Berea College

Brushy Fork is excited to offer an exciting selection of high-quality workshop tracks at the 2024 Leadership Summit. The Leadership Summit features six, eight-hour workshop tracks. Participants select one track to follow throughout the Summit. Click on the title of each track to read the description and about the presenters.

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<span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Can your organization benefit from a social enterprise model? This leadership track will explore different organizational models that incorporate social enterprise components into existing nonprofits, or that serve as a separate entity benefitting a nonprofit organization or social mission. While social enterprises prioritize social or environmental goals over profits, they also aim to maximize financial security, and are therefore well-positioned to help diversify and increase funding streams for nonprofit organizations. Track participants will brainstorm and explore sustainable solutions to critical social problems by providing products, services and/or fair employment opportunities. Track participants will develop one-page proposals for a social enterprise concept and learn how and where to pitch their ideas.</span>
<h4>About Mae Suramek</h4>
<img class="wp-image-105507 size-medium alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/mae-e1721136992419-195x300.png" alt="Headshot of presenter Mae Suramek" width="195" height="300" />

Mae began her professional journey as a Human rights investigator for the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Human Rights Commission and the North Carolina Human Relations Commission. She then served as Alumni Director of Berea College and as Executive Director of a regional 17-county non-profit, the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center. After spending 20 years getting an up-close and personal view of the funding challenges of the non-profit world, Mae saw an extraordinary opportunity for non-profit organizations and businesses to partner more strategically for the better good, and she went on to create Noodle Nirvana, a socially-conscious restaurant in Berea, KY that raised nearly $200,000 for four non-profits during its seven years of operations. In 2019, Mae gave a Tedx talk about Noodle Nirvana’s social enterprise model titled, “How Noodles can Change the World”. Following the closure of Noodle Nirvana after the pandemic, Mae returned to her non-profit roots and currently serves as the Operations Director of the New Americans Initiative, an organization that works to empower civic engagement in Kentucky immigrant and refugee communities. Mae and her husband, Adam are also partners of the Good Dwellings Group, a real estate business that is committed to promoting equal and accessible housing in Kentucky. Mae has a B.A. in psychology from Berea College and an M.A. in counseling from Eastern Kentucky University.

Should Nonprofits Start Making a Profit? How to Create Social Enterprise in Small Communities 

<span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Is your organization's culture hindering its mission? As mission driven organizations do their work of bringing about a more equitable world, many of these organizations are experiencing the same symptoms of a capitalist culture that structures so much of our lives that leads to burning out, a lack of care, and high emphasis on productivity. This is leading many who work in non-profits and community-based organizations to desire more equitable, shared leadership models that center care for mission and those who carry it out. Liberatory organizational cultures are organizational cultures that are non-hierarchical, center everyone in the decision-making process, and that see the whole person and not just a means to produce. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn the basics of cultural organizing and how to apply its principles and values to create more liberatory cultures that get us away from organizations built on hierarchy and productivity. Through storytelling, visioning practices, and organizational assessments, participants will dream toward plans of more democratic leadership models and restorative cultures. Participants can expect to walk away with: An understanding of cultural organizing framework, how to apply the cultural organizing framework to reimagine organizational culture, fresh ideas of how their organizations can be reimagined toward non-hierarchical models, and a rough outline of what an equitable, shared leadership model could look like.</span>
<h4>About Joe Tolbert Jr.</h4>
<h4><img class="size-medium wp-image-105509 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/joe-202x300.jpg" alt="Headshot of presenter Joe Tolbert Jr." width="202" height="300" /></h4>
<p class="cvGsUA direction-ltr align-justify para-style-body"><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Joe Tolbert Jr. is an organizer, executive, minister, writer and commentator whose work and passion lies at the intersection of art, culture, spirituality and social justice. In 2023 he was named Waymakers Collective’s first Executive Director, where he builds on the foundational work he laid as the Collective’s founding Program Director, driven by his personal belief that art and community can be a powerful force that can create real change. A native of Knoxville, TN, Joe is a proud “Affrilachian.” He was a founding member of the S.T.A.Y. (Stay Together Appalachian Youth) Project, a youth network committed to supporting one another and their Appalachian community, and his work in and highlighting the region has been supported by major art and cultural fellowships.</span></p>
<p class="cvGsUA direction-ltr align-justify para-style-body"><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Through his company Art at the Intersections, Joe is a sought-after facilitator and cultural strategist who works with communities to help them harness the power of art and culture through the building, implementation, and evaluation of cultural strategies.</span></p>
<p class="cvGsUA direction-ltr align-justify para-style-body"><span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">As a writer and critic, Joe’s work has appeared in Alternate ROOTS, ArtPlace, Arts.Black, Quiet Lunch, Cross Currents Journal, various exhibition catalogs, and in the book Applied Theater with Youth: Art, Education, Activism (2021, Routledge Press). He received his B.S. in Communications from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and completed his M.Div. with a concentration in Social Ethics from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.</span></p>

What's the Culture in Organizational Culture?

Is your organization stuck in the daily grind? Always meeting deadlines and managing crises, at the expense of long-term planning and strategic growth? This workshop is designed to equip nonprofit leaders with the practical solutions, strategies, and tools needed for meaningful organizational development. Shift your focus back to the foundations that foster organizational health and expansion. You'll gain insights into effective program and personnel evaluation, learn to devise and implement long-term strategies, discover how to energize and engage your Board of Directors, and develop policies and procedures that are straightforward and actionable. Prepare to leave with the skills and knowledge to transform your nonprofit into a more robust and effective organization.

<strong>About Chris Handberg</strong>

<img class="size-medium wp-image-105512 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Chris-Handberg-headshot-200x300.jpg" alt="Headshot of presenter Chris Handberg" width="200" height="300" />

Chris Handberg's nonprofit career spans over 20 years, highlighted by his work as the inaugural Executive Director of Indy Pride. Here, he prioritized ensuring all people were represented in the organization’s leadership and events as well as building strong community partnerships, diversifying funding streams, and  streamlining internal processes. His efforts led to an increase in budget revenue and transitioned the organization to a staff-supported model. Handberg also expanded Indy Pride's program offerings to include community engagement and educational activities. Before Indy Pride, Handberg served as the Program Director at the Domestic Violence Network (DVN), where he worked on curriculum development and partnership building to enhance domestic violence prevention and response. He collaborated with various stakeholders to create educational programs and strategic plans. Handberg's academic credentials include a Master of Education degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and an undergraduate focus on Christian Ministry and Biblical Literature.

Building Community Power: Practical Strategies & Tools for Stability & Growth 

<span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Is your organization’s communication strategy effectively telling your story? At its core, strong communication is storytelling. Does your organization's communications strategy successfully draw people in and build community? Join Rachel Rosolina, Communications Director at Appalshop, and Erin Rosolina, Marketing Director at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, for a deep look into essential aspects of nonprofit communications as they combine best practices from both an arts perspective and a science education perspective. This track will include sessions on creating an overarching comms strategy, working with development to tell a powerful story for potential donors, deftly handling media relations, writing strong press releases, ensuring clear branding across all platforms, and more.</span>
<h4>About Rachel Rosolina</h4>
<h4><img class="size-medium wp-image-105511 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Rachel-Rosolina-Headshot-200x300.jpg" alt="Headshot of presenter Rachel Rosolina" width="200" height="300" /></h4>
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<span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Rachel Rosolina (she/her) is the Communications Director of Appalshop, a media arts nonprofit in Letcher County, Kentucky, that centers on storytelling. Rachel graduated from Berea College with a degree in English and a minor in Appalachian Studies and then earned a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Nonfiction from West Virginia University. After a long career in publishing, Rachel pivoted her writing, editing, and design skills to strengthen organizational communications. Rachel serves on the Journal of Appalachian Studies editorial board and the Berea College Alumni Executive Council, and she is a member of the Eastern Kentucky Media and Influencer Network. She has had essays published in such outlets as Still: The Journal, Women of Appalachia, and Belt Magazine. Rachel lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband and tiny cat. Whenever possible, she is reading, writing, or contemplating the eccentricities of life while hiking in the woods.</span>
<h4>About Erin Rosolina</h4>
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<h4><img class="size-medium wp-image-105510 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Erin-Rosolina-Headshot-1-200x300.jpg" alt="Headshot of presenter Erin Rosolina" width="200" height="300" /></h4>
<span class="OYPEnA text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none">Erin Rosolina (she/her) is the Marketing Director at Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, a nonprofit environmental education center located inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Erin earned a degree in sustainable community development from Berea College, and then went on to receive the Compton Mentor Fellowship. Erin has worked in marketing with regional and national nonprofit organizations for over a decade; she specializes in making a big impact with a minimal budget and a tiny team. She serves on the Keep Knoxville Beautiful board of directors and is the past chair of the board for the International Storytelling Center. Erin lives in Knoxville, Tennessee, with her husband, two cats, and a playful pup. She can often be found hiking her favorite trails, rock climbing at her local gym, or curled up on the couch with a good book.</span>

Amplifying Impact: Strategies for Nonprofit Communications 

Looking for ways to grow your own leadership skills to build an inclusive leadership table in your community? Join Leah Van Winkle, Associate Director of Programs at Brushy Fork Leadership Institute, and Social Impact Designer Dee Parker for an in-depth track on personal leadership development. Gain essential tools and skills to enhance self-confidence and embody inclusive leadership principles to foster a deeper understanding of your purpose, place, and role within your community. Learn actionable strategies for fostering belonging and cultivating meaningful connections, empowering you to lead with authenticity and drive positive change, while making space for diverse, emerging leaders to have a seat at the table.
<h4>About Dee Parker</h4>
<strong><img class="size-full wp-image-105508 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Dee.png" alt="Headshot of presenter Dee Parker" width="223" height="295" /></strong>

Dee Parker is a visionary leader and staunch advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Serving as co-chair for the Executive Committee of Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, and a member of the steering and coordinating committees for The Alliance for Appalachia, Dee’s influence extends far and wide. Additionally, as co-president of Abolish Slavery KY and the 2024-2025 president of the Hazard Rotary Club, Dee embodies a commitment to transformative leadership and community empowerment. Dee’s advocacy shines through initiatives like peaceful protests and cultural community dinners, where he passionately champions social, racial, and environmental justice and inclusivity. Having served as the coordinator of cultural diversity at HCTC and as a current member of the 2023-2024 RUX cohort, Dee Parker continues to inspire and mobilize others toward active community leadership. His vision for collaborative change is both profound and compelling, solidifying his role as a beacon of hope and inspiration for those committed to positive societal transformation. Dee Parker is not just an advocate; he is a driving force for social, racial, and environmental justice, with a steadfast focus on building resilient, inclusive communities.
<h4><strong>About Leah Van Winkle</strong></h4>
<img class="size-medium wp-image-105502 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Leah-236x300.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="300" />

Leah Van Winkle is Associate Director of Programs at Brushy Fork Leadership Institute, and a yoga, mindfulness and embodiment teacher. With six generations of family history in Berea, she is passionate about the opportunity to give back to her community and region through the direct service and leadership development efforts like this with Brushy Fork. Her educational background is in Psychology (B.A.) &amp; Global Sustainability (M.A.) from the University of South Florida and a Sacred Natural Medicine Doctorate from PanAmerican University. She has extensive experience in direct action &amp; community organizing, with a focus in food justice &amp; land sovereignty and housing &amp; healing justice. Her experience includes facilitation, training &amp; education, embodied practice &amp; nervous system regulation, administrative &amp; logistical operations and more. Her passion lies in educating to empower, and creating spaces for all voices to be heard. She spends her free time outdoors, growing food, building with natural materials, hiking, reading, dancing and playing.

Building an Inclusive Leadership Table: Personal Tools and Community Belonging

How can storytelling transform your leadership? Participants of this session will first take part in a Narrative 4 story exchange, a reciprocal storytelling experience designed to provoke empathy, curiosity, and perspective shift. Each participant will tell their partner a story based on one of several prompts, and then re-tell their partner’s story in the first person to the rest of the circle. We then reflect and break down the experience as a group. Next, participants will undergo training in story exchange facilitation, covering all aspects of planning and execution in detail. Considerable time will be devoted to designing story exchanges to work in each participant’s individual context. Participants will leave as certified Narrative 4 facilitators, each with a plan in hand of how to use story exchange to open minds and lead with empathy. Participants of this session will first take part in a Narrative 4 story exchange, a reciprocal storytelling experience designed to provoke empathy, curiosity, and perspective shift. Each participant will tell their partner a story based on one of several prompts, and then re-tell their partner’s story in the first person to the rest of the circle. We then reflect and break down the experience as a group. Next, participants will undergo training in story exchange facilitation, covering all aspects of planning and execution in detail. Considerable time will be devoted to designing story exchanges to work in each participant’s individual context. Participants will leave as certified Narrative 4 facilitators, each with a plan in hand of how to use story exchange to open minds and lead with empathy.
<h4><strong>About Evan Barker</strong></h4>
<strong><img class="wp-image-105506 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Evan-Barker@2x-1024x1024-1-300x300.jpg" alt="Headshot of presenter Evan Barker" width="234" height="234" /></strong>

Evan Barker is a Southeast Manager of the United States, responsible for TN, KY, WV, VA, NC, and SC. He began his career as an orchestra musician before accidentally becoming a bookseller and then an English teacher, coming to N4 after eight years in the secondary classroom. He holds a B.M. in Viola Performance and a B.A. in English from Middle Tennessee State University and a M.A. in Teaching English from the University of Kentucky. He lives in Richmond, Kentucky with his wife and two children.

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<h4><strong>About Amanda Cantrell Roche</strong></h4>
<strong><img class="size-medium wp-image-105505 alignnone" src="https://bereafaust.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/amanda-225x300.jpg" alt="headshot of presenter Amanda Cantrell Roche" width="225" height="300" /></strong>

Amanda Cantrell Roche is an Advisor and Lead Trainer for N4 living in Nashville, TN, leading story exchange facilitator trainings and integrating story exchanges into her teaching artist residencies and restorative arts work. She thrives in working simultaneously in multiple fields; as a teaching artist in schools and communities, as an intuitive movement, writing, and visual art facilitator at the expressive arts studio Art &amp; Soul, and in a therapeutic setting as a somatic practitioner and Adjunct Faculty at Onsite Workshops. She is a narrative artist and life-long choreographer and writer who has more recently expanded into creating short films. amandacroche.com

Narrative 4 Story Exchange: Share Today, Change Tomorrow 

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Questions? Contact us at <a href="mailto:brushyfork@berea.edu">brushyfork@berea.edu</a> or 859-985-3858.

2024 Leadership Summit Workshop Tracks