Chicago, IL

AFP ICON 2026

AFP ICON is the world’s No. 1 fundraising conference, attracting more than 3,000 fundraising professionals each year. Join us in Seattle in April for an unparalleled combination of fundraising training—with more than 100 education sessions to choose from, endless networking opportunities and an unforgettable experience over three days.

Will you be in San Diego? Stop by and say hello to Alford Group at:

In an era of shifting tides, many leaders are frozen, waiting for the storm to pass. But history reveals that institutional headwinds isn’t a pause in progress—it’s a threshold.

Join Humanist Psychologist Dr. Gloria Chance and a panel of visionary leaders for a highly engaging experiential lab. Move beyond survival and use Creative Inquiry to create a more resilient, humane future.

Presenters

 2026/04/gloriachance.jpg

Dr. Gloria Chance

Human Capacity & AI Performance Strategist

Dr. Chance’s experiences as a C-Suite executive in banking, healthcare, tech, entrepreneurship, and engineering fueled curiosity about using creativity to unlock potential. Focused on the idea of rewiring unproductive patterns of behavior to spark transformative thinking in her teams, she tested her theories on the connection between creativity and improved performance. In 2007 US Banker recognized the impact of her unique approach, honoring her as one of the Most Powerful Women in Banking.

Brenda Asare headshot

Brenda B. Asare

President & CEO, Alford Group

Brenda B. Asare joined Alford Group in 2004 and assumed the role of President & CEO in 2014. Brenda brings nearly 30 years of management experience across sectors. She has assisted clients in raising over $2 billion, focusing on campaign execution, strategic planning, corporate partnerships, board leadership development and organizational design.

 2026/04/wendymckin.jpg

Wendy McKinney

President & Founder, Actuate Solutions

Wendy McKinnney is a newly published author of the soon-to-be best seller “Busy Doing What? Making Every Moment Count. She is currently the President & CEO of Actuate Solutions, LLC., providing business solutions for non-profit organizations. Wendy McKinney was recently the Chief Development Officer (CDO) for the San Diego History Center, formerly the CDO at the American Red Cross of San Diego/Imperial Counties. As the CDO, Wendy worked with external partners, corporations, individual donors, volunteers and others to advance the organization’s mission in the community by raising funds to support disaster preparedness initiatives, emergency relief efforts, services to members of the armed forces and their families, and more.

 2026/04/kimshiner.jpg

Kimberly Shiner

Interim Vice President for Advancement, Cal State Fullerton

Kimberly Shiner is the interim vice president for university advancement at Cal State University, Fullerton. She served as vice president for college advancement and communications at Pitzer College in Claremont. Shine holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in public administration from California State University, Northridge.

 2026/04/alexkim.jpg

Alex Kim

Chief Development Officer, KPBS

Alex Kim serves as the chief development officer at KPBS. He serves on KPBS’ management council and charts the course for the organization’s philanthropic and foundation support as well as community outreach efforts. In his position, he and his team build strong relationships with the station’s donors and provide engagement opportunities that reach out into the communities of San Diego.

 2026/04/meganhay.jpg

Megan Hayward

National Director of Development

Megan Hayward serves as the National Director of Development at the Social Justice Learning Institute. With more than 15 years of resource development experience across Southern California, Megan has been instrumental in leading revenue-generating initiatives for a range of charitable and advocacy organizations. Megan’s journey is rooted in witnessing the impact of systemic barriers on young people, which catalyzed her commitment to co-creating solutions that dismantle inequitable systems and increase philanthropic capital into communities of color. Megan earned her B.A. in English Literature from the University of San Diego, where she remains an active member of the Black Alumni Network.