Ahead of the Curve: Navigating Future Fundraising Trends

Nathan Chappell is a thought leader, public speaker, author, and AI inventor, recognized globally as an expert on the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and generosity. Nathan serves as Chief AI Officer at Virtuous Software where he supports AI integration to help nonprofit organizations amplify mission at scale. In 2018, Nathan founded Fundraising.AI, a global advocacy organization for Responsible and Beneficial AI in the nonprofit sector. Additionally, he is author of two books, Nonprofit AI: A Comprehensive Guide to Implementing Artificial Intelligence for Social Good and the 2022 award-winning book, The Generosity Crisis: The Case for Radical Connection to Solve Humanity’s Greatest Challenges, which has been deemed “required reading for this generation of fundraisers”. With over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Nathan is a global keynote speaker and content contributor. His work has been featured in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, NPR, Forbes, Fast Company and more. His podcast, Fundraising AI, is among the top nonprofit technology podcasts worldwide.

Nathan serves as an advisor for the OpenAI Users Forum, the AI for Good Foundation, the International Committee for Information Technology Standards (INCITS), and the Forbes Technology Council.

He holds a Masters in Nonprofit Administration from University of Notre Dame, an MBA from University of Redlands, a certificate in International Economics from University of Cambridge, a certificate in Artificial Intelligence from MIT, a certificate in Philanthropic Psychology from the Institute of Sustainable Philanthropy and is a certified fundraising executive (CFRE).

Samantha Swaim has more than 20 years of event planning and fundraising expertise. She founded Swaim Strategies, a fundraising event consultancy, in 2004, working internationally with nonprofit organizations to produce impactful events that move missions forward.

Samantha is the co-author of “Planning a Successful Major Donor Event”, is the founder of the annual Elevate fundraising event conference scheduled for March 12-13, 2025 and is the co-host of “The Fundraising Elevator” podcast. She is on a mission to support nonprofits in elevating their impact through events.

For 22 years Matt helped shaped CRMs in the for-profit sector before founding DonorDock to help fill the need for a Donor Management CRM built for small nonprofits. Matt holds a deep-seated passion for working with nonprofit organizations and believes strongly that technology should further enable their mission and drive more impact. He and his family reside in West Fargo, ND.

Sabrina Walker Hernandez, President & CEO of Building Better Boards, is a strategic leadership expert with deep roots in nonprofit management. She has trained over 10,000 professionals through her keynotes and workshops, including “5 Keys to Unstoppable Teams.”

Certified in Nonprofit Management by Harvard Business School, Sabrina is the author of eight e-books and co-author of the bestselling Successonomics. She hosts the “Sipping Tea With Sabrina” podcast and edits the Here’s the Tea Nonprofit Report, equipping leaders with practical tools to build high-performing boards and drive mission-driven success.

Cherian Koshy is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP), & AFP Master Trainer. He is the Vice President of Development at Merit America and the founder of the Nonprofit Operating System. He has raised over $100M for various nonprofits, holds advanced certifications in Behavioral Economics, and was a former successful debating coach. He is a sought-after trainer and speaker, and his thought leadership has been featured in several publications.

Shawn Olds is a technology and communications thought leader currently serving as the CEO for boodleAI, an AI-powered predictive analytics solution. Shawn is a military veteran having served on active duty in the 82nd Airborne Division, followed by work with the U. S. Department of States’ Office for Counter-Terrorism, as well as recently being appointed to serve as a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. Shawn graduated from the United States Military Academy with a BS in Computer Science. He earned an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management as well as his Juris Doctor from the Northwestern School of Law.