**Schedule subject to change without notice

Click Each Day For Detailed Schedule

FUNGER HALL (1st Floor)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2026

8:00 am Registration, Breakfast and Networking

FUNGER HALL (1st Floor)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

ALL DAY--Self Care Room

A self-care room will be set up at the conference for participants to use at their leisure. They can relax, talk with others, participate in activities, and learn more about self-care. The room allows participants to take care of themselves, reduce stress, and explore ways to support mental and physical health. Participants will learn self-care techniques and be encouraged to use these activities to promote wellness and prevent burnout.

KRISTIE ABBS

Asst. Professor Social Work

Slippery Rock University

8:30 am--MAIN STAGE--Opening Keynote

HUMANALITY™: Playing to Make People Feel

The greatest athletes in the world don't just perform. They make you feel something. So do the greatest leaders, the most effective organizations, and the most impactful philanthropists. The common thread isn't talent or resources. It's how they make the people around them feel.

In this session, Bart Berkey introduces the Humanality™ framework, a set of practical principles that help athletes, executives, nonprofit leaders, funders, and sponsors build cultures where every person they encounter feels genuinely cared for, valued, seen, and heard. Drawing on his experience as a Division I athlete, a decade of coaching, and 16 years as a Global Executive at The Ritz-Carlton, Bart will show how the most successful people in sports don't just do good work. They make the people around them feel it.
Because donors give more when they feel connected. Volunteers stay longer when they feel valued. Communities show up when they feel seen. And athletes create the deepest legacy not through their stats, but through the moments when someone said, "you made me feel like I mattered."

Attendees will leave with: ● A simple, memorable framework for creating human connection at every level of their work ● Practical tools to apply immediately with donors, athletes, volunteers, board members, and community partners ● A new way of thinking about impact that goes beyond metrics and into the moments that actually change lives

BART BERKEY

Founder/CEO

Most People Don't, LLC
Creator of Humanality

9:30 am--MAIN STAGE:
DECK Leadership

Sponsored by: STEAM SPORTS FOUNDATION

Mike Metcalf Jr. – Pit Crew Champion, High-Performance Leadership Expert and Speaker! When it comes to creating high-performance teams and navigating change, Mike brings unparalleled expertise that excels under pressure, fosters trust, and delivers results. A former NASCAR pit crew champion and the co-founder of DECK Leadership, Mike is redefining what it means to lead with purpose. As a leader in the motorsports industry, Mike has spent over 18 years coaching and competing at the highest level, inspiring teams to thrive under pressure and execute with precision. A former NASCAR pit crew leader and World Pit Crew Champion, Mike is a master at translating the principles of speed, teamwork, and efficiency into actionable strategies for organizations across industries. Mike co-authored the bestselling book 12 Second Culture, a transformative guide to creating cohesive, resilient, and high-performing teams. But Mike’s impact goes far beyond the racetrack. As a sought-after speaker and consultant, he delivers talks that don’t just motivate—they transform. His signature keynote, 12 Second Culture, is a powerful wake-up call for organizations stuck in toxic, performance-at-all-costs grinds. Mike challenges audiences to rethink their priorities, embrace diversity, and build sustainable teams through the pillars of DECK: Diversity, Efficiency, Culture, and Kindness.

MIKE METCALF

Founder

DECK Leadership

10:00 am-MAIN STAGE-

Gambling and Mental Health: Building a Public Health Approach to Gambling Harm

The United States is in the midst of a historic and largely unmanaged public health crisis. In just a few years, sports betting, online wagering, and gambling promotion have moved from the margins of public life to the center of sports, entertainment, and digital culture. What was once episodic and place-based is now constant, mobile, personalized, and relentlessly marketed. Gambling is no longer confined to casinos or racetracks — it is embedded in phones, sporting events, social media feeds, and the daily routines of millions of Americans. This transformation has outpaced the nation’s ability to protect the public. For a growing number of individuals and families, gambling is a driver of financial ruin, emotional distress, and behavioral health need. This panel will discuss the intersection of gambling and mental health, with a focus on sports gambling and impact, and outline a public health approach to harm reduction.

REBECCA BAGLEY

President/CEO

The Kennedy Forum

NATHAN CARROLL

Psychiatrist

InSite Health

CORBIN EVANS

Deputy Chief of Science & Technology, Advocacy Team and Senior Advisor

American Psychological Association

TOBY EWING

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Stanford School of Medicine

KEVIN WINTERS

Founder

Almond Digital Health

11:00 am--BREAKOUT SESSION #1

DUQUES HALL
(2nd and 3rd Floors)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

11:00 am --Brain Health Track

New Technologies in Brain Health (Room 152)

The speed at which brain health technologies are evolving continues to accelerate. Learn about some of the best new options to maintain brain health, combat repetitive head impacts and recover from concussions.

TRIP HARLAN

Co-Founder

The Bio Optimization Institute

BRUCE PARKMAN

Founder

The Mac Parkman Foundation

JORDAN REED

Founder

Brain Optimization Lab

DR. NICOLE ROBERTS

Founder

Health and Human Rights Strategies

11:00 am --Inclusion Track

Advancing Opportunities for Women (Room 259)

Women have demonstrated the enormous power sports have. Research demonstrates that an overwhelming percentage of female executives have extensive sports experience. How do we continue to develop more opportunities for young girls to not only participate in sports, but to get access to leadership roles.

LISA GOLDEN

Founder

Golden Sports & Entertainment

STAR JOHNSON

Executive Producer

Excellence Live Productions

Adam Miles

Founder, Bridges to America

She Belongs and Refugee Soccer

SHEILA WEAVER

She Loves Sports

The Academic and Athletic Alliance

11:00 am --Fundraising Track

Sponsorship (Room 250)

Sponsorship is an elusive element of successful events and programs. Learn from experts who have raised millions of dollars for organizations around the country and across the world.

LISA DELPY NEIROTTI

Director

GW Sports Philanthropy Program

JESSICA KLEIN

Manager, Advancement Operations

Major League Baseball Players Trust

DAVID PINSKER

VP-Development

MADD

DAVID WILLIAMS

Executive Director

National Alliance of African American Athletes

11:00 am --Skill DevelopmentTrack

People Who Will Actually Show Up: Board Recruitment Training (Room 251)

Building a stronger board starts with a new way of thinking. This workshop introduces Missionful's proven board-building process which helps participants understand the mindset shifts organizations need to transform their boards to find and engage the right members more effectively. Join Elizabeth Finlayson, an experienced leader who challenges leaders to think abouto themselves, their boards and their funding. Come ready to shift your perspective and leave with tools you can use immediately.

ELIZABETH FINLAYSON

Founder

Nonprofit Coach

11:00 am --Athlete Track

Leveraging an Athlete's Platform for Good (Room 255)

Athletes have a short window to capitalize on their fame. Learn from those who have consistently worked with athletes at all phases of their career to help strengthen their brands and organizations. See how the experts have built sustainable organizations for their athletes in order to maximize lifetime impact. Gain insight into understanding how athletes have the unique power to lead change, not only through their own actions, but by leveraging their platforms and opening the doors for others to either join their efforts or create new initiatives. How does the psychology of inspired action encourage a culture where getting off the sidelines becomes the default setting. Learn how storytelling and a peer network facilitate greater involvement.

ALAN PAVLOSKY

Founder

Legacy All-Stars

SHANNON FEASTER

Founder

Athletes Aid

MARGRETTE MONDILLO

Executive Director/COO

Light Foundation

HANNIBAL NAVIES

VP Development

United Charitable

11:00 am--Inclusion Track

Adaptive Sports: Creating Opportunities for the Future (Room 254)

This panel explores how our communities can expand their recreation and athletic options for those with disabilities.

MARC BURKOM

Coach

United Adaptive Soccer Association

JENNIFER FLINK

Executive Director

Israel ParaSport Center

ASAEL SHABO

Athlete

Israel ParaSport Center

11:00 am --Skill DevelopmentTrack

Launching a New Nonprofit (Room 351)

Getting a new nonprofit off of the ground is a challenging undertaking. Learn from this panel that has successfully navigated the process of launching a new organization and successfully finding funding sources, developing a board of directors and building the organizations infrastructure. See how these organizations have developed the strategy which fostered the growth.

Bob Dickinson

Founder

STEAM Sports Foundation

ARIAN MAY

VP-Development and Engagement

Artem Vale Foundation

Darren Sudman

Founder

Simons Heart

Kimberly Genau

Founder

Alabaster House

11:00 am --Skill DevelopmentTrack

BEYOND THE SCOREBOARD: Youth Sports as a Violence Prevention and Community Safety Strategy (Room 353)

Across America, communities continue to search for effective strategies to reduce violence and improve outcomes for young people. This presentation explores how youth sports can serve as a powerful violence prevention and public health intervention when intentionally paired with mentorship, trauma-informed programming, and life skills development. Drawing from the experiences of Supreme Athletics, Sports MedCEEP, Sneakers to Scrubs, and community-based violence prevention initiatives in Chicago, attendees will learn how sports programs can create protective factors that reduce exposure to violence while increasing resilience, connectedness, and opportunity. The session will highlight innovative approaches that integrate trauma-informed care, emergency preparedness education, conflict resolution training, mentorship, academic support, and health literacy into athletic environments. Participants will gain insight into how coaches, healthcare professionals, educators, and community leaders can leverage the trust and influence of sports to address the root causes of violence while helping young people develop the skills necessary to thrive in school, sports, and life.

LEON MUHAMMAD

Founder

Supreme Athletics, Inc.

DR. ABDULLAH HASAN PRATT

Founder

TRAP Violence

JOHARI SHUCK, PhD

Executive Director

Sneakers to Scrubs

11:45 am--BREAKOUT SESSION #2

DUQUES HALL
(2nd and 3rd Floors)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

11:45 am --Brain Health and Mental Health Track

Opening the Dialogue in Mental Health (Room 152)

DERRICK BOLES

Founder

The Unstoppaboles

ADAM NEMER
Founder
Simple Mental Health

ALEX PERCIVAL

Founder

T.R.U. Global

LESLIE ROBINSON

Founder

Trance4mation Games

11:45 am --Inclusion Track

Combatting Racism, Hate and Antisemitism (Room 254)

Hate can be debilitating for many athletes. How can we work together to eliminate hate, racism and Anti-semitism. Hear from the difficulties athletes face and learn how groups are collaborating to take on these issues in order to pave the way for future generations. These athletes and leaders are partnering with organizations around the world and are creating more programs and opportunities to take on these issues and combat their harmful impact.

ERIC RUBIN

Founder

Project Max

NEIL KELLER

Jewish Sports Historian

NICK LOWERY

KC Chiefs HOF
White House Office of National Service
Nick Lowery Youth Foundation
Former NFL Kicker

MICHAEL SWEETNEY

Former NBA Player

New Horizons Counseling Center

11:45 am --Fundraising Track

Family Offices, VC and Venture Philanthropy (Room 251)

These groups have access to significant amounts of capital, but finding the right way to approach them and work with them takes a cohesive plan. Hear the thought process that each group goes through in its planning and the factors that impact their desire to fund initiatives. This forum is designed for funders to hear from each other about their best practices and the procedures and controls that they use to ensure that they are being good stewards of the funds entrusted to them.

DANIEL FREEMAN

Founder

FSG Ventures

CHRIS HOWIE

Managing Director

Greater Washington Community Foundation

TIFFANY MCCULLOUGH

Founder

The Tiff Effect

11:45 am --Skill DevelopmentTrack

Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics: How Data Helps Us Understand Giving Patterns
(Room 250)

Identifying and evaluating giving patterns of teams and fans can be very challenging. How do we provide meaningful benchmarks to professional franchises so that they can determine the strength of their giving and community impact programs? How is fan data measured? What can we do as a community to increase the levels of giving and support greater impact?

AUBREY KENT

Professor

Temple University

NEIL SCHWARTZ

President

SBRnet

EMILY SPARVERO

Clinical Assistant Professor

University of Texas-Austin

11:45 am --Athlete Track

Finding the Right Advisors: How Do You Know Who to Trust? (Room 351)

Athletes are pulled a lot of directions and frequently are encouraged to use friends and family rather than relying on experts in the field. How can we train athletes to build a powerful team that includes agents, family office structures and other professionals that help them create a "full ecosystem" that maps their client journey from first contract to lasting legacy.

BRONSON KAUFASI

Founder

Charity of Champions

NICOLE SLADE

Founder

A.I.M. Elevated

ANTOMIUS WISE

Founder

Wise Protective Service and More, Inc.

HAYWOODE WORKMAN

Founder

HBCU Global

11:45 am --Skill Development Track

When Trust Becomes the Target How Athletes and Foundations Can Prevent Impersonation, Access Failures, and Reputation Damage (Room 353)

A convincing message from an athlete. An urgent request from an executive. A donor communication that appears legitimate. In an era of AI-enabled impersonation and constant digital exposure, one false assumption can damage relationships, disrupt operations, and undermine years of hard-earned trust.

This practical, nontechnical panel will help athletes, foundation leaders, advisors, and nonprofit professionals recognize where their greatest vulnerabilities may be hiding. Attendees will learn how to identify warning signs, strengthen verification practices, clarify who is authorized to act, and reduce risks involving communications, shared access, public visibility, and personal security. They will leave with better questions to ask, practical actions to take, and a clearer framework for protecting their people, reputation, donors, and mission.

MICHAEL HARMON

NIL Director MN Ice Academy

CMO/Founding Executive

Fanchize

MODERATOR:

HANNAH JOHANNSEN

Senior Coordinating Producer

SynapTech Services and Secure Life

ASAAD MORMAN

Co-Founder/CEO

Emerging Defense Solutions
Cybersecurity, AI and Quantum Resilience

SHAWN RILEY

CEO/Co-Founder--
Bisblox Venture Studio

Founder-Cyber Sports Nonprofit

Former State of North Dakota CIO

11:45 am --Skill Development Track

Protecting the Athlete Through Legal Structure and Effective Governance (CANCELLED)

Athletes and sports organizations have high profiles. In the context of sports philanthropy, this can be both a benefit and a drawback. Athletes have significant legal, financial and reputational risks for having their name on a foundation. Though many seek counsel to establish their organizations, these risk grow and multiply as the foundation expands its operations and raises more money. Learn from elite counsel in terms of how to best establish the policies and controls that allow effective governance.

ANDREW MORTON

Partner

Handler Law

11:45 am --Athlete Track

Founder-Led and Legacy Philanthropic Organizations:
Navigating Identity, Growth and Long-Term Stewardship (Room 255)

Founder-led and legacy philanthropic organizations face questions that many nonprofits never encounter. Decisions about the founder's role, governance, revenue planning and growth, and long-term stewardship can create significant opportunity and impact while also introducing unique complexity and challenges.

Informed by a long partnership with Hall of Fame basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, Adam Eigenrauch will introduce a framework of strategic considerations based on nearly two decades of experience at the Emily Krzyzewski Center. Since concluding his tenure as CEO in 2025, Adam has continued to work with founder-led and legacy organizations, focusing on the dynamics of this organizational model.

Participants will leave with a new perspective on the strategic decisions that shape founder-led and legacy philanthropic organizations and how thoughtful stewardship can amplify organizational impact while reducing avoidable strategic mistakes.

ADAM EIGENRAUCH

Founder

Eigenrauch Philanthropic Solutions

Former CEO

NEKETTA DEAN

NFL MOM

Mother of Nakobe Dean

ELANA ORTIZ

Program Coordinator

Major League Baseball Players Trust

FUNGER HALL (1st Floor)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

1:30 pm Lunch Keynote

Leigh Steinberg is a pioneering sports agent, entrepreneur, best-selling author (released his newest book, The Comeback, Spring 2026), and Chairman of Leigh Steinberg Sports and Entertainment. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential agents in sports history and the real-life inspiration for Jerry Maguire.

Leigh has represented more than 300 professional athletes over a five-decade career. His unparalleled record includes negotiating over $4 billion in contracts, representing eight No. 1 overall NFL Draft picks, 64 first-round selections, and 12 Hall of Famers.

Beyond contract negotiation, Steinberg is a leading advocate for athlete welfare and brain health. After representing nearly half of the NFL’s starting quarterbacks in the 1980s, he became an early voice addressing the long-term dangers of concussions.

For more than 30 years, he has hosted concussion education seminars, founded the Brain Health Summit and Longevity Lounge, and established the Leigh Steinberg Foundation to promote awareness, prevention, and solutions for brain injury and athlete safety as a whole.

Most recently, Steinberg has extended his fiduciary-style advocacy to healthcare as a co-founder of MDEnvoy, a physician agency and advisory platform. Applying the same principles that defined his sports career, integrity, voluntary alignment, and long-term partnership, he now works to restore professional agency and stewardship to physicians in today’s high-stakes medical environment.

Leigh is active in the film and entertainment space and still committed to being a change agent.

2:15 pm--MAIN STAGE:
Legacy Matters: Creating Impact that Outlasts the Event

Major sporting events attract a lot of eyeballs and media coverage. But the question that is often asked is whether the costs and headaches associated with these events can leave a lasting legacy in a community. Join some of the best examples of how events are leveraged to provided tangible and ongoing legacy programs and facilities.

DEDAN BROZINO

President

Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation

ANTHONY LEONE

Foundation Director

Southern California PGA

CHRIS MASTERS

Executive Director

Man Cave Health

DEREK TINCHER

National Play Yellow Program Manager

Children's Miracle Network Hospitals

3:00 pm-MAIN STAGE-New Power Partners

How Philanthropic Advisors, Wealth Managers, Family Offices and
Foundations Are Redefining Impact

In today's high-stakes world of sports and entertainment, athletes and high-net-worth individuals are demanding more than financial returns; they want their wealth to mean something. This session explores the emerging partnership between philanthropic advisors, wealth advisors, family offices and foundations. Learn how their collaboration is unlocking a new standard of purposeful giving. From aligning values with investment strategy to building legacy foundations that outlast a playing career, this conversation reveals how the most effective advisors are working in sync.

Participants will learn how to map a client's personal values directly to giving vehicles (DAFs, private foundations, impact investing) so that philanthropic goals and wealth strategy reinforce rather than compete with each other.

Participants will understand the critical financial and philanthropic decision windows in an athlete’s career (rookie contract, peak earnings, post-career transition) and how coordinated advisor teams can maximize impact at each stage.

LORI KRANCZER

Founder

Link Philanthropic

MOLLY ANSBRO

Executive Director

The HEARTest Yard:
The Greg Olsen Foundation

CAMERON ROGERS

Partner

Angeles Wealth Management

Kyle Taylor

Partner

Prozone The Agency

3:45 pm--MAIN STAGE

Why Are Sports Important for Society?

Many funders and Foundations are reluctant to support the sports eco-system because they believe there is already too much money being spent in the sector. While youth sports are certainly highly commercialized and professionalized in today’s world, the concepts of play and the overal skills developed by youth create tangible and lasting benefits for a society. Learn from elite leaders who have studied this impact and share research demonstrating the enormous power sports have to change lives and transform communities. How can we harness the power of sports to drive change and to create lasting impact that will benefit generations to come? How can we train funding sources on the power of collective impact?

LAUREN IZZO

VP-Programs

GENYOUth

SARAH PICKENS

VP-Programs

U.S. Soccer Foundation

ROB SMITH

Founder

Youth Sports Collaborative Network

JON SOLOMON

Research Director

Aspen Institute--Project Play

4:30 pm--BREAKOUT SESSION #3

DUQUES HALL
(2nd and 3rd Floors)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

4:30 pm --Brain Health and Mental Health Track

Understanding the Brain

JORDAN REED

Founder

Brain Optimization Lab

DR. NICOLE ROBERTS

Founder

Health and Human Rights Strategies

4:30 pm --Funder Track

The Two-Way Player: Understanding Philanthropy From Both Sides of the Field

Successful philanthropy is a team sport, and the strongest partnerships happen when nonprofits, funders, and athletes understand each other’s playbooks. Join panelists who have served as “two-way players” in the philanthropic world (leading a private foundation, working within community foundations, funding and launching nonprofits, fundraising, and advising donors). This session will offer a behind-the-scenes look at how funding decisions are really made. Attendees will learn how to identify and approach private foundations, community foundations, and corporate partners; build authentic relationships with funders; and move beyond transactions toward meaningful, mission-driven partnerships. Whether you are a nonprofit leader seeking support, a fundraiser building a strategy, or an athlete creating a legacy beyond the game, this session will provide practical tools to turn passion into sustainable impact.

LORI BERTMAN

Philanthropy Consultant

Board of Trustees-College Baseball Foundation

4:30 pm --Inclusion Track

Inclusion for Mobility, Hearing and Vision

Inclusion is frequently thrown around as a goal. Often, staff working at sports organizations and fans do not see the effort, or feel that the organizations and facilities have reached the goal of the work. How can we identify the shortcomings and create an environment which truly creates an inclusive feel.

JOSH BARNEY

CEO--SEAT Conference

Founder--Joshua Tree Project

MORICE NORRIS

Former NFL Player

Founder--Novarden

4:30 pm --Brain Health and Mental Health Track

Walk in My Cleats

What does it feel like to be a student-athlete today? This immersive experience places parents, coaches, educators, community leaders, and mentors in the shoes of a student-athlete. Participants navigate real-life scenarios involving academic pressure, social media scrutiny, family expectations, recruiting stress, injuries, financial challenges, and mental health struggles.

CHELSIA MCKIE

Founder

Life Beyond The Game

DR. JAVAR GODFREY

Emotional Health Consultant

NIKE

4:30 pm --Fundraising Track

Strategies for Building a Grant Ready Organization

Many small nonprofits are looking for funding and throwing everything at the wall without a cohesive strategy. Foundations have millions of dollars available for the right projects. Hear the challenges Funders face in identifying which organizations are good investments for creating impact. Learn how Funders can become strong teammates and long-term partners in pursuing your mission.

Securing grant funding is often misunderstood — and this panel sets the record straight. Elizabeth Finlayson, Missionful, facilitates a candid conversation with active funders and those like Greg Hebert, Kelsey Thomas Consulting, who are active in the grantwriting space who share their firsthand perspective on what they look for when nonprofits approach them for support, helping organizations better understand what it takes to become fundable.

ELIZABETH FINLAYSON

Founder

Nonprofit Coach

GREG HEBERT

Founder

Kelsey Thomas Consulting

4:30 pm --Skill DevelopmentTrack

Leveraging the Media to Amplify Your Cause

Media amplification can benefit a lot of causes. Few in sports philanthropy are effectively using that power to improve the exposure for their organization and mission. Learn from some of the best examples about how we can effectively use that power to showcase the impactful work performed by an organization.

DEE CHAMBERS

Media Personality

Dee Loves Sports

KELSEY NICOLE NELSON

Media Personality

KNN

KEN ROCHON

Dr. Smiles

Perfect Publishing

4:30 pm --Athlete Track

Building Your Philanthropic Blueprint:
Identifying Your Passion and Creating Your Legacy

Building authentic and long-last legacy requires significant insight and planning. From navigating athlete relationships and sports industry culture to understanding the difference between high-visibility campaigns and real impact, participants will develop the pattern recognition and professional instincts needed to succeed at the intersection of sport and social good. Through real-life scenarios and practical frameworks, attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how trust is built, how partnerships are structured, and how to show up with credibility in one of philanthropy's most dynamic - and misunderstood - sectors.

ARIAN MAY

VP-Development and Engagement

Artem Vale Foundation

ANTOMIUS WISE

Founder

Wise Protective Service and More, Inc.

Haywoode Workman

Founder

HBCU Global

4:30 pm --Big Picture Track

Legacy of Mega Events:
The Social Impact of the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup

This presentation explores how the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup create lasting social legacies. Examine the impact of these events on community pride, social inclusion, volunteerism, youth development, and quality of life, while identifying strategies for creating meaningful and sustainable social benefits.

YVETTE MICHAEL

Senior Coordinating Producer

Olympics.com

LISA DELPY NEIROTTI

Director

GW Sports Philanthropy Program

DUQUES HALL (1st Floor)
2201 G Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20052

Enter building from 22nd St. between G&H

HOSTED BY:

Nick Lowery

Kelsey Nicole Nelson

 

Nick Lowery’s New Book

Naked and Alone with 80,000 People

Is Out Now
Visit NickLoweryBook.com to learn more.

9:30 pm After Hours Networking

Marriott Lobby