2008 Regional Conferences
Risk Management Essentials for Nonprofit Leaders
January 25, 2008 • Ambridge Center • Portland, OR
The Center is grateful to JBL&K for its generous sponsorship of this conference.
I attended the regional conference in Denver last week. Thank you for putting together such an informative day! It was just what I needed to help get our agency going in the right direction in looking at these risk issues.
— Tamra Schmitt, Adoption Alliance, Denver, CO
This Training Is for You
- executive directors
- chief operating officers
- chief financial officers and treasurers
- fiscal managers
- professional risk managers
- program managers
- board members
- advisors to nonprofits
Conference Agenda
| 8:30–9:00 am | WelcomeRegistration, Breakfast and Ice-Breaker |
| 9:00–10:15 am | OPENING SESSIONGood Governance, Financial Health and Mission: Perfect Harmony or Perfect Storm?Nonprofits are facing greater scrutiny than ever in how they manage their organizations and their finances to achieve their missions. Your board members may be dedicated to mission, excellent ambassadors and donors of substantial time and money, but are they engaged in basic financial oversight? Aware of best practices in governance? This session will illuminate the risks facing organizations in today’s environment and how and why paying careful attention to good governance practice is good risk management. Speaker: Jennifer Chandler Hauge, Senior Counsel and Director of Special Projects, Nonprofit Risk Management Center |
| 10:30 am –12:00 pm | CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS(participants may attend session A or session B) A. Key Risk Management Policies: What Are They and How Do I Get Started?Designing corporate policies that will keep your nonprofit out of trouble sounds like a great idea, but how exactly can that be accomplished? Using real-life situations that have derailed other nonprofits, this workshop will identify critical policies that every nonprofit needs to have in their arsenal of risk management strategies. Workshop participants will also gain valuable insight in techniques for working with board members and staff to integrate risk management policies into the nonprofit’s everyday operations. Speaker: Jennifer Chandler Hauge B. Super Screening for Super StaffScreening applicants for paid and volunteer positions in a nonprofit is essential to increasing the odds of a successful match. Screening is also key to protecting the nonprofit’s critical assets, including its clients and staff. This workshop will present a framework for developing a screening philosophy and strategy in a nonprofit, and then explore the suitability of specific screening tools. Learn how you can design and execute a practical screening strategy from interviews/reference checks to criminal history background checks that reflects the unique circumstances facing your nonprofit, and find out what you need to do to make certain your nonprofit is taking a thoughtful, legally defensible approach to screening staff for a wide range of positions. Speaker: John C. Patterson, Senior Program Director, Nonprofit Risk Management Center |
| 12:00–1:00 pm | Luncheon Networking and Special PresentationFinding the Right Board Members:
|
| 1:00–2:30 pm | MID-DAY PLENARY SESSIONEmployment Risks and Your Nonprofit: Hot Topics for 2008What are the most common mistakes made in the context of hiring, supervising and terminating nonprofit employees? What do nonprofit managers and executives need to know about recent or pending changes in legislation or regulation governing the employment relationship? What new twists revealed in recent court rulings suggest changes in approach and strategy with regard to managing employees? This session will delve into continuing and emerging employment risks and challenges and offer practical coping strategies suitable for nonprofit employers of any size. Speaker: George J. “Jack” Cooper, Dunn Carney Allen Higgins & Tongue LLP |
| 2:45–4:00 pm | FINANCIAL FOCUSAddressing the Unthinkable: Fraud, Embezzlement and Fundraising SnafusThis workshop, drawing on real events at real nonprofits, will confirm that even the most trusted employees may be capable of theft and fraudulent fundraising practices. Participants will learn from an experienced practitioner and regulator what is required to avoid or mitigate financial risks that could lead to unfortunate and costly, if not catastrophic, outcomes for their organizations. Speakers: Katherine DeYoung, CPA, Financial Stewardship Resources, Inc. and Kirk Harvey, Chief Investigator for the Charitable Activities Section of the Oregon Department of Justice |
| 4:00–4:30 pm | Wrap up Q&A and Presentation of CertificatesCertificates of completion will be presented to all attendees who are present at the program conclusion. |
About the Faculty
Jennifer Chandler Hauge serves as Senior Counsel and Director of Special Projects for the Nonprofit Risk Management Center (Washington, DC). For the past 16 years Jennifer has served as legal counsel to public charities and private foundations. During 2006, she served a one-year appointment as Assistant Director of the Panel on the Nonprofit Sector (Washington, D.C.) during the Panel’s focus on recommendations for ethical governance practices for all charitable organizations. Jennifer has served on a variety of pubic charity and foundation boards, and has been a frequent presenter of workshops and seminars for the Nonprofit Risk Management Center over the years. She has authored numerous articles and several texts on personnel practices and risk management topics germane to nonprofits, most recently as co-author (with Melanie Herman) of Taking the High Road: A Guide to Effective and Legal Employment Practices for Nonprofits—2nd Edition (2006). Jennifer graduated from Dartmouth College and Boston College Law School.
John C. Patterson serves as Senior Program Director at the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, and brings more than thirty-five years of experience in the nonprofit and government sectors. John is the principal author of several of the Center’s publications including The Season of Hope: A Risk Management Guide for Youth Serving Organizations, the Staff Screening Tool Kit: Building a Strong Foundation Through Careful Screening and the Child Abuse Prevention Primer for Your Organization. He is the co-author of Just Kidding? Be Serious: A Commitment to SafeService Opportunities for Young People and Crisis Management: 10 Steps to Organizational Survival. During a long and continuing association with national youth serving organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, he has helped develop comprehensive youth protection programs and abuse prevention strategies. John is a graduate of the University of New Mexico.
Yassi Irajpanah serves as a Community Relationship Manager at The Commerce Bank of Oregon, began her career in banking while obtaining her Master of International Management degree at Portland State University. Prior to that, she had maintained a professional career focus in human resource management, with an emphasis in employee training, stakeholder engagement, and group facilitation. Yassi is a Portland native and holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Santa Clara University. Throughout various academic programs, she has studied in France, China, and Japan. She is actively involved with the Oregon Chapter of the National MS Society as well as the World Affairs Council of Oregon.
George “Jack” Cooper, a Partner with Dunn Carney Allen Higgins and Tongue LLP, has concentrated in employment law for over 25 years. He has represented clients involved in major controversies relating to disability laws, harassment and other statutory employment discrimination claims, wage and hour compliance issues, and drug/alcohol testing, among other issues. Jack's primary goal as an advisor is to help his clients avoid and defuse disputes and administrative complaints. Dunn Carney encourages its employees to be involved in community service and the firm includes many nonprofit organizations among its clients. In 2006 and 2007, Oregon Super Lawyers recognized Jack as a Super Lawyer in Employment and Labor. When not in the office, Jack tries his best not to be a lawyer. He and his wife enjoy spending as much time as possible on the Oregon Coast . He is also an avid baseball fan and an even more avid — if not irrational — supporter of Duke basketball.
Katherine DeYoung, CPA, has worked with nonprofit organizations for 30 years. She is the founder and executive director of Financial Stewardship Resources, Inc., a non-profit organization that presents statewide, annual, nonprofit board training. Last January this event attracted 550 participants from all corners of the state. One of the goals for which FSR strives is to develop a national model by which communities/states can educate their valued nonprofit board members. Kathy delivers presentations on the topic of financial risk management to nonprofit leaders throughout the country. She has spent her career supporting efforts to educate nonprofit leaders in recognizing & addressing financial risks in practical ways. Kathy and attorney Jeanne Smith are co-authors of the Harvest Keepers "Financial Risk Assessment Workbooks”. These workbooks are an easy-to-use, checklist format tool to assist nonprofit leaders in identifying, assessing and addressing legal and financial risks.
Kirk Harvey serves as the Chief Investigator for the Charitable Activities Section of the Oregon Department of Justice where he supervises audits and investigations of fraud, theft, embezzlement and governance cases. He is a Certified Fraud Examiner with over 30 years experience in law enforcement and regulation. Kirk holds BS in accounting and a Master of Public Administration, with emphasis on administration of charitable organizations.
Conference Workshops
- Good Governance, Financial Health and Mission: Perfect Harmony or Perfect Storm?
- Key Risk Management Policies: What Are They and How Do I Get Started?
- Super Screening to Hire Super Staff
- Employment Risks and Your Nonprofit: Hot Topics for 2008
- Addressing the Unthinkable: Fraud, Embezzlement and Fundraising Snafus
Conference Sponsor
JBL&K Risk Services
JBL&K Risk Services is a leader in designing risk management and insurance programs for nonprofit organizations working with the leading insurance carriers in the marketplace.
Conference Location
Ambridge Center
300 N.E. Multnomah Street
Portland, OR
Conference Registration Fee
- $95 for JBL&K clients and members of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon and Season Pass Holders of TACS (Technical Assistance for Community Members)
- $120 for others
The Conference Registration Fee includes breakfast and lunch. Registrants will also receive a resource guide containing handout materials and two publications from the Nonprofit Risk Management Center.