The Do’s and Don’ts of Board Involvement in Nonprofit Financial Planning

Maya Tussing co-founded Fairlight Advisors to help nonprofit leaders fulfill their mission with first-class financial and investment solutions honed while working at the most respected institutions in the world. Fairlight provides nonprofits and mission-focused organizations financial planning and investment management services customized and aligned with their financial goals. Prior to Fairlight, she was the Head of BlackRock’s Institutional Index Allocation Group, where her team managed over $200B across all asset classes, investment styles, and vehicles. Over the last 20 years, she held senior risk management roles at firms such as BlackRock, BarclaysGlobal Investors, Visa, and GE Capital. She is a graduate of Pomona College and holds an MBA in international finance from the University of Washington.

As an exceptional Executive Leader and nationally recognized expert in nonprofit fundraising, Debbi has a proven track record in developing strategies that bring success.
Her pragmatic approach to development includes data analytics, and technology stack improvement to drive overall operational excellence. Her team prides themselves on not being "talking heads" but actually providing real solutions to fundraising challenges.

Dave Sternberg, CFRM Founding Partner of Loring, Sternberg and Associates is a nationally and internationally recognized board governance and fundraising expert. He his a Member of the Faculty of Lilly School of Philanthropy's The Fund Raising School and a Senior Governance Consultant with BoardSource.

Dave has worked with clients across the globe to improve their governance structure and improve fundraising results.

He is the author of Fearless Fundraising For Nonprofit Boards (BoardSource 2008) and authored the original Purposeful Boards Powerful Fundraising for The Fund Raising School.

Dave is a graduate of The Ohio State University and serves on two boards, currently the chair of Purple Heart Homes.

Maureen has 20+ years’ experience in budget and financial management and is committed to developing and continually enhancing financial systems that increase efficiencies and impact, while supporting organizations to achieve strategic fiscal goals.

Maureen offers part-time CFO management and educational services focusing primarily on workshops, financial assessment, and budget & financial management, with the ultimate goal of reducing client’s FOF (fear of financials). She does this by supporting, coaching, and educating clients on how to map out an effective plan to create, understand, and manage their organization’s financial goals and metrics.

Maureen’s background includes 12 years as Finance & Administrative Director at a state-wide nonprofit, 16 years working with 3 different organizations (Sustainability Institute, Carsey School of Public Policy, and the Institute on Disability) within the University of New Hampshire system, and 7 years as a Financial Management Consultant for nonprofits and small businesses.