Through the Noise

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#249 Nonstop Administration Insurance - David Sloves Mar 02, 2017

Show notes

As a country, we've started 2017 with a lot more healthcare uncertainty and insecurity than recent years. Costs are rising and the Affordable Care Act remains on the chopping block of many Republicans, leaving those seeking healthcare with high premiums for minimal procedures. So we've invited David Sloves to join us on the show by phone to address some of the concerns facing nonprofits. As CEO of Nonstop Administration & Insurance Services, his aim is to deliver affordable healthcare options to the staff of nonprofits so they can be in good health to do the work they need to do. As he mentions, healthcare for 90% of the population costs less than $1500 per year but our costs are exorbitant across the board because of the costs of the other 10%. His company is an insurance broker and administrator that helps manage these costs for nonprofits and helps save them money so that people working to better our society can take care of themselves and go to the doctor when they're sick without breaking their nonprofit wallets.

David has developed repeatable, cost-effective solutions to complex business problems for Fortune 500 clients since the 1980's. He has a strong commitment to human rights, heath care advocacy and environmental awareness. Nonstop deflates the annual costs of employee healthcare through its unique partial self-insurance program, Nonstop Wellness, which allows nonprofits to stabilize the growing costs of premiums, eliminate all employee out-of-pocket expenses, and access unspent reserve funds for unrestricted operating use.

#248 BizLaunch Arlington - Tara Palacios Feb 27, 2017

Show notes

Tara Palacios of Arlington Economic Development joins us to talk about her role as BizLaunch Program Lead and how she helps prospective businesses owners become successful business owners. AED works with for-profit and nonprofit businesses of all sizes and Ms. Palacios worked for a decade with AED's nonprofit capacity building program and she encourages nonprofits to seek their services as well. The main problem she sees -- particularly with for-profit companies, but also with nonprofits -- is lack of planning at the beginning and inability to grow or scale. Avoid these and other common start-up problems with realistic goals and plans.

Tara Palacios is the Director of Arlington Economic Development's award-winning BizLaunch program. Ms. Palacios launched the initiative in 2002 and has overseen the growth of the program which has seen over 40,000 small businesses launch and grow in Arlington, Virginia. BizLaunch, Arlington's small business and entrepreneurial assistance network, offers over 40 workshops and seminars each year, as well as Counseling & Mentoring sessions for small businesses with the aim of helping entrepreneurs design their businesses plans, as well as to develop and grow their enterprises.

#247 Arts and Humanities - Megan Beyer Feb 23, 2017

Show notes

We're thrilled to welcome Megan Beyer, Executive Director of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. She was appointed to the position when Obama decided to break with tradition and staff the committee with artists instead of philanthropists. Join us for a discussion on the arts and their transformative role in education as we explore the question "Why are the arts always the first to go in financially tough times?" When you hear about the Renaissance, the focus is always the arts, so it's important to continue supporting the arts and access for all.

Megan Beyer is the Executive Director for the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. She led the first cultural delegation to Cuba last spring and promotes arts and humanities in education through the President's Committee's initiatives. Created in 1982 under President Reagan, the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities (PCAH) is an advisory committee to the White House on cultural issues.

#246 Foresight First LLC - Jeff De Cagna Feb 20, 2017

Show notes

Our guest today, Jeff De Cagna, will change the way you think about your approach to board recruitment, management, and collaboration. Charging that nonprofit organizations of all ages, sizes, and missions are missing a crucial opportunity for growth and relevance by under utilizing their boards, and that boards are similarly wasting their skills, time, and connections by focusing on the minutiae of organizational operations and micromanaging staff rather than looking ahead and being proactive about inevitable transitions organizations will face as technology continues to evolve. Host an annual meeting? Jeff De Cagna has some perspectives on the continuing value of holding "interruption-based experiences" like meetings that force most work to come to a standstill. If you're holding an expensive annual meeting because "that's what we've always done", you won't want to miss this episode.

Jeff De Cagna FRSA FASAE is a strategist, design thinker and foresight practitioner who collaborates with association and non-profit boards of directors and their staff partners. He is also a respected contrarian who challenges association/non-profit orthodoxy at every opportunity. Foresight First LLC works with association and non-profit boards to strengthen their performance through learning with the future.

#245 Howard University - Dionne C. Clemons Feb 16, 2017

Show notes

Though most of our guests are from nonprofits, occasionally we bring in a subject matter expert to offer advice relevant to all nonprofits. Today we're excited to bring you a wealth of knowledge on communications from Dionne C. Clemons, Professor of Strategic Communications at Howard University. In order to grow your organization, it's essential to have a communications plan that fits with your organization's strategic goals and to know where your audience is so you can meet them where they are. Join us for a conversation on trust, transparency, and collaboration in your communications and take your organization to the next level.

Dr. Dionne C. Clemons is a strategic communications management scholar, coach and practitioner with more than two decades' experience helping nonprofits, government agencies and small businesses tell their stories more effectively. Dr. Clemons serves as Creator and Chief Communications Officer of Clemons Consulting, LLC and as a lecturer within Howard University's Cathy Hughes School of Communication. Clemons Consulting, LLC is a boutique strategic communications management firm that provides public relations counsel to nonprofit and government arts organizations as well as to creative entrepreneurs.

#244 Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance - Kari Luther Rosbeck Feb 13, 2017

Show notes

Kari Luther Rosbeck spends most of her days fighting the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex -- the rare genetic disorder that is the leading genetic cause of both epilepsy and autism -- we were fortunate to get her on the show today to discuss some of the strategies her staff at the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance employ in the struggle against this horrific illness. A common problem many organizations have is getting heard Through the Noise (ding ding ding) especially with the tremendous variety of illnesses and disorders that can affect infants and children, so raising awareness among pediatricians and so they'll be able to recognize the signs of TSC and treat them appropriately. The TSA has recently launched a new website to streamline their educational and outreach efforts and make the available research easier for professionals and the public to find. We also address the techniques for courting and closing major donors and sponsors so there are some useful takeaways for the members of your development team.

#243 Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture - Michael Monti Feb 09, 2017

Show notes

Michael Monti joins us in our newly painted studio to talk architecture, design, and education. As the Executive Director of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, he represents a membership base of 200 architecture schools, 6,000 faculty members, and 200 affiliated firms. Working to keep architecture curriculums relevant, members collaborate and communicate to stay on top of evolving trends, like the increasing concentration on green buildings with energy efficient performance. Don't miss this episode for a deeper discussion of these topics and to learn more about their newest project, Study Architecture.

Michael J. Monti has served as executive director of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture since 2004. For nearly twenty years he has worked with nonprofit boards in higher education, with a particular focus on building evidence-based research that can improve the world. The Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture leads architectural education and research by demonstrating the value of our members' work to society, by advancing pedagogy, and by serving as the voice of architecture schools.

#242 ADEA - Virginia Bader Feb 06, 2017

Show notes

Today we sit down with Virginia Bader of the American Dental Education Association. With many years under her belt in the nonprofit world, Ms. Bader runs the communications for ADEA as their Chief Communications and Marketing Officer. ADEA represents the 76 dental schools in the US and Canada as well as 20,000 individual members that are dental professionals. Unlike medical schools which includes years of residencies, dental schools must prepare students to be practicing dentists on day 1 so the curriculum work of the ADEA is especially crucial. Ms. Bader notes that the #1 childhood disease in the U.S. is tooth decay which is completely preventable.

Virginia Bader, M.B.A, is the Chief Communications and Marketing Officer as well as the Acting Chief of Staff for the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). ADEA represents all 76 dental schools in North America, as well as over 800 allied dental programs and 20,000 individuals in the dental education community.

#241 Child Trends - Frank Walter Feb 02, 2017

Show notes

Frank Walter is the Vice President for Strategic Communications for Child Trends, a locally-based, national organization that works to improve the lives of all children and their families. As a data and research-driven organization, they work to disseminate information that can benefit children and families and dispel information that is incorrect or leads to harmful practices. While many organizations and publications are reluctant to publish negative findings, Child Trends is working to democratize the process and they make all of their findings available to their thousands of followers and supporters. We address the challenges of coming from a PR background and being a guest on a podcast with little idea what the hosts may ask.

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 http://www.childtrends.org/careers.

#240 National Tech Security Coalition - Patrick Gaul Jan 30, 2017

Show notes

As our reliance on technology grows, our need for information security continues to evolve and so we've invited Patrick Gaul, Executive Director of the National Technology Security Coalition to join us on Through the Noise. We address "Security fatigue," a troubling problem for professionals who work to keep corporations and organizations safe from hackers and industrial espionage. If you've wondered if your organization is equipped to deal of the rapidly changing technological landscape, Patrick Gaul's decades of experience are a great place to start.

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