofit Center, serving as a consultant and instructor for more than 30 years. In that time, she has distinguished herself on both the national and local levels, as an expert in nonprofit leadership, governance, strategic planning, evaluation, and other aspects of organizational management. Since 2001, she has led the Center, integrating a commitment to best practices in all aspects of nonprofit operations, and solidified our educational model to provide in-depth, high quality learning experiences that make The Nonprofit Center unique among any other organizations in the region. This same philosophy of integrated services and highly skilled and experienced experts also guides our consulting practice, in which she is also an active participant. Laura demonstrates a life-long commitment to the nonprofit sector having served on her first nonprofit board while still a teenager. Her expertise in nonprofit leadership is underscored by her latest role in 2013 as inaugural director of La Salle University's new M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership. While Laura jokes that someone who qualifies for AARP shouldn't be blogging, her weekly posts on nonprofituniversityblog.org are read regularly in more than 20 countries. "We should make use of our security, our seniority, to take risks, to make noise, to be courageous, to become unpopular." (Carolyn G. Heilbrun)

Terri Clark: Manager, Client Services -- Terri brought a great range of experiences - as a legal secretary, a paralegal, an office manager (for an organizational psychologist so you know that comes in handy) - when she joined The Nonprofit Center more than five years ago. Her part-time position evolved into producing the Nexus, our former printed jobs newsletter (now the online findnonprofitjobs.org), to manager of educational programs, evolving into her current responsibilities for On-Site Group Trainings and as the contact for ongoing consulting projects. Terri's affinity for design and remodeling enables her to handle logistics and details so critical to successful implementation in both these roles . Her special insight facilitates each project to ensure that on-site trainings produce the desired results and she is an integral part of the consulting team that ensures each project reflects "value-added consulting."

Rob Fennell: Office Manager -- Rob comes to The Nonprofit Center from his native England. Since he most often answers our main telephone line, you'll recognize him from his charming accent (ask him to do some Monty Python). Rob brings experience in customer service and administration to his position here, along with a desire to work in the nonprofit sector having spent time volunteering both in England and Philadelphia. His commitment to learning matches The Nonprofit Center's philosophy, and he is currently enrolled in both the Nonprofit Management and Financial Management certificate programs. This quote from Bob Dylan sums up my approach to life and why I want to work with nonprofits, "A man is a success if he gets up and the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do."

Ellen H. Funk: Assistant Manager, Client Services -- Ellen is richly experienced in the nonprofit world, most recently as a consultant in planning, development and management. She spent 16 years with United Way of Southeastern PA in a variety of roles working with agencies, most recently as community impact officer. She is active on several nonprofit boards, and as her picture above illustrates, involved in the world of figure skating. Ellen earned her B.S. in psychology from Gordon College and her MA in Social Gerontology at the University of PA. Her philosophy of life, "We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand ...and melting like a snowflake. Let us use it before it is too late" (Marie Beynon).

Joanne Konczyk: Finance Manager -- Joanne has more than 30 years experience with several nonprofit organizations. She's been at La Salle for 12 years, first in Accounts Payable/Purchasing, and later in Accounts Receivable. She brought her skills in budgeting and financial management to The Nonprofit Center in 2008. Prior to coming to La Salle, she spent 10 years as a full charge bookkeeper, then another 10 as a purchasing agent for a local medical facility in Philadelphia. Joanne's work ethic is summarized in this quote from Pearl S. Buck: "The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it."

Lori Moffa: Director of Consulting -- Lori's appreciation and understanding of the role of the consultant stems from her extensive experience as a consultant to a variety of nonprofits and as a professional whose role has been to work with groups of consultants. At United Way of King County, Seattle, she recruited and managed a corps of consultants, including some volunteer, to provide specialized expertise to nonprofit organizations. During her many years in Philadelphia nonprofits, Lori has worked for the United Way of Gloucester County, the Philadelphia Zoo, Mercy Health System, the Arthritis Foundation and also founded the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's Nonprofit Council. "You make a living by what you get ...But you make a life by what you give."(Winston Churchill)

Joan Mintz Ulmer: Director, Marketing & Communications -- Kismet brought Joan to nonprofit work, but it was choice that has kept her there for more than 30 years. She brings to The Nonprofit Center extensive firsthand experience doing media and public relations and resource development for a wide range of organizations from domestic violence programs to hunger relief. Her first and enduring interest was writing and she found that her writing skills enabled her to support causes she believed in. At The Nonprofit Center, she creates all the printed materials, handles public affairs and marketing, serves as webmaster, and is liaison to membership. A quote by Woodrow Wilson reminds me of the meaning of my life in the nonprofit sector: "You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."

Stepfon Wallace: Educational Programs Associate -- Stepfon came to The Nonprofit Center with a well-developed interest in education, having served as Education and Fellowship Programs Associate at the American Institute for History Education. There he also sharpened his customer service, communication and administrative skills, working closely with grant recipients. He is the primary contact for many students participating in our educational programs, especially those interested in our Certificate Programs, who are often looking for guidance regarding their professional development. Stepfon has a love of history, his favorite research topic being the 1960s, which he believes is the decade that shaped our country currently. A favorite quote: "In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute." - Thurgood Marshall

Nonprofit Center Funders: Part of our mission is to provide our high quality services at affordable rates. It is through the generosity of enlightened foundations and corporations, who understand the inherent value of capacity-building for nonprofit organizations, that we can continue to support the nonprofit sector with education, training, and consulting services.

Community Foundation of South Jersey

Connelly Foundation

Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation

Elko & Associates, Ltd.

Samuel S. Fels Fund

Joyce Miller & Associates

PECO Exelon

William Penn Foundation

The Philadelphia Foundation

Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation

Renzi, Bernardi, Suarez & Co.

Shechtman Marks Devor, PC

Laura Solomon, Esq. & Associates

Subaru of America