What is the secret to nonprofit success? According to Ernest Hooper, renowned storyteller and nonprofit leader in Tampa Bay, it’s collaboration and shared knowledge. As the Nonprofit Leadership Center prepares to bring nearly 1,000 leaders together for two days of collaboration and knowledge sharing, we are thrilled to announce that Ernest will be the emcee of our 2023 Nonprofit Leadership Conference: Together We Will on October 19 and 20.
“As nonprofits continue to emerge from a challenging few years, the Nonprofit Leadership Conference is like a charging station for the nonprofit sector. The event capitalizes on the joy of human connection and channels that electric energy into provocative presentations and conversations. Every participant walks away with renewed promise."
"The theme for this year’s conference is Together We Will. In a time where what divides us often gets more attention than what unites us, attendees will come together as one sector and one community that shares the same passion for strengthening our communities. Ernest embodies collaboration and community, and I can’t think of a better leader to facilitate and guide us through this powerful event."
Equal parts motivation, conversation and education, nonprofit professionals and leaders will experience engaging speakers and sessions, powerful networking opportunities and other surprises. Highlights of the 2023 Nonprofit Leadership Conference include:
- Keynote speaker Shola Richards will talk about the courage of going together, including sharing three questions to change how participants work, live and lead.
- Stephanie Gularte, MFA, CPC, CPT, ELI-MP, experienced nonprofit CEO and certified health coach, will lead a powerful workplace well-being conversation on managing your energy to lead more effectively.
- Eight breakout sessions featuring 11 dynamic speakers will address everything from onboarding and hiring, creating a culture of belonging and the secrets for nonprofit survival, to how to help the community be part of solving its most significant problems.
“I love the theme, Together We Will, and am thrilled to play a role in infusing it alongside those who share this collaborative spirit. When we collectively root our work in information and intention, we erase the boundaries that limit our impact. This conference can ignite that drive. Together, we will come away with more unity, more strength and more will."
After a nearly 30-year career with the Tampa Bay Times, Ernest Hooper now serves as the senior vice president of communications for United Way Suncoast. In his role here, he’s the chief storyteller for the organization’s impactful work, using his journalistic experience as a veteran columnist to promote early learning, youth services and financial stability to adults and families across a five-county region. Ernest also writes a column for St. Pete Life Magazine and co-leads The Poynter Institute’s Write Field program for middle and high school boys. He’s married to his University of Florida sweetheart and is a dad to three children.