NCTech4Good

where tech meets social change

where tech meets social change

Lessons Learned From a Year in IT

posted on

Speaker: Rebecca Beck – This session will provide an overview of the the highlights of my experience as the leader of an IT service department this year. We will discuss ways to reduce costs in your IT budget, hiring for the right “IT professional”, the challenges and opportunities that are on the horizon for public sector IT, and why having a leadership coach during this process might be the best therapy that money can buy!

Rebecca Beck
Rebecca Beck is a native North Carolinian, with a passion for all things “technology”. She serves her community as an IT professional, training facilitator and leader in the public sector. She began her career with the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County in 2000. Her strengths include; technology infrastructure planning and development, organizational leadership, and social media strategy. This year, Rebecca engaged in conversations with organizational leaders as a “Curbside Consultant” at the NC Center for Non-Profits Conference. She has also recently hosted sessions on technical and business topics at the NC Tech4Good Conference, as well as, the National Smart Start Conference. Rebecca shares advice and tips on a variety of technology topics via Twitter and her blog, @IfItHasButtons. Rebecca supports the statewide non-profit technology community by serving on membership groups, such as; NTEN (Non-Profit Technology Network), NC Tech4Good, and the NCLGISA (North Carolina Local Government Information Systems Association). In her spare time, Rebecca enjoys attending statewide festivals and events, shopping at the local farmer’s market, and relaxing along the beautiful, North Carolina coastline.

Help, I’m Drowning! – How to Advocate for More Resources at Your Organization

posted on

Are you buried in an avalanche of work on a daily basis? How can you go about advocating for more resources?

In this session, you’ll learn how to create winning proposals that clearly outline the benefits of adding more staff members to your team. From utilizing basic “if this, then that” concepts to exploring a full-blown three year strategy for growth, we’ll discuss various ways to present a mission-focused plan that shows direct benefits to your organization. Additionally, we’ll cover implementation, execution, and fulfillment using data and analytics to ensure that your plan delivers on its promises.

In the first half of the session, Jen will reveal how she grew a database department to three staff members and launched a new digital department. The second half will be a workshop-type format to discuss challenges within the group and how to overcome them. Come prepared to share your frustrations and walk away with exciting ideas to lighten your load!

Jen Newmeyer
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina

Speaker Bio
Jen has been working in the non-profit arena for over 15 years covering everything from database administration to strategic planning. As Digital Media Manager, she oversees all aspects of digital initiatives including online campaigns, email marketing, ad strategies, and a $1.035M online fundraising budget. She is passionate about community activities and serves on the board of the Raleigh-Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness as part of the communications committee. Jen is a member of the NTEN: the Nonprofit Technology Network as well as the Triangle American Marketing Association. You can connect with Jen on LinkedIn and learn more at www.charityjen.com.

Change is Inevitable: Suffering is Optional

posted on

Whether you’re implementing a new software system, upgrading your existing systems, or simply moving your data to the cloud, you’re creating organizational change. But unless your IT plans reflect this – and most don’t – your project could easily fall behind schedule, run over budget, or simply fail. If you plan without change or people in mind, lack of understanding or buy-in or even resistance from staff could thwart your efforts. Come learn what else you should incorporate into planning beyond specs and timeline to increase the speed of adoption. Come learn about the process of change and how you can increase the speed and acceptance of new tech products, systems, and procedures. You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of what it takes to successfully implement change and how to partner with others in your organization to ensure its success.

Kat Morgan
ChangeAbility Solutions

Speaker Bio
Kat Morgan, Founder of ChangeAbility Solutions, has decades of experience as a trainer, facilitator, and change management professional. As a consultant, she facilitates and manages organizational change, delivers training, and coaches emerging leaders. She has managed change initiates at several nonprofit organizations, and has assisted a national nonprofit as it went through a major restructuring process. She facilitates strategic and action planning for nonprofit organizations. She knows that democratic engagement of as many stakeholders as possible results in deeper buy-in, better decision-making, faster implementation, and greater alignment between plans and results.

NCTech4Good, an affiliate of NTEN and TechSoup’s NetSquared, is the local resource for nonprofit technology information. Join the sharing and networking at monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the month, 6:30-8:30 p.m. usually at UNC-TV, and our annual conference, http://www.nct4g.org/. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @nctech4good, and with the hashtag #nct4g.