A Seat at the Table: Lessons in Belonging and Leadership with Roger Ali

In this episode of Rising Voices of Fundraising: The AFP Emerging Leaders Podcast, AFP global board chair Roger Ali, MBA, C.Dir., CFRE reflects on his personal journey and the power of AFP volunteer leadership as a career accelerator. He shares his advice on building confidence in uncertain times, finding belonging, and claiming your place at the leadership table.  Guest: Roger Ali, MBA, C.Dir., CFRE: With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Roger D. Ali is a seasoned professional with deep and broad experience as a fundraising executive, administrator, and consultant, committed to the industry and the discipline, as exemplified by his appointment as the Chair of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global. Roger is a major gifts strategist with a proven track record of leading teams and comprehensive fundraising and marketing programs to raise $200 million+, including several capital and endowment campaigns. Some of his previous experience has included: President & CEO, Niagara Health Foundation, Vice President, Development, Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation and Executive Director, Bishop Strachan School Foundation. He is an independent consultant specializing in governance, major gifts, campaign fundraising strategy, and staff coaching, and also serves as a Senior Associate with S. Sutton & Associates Inc. His work with nonprofit organizations across Canada and the United States has helped build robust fundraising programs that have generated millions of dollars. He has designed and supported both small-scale and complex fundraising campaigns, providing strategic guidance that strengthens organizational capacity and long-term philanthropic success. Roger holds a Chartered Director (C. Dir) designation in Governance from the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University; an MBA from Athabasca University; a Post Graduate Certificate in Administration and Management and is a Certified Fundraising Executive since 2000. He has continued executive level education at Harvard and Stanford Universities. He serves on the board of directors of Imagine Canada and is the Secretary and Chair of the Governance and HR Committee. He currently also serves on the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global board. He is a Past Chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy Canada; past President of the AFP Golden Horseshoe Chapter, where he was awarded the Recipient of Outstanding Leadership Award in 2017, and past Board Member and past Congress Chair of the AFP Toronto Chapter. Hosts:  Jarrod Williams, MBLI, CFRE, is a courageous, strategic, and results-oriented fundraising leader with over a decade of experience driving revenue growth, donor engagement, and organizational visibility. He is committed to building cultures of philanthropy within mission-driven organizations and brings a proven track record across major gifts, annual giving, corporate sponsorships, event strategy, and data-informed decision-making within both arts and social justice and organizations. He serves as a Client Experience Leader for Veritus Group, where he educates and coaches fundraisers across the country on innovative mid-level and major gift strategies. In this role, he partners with organizations nationwide to strengthen donor pipelines, elevate fundraising performance, and build sustainable revenue models. Jarrod has been recognized for his leadership and influence and remains actively engaged in advancing the fundraising profession. He serves on the AFP Global Emerging Leaders Committee and the AFP LEAD Education Committee, supporting the development of the next generation of fundraising professionals. In 2020, he was named a Top 30 Under 30 Young Professional by 101.1 The Wiz in Cincinnati. He is also a graduate of the Urban Leaders Institute through the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio, where he earned the Best-in-Class Award for Best Connector—recognizing his ability to build meaningful relationships and mobilize others around a shared vision. He is a proud Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and a graduate of the AFP Global Faculty Training Academy. Jarrod holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Wright State University and a master’s degree in Business Leadership and Innovation from Northern Kentucky University. Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier, CFRE, ACNP, GPC, CAP, Founder & CEO, AQP Consulting & Executive Director, ENP: Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier has fourteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has collectively raised approximately $5 million for over 75 organizations. She serves as Executive Director of ENP and runs her own nonprofit consulting firm, AQP Consulting, where she helps grassroots nonprofits with fundraising strategy, strategic planning, board development, and grant writing.  Allison is a vocal advocate for gender parity, closing the wage gap, and ending the motherhood penalt...