B4: The Key to Advancing Change is Building an Effective Network
Session Designer
Jane Donahue, Deaconess Foundation
Session Description
Lately, there’s been a lot of buzz about networks and the benefits of collective efforts. While the tenets of networked action are compelling, lessons are just emerging about what it takes to initiate and sustain a successful network and what role funders play in this new landscape. This session will feature the work of two thriving networks: the St. Louis Regional College Access Network, a consortium of nonprofit providers, educators, funders and businesses; and Intersect for Ability, a foundation-initiated effort that includes 11 Chicago-area nonprofits serving individuals with developmental disabilities. Deaconess and Coleman Foundations — the lead foundations in these efforts — will lead participants in an exploration of the processes and practices needed to move from the initial concept of a network to the brass tacks of aligned service delivery among nonprofit providers.
Conference Theme
Collaborative Problem Solving
Speakers
![[photo]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/b7dd56d53507197ad7f8a7dba62fccbb.png?d=https://proposalspace.com/images/no_photo.png&r=PG&s=50 "Jane Donahue, Deaconess Foundation")
Jane Donahue, Deaconess Foundation
Title
Vice President
Speaker Biography
Jane Donahue joined Deaconess Foundation as vice president in December 2004. She has over fifteen years of experience in youth development and nonprofit management including managing programs for Henry Street Settlement and Prep for Prep in New York City, and serving as a consultant for organizations such as The Riverside Church, Public/Private Ventures and Bank Street College of Education. In St. Louis, she was a founder of College Summit-St. Louis. Jane currently co-chairs the St. Louis Regional College Access Pipeline Project; serves as chair of the region's grantmaking association, Gateway Center for Giving; and served on the Mayor's Afterschool for All by 2010 Taskforce. Donahue holds a bachelor's in American Studies from Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) and received her master's from Harvard Divinity School.
![[photo]](https://8ca84662c5b8f0cff50d-4baaaf97d63fd7b01243e1b1c57f0cc1.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/138/profile_67534bc5ab848ec060a712276072fc5e.png "Clark McCain, Coleman Foundation")
Clark McCain, Coleman Foundation
Title
Senior Program Officer
Speaker Biography
Clark McCain is senior program officer at The Coleman Foundation, Inc. He developed two of the Foundation’s primary initiatives: the Coleman Foundation Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows Program which funds educators who embed self-employment concepts within college courses across many disciplines, and Intersect for Ability, a network of organizations serving individuals with developmental disabilities which develops staff training, lifestage transition and other programs. Previously, McCain held several finance and procurement strategy positions at Kraft Foods and was Chair of the Kraft Employee Fund Leadership Council. He holds a bachelor's in economics from Northwestern University and a master's of business administration from the University of Michigan.
![[photo]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/3cab9bc7d471bd8b35647c32db025c71.png?d=https://proposalspace.com/images/no_photo.png&r=PG&s=50 "Allison Williams, Wyman Center")
Allison Williams, Wyman Center
Title
Senior Vice President, Programs
Speaker Biography
Allison Williams is senior vice president for programs and is responsible for the oversight of Wyman Center’s regional youth development services, including the Wyman Teen Leadership Program and Wyman Teen Outreach Program. Williams has worked with Wyman for over a decade and has overseen agency program evaluation, supervised a variety of youth development and community-based programs and managed a local partnership with social service agencies. Her work on Wyman’s TOP national replication has included training, follow-up support to partners and systems building.
Williams earned a bachelor’s from Saint Louis University and a master’s from Boston College, both in social work, and holds a Missouri clinical social worker license. Currently, she is a social work field instructor for Saint Louis University, Washington University in St. Louis, and University of Missouri – St. Louis and an adjunct faculty member of the Brown School of Social Work.