Nonprofit University Faculty

Chris Allers

Chris is Partner with Advantage Consulting, LLC and former Executive Vice President of the Georgia Center for Nonprofits. He received his Doctorate in Counseling (Georgia State University, 1993). Chris has excelled as a non-profit professional for more than 30 years, performing a variety of nonprofit sector roles including as an executive director, “funder,” researcher and independent consultant. Read more

Becky Burkett

Becky is an experienced non-profit professional with expertise in board and committee management, strategic planning, organization and leadership and development.  She has extensive experience in all aspects of fundraising including major gifts, special events, planned giving, annual campaign and corporate giving and corporate sponsorship. Read more

Mike Haberman

Mike is Vice President and co-founder of Omega HR Solutions, Inc., a consulting and services company offering complete human resources solutions. Prior to Omega HR Solutions, Mike founded MDH Consulting, a Human Resources consulting firm working with small to mid-sized companies. Read more

Stephanie Hodge

Stephanie is CEO and Principal Consultant for Essex Consulting, LLC, a consulting firm providing human resource and business consulting for small and mid-sized companies. She has over 20 years of global HR experience leading teams in North America, Canada, and South America in the financial services, software/technology, and nonprofit industries. Read more

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.
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Brenda K. Johnson

Brenda is a nonprofit development professional with a passion for connecting donors at every level to the causes they are passionate about.  Her areas of expertise include capital campaigns, data-driven fundraising strategies and donor database systems. Brenda held senior development positions at several national organizations addressing human rights, civil liberties and women and girls’ empowerment. Read more

Yvonne Bryant Johnson

Yvonne is CEO of Bryant & Associates, LLC, an executive coaching, consulting and training company focused on building high performing teams and leaders in the work place. She has over 25 years of corporate experience at AT&T where she coached, developed high performing teams, and provided leadership to sales and customer service employees. Read more

Kathy Keeley  

Kathy’s expertise includes strategic planning and solution-building, project design, performance assessment and management, board and staff retreats, social enterprise, finance and economic development, and executive coaching. Read more

Tracey Knight  

Coach Tracey Knight is an accomplished trainer, speaker, and certified life, career, and personal empowerment coach. She leverages more than 25 years of experience as an entrepreneur, nonprofit executive and educator to help organizations shift culture and build high-performing teams. Read more

Victor 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 involved in nonprofit organizations and fundraising where he has demonstrated excellent knowledge of creating and improving signature events, managing budgets and timelines, working closely with planning committees and volunteers and has a strong background in building events in statewide market areas. Read more

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 non-profit organizations.  Prior to that, she served as the Accounting Director for the Arthritis Foundation’s national office, the Controller for a manufacturing company and an Auditor for a public accounting firm.  Shelley has extensive experience with QuickBooks software including set-up, data file analysis, and staff training. Read more

Kristin D. Hemingway

Kristin is a 16-year youth advocate and ministry veteran that hails from Detroit, MI. She currently resides in Atlanta, GA where she is a nonprofit professional, youth leader, and highly sought after curriculum developer, trainer, and speaker. In addition to her long-standing work with young people of all ages, Kristin also works to encourage and train women and girls on how to prioritize their self-care and well-being while in pursuit of being their best self. She has conducted trainings across the country on topics related to personal and professional growth, as well as self-care. She is an avid volunteer in her local community and enjoys traveling, good music, and creating amazing memories with her loved ones!

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. Read more

Shirley Anne Smith

Shirley Anne is the founding Executive Director of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation and joined the Foundation back in August of 2016. She brings over a decade of nonprofit management experience, including significant leadership roles at Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta and most recently as Assistant Director of LaAmistad, Inc. Shirley has successful experience in nonprofit fundraising, event management and operations management. Read more

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, grantwriting, board and staff updates, building signage, and policy documents. Read more

Rochelle B. Dennis

Rochelle brings 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. After working in senior leadership and development positions with City Year, Blackbaud and the Atlanta Police Foundation, to name a few, Rochelle began offering consulting services to help nonprofits improve their development efficiency including board and stakeholder engagement. She is enthusiastic and passionate about strategy, content, and connecting donors to an organization’s mission. She helps you tell your story, points your brand and moves your audiences to action

A native of Charleston, South Carolina, she has an MA in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of South Carolina and a BA in Political Science from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., a charter member of Women of Clayton County, a graduate of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce Women In Business Council and Leadership Clayton. She is a frequent speaker on branding, fundraising, business development, and event planning. She lives in Jonesboro, GA with her husband, son, dog, and too many stray cats.

April Voris

April is co-founder and Chief Zealotry Officer at GRM. She takes a highly customized approach, and 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. Read more

Brandi Rae Hicks

Brandi Rae is a Grant Writer and Nonprofit Consultant that has raised and managed more than $1 Billion for tax-exempt organizations, institutions of higher education, and government entities. Brandi Rae supports nonprofits and their rise to the next level and provides the right tools and resources to help leaders to continue the great work of giving back to our most deserving neighbors. Read more

Christal M. Cherry

Christal is a nationally recognized fundraiser who has spent 17 years working with nonprofits and higher education institutions. With passion and a wide breadth of experience, Christal works with clients to create and implement fundraising strategies that secure the resources needed for meaningful impact, organizational growth, and a thriving operation. Read more

Elizabeth Runkle

Elizabeth brings a diverse background of generating and implementing innovative and break-through ideas within the social sector, and has worked with low-wealth and marginalized populations for over 12 years. She has advised several nonprofits and small businesses on strategy and business models, with expertise in social enterprise. Read more