The 46th Celebration anchored us in hope
Over 150 leaders from the nonprofit, government, philanthropic and business sectors reserved their place at a table for the Center's 46th Annual Celebration on October 30, 2025.
This event was hosted at the Hook Hall—a prime location for connecting and reuniting with industry leaders and peers in the heart of the city. Each attendee enjoyed a wholesome breakfast and were welcomed by the Center team with copies of the 2025 Nonprofit Agenda, and the sixth edition of the Center’s annual cookbook, A Table to Anchor Us.
We’d like to thank all who attended and those who contributed to the event’s success!
Our Welcoming Sponsors:
The Baldwin Group Nonstop Health
Champion Sponsor:
Ally Sponsors:
UST
Cigna Healthcare
Hamilton Insurance
Table Sponsors:
Abercrombie & Associates
Cooley & Darling Insurance
First Citizens Bank
fundRISING
Global Impact
Goldin Group CPAs
National Human Services Assembly
Pathway Homes, Inc.
RSM
Scenic America
Event Highlights:
Dr. Susie Wise, our esteemed guest, design leader, educator, and author of Design for Belonging shared equity design and innovation practices to reduce othering and build belonging—an anchor every community needs in times of turbulence. Her insights revolved around what we can and cannot influence, allowing us to recognize the ownership we can take in designing spaces of belonging, and bring that into the work we do as nonprofits on behalf of communities.
Glen O’Gilvie, CEO of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, recognized the Center's Board members for their service and thanked the event sponsors.
Sean Sweeney, Director of Operations at the Center, presented the Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy and Leadership Award winners.
Trevor Williams from GRF CPAs & Advisors thanked the selection committee and Ari Brooks, Executive Director at Friends of the Library Montgomery County and previous EXCEL award winner, presented the EXCEL Award winners and honorable mentions.
Our special guest:
Dr. Susie Wise
Dr. Susie Wise is a designer and educator. She is the author of Design for Belonging: How to Build Inclusion and Collaboration in Your Communities (2022) and a co-creator of Liberatory Design (2021). She has experience in education, tech and the social sector, mostly recently serving as the Director of Strategy at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. She is a long-time educator at the d.school at Stanford University where she founded the K12 Lab. Susie has a PhD in Learning Sciences and Technology Design.