Hi {{first_name}},

I first met Adrian Ogle when I was working at Echoing Green before the pandemic. We were office neighbors who quickly hit it off, and somehow we developed a multi-year (!) running joke: every day, whoever got to the office first would holler "still with us?" at the other as they arrived. Our colleagues were initially confused but eventually got used to it and learned to love it. 

Today, Adrian is the Global Head of Programs at the Ford Foundation, leading a team that hosts some 400 events a year worldwide. He’s also an accomplished coach, and an adjunct professor at NYU Wagner. He agreed to let me interview him for the second edition of the Nonprofit Leadership series, so you can see for yourself how amazing he is.

I feel incredibly fortunate that Adrian has been my friend, mentor and sometime coach for close to a decade.  I think you'll see why when you watch this interview.

Who is a mentor who inspired you? In this issue’s Mentor Wisdom segment, my good friend Austin Byrd shares some wisdom that was imparted to him from a past fundraising role. Want to honor your own mentor’s wisdom in this newsletter? Share it here and let others know. 

I’m always excited about our offerings here, but this week is truly special.

Let’s get into it!

Mike

I’m thrilled to share the first video interview in our Nonprofit Leadership Series. Our inaugural guest is my friend and former colleague, Adrian Ogle, now serving as Global Director of Events at the Ford Foundation.

Adrian is a true genius of gatherings. In this wide-ranging conversation, he makes the case for both minimalist programming (“just get people in a room together”) and for maximalist multi-day programming. He shares his coaching philosophy, and his team building exercises will make you wish you worked for him!

I have a feeling you’ll walk away with at least one idea worth bringing into your own work, whether you spend five minutes or the full 45 listening in.

Watch on Spotify now, or save for later!

Associate Vice President of Development at Tunnels to Towers, Austin Byrd, shared a lesson from his former manager at the University at Buffalo that has stayed with him.

It’s a simple shift in perspective, but an important one. If we want strong donor relationships, it’s up to us to do the work.

New to Claude?

It’s not hard to just jump in and start typing if you’re used to working with another AI tool, like ChatGPT or Gemini. It’s kind of like getting a new car—the basic controls will feel familiar but there may be some new features you’ll really like. I remember so vividly what it was like to get a car with air conditioning after several cross-country road trips in a bright green Geo Prizm with no AC…

In this week’s article, I won’t go into which AI tool is best, or debate ethics. 

But, if you are just getting set up in Claude, it’s worth taking a moment to compare and learn. Some things are quite similar. Others are unique to Claude. And there are a few things that Claude doesn’t have (yet).

We talk Projects, Artifacts, “Buttery” voices, cute little ghosts, and much more.

Read the full guide here.

At NEXT 2026, top nonprofit leaders will share what they’re doing right now to strengthen fundraising, increase community impact, align teams, and operate more effectively.

No fluff or recycled conference talk. Just practical, peer-led insights you can apply immediately.

The schedule is designed to fit into your work day– so why not learn something over lunch next week? IT’S FREE!

Register here!

Upcoming Events: