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• Who’s Missing at the Table? Rethinking Volunteer Leadership

  • When
    04/28/2026
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  As leaders of volunteers, we hold the responsibility not only to manage programs but also to ensure they reflect and honor the voices of the people most impacted. Too often, decisions about programming are made without meaningful input from those communities. If volunteers do not represent the people who stand to benefit, it is time to pause, reflect, and reimagine our approach.

  This workshop invites leaders of volunteers to explore how to build equity and representation into every aspect of engagement. Together, we will examine strategies for:

  • Creating pathways for community members to lead and shape volunteer programs.
  • Designing structures that elevate impacted voices in decision-making.
  • Pausing and reassessing when programs miss the mark on representation.

  Through dialogue, reflection, and practical tools, participants will learn how volunteers are not just about service for communities, but leadership with communities.

  
  

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• Volunteer Retention & Recognition

  • When
    05/06/2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  Description: Volunteer Retention & Recognition
  Retaining volunteers is more challenging than ever with so many demands on everyone’s attention. Meaningful recognition is a cornerstone of great retention. In this session, we’ll explore retention and recognition approaches to keep volunteers engaged and appreciated, and explore how motivations impact volunteer engagement. We'll also look at the role of effective retention and recognition planning to enhance your overall volunteer engagement strategy.
  
  You’ll leave this session with:
  

  • An understanding of current retention trends and motivations
  • Solutions to help you overcome common barriers to create meaningful recognition strategies
  • Tips and tools to adapt your existing recognition practices for the future

  Speaker Bio:
  Sammy Feilchenfeld, CVA (he/him) is an adult educator, volunteer manager and lifelong learner. His 20+ years of experience leading volunteers inform the interactive learning experiences that are the core of his work as Senior Manager of Learning at Volunteer Toronto. Whether supporting the learning goals of non-profit engagement professionals, Board members, volunteers or community leaders, Sammy has a strong focus on a variety of educational interventions that challenge and inspire.

  
  

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• Designing High-Impact Episodic Volunteer Experiences: How to Build One-Time Event Roles That Volunteers Love

  • When
    07/01/2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  Description: Volunteers want meaningful, time-bound opportunities that fit into busy schedules—and organizations want reliable, well-prepared volunteers who can plug in quickly. At Second Harvest Heartland, we support hundreds of volunteers each year across major one-time events. These events rely on episodic volunteers to provide hospitality, logistics support, guest engagement, and technical assistance. This session will share a practical, repeatable framework for designing, recruiting, training, and appreciating episodic volunteers for one-time events. Using real examples from large events, attendees will walk away with strategies they can immediately implement, regardless of event size or resources.

  Bio: Bri Quarfoot is a Senior Volunteer Engagement Specialist with six years of nonprofit experience and a focus on volunteer engagement since 2022. When she joined Second Harvest Heartland, event volunteering had been on a long pause due to COVID, and she led the work of rebuilding the event volunteer base from the ground up. Through experimentation, iteration, and close listening to volunteer needs, Bri redesigned the organization’s approach to one-time event volunteer engagement and created a streamlined, adaptable process now used across multiple large events. She specializes in making episodic volunteer roles clear, accessible, and meaningful—ensuring every individual understands how their contribution directly connects to the mission. Bri is passionate about helping volunteers see the impact of their service and fostering experiences that strengthen their connection to the community.

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• Engaging LatinX Volunteers

  • When
    09/01/2026
  •  
    11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • Location
    Zoom

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  Description: As the Latinx population continues to grow, many organizations face the challenge of ensuring their volunteer force reflects the communities they serve. This session explores the intersection of volunteerism and Latinx engagement, beginning with a foundational understanding of identity, language, and the latest census data. Participants will learn how to assess their current volunteer programs through a Latinx lens, identify gaps in representation, and strategize for a more inclusive future. Practical tools and proven approaches will be shared to help organizations attract, recruit, engage, recognize, and retain Latinx volunteers. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to strengthen belonging, build authentic connections, and amplify community impact.

  Bio: Monica Jasso, CVA, proudly serves as the El Paso County Volunteer Coordinator, blending decades of nonprofit volunteer management experience. A proud Fronteriza, she attended Texas A&M University and finds purpose in advancing social good by creating genuine volunteer experiences. She is deeply committed to viewing all aspects of her work through the lens of diversity, equity, and inclusion—a lifelong commitment rather than a professional practice. Monica currently coordinates hundreds of volunteers across 30+ departments, championing inclusive systems rooted in servant leadership. Her career milestones include earning the Certificate in Volunteer Administration (CVA) and receiving AL!VE’s 2022 Impact Award for exemplary leadership in in volunteer engagement. A mother of two, Monica leads with resolve, vision, and inclusiveness, while enjoying nature, travel, Star Trek, and foodie adventures in her free time.

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