Department of Government and Justice Studies

The inaugural Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop aims to equip local nonprofits with the tools, strategies and insights needed to enhance their impact, particularly in securing and managing grants.

Date & Time: Thursday, April 3, 2025

Format: In Person

Location: Room 201A (Price Lake), Plemmons Student Union

Description: The inaugural Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop will be a hands-on, impact-driven event designed to respond to the needs of local nonprofits in the Western North Carolina region. Through a series of focus groups with nonprofit staff and executives, Lab iMPACTLY has identified key challenges nonprofits in our regions face and have crafted this workshop to address them. The workshop is part of the Lab iMPACTLY initiative, focusing on practical solutions and collaborative learning. Through this event, Lab iMPACTLY aims to have local nonprofits leave with the tools, strategies and insights needed to enhance their impact, specifically securing and managing grants. Most importantly, this is an opportunity to build stronger connections, share knowledge and create lasting impacts for our community.

Details: This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at sites.google.com/appstate.edu/labimpactly/nonprofit-workshop. For a disability accommodation, visit odr.appstate.edu.

Host: The Department of Government and Justice Studies at Appalachian State University

Questions? Please contact Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton, assistant professor of public administration in the Department of Government and Justice Studies, via email at craytonmm@appstate.edu or via phone at (828) 262-6345.

 

Carolyn Rhodes (Keynote Speaker)

Carolyn Rhodes is the North Carolina Rural Center's Chief Operations Officer (COO).

Carolyn is an accomplished and visionary leader with an unwavering commitment to fostering collaboration, driving innovation and championing progressive change. With a remarkable 20-plus year journey across diverse sectors, Carolyn’s passion lies in cultivating inclusive leadership; instituting comprehensive diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies, and building sustainable infrastructures.

At the core of her leadership philosophy is a resolute dedication to equitable representation and opportunities for career advancement. This principle intertwines with her pursuit of operational excellence and adherence to stringent compliance standards. 

Having collaborated extensively with senior executives in nonprofits, small- and mid-sized businesses and large corporations, Carolyn brings insight into equity and organizational development. Her approach encompasses active listening, transformative challenges, motivational guidance and inspirational encouragement, all of which inspire individuals to transcend conventional boundaries and embrace innovation.

An alumnus of Peace College with a B.A. in psychology, Carolyn also holds a nonprofit management certification from Duke University and has earned distinction as a senior certified professional from the Society of Human Resources Management.

As a fervent supporter of her community, Carolyn’s advocacy extends to nonprofits aiding single mothers, affordable housing initiatives, and empowering Black male youth in Durham. A Durham native herself, Carolyn’s commitment to giving back is an embodiment of her aspiration to empower others in reshaping the world.

Beyond her professional journey, Carolyn finds solace in an active lifestyle. An ardent runner, she thrives on the camaraderie of the outdoors through hiking and adventure, coupled with the mindfulness of practices such as hot yoga and strength training. She also loves international travel, which allows her to continue to broaden her horizons and gain fresh perspectives.

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Elisha Childers

Elisha Childers is the Children's Council of Watauga County, Inc.'s Executive Director.

Elisha Childers has over 20 years of progressively responsible experience in the administration and operation of nonprofit organizations.  Her roles have included administration, strategic planning, stakeholder relations, program management, grant writing, fundraising, and advocacy.  Her career began in 1991 when she accepted an internship followed by her first position at the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, NC, which ignited a deep interest in organizational psychology, leadership and development.  In 2019, Elisha became the Executive Director of the Children's Council of Watauga County in Boone, NC.  In this role she is responsible for guiding the organization in fulfilling its mission while managing a 25-member team, nearly 100 volunteers, a diverse board of directors, a $2 million budget and multiple state contracts and grants.  Elisha moved into her current role after a 17-year career at the Children and Family Resource Center in her hometown of Hendersonville, NC, where she served as the Executive Director from 2010 to 2019. 

Elisha is a dedicated and resourceful leader with significant experience in all aspects of non-profit operations, particularly fundraising, strategic planning, collective impact, and relationship building.  With over twenty years of leadership success in the nonprofit industry, she is most proud of leading two organizations with an exceptional work culture, strong employee retention and organizational impact.  Under her leadership, the Children’s Council of Watauga County, Inc. is recognized as a Family Forward NC certified employer. 

A passionate advocate for children, Elisha's career has been grounded in organizations that work on behalf of children during their first years of life, building quality early childhood learning environments and strengthening families to provide safe and nurturing environments that foster healthy development.

Elisha holds a Master of Business Administration from the Charles M. Snipes School of Business and Economics at Lenoir-Rhyne University.  She attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, with a minor in Child Development and Family Relations.  She also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University and is a Certified Grants Specialist through Research Associates, Inc.

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Mac-Jane Crayton

Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton is an Assistant Professor of Public Administration in Appalachian State University's Department of Government and Justice Studies. She is also the founder of Lab iMPACTLY.

Mac-Jane is a trailblazer in nonprofit innovation and social impact, whose dedication to amplifying community voices inspired the creation of Lab iMPACTLY. This initiative emerged from focus groups and needs assessments with nonprofit leaders, revealing critical gaps in access to funding, strategic planning and storytelling for social change. Through Lab iMPACTLY, Mac-Jane empowers nonprofits with the skills and tools they need to succeed, offering hands-on workshops and resources in areas such as grant writing, strategic fundraising and leveraging digital platforms to tell compelling stories. This initiative reflects her deep commitment to driving systemic change in the nonprofit sector, ensuring organizations can thrive and deliver meaningful impact in their communities. Drawing from her extensive research in nonprofit management, philanthropy and social innovation, Mac-Jane’s work explores the intersection of philanthropy based assignments, service-learning and their impact on local nonprofits and local government. 

As an Assistant Professor of Public Administration at App State, Mac-Jane brings a unique approach to teaching, emphasizing philanthropy-based assignments that connect students with local nonprofits. Her philanthropy-based assignments allow students to engage with local nonprofits, conducting needs assessments, developing impact reports and producing content for social media campaigns and newsletters. By working directly with community organizations, her students not only gain valuable experience but also see firsthand the power of strategic philanthropy and service. Through these immersive projects, her students gain practical insights into the nonprofit sector, preparing them to be leaders in community-focused work.

Her commitment to mentorship extends beyond the classroom. As the founder of Dream Mentorship, Mac-Jane works to provide accessible mentorship opportunities for women globally, empowering them to pursue their personal and professional dreams. This passion for service drives both her research and teaching, as she continuously seeks to uplift underrepresented voices and bridge gaps between communities and the resources they need to thrive.

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Sara Crouch 

Sara Crouch is the Rape Prevention and Education Program Manager at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS)

Sara has found her career path in the field of sexual and intimate partner violence prevention and intervention. Originally from Kentucky, Sara received her B.A. in English literature from the University of Kentucky (UK). At UK, she was very involved in the Center for Community Outreach, solidifying her belief that she is meant to serve others in her community. With this spirit in mind, Sara pursued a Master of Public Administration degree from Appalachian State University with a focus in non-profit management.

During her degree program, she began working at OASIS, Inc. as the Outreach Coordinator in 2018. In 2021, she stepped in as co-Interim Executive Director, and finally rounded out her 5 years with OASIS as Director of Community Programs. In 2023, Sara began a new role as Rape Prevention and Education Program Manager for NCDHHS Division of Public Health's Injury and Violence Prevention Branch. In her free time, she likes to take long walks with her pup, read, try out new creative pursuits and find ways to engage in her community in both Watauga and Ashe Counties.

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Alison Duncan

Alison Duncan is the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust's Grants Administrator.

Alison coordinates with the Vice President of Programs to manage the grantmaking process, supervises all aspects of grants management and maintains the Trust’s information technology. Alison joined the Trust in 2017 as Program Coordinator. In that role, she was the first point of contact for organizations seeking grants while also providing administrative and communications support for the program team and for the Trust’s two major long-term special initiatives: Healthy Places NC and Great Expectations. 

Prior to joining the Trust, Alison served as the Development Assistant at Guilford Child Development, where she managed food pantry operations, established and maintained a new volunteer and intern program and assisted with fundraising and events. She has experience working for a variety of nonprofit organizations including Girls Inc. of Winston-Salem and the United Way of Greater Greensboro. 

Originally from Winston-Salem, Alison earned a Master of Public Affairs with a concentration in nonprofit management from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from High Point University. Alison currently resides in Mooresville and enjoys spending time on Lake Norman with her husband Jordan, her son Parker and her dog Maggie.

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Heather Murphy

Heather Murphy, CFRE is The Health Foundation's Executive Director.

Heather has called Wilkes County her home since graduating Summa Cum Laude from the Ohio University School of Journalism in 1979. A former commercial print shop owner, she has served as the Executive Director of The Health Foundation, a place-based nonprofit dedicated to the health and well-being of its communities since 1996.

Her skills include nonprofit management, professional fundraising, grants management and bringing people together to collectively solve complex issues. She holds a certificate in nonprofit leadership and excellence from the University of Wisconsin-Extension and the Learning Institute for Nonprofit Organizations. She has held the Certified Fundraising Certification since 2001 and recently became an Association of Fundraising Professionals Faculty Training Academy Certified Facilitator; one of only about 250 worldwide. 

She has received extensive training and is well-practiced in the Collective Impact framework of cross-sector collaborative leadership to solve complex problems. She also utilizes her training from the Stanford d. school, in human-centered design, to integrate authentic community engagement into her work. 

She holds membership in the North Carolina Network of Grantmakers, the North Carolina Center for Nonprofits and the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

She’s received numerous community awards honoring her work, among them induction into the Wilkes County Hall of Fame Class of 2019 and the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award from the North Wilkesboro Rotary Club.

When not doing the work she loves, she enjoys exploring the flora and fauna in the mountains and streams of Western NC with her husband, three children, three grandchildren and assorted mutts.

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Madeleine Nance

Madeleine Nance is the co-founder of Kind Word. Find her on LinkedIn.

Madeleine spent many years in-house at various nonprofit organizations in Australia—from finding forever homes for abandoned animals to helping sick kids smile.

In 2017, she started my own business as a Fundraising Copywriter and now lives in Charlotte. Every day, she writes the kind of copy that’ll break your heart—then puts all the pieces back together with so much warmth, you’ll be left beaming. 

Today, as well as writing for nonprofits, Madeleine also trains fundraising teams to improve their donor communications using her handy storytelling tips. (To get your FREE Fundraising Appeal Letter Writing Checklist, join the Kind Word email newsletter.)

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Doug Perry

Doug Perry is the North Carolina Community Foundation's Grants Manager.

In his role, Doug supports grantmaking from the Foundation's competitive grants programs, including community affiliates and women's giving circles. In addition, he oversees the grant processes for donor-advised, agency and designated funds. Prior to joining the Foundation, he held various roles with nonprofits in the Triangle area, include Special Olympics North Carolina, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties and the North Carolina Consumers Council.

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Erich Schlenker

Erich Schlenker is the Managing Director of Appalachian State University's Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship.

In his role, Erich helps students and community members develop, incubate and launch new ventures. 

Erich brings a range of experience to the position. Most recently, he assisted a start-up international mining company in addressing SEC and regulatory issues, implementing financial controls, securing operating capital and building relationships with government officials in Guyana South America.

Prior to moving to the High Country in 2008, Erich founded and operated Synaptis, a Raleigh-based software training company. He also brings 11 years of experience at Intel Corporation, where he helped define, launch and implement the Intel Inside Program worldwide.