Time: 12:00–1:00 p.m.
Venue: Zoom
Program Description: Charitable giving hit a record in 2025, and fundraisers' jobs got harder anyway. Retention has stabilized while new donor acquisition has not — and a narrowing donor base is no longer just a development problem. It is an organizational risk, which puts it inside the board's existing duty of financial oversight. That reframe is the heart of this session. Drawing on two decades as an executive director, board president, trustee, and consultant, Anna Assenmacher explains the boardroom from the inside: what trustees are actually obligated to do, how boards move through a lifecycle that shapes their relationship with money, and how to engage the board you have.
Speaker Bio: Anna Assenmacher is the principal and founder of Aries Consulting, a nonprofit advisory firm based in metro Chicago. She is an experienced leader in the social impact sector, specializing in nonprofit management, interim and fractional leadership, board governance, fundraising and development, organizational development, and operational strategy. Anna is the founder of the North Shore Network, an executive women’s leadership community, and In 2026, she launched the Impact Network, a platform that brings together nonprofit executives and social impact leaders for peer learning, professional development, and collaboration to strengthen the nonprofit ecosystem across the region. Anna holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Calvin University and a Master’s degree in Women’s and Gender Studies from DePaul University. She is a current member of the Fractional Leadership Alliance and serves on the Women’s Board of the Joffrey Ballet. Previously, Anna has served as President of the Board for EverThrive Illinois, and has served as a member, strategic advisor, and volunteer for numerous organizations including Forefront, CWIP, ACN, Women Employed, the Chicago Foundation for Women, and Impact Grants Chicago.
Membership: Only $50 /year for 10 programs plus other PIDN benefits.
Drop-In: $20 per program ($15 for professionals new to the field)