7:45 AM - 8:25 AM | Registration and Networking Breakfast
8:25 AM - 8:30 AM | Welcome Remarks
Geoffrey Brown, CAE, President and CEO | Illinois CPA Society
8:30 – 9:20 a.m. | The Future of Not-for-Profits: Trends, Risks, and Opportunities
Funding pressure, workforce constraints, and rising compliance demands are reshaping the sector. Add increasing service expectations and rapid technological change, and the path forward isn’t always clear. Understand what’s changing and where risks and opportunities are emerging, along with how to adapt and strengthen financial resilience.
Cathy Yen, MA, MBA, CCLP, Founder | The Nonprofit Planner
9:30 – 10:20 a.m. | Concurrent Session A | Boost Your Endowment IQ: From Quasi to Restricted
Clarify how donor-restricted, board-designated (quasi), and other endowments function and how they flow through financial reporting. Review a practical framework for tracking contributions, investment returns, and spending. Explore core investment policy considerations, allocation approaches, and governance questions to help mitigate risk.
David Robydek, MBA, Principal | CLA
Melissa Struck, CPA, Nonprofit Principal | CLA
9:30 – 10:20 a.m. | Concurrent Session B | Key Tax Issues and IRS Developments
Get up to speed on recent tax legislation and IRS activity impacting tax-exempt organizations. Review key audit focus areas, including the reinstatement of group rulings, recent court cases, and charitable contribution changes, while exploring what those developments mean for compliance.
Emily Beckerman, CPA, Senior Manager, Exempt Organizations | EY
Katherine Kurtzman, CPA, Managing Director | EY
10:30 – 11:20 a.m. | Concurrent Session A | Building Financial Resilience: Investment Policies That Withstand Market Volatility
Strengthen your approach to governance, investment policy, and reserve strategies in times of market volatility. Support more disciplined decision-making, protect liquidity, and navigate uncertainty with greater confidence.
Matthew Babiash, CPA, FRM, Senior Research Analyst, Marketable Alternatives | Fiducient
10:30 – 11:20 a.m. | Concurrent Session B | Multistate Charitable Governance: Regulatory Focus
State regulators play a critical role in charitable oversight. Review current enforcement trends, priorities, and initiatives across jurisdictions—and what they mean for compliance, risk, and day-to-day operations.
Beth Short, Charitable Organizations | Ohio Attorney General's Office
Kristin Louis, JD, Bureau Chief, Charitable Trust Bureau | Illinois Attorney General
11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. | Concurrent Session A | Improving Financial Communication With Boards
Clear financial communication is critical to effective board oversight. Review real-world examples, common breakdowns, and tips and tricks that lead to stronger understanding and better decision-making.
Kandace Lenti, President and Managing Director, Government, Not-for-Profit, Healthcare, and Education Banking | Wintrust
11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m. | Concurrent Session B | AI in Not-for-Profits: Governance, Data Policy, and Operational Efficiency
AI adoption is accelerating, but many organizations are still working through how to utilize it responsibly. Explore how to approach AI with clear governance and data considerations, along with practical use cases that improve efficiency without compromising mission integrity.
Ray Beste, Principal AI Strategist | Sikich
12:20 – 1:00 p.m. | Networking Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 p.m. | From Fear to Action: Practical AI for Not-for-Profits
Many professionals are interested in AI but are stuck at surface-level use. Cut through the hype to see where AI is delivering real value in not-for-profit accounting and finance and hear how to apply the appropriate guardrails to move from experimentation to more confident use.
Moderator:
Ray Beste, Principal AI Strategist | Sikich
Panelists:
Zach Bernstein, AI Consulting Lead | Crowe
Jordan Fladell, Partner, Technology Advisory Services | Aprio
Alice Locatelli, Chief Experience Officer | Society of Actuaries
2:00 – 2:50 p.m. | Concurrent Session A | Debt Refinancing 101
Demystify the strategic, financial, and accounting dimensions of refinancing in the not-for-profit world. Understand when refinancing makes sense, how it’s accounted for under ASC 470, and the disclosures that are required. Plus, discuss real-world case studies that highlight both successful outcomes and cautionary tales.
Laura Hanssel, CPA, Chief Financial Officer | Harris Theater for Music and Dance
Lanita Higgs-Jackson, MBA, Chief Financial Officer | Pillars Community Health
Lindsay Wall, MPP, Managing Director and Partner | Longhouse Capital Advisors
Dianne Wasieleski, Partner | Grant Thornton
2:00 – 2:50 p.m. | Concurrent Session B | Ethics and Fraud Risk in Politically Sensitive Environments
Understand how the Department of Justice’s expanded domestic terrorism enforcement framework may impact tax-exempt organizations and their donors. Review the statutory authority under Section 501(p), including how tax-exempt status can be suspended. Plus, explore key legal risks and considerations for those operating in politically sensitive environments.
Guinevere Moore, JD, Managing Member | Moore Tax Law Group LLC
3:00 – 3:50 p.m. | Concurrent Session A | Organizational Resilience: Staying Strong Through Change
Sustaining mission impact requires adapting to funding shifts, regulatory change, and evolving community needs. Explore practical approaches to leadership, resource management, and innovation to help your organization remain strong through uncertainty. Gain tools to assess vulnerabilities, engage stakeholders, and support long-term sustainability.
Theresa Valade, CEO | Success Trek
3:00 – 3:50 p.m. | Concurrent Session B | Sponsorship vs. Advertising: What to Know
Sponsorship and advertising arrangements can be easy to misclassify. Review common scenarios and how not-for-profit organizations should account for them.
John Alfonso, Partner, Not-for-Profit and Education Industry Leader | CohnReznick
Franya Esquivel, Director | CohnReznick
4:00 – 4:50 p.m. | Leadership, Resilience, and Innovation in Times of Change
Session description coming soon!
Nassim Abdi, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder | STORYBOLT
4:50 – 5:30 p.m. | Networking Reception
Stay after to connect with colleagues and speakers. Light bites and refreshments will be provided.
Thank You to the Content Advisory Group Volunteers:
Jon Assell, CPA | Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Kimberly Marshall, CPA | Forvis Mazars LLP
George Persekian | Wipfli Advisory LLC
Marcy Steindler, CPA | Mann Weitz & Associates
Jessica West, CPA |Aprio Advisory Group LLC
Bernadette Zita, CPA | College of Healthcare Information Management Executives