Nonprofit Capacity-Building Conference

Mother Cabrini and the Molloy University School of Business logos

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.

Attendees at the Molloy School of Business nonprofit conference
Attendees shared ideas at the Meaningful Collaboration and Outcomes: Using Data as a Compass conference.

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

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. 

Roundtable Discussions

To conclude the conference, attendees joined roundtable discussions with Molloy faculty and staff.

Conference attendees engaged in roundtable discussions by topic.
Conference attendees engaged in roundtable discussions by topic.
Conference attendees standing and discussing
Participants discussed topics of interest to nonprofit professionals.
Project participants
Anne DeGruttola (center) from Bethany House with Caitlin Kennedy, Gianna-Marie Festa, Abigail Giubergia, and Briana Stephenson
Speakers and attendees
Dr. Alex Chan, Dr. Dan Ball, and Dr. Brian O'Neill with conference attendees
School of Business faculty, students and alumni
Dr. Brian O'Neill, Gianna-Marie Festa, Caitlin Kennedy, Briana Stephenson, Krystal Raymond, and Rod Patterson

 

Speaker Profiles

Lori Andrade
Lori Andrade, M.S.

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.

Dan Ball, Ph.D.
Daniel Ball, Ph.D.

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, 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.

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.
Brian O'Neill, D.B.A.

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.

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