2024 Leadership Transition

October 14, 2024
Effective immediately, we are pleased to announce the transition of ownership from Joanne Sonenshine, Founder, to the Opportunity Collaboration (OC) Team (currently under the leadership of Topher Wilkins).
OC has always been an important partner to us, due to the alignment of values and emphasis on utilizing collaboration and convening to solve our world’s biggest problems. Additionally, many of our members participate in OC, so through the years we’ve listened to feedback and developed ideas internally on how to best partner with their team, so as not to duplicate our individual efforts.
With the notion of jointly moving forward our respective strategies of building effective touch points, connections and ensuring the right environments for impact-led work to be funded and resourced, we couldn’t be more pleased to announce this transition of Connective Impact's leadership.
OC and Connective Impact both have a deep belief in the notion of going farther together, and with such a strong overlap in mission and values, the potential to build strong growth in the “impact” ecosystem for our members, and associated partners through this transition is enormous and truly exciting.
Topher has always had a view on supporting purpose-led organizations to build stronger partnerships and connections through OC’s convenings, events and relationship building ethos. With Topher at the helm, Connective Impact will be in a stronger position to support the growth of our membership community and team, and better respond to the dynamic needs of the development and philanthropic ecosystem.
Our membership model will remain the same, and OC and Connective Impact will continue to operate as two distinct organizations. All member benefits will stay intact, and the Connective Impact brand will continue as is.
Lara Berry (Membership Director) and Jinene Thompson (Membership Manager), will stay in their roles and will continue to be supported by Shelly Helgeson (Chief Strategy Officer). Carrie Ferrence (outgoing COO) will be departing the organization after a brief transition period. Joanne Sonenshine (Founder, outgoing CEO) will stay on as an advisor to the OC/CI teams until March 1, 2025.
With the notion of jointly moving forward our respective strategies of building effective touch points, connections and ensuring the right environments for impact-led work to be funded and resourced, we couldn’t be more pleased to announce this transition of Connective Impact's leadership.
OC and Connective Impact both have a deep belief in the notion of going farther together, and with such a strong overlap in mission and values, the potential to build strong growth in the “impact” ecosystem for our members, and associated partners through this transition is enormous and truly exciting.
Topher has always had a view on supporting purpose-led organizations to build stronger partnerships and connections through OC’s convenings, events and relationship building ethos. With Topher at the helm, Connective Impact will be in a stronger position to support the growth of our membership community and team, and better respond to the dynamic needs of the development and philanthropic ecosystem.
Our membership model will remain the same, and OC and Connective Impact will continue to operate as two distinct organizations. All member benefits will stay intact, and the Connective Impact brand will continue as is.
Lara Berry (Membership Director) and Jinene Thompson (Membership Manager), will stay in their roles and will continue to be supported by Shelly Helgeson (Chief Strategy Officer). Carrie Ferrence (outgoing COO) will be departing the organization after a brief transition period. Joanne Sonenshine (Founder, outgoing CEO) will stay on as an advisor to the OC/CI teams until March 1, 2025.
Topher will remain CEO of OC and now becomes CEO of Connective Impact. Jessica Loman, COO of OC, will take on the COO role at Connective Impact in due course.
Our teams are equally thrilled about the coming together of two purpose-oriented brands with such similar ethos and intent on creating positive change in the world through connection building and partnership.
Our teams are equally thrilled about the coming together of two purpose-oriented brands with such similar ethos and intent on creating positive change in the world through connection building and partnership.
At the heart of Connective Impact, since its founding in 2014, has always been our members. We truly exist because of them and to serve them. Thank you for the trust you have put in us and our team over this last decade, and we look forward to watching this organization bloom under this new leadership model.
Thank you for being a part of our journey.
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