Speakers

• CFRE
  CFRE
• Chris Ary
  

  Chris Ary

  Chris Ary has over 8 years’ experience working with multiple Education Foundations throughout the Midwest and Texas. Chris has served on the board of the Blue Springs Education Foundation in Blue Springs, Missouri since its inception in 2006 and currently serves on the Executive Committee. Chris has a BS in Economics from the University of Central Missouri. He also sits on the Advisory Board for the A+ Program for the Blue Springs.

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  chris@foundationinnovation.com

  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 707

• Erica Ekwurzel
  

  Erica Ekwurzel

  Erica Ekwurzel, CFRE, MPAff, is an accomplished philanthropy consultant with a focus on nonprofit and philanthropic strategic planning, communication, and fund development, bringing the unique perspective of the funder in her counsel. Erica is the founder of CivicAIM, a consultancy focused on building and strengthening capacity among grantmakers who seek to use their philanthropic resources as drivers of positive change. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish from Austin College and a Masters in Public Affairs from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin, with a concentration in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropic Studies.

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  erica@foundationinnovation.com

  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 702

• Laurie Cromwell
  

  Laurie Cromwell

  Laurie Cromwell, CFRE was the first woman elected to an at large position on the local school board, the first woman school board president, the first president of the local education foundation, the first woman president of the local Economic Development Commission, and a founding Board member of the local Chamber of Commerce. She was the first person to receive Chamber Citizen of the Year and the first to receive the Outstanding Service Award by the Texas Pioneer Foundation. She started her mission in the nonprofit field in 1984 and in 2003 founded Foundation Innovation, a consulting firm that has guided hundreds of education foundations and school boards to success.

  ​laurie@foundationinnovation.com
  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 700

• Maya Bethany
  

  Maya Bethany

  Maya Golden Bethany is the founder and executive director of the 1 in 3 Foundation, formerly the executive director for the Tyler ISD Foundation and the Lindale ISD Education Foundation. Maya was voted the 2011 Texas Schools Public Relations Association’s Rookie of the Year for her work with education foundations and in public relations. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Maya is also a sportscaster and reporter. During her early journalism career, she worked for WFAA-TV and KESN (ESPN Radio) in Dallas. As sports director for KLTV in Tyler, Texas, Maya won three Texas Associated Press Broadcast awards, was nominated for two Emmy awards and was the recipient of the Excellence in My Market Award for the Lone Star Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Maya joined the field of education in 2009.

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  maya@foundationinnovation.com

  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 706

• Shawn Callaway
  

  Shawn Callaway

  Shawn Callaway started his career in nonprofit management in 1993 and has accrued almost 30 years of experience in nonprofit management. From religious and education to business nonprofits, Shawn has served in most roles of nonprofits from Board Member all the way to President/CEO. Under Shawn’s leadership two different local Chambers have received Five Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber. Shawn currently serves as the first executive director of the award-winning Aledo ISD Education Foundation, which has raised over three million dollars since its founding in 2013. Shawn is actively involved in pro-education legislation and activism. Shawn earned a B.A. in Communications/Mass Communications from Texas Tech University and holds certifications in adolescent education from Southern Methodist University and Princeton University. Shawn is the President and CEO of Foundation Innovation LLC.
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  shawn@foundationinnovation.com

  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 712

• Suzi Pagel, CFRE
  

  Suzi Pagel, CFRE

  Suzi Pagel, CFRE has served as Midway ISD’s Director of Development since 2002.  During this time, the Foundation has provided over $2.1 million for more than 650 classroom grants for the students and staff of Midway ISD and has an endowment of $2.5 million dollars.

  Suzi holds a B.S.Ed. from Baylor University. In addition to teaching in Texas and California, she served as the volunteer coordinator for the City of Woodway and the program coordinator of Keep Knoxville Beautiful. She volunteers for the Junior League, Hewitt Chamber of Commerce, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. 

  Suzi received the Junior League’s Golden Wing Award for Outstanding Volunteerism and the Association of Fundraising Professional’s Outstanding Professional Fundraiser awards.
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  suzi@foundationinnovation.com
  ​(512) 535-2046 ext. 705