Development Professionals Roundtable

Details for the 2026 cohort coming soon!

Gain fresh perspectives, share successes and challenges, and elevate your fundraising skills in a supportive, peer-to-peer learning environment.

TVNPA invites you to join the Development Professionals Roundtable Program!
The first cohort of TVNPA’s Development Professionals Roundtable begins February 18, 2025. Meetings are scheduled from 3:30 pm to 4:45 pm in person at TVNPA’s CommonPoint Nonprofit Center in Livermore CA

The dates for the meetings of the 2025 cohort are:

  • February 18
  • April 22
  • June 17
  • August 19
  • October 21
  • December 9 (note 2nd Tuesday)

What differentiates this Roundtable from other networking groups?

Focus: This Roundtable is specifically designed for development/fundraising professionals, providing a specialized and in-depth forum for discussing challenges, celebrating wins, and sharing proven practices within this niche.
Structure: This Roundtable has a defined structure with regular, facilitated meetings every other month over a six-month period. This provides a consistent and predictable framework for learning and relationship building.
Depth: Unlike casual networking events, this Roundtable encourages deeper discussions and collaborative problem-solving through facilitated sessions of peer-to-peer discussions.
Confidentiality: This Roundtable fosters a safe and confidential environment where participants can openly share challenges, concerns, and sensitive information without fear of judgment or competition.

The Opportunity

The TVNPA Development Professionals Roundtable is a unique opportunity to network with your peers and is specifically created with you in mind!

TVNPA understands the importance for development professionals to connect with each other in our unique industry. We understand we build up our strength by sharing proven practices and experiences among our peers. In the spirit of offering continuing professional development opportunities for our members, TVNPA is pleased to announce a Development Professionals Roundtable -“DPR”- cohort launching in February 2025.

Inviting Tri-Valley Development Professionals

What if you could carve out 75 minutes every two months with your peers for your own personal and professional development? To connect exclusively with fellow regional nonprofit development/fundraising professionals in a confidential, supportive environment?

TVNPA invites you to join our Development Professionals Roundtable Program because “DPR” is such a place. At DPR, you will:

  • Develop a trusted group of peer advisors in the fundraising positions in the nonprofit world
  • Share and hear about proven practices and creative solutions
  • Stay abreast of efforts and opportunities to bring resources to the Tri-Valley
  • Discover new ways to collaborate and partner
  • Discuss issues of importance to development professionals
  • Expand your skill set and leadership development opportunities
  • Troubleshoot fundraising issues in a safe peer-to-peer environment
  • Learn self-care, mindfulness, and work/life balance skills to continue to “be the best you” both personally and professionally
  • Have fun with others who – just like you – are walking the talk in the nonprofit world!

Participant Requirements:

  • Must be a development professional or volunteer within driving distance of CommonPoint
  • Submit a completed application
  • Participant agrees to prioritize attendance at meetings and to contribute in a meaningful way to the dialogue
  • A one-time $100 participation fee for TVNPA Members / $125 for non-members. Fees are not refundable.
  • Give candid feedback and participate in future alumni events for the program

What NFR Members can expect:

  • 6 meetings per year
  • Roundtable groups are limited to 15 (additional roundtables will be formed when that level is reached)
  • Curated program to include discussion of topics facing development professionals, and confidential sharing of proven practices, current issues, and troubleshooting
  • Qualified speakers, as appropriate, on topics important to you and your continued growth as a nonprofit professional
  • Fun, relaxed conversation in confidence with peers

DPR Facilitator

Shaké Sulikyan, nationally-recognized nonprofit executive and former President & Executive Director, will facilitate TNVPA’s Development Professionals Roundtable.

She is here to support the DPR by coordinating the group and the meeting discussions to ensure the program meets your expectations. As a former nonprofit development professional and executive director, she has lived experience and personal understanding of your needs and will keep them in mind in guiding the cohort.

Shaké Sulikyan (she/her) is a nationally recognized nonprofit executive and changemaker. She’s dedicated her life to making the world a better place. Shaké has over two decades of experience in aligning talent and resources to drive large-scale initiatives, build fruitful relationships, and reach record-breaking goals. Her nonprofit career includes leadership roles in healthcare, academic medicine, higher education, social service and nonprofit organizations throughout the United States. She has been a Tri-Valley resident since 2014 and served as President and Executive Director of ValleyCare Charitable Foundation for 5.5 years. In January 2022, she launched her consultancy which focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations and their teams, as well as advancing women in the workplace. She also serves as Senior Advisor and Executive Search Consultant with Boyden, where she’s helped build their social impact/nonprofit practice in the U.S. and has placed over 30 executives into various nonprofit organizations, including CEOs, CFOs, CDOs, Major and Annual Giving Directors, and more. She moved to the U.S. at the age of 12 and currently lives in Livermore, CA with her husband and teenage son.