Through The Noise

All organizations and businesses need to communicate well in order to sell their mission or vision and today we speak with John Truran who makes this happen with the Keppler Speakers Bureau. If you’re throwing a tremendous amount of resources, time, and money into hosting a meeting or conference, it’s essential to have a keynote speaker that will inspire, impress, and energize your audience. Keppler Speakers Bureau is a booking agency representing compelling speakers that can bring your meeting to life and we had the opportunity to sit down with John Truran and discuss the ins and outs of the business. John Truran has been working with professional and celebrity speakers since the early 1980s when he joined Keppler Speakers bureau. With more than thirty years of experience in the meetings and events industry, he understands the speaking business from just about every angle, from marketing and sales to live event strategy to managing talent. John has spent his career observing up close how the power of stor

If the idea of running 87 marathons, including one in every state and on every continent sounds daunting, maybe you should leave that to Running Brooke whose impressive athleticism is raising money for the children of Alexandria. While many school systems have eliminated recess and gym in favor of studying for tests, children are suffering from a loss of physical activity built into their day, and the organization founded by Brooke Curran is working to counter this. By helping local kids access safe, fun, and reliable athletic activities, their chances of succeeding in school increase and everyone wins. Since May or 2009, Brooke Sydnor Curran has run 2, 253.2 marathon miles — covering all 7 continents, each of the 50 states and the 5 world marathon majors -- running over a marathon a month. She is the proud mom of three college-aged children and happily married to her husband Chris for 24 years. RunningBrooke goes the distance for at-risk children in Alexandria by funding innovative local charities and progra

We talk with Victor Van Rees about his work with EFX Media in the ever-evolving world of communications. Even with long-standing relationships in the field of government contracting, persistence is an essential ingredient to securing future contracts. Join us for an inside perspective on working with a variety of federal agencies and hear some of his secrets to success that are applicable to anyone in any business. Victor Van Rees was previously an award-winning producer of TV spots, ESPN events, syndicated series, and home videos. Over the last two decades he has become a successful Sales and Marketing VP and senior account manager developing government and corporate video contracts. For over three decades, EFX Media has been a leader in video production and post-production, serving clients including ExxonMobil, AOL, CarFax, Sodexo, FreddieMac, SRA, BAE, General Dynamics, Price Waterhouse and dozens of association and government clients.

“You gave me my life back!” When that’s a phrase consistently uttered by the people you serve, you know you’re doing something wonderful. Today we had the opportunity to speak with Kevin Corcoran of the Eye Bank Association of America -- an organization with the mission of restoring sight to people who have lost, or are losing, their vision. While uniting and accrediting all Eye Banks across the U.S., the association has also been helping to set up similar facilities around the world. And no, their offices are not filled with eyeballs in little jars! Kevin Corcoran is an association executive who has spent most of his career helping to turn around struggling organizations. Now, as the CEO of the Eye Bank Association of America, he’s working to give individuals a second chance at life by restoring their sight. The members of the Eye Bank Association of America restore the sight of over 75,000 people each year through corneal transplantation.

As Tom Beers points out, not all economists are academics. Business economists work for companies, helping them navigate the complexities of the world economy. Comparing the members of his organization to investigators rather than grey-bearded old men teaching college students academic theory, they are immersed in analyzing and interpreting the socio-political events that shape our world. And if you are you an economist, you definitely won’t want to miss NABE’s Annual Meeting in October, the “Woodstock for Economists.” Tom Beers is the executive director of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE), a Washington-based professional association comprised of nearly 3,000 business economists and those who use economics in their professional practice. Prior to taking the reins at NABE in 2009, Beers was himself a business economist, serving as the chief economist and vice president of housing finance of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) in Arlington, Virginia.

On Through the Noise, we talk to many nonprofits that depend on the goodwill of the community to donate their time and skills in order to thrive. Volunteer Alexandria is the go-to organization to match your experience, availability, and goals with a nonprofit in Alexandria that would greatly benefit from your assistance. Volunteering is not only a wonderful way to meet like-minded people, it’s an excellent team-builder for organizations and businesses of all sizes looking to give back to the community. Marion, a native of Germany and a social worker by trade, has been the Executive Director, at Volunteer Alexandria since 2012 and she has been involved in the Washington, D.C. non-profit arena for over 17 years, working with communities, nonprofit and government agencies, and volunteers. Previously, she served for eight years as the Employee Engagement Manager at Freddie Mac. Volunteer Alexandria, a 501 c (3) nonprofit organization since 1980, serves as a link between individual and group volunteers and area no

Today we sit down with Shannon Steene of Carpenter’s Shelter and discuss causes of and solutions to homelessness and the concept of “powered by community.” Like many organizations servicing those on the edge of poverty or homeless, Carpenter’s Shelter relies heavily on a vast network of volunteers which fill a number of essential roles including security and cooking and serving three meals a day, 365 days a year. The organization works to end the “band-aid” phase by empowering people with the skills necessary to return to permanent housing and a firm place in the community. Shannon Steene is the Executive Director of Carpenter’s Shelter in the City of Alexandria, Virginia. He brings more than 20 years of leadership experience to his role, having worked at local, regional and national nonprofits. The Carpenter’s Shelter offers Alexandria’s homeless the shelter and support to stabilize and transition back into independent living in the community.

Continuing our conversation on poverty eradication efforts from episode #87*, this week we sat down with George Jones, CEO of Bread for the City. During Mr. Jones’ 20-year tenure at the helm of Bread for the City, the organization’s budget has increased fivefold, as demand for its services continues to grow. BFC employs a ground-up approach to research and outreach by empowering a number of their clients to serve on their board -- enabling them to use their real life experience to help others. Though Bread for the City has a staff of 100, it also relies on the generous donations of time and money from individuals and businesses around the region. George A. Jones has been Chief Executive Officer of Bread for the City since January 2, 1996. He is responsible for managing all administrative, financial, and programmatic aspects of the organization and its 100 full time staff. Mr. Jones has led Bread for the City’s growth from a $1.2 million operation in 1996 to a $10.6 million operation in 2014. In 2015, Geo

Eating healthy is difficult enough for most. But for some, they need help. Whether it be financial or education, there is a solution. Amy Kurz is the COO of Martha's Table, where she leads administrative and business functions for the organization. Previously, Amy held a variety of positions at the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington. She is the board chair of Young Playwrights' Theater and lives in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of DC. For 35 years, Martha's Table has worked to build a better future for children, their families and neighbors in the District of Columbia by increasing access to healthy starts, healthy eating and healthy connections.

John Trybus, APR is the director of Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communication (CSIC), the nation's leading educational resource on the role communication plays in advancing social change. His social impact experience spans organizations, industries and sectors having worked for chimpanzee expert Dr. Jane Goodall, the British Embassy and Waggener Edstrom Worldwide on behalf of clients like Tiffany & Co., L'Oreal Paris, Coca-Cola, Women for Women International, CARE and others. The Center for Social Impact Communication (CSIC) at Georgetown University is the nation's leading educational resource on the role of communication in fostering social change; it shares its research and custom workshops and consulting offering with both master's level students and practitioners in the social impact space. 

Bryan is founder and Managing Partner of Whistle Stop Digital (WSD), leading a team in devising and implementing digital strategy for issue advocacy and PAC campaigns. The goal is always the same; Using a mix of both traditional and innovative tactics, the team works to bolster online communities, build trust in the campaign's efforts and empower stakeholders into action. Whistle Stop Digital is a digital strategy and software firm founded on the idea that issue advocacy, politics and marketing are all converging. WSD's software platform gives organizations the tools they need to address this changing landscape, allowing them to quickly and easily identify influencers, empower stakeholders, reach decision makers and affect change.

Joan Parker is a true believer in the power of communities to create solutions to even their most vexing challenges. She joined Counterpart International as CEO in 2010 and hasn’t looked back: across 27 countries, the team is coaching 3,500 organizations and transforming as many communities in terms of health, nutrition, education, good governance, and more. The Counterpart Network partners with social investors who strengthen local communities’ leaders and organizations – solution creators who build inclusive and durable futures in which their people thrive.

Dan Handerson from CIT Gap Funds introduced us to Shy Pahlevani in Episode #78, as part of our new segment called The Chain. CIT Gap Funds awarded Shy’s company with an investment grant to continue growing this two-way communicaton mobile app used by universities to maintain campus safety and help students report suspicious activity. A victim of crime himself, Shy Pahlevani understands the magnitude of an emergency situation and the need for technology that prevents crime and ensures safety. As Founder of LiveSafe, Shy executes the company’s day-to-day affairs and ensures the success and reliability of the company’s products. LiveSafe technology empowers effective safety-related communication via a campus safety app linked to a cloud-based command dashboard.

Over a million people worldwide have Tuberous Sclerosis Complex. This alliance of organizations is looking to eradicate this disease. Lisa joined the TS Alliance in 2012 but her original introduction to the organization was in 2006 when her son was diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). In her current role at the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance she works closely with both private and corporate donors and she maintains her focus on helping the TSC community she is very much a part of by raising the funds to support research and programs for families and individuals with TSC. The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance is dedicated to finding a cure for tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) while improving the lives of those affected. TSC is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form in vital organs and is the leading known genetic cause for both epilepsy and autism."

How do you seperate yourself when you are competing with everyone around the world? And how do you navigate yourself through all the "research" that's available online? How can you seperate the real scientists from all the rest? Chris Abraham is a leading expert in digital: online reputation management (ORM), Internet privacy, social media marketing, and digital PR with a focus on blogger outreach, blogger engagement, and Internet crisis response. After growing up in Hawaii, Chris moved to the DC area almost 27-years ago, though he has detoured through the UK, Berlin, and Portland before returning to his home in Washington. Chris has been volunteering with local homeless kitchen, Miriam's Kitchen, for over five years. Gerris is a virtual digital agency, bringing together some of the best global partners in online engagement, influencer marketing, blogger outreach, social media marketing, search engine marketing, online reputation management, content marketing, digital PR, training, and strategy. Our low overh

A foundation is a non profit that grants money to other organizations. There are both private foundations and public foundations. But why do they do this? Allison Carney is the community manager for the Council on Foundations, where she is responsible for launching and growing their online member community. Previously, she worked with all types of nonprofits developing their communications strategies. She lives in DC with her wife and two overweight pets. The Council on Foundations is the largest membership organization of independent, operating, community, public and company-sponsored foundations in the United States and abroad.  

There comes a point in everyone's life where they must discuss the L word: Life Insurance. Today's generation is the first to have a future possible without a pension and with staggered paychecks. They must be looking for alternate solutions for the future. Jason Howell is a former U.S. Congressional candidate with over 20 years experience in finance. He now focuses his talents on financial planning for the "first generation". A Fortune 100 company founded in 1845, New York Life is the largest mutual life insurance company in the United States and one of the largest life insurers in the world. New York Life has the highest possible financial strength ratings currently awarded to any life insurer from all four of the major credit rating agencies. Headquartered in New York City, their family of companies offers life insurance, retirement income, investments and long-term care insurance. New York Life Investments provides institutional asset management and retirement plan services. Their other affiliates provide

Today's startup world has many more resources at its disposible then ever before. After friends and family there are accelerators, seed investors, kickstart, and angel investors. Dan joined CIT GAP Funds in 2013 and is responsible for deal sourcing, due diligence, deal structuring, and investing. He comes to the GAP Funds with 18 years of experience driving growth in software and technology companies, and over the past 13 years has been a founder or early employee at four technology startups. CIT GAP Funds is a family of seed- and early-stage investment funds placing equity investments in Virginia-based technology, life sciences, and cleantech companies.

Until 1972, this wasn’t an issue for nonprofits. Before then, they were exempt. However, now nonprofits have two options. They can stay in the state tax system or they can turn to UST for help. As the Executive Director of UST, Donna Groh is responsible for the effective management of the Trust and manages relationships between UST, its service providers and its partners to assure the Trust is meeting the needs of its members. Groh has broad experience in not-for-profit organizations, associations and healthcare. Donna was the Executive Director of Toastmasters International where during her tenure the international membership grew by 50% and their net assets doubled. Prior to that, she served as Director of Operations & Business Development for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Previously, Groh was Vice President/COO of the Irvine Medical Center and Regional Hospital. She has a BS and Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and has completed coursework for an

The pen truly is mightier then the sword. Writing is a powerful art when done correctly. Grant writing for example has the power to raise money for non profits that are in need of grants. Katherine Metres is the president of her company Your Edge for Success (YES) LLC, which provides award-winning writing to get you to YES. Katherine is a former executive director and U.S. diplomat who has won $3M for grant projects she developed and wrote. Your Edge for Success (YES), DC’s top-rated writing services company on Yelp, provides the services of a team that has won over $470 million in grant funding.