Nonprofit Capacity-Building Conference
Meaningful Collaboration and Outcomes: Using Data as a Compass
The Molloy University School of Business hosted its professional development and capacity-building conference for nonprofit professionals on Friday, April 26, 2024.
Supported by a generous grant from the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, the conference, "Meaningful Collaboration and Outcomes: Using Data as a Compass," is the latest initiative coordinated by the School of Business focused on helping nonprofit organizations increase their abilities to serve at-risk populations on Long Island. The conference featured presentations by School of Business faculty and discussions with nonprofit executives.
Brian O’Neill, D.B.A., Assistant Professor and Graduate Business Program Director, welcomed all attendees before delivering a presentation, “Collaboration in the Nonprofit Sector.” Dr. O’Neill discussed reasons why organizations exist, sectors of the U.S. economy, nonprofit theory, issue salience among the public and government, nonprofit funding, and health trends on Long Island.
Panel Discussion: “Supporting Our Communities: Where Do We Go from Here?”
Following the presentation, Dr. O’Neill moderated a panel discussion, “Supporting Our Communities: Where Do We Go from Here?” with Lori Andrade, M.S., the Chief Operating Officer of the Health & Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), and Lisa Burch, M.P.H., the CEO of EPIC Long Island Family of Human Service Agencies. Both panelists have extensive nonprofit experience on Long Island.
The panelists discussed the challenges of operating not-for-profit organizations on Long Island, including receiving limited financial support. As discussed, government agencies and private foundations increasingly demand evidence of program outcomes. As such, capturing and reporting meaningful data is seen as a requirement for successfully operating a nonprofit. Another challenge with limited funding is hiring and retaining employees. Noting that employees can be sensitive to incremental wage differences (and often seek positions at organizations that offer higher pay), the panelists discussed retention ideas.
The panelists also reflected on the importance of having active and influential board members and opportunities for businesses to support nonprofit organizations through in-kind donations and community service days. In addition, the panelists talked about the value of collaboration among nonprofit organizations. For example, organizations that lack expertise in particular areas may benefit by collaborating with others that are knowledgeable and that can supply the necessary resources.
Presentations by Molloy School of Business Faculty
Data and Decision-Making for Nonprofits
Daniel Ball, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Undergraduate Business Program Director, delivered a presentation on “Data and Decision-Making for Nonprofits.” Dr. Ball spoke about the importance of decision-making in the nonprofit sector, key decision areas such as strategic planning, human resources, marketing, event planning, fundraising, and operations, and the evolution of the decision-making model. Today, analytics— the application of scientific and mathematical methods to the study and analysis of problems involving complex systems—can help decision-makers. Dr. Ball discussed three types of analytics: (1) descriptive analytics (using data and information to describe what has happened in the past), (2) predictive analytics (studying past data to predict the future), and (3) prescriptive analytics (building models to help us make optimal decisions). Using examples, Dr. Ball described how decision-makers could utilize tools already available to them (such as Microsoft Excel) to develop simple but powerful mathematical models for forecasting, linear regression, decision analysis/trees, and optimization with simulation.
Using AI for Interactive Client and Staff Support
Alexander Chan, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, spoke about “Using AI for Interactive Client and Staff Support.” Dr. Chan noted the importance of providing customer support and the “pain points” that customers may experience, such as long wait times, confusing or incomplete information, and being passed from one person to another. At the same time, staff may experience pain points due to a lack of training or information on how to solve customer problems and may feel overwhelmed about bearing the brunt of the blame. Dr. Chan described how organizations could use Microsoft Copilot Studio as a potential remedy. He provided a step-by-step example of how employees could set up a generative artificial intelligence (AI) customer support service in a matter of minutes using Copilot. Beginning with information that organizations already have, employees could enable a chat function that automatically answers customer questions.
Presentations of Professional Development and Capacity-Building Projects
Following lunch, Dr. Brian O'Neill introduced Molloy School of Business students and alumni, who presented overviews of the Professional Development and Capacity-Building Projects they were involved with during the academic year.
Professional Development and Capacity-Building Projects
Supported by the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation grant, teams comprised of faculty, students, and alumni worked with nonprofit organizations to address current challenges.
Board Member Search Project for the COPE Foundation
Rod Patterson (‘23 MBA) described the Board Member Search Project for the COPE Foundation. Led by Prof. Bruce Haller, Mr. Patterson, Ashley Arndt (‘19 MBA), Samuel Brioso, and Valentina Masiello (‘18 MBA), developed recommendations for recruiting board members and increasing board diversity.
Social Media and Fundraising Project for the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County
Morgan Whiter (‘18) presented an overview of the Social Media and Fundraising Project for the Economic Opportunity Commission of Nassau County, Inc. Guided by Dr. Dan Ball, Ms. Whiter described how fellow team members Daiana Cepin, Philip Mando (‘16), Rocanne Regnier (‘21) and Jaclyn Schuman (‘23) addressed the organization’s social media and fundraising needs. Dr. O’Neill described how a team led by Dr. Dawn DiStefano and consisting of members Sara Abaev (‘23), Christopher Alonzo (‘20), Bella Jacobs, Michael Smith (‘23), and Jessica Strauber (‘22), worked with i-tri on a donor relations project.
Pregnancy Kit Pilot Project for the Women’s Diversity Network
Cindy Thomas (‘19 MBA) summarized the work she completed with team members Rebecca Brawley (‘19 MBA), Sandra Clarke (‘22 MBA), Amy Smith, and Kristine Yu. The team conducted research and made recommendations to the Women’s Diversity Network for the Pregnancy Kit Pilot Project. The team was led by Dr. Brian O’Neill.
Brighter Tomorrows Project
Amy Smith presented the work she was doing with team members Daiana Cepin, Shakera Edwards, Seeanna Mahabir, Salvatore Ubaldini (‘13 MBA), and Morgan Whiter (‘18 MBA) for Brighter Tomorrows, Inc. Led by Dr. Dan Ball, the team is addressing social media, board governance, and DEI challenges.
Bethany House Project
A project for Bethany House was described by Abigail Giubergia, who, along with team members Gianna-Marie Festa, Caitlin Kennedy, TJ Magno (‘20 MBA), and Briana Stephenson (‘22 MBA), addressed the organization’s data, branding, and fundraising challenges. The team, led by Prof. Antonia Loschiavo, created brand development, key performance indicators (KPIs), funding opportunities, events strategy, and website layout deliverables.
Catholic Charities of Long Island Strategy Plan Project
Dr. Alex Chan led two projects with Catholic Charities of Long Island. Isabel Sanchez highlighted the work she did with team members Vivek Kataria, Anesha Victor (‘21 MBA), and Dana Wolff (‘19 MBA) on the Strategy Plan Project, which included a review of the organization’s current strategic plan and the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) methodology.
Catholic Charities of Long Island HR Survey Design Project
Jeremy Goldsmith (‘23 MBA) discussed the work completed for Catholic Charities of Long Island on the HR Survey Design Project with team members Emma Bachman (‘23) and Bella Jacobs. Among other deliverables, the team created survey questions for quantitative and qualitative analysis related to the employee journey.
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center Project
Krystal Raymond presented an overview of the Modified Rebranding Project she participated in with Michael Lugo (‘21 MBA), Lindsey Parmiter (‘18 MBA), and Danielle Pereira (‘19 MBA) for the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center. Led by Prof. Rose Lavelle, the team conducted research and made recommendations for a new organizational name, logo, website landing page, and URL.
Remarks by Marc Damsky
Following the presentations, Marc Damsky, Senior Program Officer at the Mother Cabrini Health Foundation, delivered remarks on the work being done by the Foundation and the fruitful collaboration with Molloy.
Roundtable Discussions
To conclude the conference, attendees joined roundtable discussions with Molloy faculty and staff.
Speaker Profiles
Lori Andrade, Chief Operating Officer of the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island (HWCLI), brings over 20 years of invaluable experience from Long Island's non-profit sector, with a commitment to collective action and health equity. Lori will serve as the Health Equity Alliance of Long Island (HEALI) Social Care Network (SCN) Executive, leveraging her deep understanding of Long Island’s needs and social care landscape to guide the SCN strategies and operations. Lori led HWCLI’s effort in successfully applying for the Community-Based Organizations (CBO) Planning Grant during the Delivery System Reform Incentive Program (DSRIP) that launched HEALI. Lori provides strategic and operational leadership of HEALI, building partnerships with CBOs, health systems, Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), health homes, and government. Lori manages all aspects of HEALI, including the strategy, governance body, and day-to-day operations. Since joining HWCLI in 2010, Lori has played a pivotal role in managing and overseeing the organization's advocacy and strategic development, including leading the development of the HEALI SCN. Lori's impactful career is characterized by her work shaping healthcare policies and programs that significantly influence Long Island's communities.
Daniel Ball, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and the Undergraduate Business Program Director at Molloy University. Before joining Molloy in 2016, Dr. Ball was an Associate Professor of Management and Decision Sciences at the Leon Hess School of Business at Monmouth University. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, M.S. degrees in Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Civil Engineering from Lehigh University, and his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Western New England University. Before beginning an academic career, he was a design engineer and project manager in the environmental consulting industry. Dr. Ball has earned Lean Six Sigma Black Certification through the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers and serves on the Board of Directors for the Northeast Business and Economics Association.
Lisa Burch, M.P.H.
Lisa Burch, CEO and President of EPIC Long Island Family of Human Services Agencies, has over 30 years of experience in the public health, non-profit sectors, community and government relations, grants administration, budgets, strategic planning, and program development. Prior to joining EPIC Family of Human Service Agencies, Lisa was the VP and Chief Operating Officer at Family and Children’s Association (FCA) in Garden City. While at FCA, Lisa oversaw program operations, facilities, IT, Compliance and Quality Assurance. Lisa was instrumental in the adoption of a new Electronic Health Record, expanded program services, including the creation of a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), created FCA’s Diversity Council, enhanced the IT services and cyber security protections, and developed and managed six program divisions, overseeing over 50 programs. Before FCA, Lisa worked for Northwell Health, where she established the Office of Sponsored Programs, followed by the health system’s first Sustainability and Social Responsibility (SSR) program. Earlier in her career, Lisa worked for Odyssey House, the Osborne Association, Planned Parenthood of New York City, and Safe Horizons. Lisa served on the board of the Long Island Regional Planning Consortium, working with local behavioral health organizations and state agencies to guide behavioral health policy in the region and recommend priorities for reinvestment of Medicaid savings. Lisa earned her BA in Psychology from Clark University with minors in Philosophy and Sociology and a concentration in Women’s Studies, her MPH from Hunter College, a Certificate in Corporate Citizenship Management from Boston College, and a Certificate in Community Leadership from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Long Island.
Alex Chan, Ph.D.
After completing a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, Professor Alexander Chan transitioned from academia to a 15-year career in the mobile phone industry, specializing in B2B sales. Google and Samsung were among the key customers that he managed. He served as VP of Sales for Asia Pacific in Beijing, having overall P&L responsibility for the region. Joining the University of Hong Kong in 2014, he led the Centre for Management and Innovation, providing executive education to over 1,200 professionals in China. From 2018 to 2023, he ran Brainy Alliance, a consulting business, offering corporate training to prestigious clients like Estee Lauder and IKEA. Now, he serves as an Assistant Professor of Business Analytics at Molloy University with the mission to empower diverse business students.
Brian O’Neill, D.B.A., Assistant Professor and Graduate Business Program Director at Molloy University, is a seasoned professional with corporate, government, small business, and not-for-profit project experience. Before his academic career, Dr. O’Neill focused on streamlining business processes and implementing technology to improve organizational performance. He worked at information technology services firms and as an independent consultant for a social services-focused foundation and an electronic health records company. In addition, Dr. O'Neill served as the founding Director of the Office of Business Strategies and Solutions for the New York City Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS), the largest social services agency in the country. Under his supervision, his team designed and managed systems used by health, mental health, addiction, and housing professionals at over 1,000 locations. He received a Doctor of Business Administration degree from Creighton University, and his research interests include organizational identification, commitment, and identity.
Special Thanks
In conjunction with the School of Business, the conference was organized by Angie Malone, M.A., C.H.E.S., Director of Clinical Services and Karim French, Project Coordinator, Healthcare Workforce Development and Nonprofit Capacity Building at Molloy University, and supported by many staff, including Jenny Doherty, Administrative Coordinator, School of Business, Sherry Radowitz, Ph.D., Senior Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs, Breda Schneider, Administrative Assistant, Community Care, and Deborah Waldron, Associate Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs.