18 Feb 2025
18 Feb 2025

2025 ATS Development and Institutional Advancement Program Conference

  • Price: $350.00

Overview

By registration; This year’s DIAP conference—Moving Forward in Joy: The Ministry of Fundraising and Communications in a Digital Age—offers development officers and communications personnel from across the ATS membership a space to come explore together the opportunities, possibilities, strategies, and challenges associated with the new tools, technologies, and AI platforms that are impacting so many aspects of our work.

Join us for this opportunity to encourage and learn together, while growing your skills and deepening the community connections that can help you thrive in your work.

The 2025 DIAP Conference is an approved CFRE education provider!
Full participation in DIAP is applicable for 5.5 points in Category 1.B – Education of the CFRE International application for initial certification and/or recertification.


Agenda
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18

 5:00 p.m. 
Registration and Reception

6:00 p.m.
Opening Dinner

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

8:00 a.m.       
Breakfast

8:45 a.m.
Morning Meditation                                                                                                 

9:00 a.m.     
Welcome and Introductions

Three Stories on Money: Biography, Theology, and Community

Rod Wilson, Consultant, In Trust Center for Theological Schools; former President, Regent College

10:30 a.m.    
Break

11:00 a.m.       
Lemonade, Chili, or French Toast: Leveraging Creativity to Secure Additional Resources for Small Development Teams
LaDaniel Gatling II, Vice President of Advancement, Guilford College

12:30 p.m.
Lunch

1:45 p.m.
Workshop Session 1

  • Leading Inclusive, Human-Centered Teams
    Angie Barker Jackson, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Berkeley School of Theology
  • Reimagining Institutional Stewardship and Stakeholder Partnerships: Pastoral Convening and Friend Raising While Building a Care-Full Community
    Brian Smith, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Chicago Theological Seminary
  • Best Practices and Approaches to Planned Giving
    Richard Thompson, Director of Advancement, Regent College
  • Revitalizing Your Annual Fund
    Robin Little, Senior Director of Advancement, Nashotah House

2:45 p.m.
Break

3:00 p.m.      
Roundtable Discussions

  • Strategies and Challenges in Communications
    Lisa Kern, Manager of Member Engagement, The Association of Theological Schools
  • Stewardship of Gifts
    Dale Walker, Vice President of Advancement, Brite Divinity School
  • Building Partnerships between Fundraisers & Database Administrators
    Chad Schwickerath, Vice President for Advancement and Strategic Initiatives, Chicago Theological Seminary
    LaTasha Jimenez,
    Manager of Advancement Services, Chicago Theological Seminary
  • Maintaining Joy through the Journey
    John Everett, Acting COO & Director of Institutional Advancement and Enrollment Management, Hood Theological Seminary          
    Tomasz Kierul, Vice President of Mission Advancement, Saint John’s Seminary
    Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, Director of Development, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
  • Playing with Generative AI: Trying Out Some Tools Together
    Michael Hemenway, Director of Design and Data Science, The Association of Theological Schools

4:00 p.m.  
Putting Story to Work: Exploring the Value of Associational Life

Michael Hemenway, Director of Design and Data Science, The Association of Theological Schools

4:30 p.m.  
Free evening

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20                   

8:00 a.m.      
Breakfast

8:45 a.m.      
Morning Meditation

9:00 a.m.      
Integrated Communications in Advancement and Marketing Campaigns
Vicki Biggs
, Senior Vice President of Seminary Advancement & Chief Communications Officer, Concordia Seminary St. Louis

10:30 a.m.   
Break

11:00 a.m.    
Workshop Session 2

  • Understanding Major Gifts: Strategies and Tools
    Lauren Yamaoka, Senior Vice President of Advancement, Fuller Foundation
  • Beyond Boundaries: Crafting Impactful Virtual and Hybrid Events
    David Riddell
    , Senior Director of Advancement and Communications, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School
  • Doing More with Less: Using Technology to Have your Fundraising Reach Further
    Jessica Cloud, Vice President for Advancement, Starr King School for the Ministry
  • Content Creation by the Community for the Community
    Rebecca Taylor, Executive Director of Enrollment Marketing, Roberts Wesleyan University & Northeastern Seminary

12:00 p.m.   
Lunch                                                                  

1:15 p.m.     
Advancement's Inherent Problem and the Restoration of Joy
Rod Wilson, Consultant, In Trust Center for Theological Schools; former President, Regent College

2:45 p.m.     
Closing Session

3:00 p.m.     
Adjournment


Workshops

Accommodations

Hotel Information
You are responsible for the cost of your lodging and transportation to/from Newport Beach. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach at a group rate of $249 for single/double occupancy. The Hyatt Regency is located at 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach, CA 92660. To make your online hotel reservation under the ATS group rate, click here. The deadline to make your room reservation is Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

Check-in: 4 p.m.
Check-out: 12 p.m.

  • All guests arriving before 4 p.m. will be accommodated as rooms become available. Bell staff can arrange to check baggage for guests arriving early, or when attending afternoon functions on departure day.
  • Hotel room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes in effect at the time of check-in.

For more details, visit Hyatt Regency Newport Beach.

Parking
Overnight self-parking is available for a discounted rate of $15 per car, per night.
Overnight valet parking is available for $50 per night.

Transportation Information 
A rideshare company is recommended (Uber, Lyft, etc.).


Presenters
Vicki Biggs

View Bio

Vicki Biggs

Vicki Biggs is the senior vice president of seminary advancement and chief communications officer at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis. She leads an award-winning team that serves the organization's communications, alumni relations, and fund development functions. Before joining the seminary, she was director of public relations at The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (2006–2014). Previously, she served as vice president of communications at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (2004–05), as general manager of marketing and administration at St. Louis County Fair & Air Show (2000–2004), and as marketing and public relations coordinator at Baird, Kurtz & Dobson, CPAs (1987–2000). Biggs is a graduate of the University of Missouri–St. Louis where she earned a BS degree with a dual major in marketing and management. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.

LaDaniel "Danny" Gatling II

View Bio

LaDaniel "Danny" Gatling II

LaDaniel "Danny" Gatling II is a higher education development professional with expertise in financial advising, philanthropic management, and institutional advancement. Gatling carries significant experience in the financial services industry and more than 20 years of executive development experience in higher education.

In 2022, Gatling became the vice president for advancement and alumni relations at Guilford College in Greensboro, NC. As vice president, Gatling is a member of the President's Cabinet and is responsible for determining the strategic direction for a highly integrated alumni engagement and annual giving program. Prior to Guilford, Gatling served as vice president for institutional advancement at Bennett College, where he worked closely with the president to lead a comprehensive fundraising program that focused on increasing major annual gifts and furthering the outreach to alumnae worldwide.

Before joining Bennett, Gatling served as director of development for constituent programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, assistant dean for development at Elon University School of Law, associate vice president for philanthropy at Guilford College, and director of development for the School of Agriculture at North Carolina A&T State University.

Gatling earned a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a master's degree in philanthropic studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Gatling is active in the Greensboro community and has served on the boards of Downtown Greensboro, Inc., the Greensboro Children's Museum, and East Greensboro Now. He also serves on the alumni board for the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. He serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Gatling is a member of several professional and service organizations, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Rod Wilson

View Bio

Rod Wilson

Trained in English literature, psychology, counseling, and theology, Rod Wilson has worked as a psychologist, consultant, and researcher; served as pastor for three different churches; and has been involved in multiple roles in theological education, including as president of Regent College in Vancouver, Canada, from 2000–2015. Currently, he serves as a mentor-advisor to many international leaders and organizations, is a member of the Wise Stewards Initiative Team with the In Trust Center for Theological Schools, and is a writer of articles and books on leadership, fundraising (including his book, Keeping Faith in Fundraising), community, anger, counseling, and relationships (including his last book, Thank You. I'm Sorry. Tell Me More. How to Change the World with 3 Sacred Sayings). His major life questions revolve around how the spiritual and the human work together, particularly in his parenting (with his wife Bev) of a daughter with multiple disabilities, but also in the realm of philanthropy.


Other

Registration Deadline: January 24, 2025

Fees
Conference fee: $350.
Guest fee (if applicable): $75.

You will be invoiced via email.

Cancellation Policy
A refund of the registration fee will be provided upon written request. An administrative fee of $75 will be deducted from refund checks. No refunds after February 10, 2025.

Dress is business casual.

Event Contact
Saren Williams

Date & Time
Tue, Feb 18, 2025 , 5:00 p.m. PT
Thu, Feb 20, 2025 , 3:00 p.m. PT

Location
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach | Newport Beach, CA

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