Nonprofit University Faculty

Meet some of our accomplished faculty members.

GCN’s Nonprofit University has a core faculty team of experienced professionals in all fields of the nonprofit sector. From fundraising, accounting, grant writing, marketing, and more, our knowledgeable instructors are adept at providing high quality training experiences that will help you become more skilled in your organization. 

Caryn I. Anderson

Jack Beckford

Jack is considered the small organization specialist of GCN’s consulting team, bringing both a wealth of experience and a passion for working for nonprofits with small budgets and limited or no staff.

Amanda Bisgaard

Amanda Bisgaard is the Director of Volunteer Strategy & Engagement for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and has worked in the Volunteer Engagement field for over 7 years. She also serves as a volunteer for a number of organizations, including as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Atlanta, and was part of the LEAD Atlanta Class of 2021.

Mary-Kay Boler

Mary-Kay Boler is a Certified Fundraising Executive and Director of Development at Kennesaw University with a passion for high quality, all-inclusive education.

Rochelle B. Dennis

Rochelle B. Dennis possesses over 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, specializing in fundraising strategies, communications, and branding. Her areas of fundraising expertise include annual giving strategies, capital campaigns, data-driven fundraising strategies, and donor database systems.

Chris Fields

Chris Fields is a Director with Mauldin & Jenkins and brings nearly 30 years of dedicated financial advisory experience. He has over a decade of experience serving in senior leadership roles with fast-growing organizations, and also serves as Treasurer for the Cobb Collaborative and served as a Co-Chair of the Marietta/Cobb Continuum of Care.

Fee Freeman

Fee Freeman is a bold and creative storyteller and communications strategist with a decade of experience in nonprofits, policy, and political communication. She is the Founder and Principal Consultant at Fee Freeman Consulting LLC.

Aileen Gabbey

Aileen has led nonprofits for over 25 years including serving as Executive Director of The Maryland SPCA and Susan G. Komen Coastal Georgia. Aileen has also served on Boards of Directors in leadership roles and volunteers for SCORE and United Way of the Coastal Empire here in Savannah. She currently offers consulting through Productive Nonprofits.

Kristin D. Hemingway

Kristin D. Hemingway is a 16-year youth advocate and ministry veteran residing in Atlanta, where she is a nonprofit professional, youth leader, and highly sought-after curriculum developer, trainer, and speaker.

Dr. Brandi Rae Hicks

Dr. Brandi Rae Hicks has over 20 years of experience as a grant writer, nonprofit consultant, entrepreneur, and fundraising diversification specialist. Her background as a nonprofit executive and her experience as an entrepreneur positioned her with a unique perspective to support community-based nonprofits, higher education institutions, churches, government agencies, and businesses.

Stephanie Hodge

Dr. Stephanie Hodge, SPHR, is CEO and Principal Consultant for Essex Consulting, LLC; a certified woman owned-small business, providing executive coaching, human resource, and business consulting for small and mid-sized companies. She has over 24 years of global HR experience leading teams in North America, Canada, and South America, in the financial services, software/technology, and non-profit industries.

Brenda Johnson

Brenda Johnson is a nonprofit development leader with a passion for connecting donors to the causes they are passionate about. Her areas of special expertise include capital campaigns, data-driven fundraising strategies, and donor database systems. Brenda has held senior development positions at several national organizations, including Year Up, the ACLU, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Kinetra Joseph

Kinetra Joseph is an integrated marketing and communications leader currently serving as Campaign Director at the CDC Foundation.

Beth Keller

Beth Keller is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and is currently the Director of Individual Giving at Habitat for Humanity International, where she works with a team of senior development officers to raise funds through major gifts from individuals.

Tracey Knight

Coach Tracey Knight is an accomplished trainer, speaker, and certified life, career, and personal empowerment coach. She leverages more than 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur, nonprofit executive, and educator to help organizations shift culture and build high-performing teams.

Vic McCarty

Vic serves as Managing Partner of McCarty Collaborative Consulting, LLC, offering consultation services to nonprofits, schools, and faith-based organizations. Since 2000, Vic has been creating and improving signature fundraising events, managing budgets and timelines, and working closely with planning committees and volunteers. Vic has a strong background in building events in statewide market areas.

Sonya A. Milner

Sonya A. Milner is a nonprofit executive with more than 15 years of direct fundraising experience. Sonya is a SME in all areas of fundraising, including fundraising leadership, annual giving, planned giving, major gifts, donor development, caseload management, board development, volunteer recruitment, nonprofit marketing, and nonprofit leadership, among others.

Jim Neal

Jim Neal is GCN’s Director of Consulting. He is an experienced nonprofit consultant and executive with expertise in strategy development and the art of linking strategy to operations. Over a 25-year career, Jim has worked extensively in strategic planning, strategy execution, business planning and budgeting, organization assessment and alignment, and performance improvement.

Shelley Parnes

Shelley is a CPA with over 30 years of accounting experience. For the past 16 years she has provided accounting and consulting services to nonprofit organizations. She also served as Accounting Director for the Arthritis Foundation’s national office, Controller for a manufacturing company and Auditor for a public accounting firm.

Toni S. Paz

Toni Paz, CFRE is a development professional, fundraising educator, and nonprofit consultant with a history of growing renewable philanthropic revenue. Toni has spent over 20 years in the orchestra industry as a fundraising professional, which includes serving as Director of Development for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Director, Corporate Philanthropy for The Woodruff Arts Center.

Helen Robinson, M.P.A.

Elizabeth Runkle

Elizabeth possesses a unique background, having both generated and implementing innovative and breakthrough ideas in the social sector. Elizabeth has worked with low-wealth and marginalized populations for over 12 years, and has advised dozens of nonprofits and small businesses on strategy and business models, social enterprise, and more.

Paula Scotman

Paula Scotman has 20 years of experience in nonprofit financial management and human resources, and is known for her strategic thinking, organizational development skills, and collaborative approach. Paula is currently CFO at HOPE Atlanta.

Tiffany Simpson-Crumpley

Devoting her career to equitable access to health and social services for low-wealth communities, Tiffany is the founder of Nia Unlimited Consulting Services LLC, which works to transform the healthcare experience through training and virtual program management.

Brandon Smith

Brandon is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations deliver their missions effectively. Brandon is a Certified Public Accountant at Mauldin & Jenkins, where he has more than nine years of experience serving tax-exempt organizations of all shapes and sizes, through capacity building, management consulting, and traditional accounting services.

Ken Stephenson

Ken Stephenson is a Certified Facilities Manager and a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA). He has served on many IFMA committees concerned with continuing education and professional development including the Accredited Degree Program Liaison Committee to support the Facility Management Programs at Kennesaw State University and Georgia Tech.

Matthew Terrell

Matthew works as Communications Director for Dad’s Garage Theatre in Atlanta. In this role, he provides much of the written word across multiple platforms for Dad’s Garage – including newsletters, annual reports, grant writing, board and staff updates, building signage, and policy documents.

April Voris

April is co-founder and Chief Zealotry Officer at GRM. She believes that the best marketing work is a multi-faceted, creative blend of all related touchpoints for a particular brand. April’s professional career began as a client services manager for renowned advertising agency Cole Henderson Drake, where she became Director of Client Services.