2026 Governance Series

Presenters:

• Josh Lyons, President & CEO, Sunnyside Communities
• Heather Turbyne-Pollard, CEO, Circle Center Adult Day Services
• Jeannie Shiley, President & CEO, Shenandoah Valley Westminster-Canterbury

Building an effective board starts with intention.  Recruiting and onboarding are more than processes.  They’re opportunities to strengthen alignment with your organization’s mission, values, and strategy.  In this panel discussion, experienced leaders will share how they identify and welcome board members who bring the right skills, perspectives, and passion to the table.

You’ll hear real-world examples of what works, from refining recruitment to ensure diversity of thought and experience, to designing onboarding that helps new members contribute meaningfully from the start.  Whether you’re seeking new approaches or refining what already works well, this conversation will offer practical strategies to help your organization recruit with purpose and onboard for lasting impact.

Following this session, you and your board will be able to:

• Align board recruitment and onboarding practices with your organization’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.
• Identify the skills, perspectives, and experiences that strengthen your board’s effectiveness and diversity.
• Apply proven strategies to recruit board members who are both mission-driven and ready to contribute meaningfully.
• Design or refine onboarding processes that equip new members to engage confidently and add value from the start.
• Strengthen collaboration between board and staff leaders in cultivating a cohesive, high-performing board.

Presenters:

• Joe Hackman, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community
• Marta Hill Gray, President, Culpeper Garden
• Gayle Haglund, Founder, GHH Philanthropy Solutions
• Betsy Archer, Executive Director, PositiveAge, a LeadingAge Virginia Foundation

When board members understand the “why” behind philanthropy, their engagement shifts from obligation to genuine enthusiasm for advancing the mission. This session explores how to help your board connect giving and fundraising to purpose, seeing philanthropy not as a task, but as an expression of leadership and stewardship.

Through real-world examples and shared experiences, you’ll learn practical ways to inspire your board’s involvement in resource development and mission advancement. Whether your organization is refining an established culture of philanthropy or building one intentionally, you’ll leave with ideas to help your board lead with purpose, champion generosity, and strengthen the sustainability of your mission.

Following this session, you and your board will be able to:

• Articulate the connection between philanthropy and mission, helping board members understand why their engagement matters.
• Identify strategies to inspire board members to take an active, authentic role in fundraising and resource development.
• Strengthen your organization’s culture of philanthropy by aligning board engagement with organizational values and goals.
• Recognize common barriers to board participation in philanthropy and apply practical approaches to overcome them.
• Reinforce a shared sense of purpose between staff and board leaders in advancing generosity and mission sustainability.

Presenters:

• Aaron Rulnick, Managing Principal, Head of Investment, HJ Sims
• Tom Bowden, Senior Vice President, HJ Sims
• Kevin Schwab, President & CEO, Givens Communities
• Cherie Grisso, Vice President Financial Operations, Givens Communities

Affiliation discussions can feel complex, and even uncomfortable, but they’re an essential part of strong, forward-looking governance. Whether or not affiliation is on your organization’s current agenda, thinking about it now allows your board and leadership team to approach the future with clarity rather than urgency.

In this session, you’ll explore how to frame affiliation as a proactive, strategic conversation that strengthens your organization’s long-term position. Together, we’ll look at how boards and leadership teams can evaluate readiness, identify the questions worth asking early, align decisions with mission and values, and understand the legal considerations related to affiliation. You bring the deep understanding of your organization, and we’ll bring tools and perspective to help you lead the conversation with confidence and purpose.

Following this session, you and your board will be able to:

• Frame affiliation as a proactive and strategic conversation that supports your organization’s mission and long-term goals.
• Assess your organization’s current level of readiness for potential affiliation opportunities or challenges.
• Identify key questions and indicators to guide thoughtful discussions before decisions become time-sensitive.
• Clarify the board’s and leadership team’s respective roles in exploring, evaluating, and preparing for affiliation.
• Apply strategies to ensure affiliation conversations are grounded in mission alignment, transparency, and informed decision-making.

Presenters:

• John Mumford, Partner, Hancock Daniel
• Nathan Mortier, Attorney, Sands Anderson
• Dusanka Delovska-Trajkova, CHCIO, CDH-E, Chief Information Officer, Ingleside

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how organizations operate, from data management and staffing to resident engagement and care delivery. With opportunity comes responsibility, and nonprofit leaders and boards play a vital role in ensuring that innovation aligns with mission, ethics, and the law.

This session will explore the evolving legal landscape surrounding AI in aging services, including issues of privacy, data security, bias, and accountability. You’ll gain a clearer understanding of what questions to ask, what safeguards to consider, and how to approach AI decisions with confidence and foresight. Together, we’ll look at how governance and leadership can work in partnership to guide responsible, mission-centered adoption of AI technologies.

Following this session, you and your board will be able to:

• Recognize key legal and ethical considerations surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in aging services.
• Identify questions boards and leadership teams should be asking as AI tools and technologies are introduced.
• Understand potential risks related to privacy, data protection, bias, and accountability, and how to mitigate them.
• Clarify the board’s and leadership team’s roles in overseeing responsible, mission-aligned adoption of AI.
• Apply practical strategies to ensure AI decisions support both innovation and the organization’s core values.