August 26

8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Session title

More Information Coming Soon!

Vu Le

Writer 
nonprofitAF.com

Vu Le writes the blog nonprofitAF.com, which details the humor and frustration of nonprofit work. He is a vegan, Pisces, seitan-worshipper, and defender of the Oxford Comma. Vu has over two decades of experience in the sector, including 13 years as an executive director across two nonprofits. He is one of the co-founders of the Community-Centric Fundraising movement. Vu has written a new book called “Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Vital and Complex Sector,” which his 9-year-old said, “Is not as boring as I thought it would be.” In his free time, Vu hangs out with his kids, watches TV shows and movies, and eats way too much dark chocolate. He has a BA in psychology and a Master of Social Work, which disappoints all his relatives.

August 26

3:10 p.m. - 4:10 p.m.

Inside the Funder's Lens - Trends, Priorities, and What's Next

Hear directly from leading regional corporate and private foundation funders as they share timely insights into today’s philanthropic landscape. Panelists will explore emerging funding priorities, shifts in corporate and foundation strategy, evolving expectations for grantees, and the realities shaping decision-making behind the scenes. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to strengthen proposals, build more authentic relationships, and align their work with what funders are truly looking for in today’s environment.

Kelly Pollock

Chief Executive Officer
Berges Family Foundation

Kelly Pollock serves as the Berges Family Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, guiding the Foundation’s philanthropic investments and
community partnerships aimed at making St. Louis a great place to live, visit, work, and invest. Working alongside the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Pollock oversees an annual grantmaking portfolio of $15- 20 million and works closely with approximately 90 nonprofit partner organizations across the Foundation’s funding priorities.

Prior to this role, for more than 24 years, Pollock served an integral leader at COCA-Center of Creative Arts. As Executive Director, she
expanded COCA’s impact through innovative programs, significantly grew its reserves and endowment, and forged key partnerships. Committed to using the arts to address inequities, she shaped COCA’s vision: to use the power of the arts and education to build a vibrant St. Louis that is creative, connected and inclusive. Additionally, she led COCA’s successful Create Our Future Campaign, securing $50 million to build the organization’s endowment and expand its historic building. COCA’s 52,000 square foot addition – including the
Catherine B. Berges Theatre - was completed and opened in August 2020.

Pollock has been recognized as a U.S.A. Eisenhower Fellow; a YWCA Leader of Distinction; a Saint Louis Visionary Award winner; a Tedx Speaker on Creative Leadership; and a Most Influential Business Woman by the St. Louis Business Journal. She currently serves as a Board member for Pedal the Cause and Urban Sprouts Child Development Center, and as the Chapter President for the St. Louis Eisenhower Fellows. She earned a B.A. in History from Washington University and a Master of Public Policy Administration degree from University of Missouri.

Akberet Boykin-Farr

Vice President of Diversity & Social Responsibility
Emerson

August 27

8:00 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.

Leading Lightly: What Matters Most in Times of Change

In a time marked by economic uncertainty, shifting donor behavior, rapid technological advancement, and rising expectations, nonprofit leaders are navigating extraordinary change. But in moments like these, the most important question is not how to control the future — it is what truly matters most.

In this inspiring and thoughtful keynote, AFP Global Board Chair Roger D. Ali explores what it means to “lead lightly” — to choose clarity over certainty, connection over control, and progress over perfection. Drawing on personal experience, sector research, and conversations with fundraisers and leaders across North America, Roger shares practical insights on navigating complexity with purpose and presence.

Participants will gain perspective on current fundraising realities, the importance of alignment and belonging, and how leaders can foster resilient cultures in times of uncertainty. Most importantly, they will leave with renewed confidence and a grounded understanding of how to focus on what matters most — building trust, strengthening relationships, and advancing philanthropy with courage and compassion.

Roger D. Ali, MBA, CFRE

Chair
AFP Global Board of Directors

With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Roger D. Ali is a seasoned professional with deep and broad experience as a fundraising executive, administrator, and consultant, committed to the industry and the discipline, as exemplified by his appointment as the Chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global.

Roger is a major gifts strategist with a proven track record of leading teams and comprehensive fundraising and marketing programs to raise $200 million+, including several capital and endowment campaigns. Some of his previous experience has included: President & CEO, Niagara Health Foundation, Vice President, Development, Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation and Executive Director, Bishop Strachan School Foundation.

He is an independent consultant specializing in governance, major gifts, campaign fundraising strategy, and staff coaching, and also serves as a Senior Associate with S. Sutton & Associates Inc. His work with nonprofit organizations across Canada and the United States has helped build robust fundraising programs that have generated millions of dollars. He has designed and supported both small-scale and complex fundraising campaigns, providing strategic guidance that strengthens organizational capacity and long-term philanthropic success.

Roger holds a Chartered Director (C. Dir) designation in Governance from the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University; an MBA from Athabasca University; a Post Graduate Certificate in Administration and Management and is a Certified Fundraising Executive since 2000. He has continued executive level education at Harvard and Stanford Universities. He serves on the board of directors of Imagine Canada and is the Secretary and Chair of the Governance and HR Committee. He currently also serves on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global board. He is a Past Chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Canada; past President of the AFP Golden Horseshoe Chapter, where he was awarded the Recipient of Outstanding Leadership Award in 2017, and past Board Member and past Congress Chair of the AFP Toronto Chapter