Independent Sector

It's a pleasure to have you with us.

I recently returned from Independent Sector's National Summit, which took place October 12th through 15th, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Independent Sector is one of those major national infrastructure organizations that represents the nonprofit sector in the nation's capital.

And their national summit each fall brings together nonprofit and philanthropic leaders from across the country and from whatever community the conference is happening in to discuss current issues, trends, and challenges in the field.

I used to go to this conference every year for many years, and it really helped orient me to the sector as I was getting started in my career.

None of the major infrastructure organizations for nonprofits or philanthropy or the entire sector were really fully committed to addressing the challenges of the nonprofit workforce or lifting up the incredible value of the nonprofit workforce as a major part of the field and as a part of the work of these infrastructure groups.

And they still really aren't.

But over the last few years, under the leadership of Dr. Akilah Watkins, who's the president and CEO of Independent Sector, that organization has seen the nonprofit staffing crisis.

We need this third sector, not the private sector, not the public sector.

but the independent sector, the social sector, the nonprofit sector, to really hold people to their best intentions and promises.

And that is what this organization, 9-11 Health Watch, did.

They pushed and pushed until they got someone in government to say, okay, Here are the receipts.

It's not the public sector.

It's not the private sector.

It is what some would call the independent sector, the social sector, the nonprofit sector.

This is the sector that is beholden to the people, truly.

Brown and Nancy Bacon.

I literally met them by the coffee bar during the Independent Sector Summit.

And oh my gosh, ladies, thank you for agreeing to come on and talk about independent sectors, your experience there.

I'm really thrilled.

Happy to be here.

But I think on the whole, what I saw is a whole lot of people that are working on their piece of this larger puzzle that's advancing our sector in really exciting ways.

And so, so like I went to be in the room where it happens to use that quote, I wanted to be where, with this beautiful kaleidoscope of people from consultants to leaders and everybody wanted to talk to each other.

But I also was really curious to hear what independent sector is up to because they are our national association.

Really important things happening in our city, in my city, in Phoenix, Arizona, this week.

Independent Sector has brought the future we've built together.

It's their Independent Sector's National Summit.

I'm really proud that my city could attract them.

They're based in D.C., and they bring nonprofit thought leaders from really throughout the world to come and talk.

And so we are on site, on and off, day in, day out, coming back between the office and the studio.

And so if you are there, find us.

And again, thank you, Independent Sector, for coming to our community and sharing your wisdom and your knowledge.

Um, really an important, important thing's happening in our city, in my city in Phoenix, Arizona this week.

Independent Sector has brought their The Future We Build Together.

It's their independent, Independent Sector's, um, national summit.

I'm really proud that, that my city could attract them.

They're based in DC, and, um, they bring nonprofit thought leaders from really throughout the world to come and talk.

And so we are on site on and off, day in, day out, um, coming back between the office and the studio.

And so if you are there, um, find us.

And, uh, again, thank you, Independent Sector, uh, for coming to our community and sharing your wisdom and your knowledge.

And so it's important for me to have that representation and for folks to be able to hear, I think, from the top, what the perspective is on the future of the sector and the future of engagement and hopefully, the future of cross-sector collaboration, right? So I'm really excited to hear from her on all of those fronts.

I'm thrilled for our panel, which will include David Daniels, CEO of Bainham Foundation, and Dr. Akilah Watkins, the CEO of the Independent Sector.

Their conversation is going to be tremendous.

I will sit on the stage and be quiet most likely unless they want me to say something about Virginia.

Go to thecne.org to make sure you get registered.

They've got an all-star panel coming to that luncheon.

The Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Akilah Watkins from the Independent Sector, David Daniels from the Bainham Family Foundation.

It is a wonderful collection of leaders in the sector.