As the year winds down, nonprofit leaders are doing two things at once: closing out 2026 and already thinking about what 2027 demands. The 2026 Nonprofit Organizational Health Study found that 84% of organizations see unmet needs in the communities they serve — housing instability, food insecurity, and education gaps topping the list — and 77% have adapted or pivoted programs in the past year just to keep up.
Join us for a conversation on what communities need right now and the resilience strategies that are actually working — financial diversification, strategic planning, cross-training, shared leadership models — versus the ones that just look good on paper.
This conversation is designed for executive directors, board members, and anyone thinking through strategy and resourcing heading into the new year.
Panelist Include:
Wendy Wolff
Director of Strategic Engagement, Maryland Nonprofits
Wendy Wolff started her nonprofit career on the ground during theHIV/AIDS epidemic, building community responses that taught her a fundamental truth: the people closest to the challenges hold essential wisdom for solving them. That insight has shaped over 30 years of consulting work.
As Director of Consulting and Strategic Engagement at Maryland Nonprofits, Wendy partners with organizations across sectors, nonprofits, government agencies, universities, faith communities, to strengthen their work and deepen their impact. Her approach is rooted incuriosity: helping clients draw connections across seemingly disparate information, dig beneath surface problems to find root causes, and discover solutions thatactually fit their reality.
What drives Wendy’s work is a genuine belief that everyone in the nonprofit sector brings critical expertise to the table, regardless of their role or title. She was given the responsibility of leading Maryland Nonprofits’ This is the Moment to Care campaign, spotlighting the people who make nonprofit missions possible.
She’s worked with hundreds of organizations over two decades, not by prescribing answers, but by creating space for people to see their own brilliance and build on it.
Wendy holds a Master in Public Health from NYU and has resided as adjunct faculty at both the University of Denver and Indian River State College. She is a licensed consultant with the Standards for Excellence® Institute. Her first book, The Letter Writing Project (Blooming Twig Books), came out in 2014, and her second and third books are to be released in 2026.
Payal Martin, SPHR, PHR, SHRM-SCP
Managing Director, Evaluation & Strategy at Brighter Strategies
Payal leverages her strategy, facilitation, and data-driven decision-making expertise to maximize the impact of purpose-driven organizations. Through her practice, she partners with diverse clients, including small and large nonprofits, foundations, and fiscal sponsors, to reenvision their future with bold, innovative approaches to maximize their impact. Payal came to Brighter Strategies from policy- and advocacy-focused nonprofit organizations. She deeply understands public health issues and those adjacent to health care, from cancer and tobacco control to housing to the intersection of climate and health.
Payal has a master’s in public health from Boston University and a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Maryland. She is an active member of her professional associations; an advocate for her community in Washington, DC; and a dedicated mother.
Elizabeth Scott, PHD, Moderator
CEO/President Brighter Strategies
Liz founded Brighter Strategies and has over 20 years of expertise in change management, strategic planning, and human capital development. Prior to founding Brighter Strategies, Liz served as the vice president of strategy and performance development for a large human service agency. Liz also provided a wide range of management consulting services to federal, state, and local government clients through her earlier career experience.
Liz is a respected and sought-after speaker on the topics of culture, leadership, and strategy. She has taught graduate-level courses in organizational diagnosis and assessment, change management, and culture, as well as statistics, data collection, and evaluation design.
Liz has a doctorate and a master’s in human and organizational systems from Fielding University. She also holds a bachelor’s in sociology and a master’s in organizational management from George Washington University. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Ripple Effect.
Resilient Strategies that Work
Join us for a conversation on what communities need right now and the resilience strategies that are actually working — financial diversification, strategic planning, cross-training, shared leadership models — versus the ones that just look good on paper.