Summary: My guest this week is Sam Laprade. Sam has earned her stripes as a fundraising professional. She owns a data-analytics company and has made a successful transition into consulting. At the recent AFP conference in Toronto, Sam was the closing plenary. In front of hundreds of her peers and unsure of what the reaction might be, Sam courageously tackled sexual harassment, workplace bullying, and mental health. Her message was not only well-received, but it concluded with extraordinary applause, a standing ovation, and continues to create discussion on social media. When I reached out to Sam about being a guest on the podcast, I was delighted that she was so eager to share some of her courageous message with our listeners. It’s remarkable to hear about some of the discussions that Sam has since had with individuals in our field who have had similar experiences and desire an opportunity to talk through them. Sam is quite determined to have this conversation at least 100 more times. If you’re an organizer for a local AFP chapter, CASE district, or another professional association, I would encourage you to reach out to her. If you'd like to connect with Sam, feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn or visit her website at www.samlaprade.com As a reminder, we have a special six-part series that will broadcast the last week of 2018 between Christmas and New Years. Most of you have heard me say that the fundraising profession is in the midst of a messy adolescence. Likewise, I believe that those of us to whom non-profits go for advice are experiencing some growing pains of our own. As you’ve come to expect, I don’t mind asking questions in order to better understand why this might be. Rather than assert my own opinions, I decided we would enlist the opinions of a diverse group who are providing council and ask them what they think some of our challenges and opportunities might be. This special series will begin on December 26.
