PantheaCon

Announcing the Cherry Hill Seminary Winter Intensive 2008 - "Growing a Pagan Nonprofit Organization"

Bethel, VT - Cherry Hill Seminary announces the program and speakers for its 2008 Winter Intensive, to be held on Thursday, February 14, 2008, in San Jose, California, in conjunction with the 2008 Pantheacon conference which begins the following day.

"Growing a Pagan Nonprofit Organization" recognizes that today's Pagans increasingly are stepping into the nonprofit arena to address the many spiritual, educational, human services and other needs of our communities. But a nonprofit in the 21st century must be effective, accountable and sustainable. Presenters are experienced professionals in their respective fields of organization-building, fundraising management, accounting and volunteer management.

Program topics and presenters are as follows:

• The IRS Wants What?! Financial Accountability for Nonprofits, by Sue Curewitz Arthen, Financial Director for The International Language Institute
• Fundraising - Beyond Bake Sales To Real Sustainability, by Holli Emore, CFRE, President, Emore Development Resources and Chair, Cherry Hill Seminary Board of Trustees
• Care and Feeding of the Nonprofit Workforce, by Patricia Allen, Dean of Students and Academic Advisor, Cherry Hill Seminary
• Growing Community: Community Based Organizations (CBO's) and Community, by Patricia Kevena Fili, Executive Director, Lighthouse Community Center, Hayward, CA
• Straighten Up & Fly Right: Information Management for Grassroots Groups, by Holli Emore, CFRE, President, Emore Development Resources and Chair, Cherry Hill Seminary Board of Trustees

More information about presenters can be found below, or at www.cherryhillseminary.org/he/winterintensive.html.

The annual winter and summer intensive sessions offer opportunity for seminary students and others to come together with their peers and professors for site-based learning in special topics. Students receive credit towards graduation for one of their required two intensives, and 1.5credit hours. Guest participants and students alike benefit from an outstanding educational experience.

Pantheacon 2008, presented by Ancient Ways, is one of the largest Pagan conferences in North America, regularly drawing attendance by nearly 2500 people. Ancient Ways has graciously invited Cherry Hill Seminary to host its 2008 Winter Intensive in conjunction with Pantheacon 2008, allowing those who wish to reduce travel time and cost to attend both.

"We are excited by the prospect of sharing meeting space with Pantheacon 2008, and hope people attending that conference will take advantage of the opportunity to immerse themselves in non-profit topics with our guest intensive presenters," said Kirk White, founder and President of Cherry Hill Seminary.

Cost for the 2008 Winter Intensive is $90, and it will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel, 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose, CA (adjacent to the San Jose International Airport). Students are responsible for their own accommodations and meals. To register, visit www.cherryhillseminary.org. For more information and to register for Pantheacon 2008, visit www.pantheacon.com.

Presenters:

Patricia Allen, graduated from the Pacific School of Religion with a Master of Divinity focusing on ethics and pastoral care, reflecting a lifelong interest in ethics and human relations. Prior to attending seminary, she spent 12 years in Personnel Management and Training in the US Army Reserve, and presently works for UC Davis where she counsels and supervises students in the American Studies Program. She serves Cherry Hill Seminary as the Dean of Students and Academic Advisor.

Susan Curewitz Arthen, in addition to being the Treasurer for Earth Spirit Community, a 501-c-3 not-for-profit corporation, for 25 years has also been a consulting Business Manager/Bookkeeper for more than a dozen small businesses through her own company, Checks & Balances. Sue has also been employed full-time as a Financial Director for The International Language Institute since 1999.

Holli Emore, CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Expert), is President of Emore Development Resources consulting firm, and current acting Director of Development for the United Hmong Association of N.C., based in Hickory, NC. A native of North Carolina, Emore is past president of the Central Carolina Chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals in Columbia, SC, where she has lived since 1986 As a former senior consultant for Holliman Associates, Inc., of Harrisburg, PA, she provided capital campaign services throughout the country. Emore also provides fund development consulting for Tidwell & Associates, Inc., of Columbia, SC, and Health Dimensions Group of Minneapolis, MN. She is also the new Chair of the Board of Trustees for Cherry Hill Seminary.

Patricia Kevena Fili, a long-time activist and advocate in the queer community, previously worked as the director of development and communications for AIDS Project East Bay before her appointment in June 2006 as the first Executive Director of the Lighthouse Community Center. She is the Communications Director and a member of the Board for The Pagan Alliance, an interfaith organization in the Bay Area. Fili holds a Master of Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion, and a Master of Arts in Communication from the University of Portland (Oregon).