Shara Szott, CNP (she/her) serves as the Chief Solutions Officer at the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. In this capacity, she leads a team committed to empowering nonprofit professionals, aka changemakers, by enhancing their leadership skills and organizational effectiveness. Shara’s strategic vision and passion for capacity building have been pivotal in driving initiatives that foster the professional growth of nonprofit leaders, ensuring they are well-equipped to make a significant impact in their communities.

Before joining the changemaker movement, Shara spent 20 years in big tech, selling and marketing technology solutions that help organizations grow and digitize their business.

In addition to her professional role, Shara volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect and placed in foster care. She is deeply committed to advocating for the well-being and rights of these children. She also served on the board of several nonprofit organizations.

Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Shara spends most of her time cheering on her sons in their numerous sporting events, including soccer, baseball, basketball, track, swimming, and football. She is also a runner, triathlete, and traveler.

Shara holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Florida State University and is a Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP).

Erica Davis is the Partnership Manager at the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, where she has spent the past three years helping organizations enhance their professional development strategies. She specializes in presenting training opportunities, guiding teams on leveraging the Learning Management System (LMS) to track progress, and providing access to continuous education through the Alliance’s online training catalog. Erica also supports organizations in offering their teams the opportunity to earn the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential, a lifelong credential for nonprofit leaders.

With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Erica previously served as Senior District Program Director for the YMCA of Greater Kansas City for seven years. Beyond her professional work, she is deeply engaged in community service. She is currently serving as Secretary for Beacon Mental Health Foundation and an active member of the Junior League of Kansas City. She also chaired Breakfast with Santa at the Linwood YMCA for three years.

Erica recently earned her Executive MBA from UMKC and is passionate about professional development, continuously striving to empower nonprofit leaders to grow and succeed.

Jeanette Gass is Senior Program Manager for Global Engagement at ICMA where she is responsible for global growth through ICMA's Global Engagement Strategy. She joined Phi Sigma Pi as a charter member of the Epsilon Sigma Chapter in 2008, received her CNP in 2019 and her ACNP in 2023. She is currently President of the Association of CNPs and represents CNPs on NLA's Board of Directors. She holds a Master of Arts in Global Communication from George Washington University and a Master of Science in Nonprofit & Association Management from University of Maryland Global Campus. She received her Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from The University of Iowa with a focus in international communications.

Blaine has served as Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s Chief Executive Officer and, more recently, as the Chief Legislative Officer of the North American Interfraternity Conference. After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in history, Blaine was a teacher and a state-championship winning coach at Trinity High School in Louisville. During that time, Ayers also obtained a Master’s in Education from Spalding University. Ayers’ time as an Assistant Dean of Students at the University of Kentucky provides him a better understanding of Higher Education administration. In 2007, Blaine joined Sigma Alpha Epsilon staff as a Regional Director and served as the Associate Executive Director of Chapter and Alumni Services for two years before becoming Chief Executive Officer. Now as a licensed insurance agent, Blaine assists Favor & Company’s professional and social fraternal clients and leads Favor & Company’s Fraternal Health & Safety Initiative.

Dana Kinsey is a teacher and writer with over 20 years of experience. After teaching and publishing in literary journals and national magazines as a multi-genre author, designing a writing lab she currently runs, and teaching speech and theater, she joined the Red Pen Wench team in 2022 and became a PARWCC Certified Interview Coach (CIC) in 2023.

Dana holds a BA in English and Communications from King’s College, Secondary English Teacher Certification in PA, and an MA in Theatre Arts from Villanova University.

Justin Jones-Fosu, MBA, CSP is a full-time family man who also happens to be a highly sought-after business speaker, social entrepreneur, and meaningful work researcher. He is the founder and CEO of Work. Meaningful. where he combines over a decade of leadership in Fortune 500 companies, his real-life experience and research to help global organizations create new rhythms of sustainable excellence, profitability, and engagement. Speaking over 60 times a year, Justin speaks and leads workshops and training with companies, organizations, and associations in the US and internationally on meaningful work and workplace engagement. 

He is passionate about helping organizations and individuals take ownership of their mindset, purpose, and performance to achieve amazing results. His latest book "Your WHY Matters NOW: How Some Achieve More and Others Don't" challenges the reader to merge their purpose and productivity to get more out of work and life. He is all about turning events into memorable and action-oriented experiences with his humorous and engaging delivery as well as with his research-based content! 

Justin Jones-Fosu, MBA, CSP is a full-time family man who also happens to be a highly sought-after business speaker, social entrepreneur, and meaningful work researcher. He is the founder and CEO of Work. Meaningful. where he combines over a decade of leadership in Fortune 500 companies, his real-life experience and research to help global organizations create new rhythms of sustainable excellence, profitability, and engagement. Speaking over 60 times a year, Justin speaks and leads workshops and training with companies, organizations, and associations in the US and internationally on meaningful work and workplace engagement. 

He is passionate about helping organizations and individuals take ownership of their mindset, purpose, and performance to achieve amazing results. His latest book "Your WHY Matters NOW: How Some Achieve More and Others Don't" challenges the reader to merge their purpose and productivity to get more out of work and life. He is all about turning events into memorable and action-oriented experiences with his humorous and engaging delivery as well as with his research-based content!