Tiffany Applegate, Senior Partner
X-Factor Consulting
Tiffany Applegate has a passion for nonprofit organizations that is evident in her work and the life she lives. She has long been a community volunteer and donor, as well as a consultant serving nonprofit organizations and funders.
As Senior Partner at X Factor Consulting, she has provided thousands of nonprofits expertise and practical guidance for building, strengthening, and growing their organizations and increasing their impact. Through her work she helps organizations identify their strengths and unique opportunities for growth and then provides them with practical tools and resources to meet their goals.
In addition to working directly with nonprofit organizations, Mrs. Applegate has served as a trainer for two federally funded capacity building initiatives and provided training and technical assistance for a variety of State and Federal programs. She also authors Marketing Matters, a monthly newsletter on marketing and community engagement strategies for nonprofit leaders, as well as a monthly column on 501Connect.com.
Matthew Ennis, Founder & President, Nonprofit Nation
Program Specialist, GO LEAD at Missouri State University
Matthew Ennis is an accomplished development and marketing professional with more than a decade of experience serving various industry businesses and nonprofit organizations, providing strategic direction and program management of development initiatives.
In addition to his role as Program Specialist for GO LEAD at Missouri State University, Matthew is also the Founder and President of Nonprofit Nation (NonprofitNation.org), a unique online social community and e-learning platform designed to connect, educate and empower nonprofit leaders.
Matthew has served many organizations such as the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, Sigma House Recovery Centers, American Cancer Society, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, March of Dimes, Southwest Missouri Humane Society, the Special Olympics and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In addition, he has also severed as Director of Public Relations to world renowned entertainer and musician Jim Stafford. As part of Stafford's team, he was responsible for managing the entertainer's public image, and also played a significant role in the production of Mr. Stafford's live show in Branson, Missouri.
At age sixteen, Matthew Ennis became the youngest public health official in Missouri history. As the Director of Public Relations and Health Education, he served as public relations counsel and primary spokesperson for the Dade County Health Department. In this capacity, he was directly responsible for all aspects of fund raising development and strategic planning for public relations, communication, crisis management, health education and public health outreach campaigns.
Matthew is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Network for Young Professionals, a charter board member of the Rotary Club of Springfield Metro and a mayorial appointment to the Springfield, Missouri Mayor’s Commission for Children.
Bonnie Keller, President & CEO
Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks & The Tooth Truck, Inc
Bonnie Keller serves as the President & CEO for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks, Inc. and The Tooth Truck, Inc. She joined the Ronald McDonald House of the Ozarks in 1984 as a volunteer, was named to the Board of Directors in 1986, and served as the Volunteer Executive Director until the Ronald McDonald House was built and opened in 1988.
Bonnie continued in her role as a member of the Board until being named the paid Executive Director in 1989. She was promoted to President & CEO in 1991, a position she has held as the organization has expanded to include a granting program, the establishment of a mobile dental clinic for at risk children (the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile) in 2002, and Springfield’s second Ronald McDonald House to be built within the walls of St. John's Hospital and open in late 2011/early 2012.
To further serve the community, Bonnie is a member and past president of the Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast, and a member of the All-Star Smiles Sertoma Club, the Price Cutter Charity Championship Executive Board, the GO LEAD Advisory Board, The Health Commission’s Provider Services Advisory Board, and she recently completed a three-year term on the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. She is also currently serving as a mentor in the NAACP’s Pilot Mentoring Program and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
Awards and achievements include being named the Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the Ozarks Region Chapter of AFP in 2002, one of the 20 Most Influential Women of 2004 by the Springfield Business Journal, receiving the "Making a Difference for Women" Award by Soroptimist International of Springfield in 2008, and being named an Honorary Member of the Greater Springfield Society in 2011. Bonnie has been married to Clayton since 1991 and the couple has three daughters that attend Ozark Schools.
Mark Lassman-Eul, Organizational Development Consultant
Habitat for Humanity
Mark Lassman-Eul is an Organizational Development Consultant with Habitat for Humanity’s U.S. Office. Although Habitat for Humanity International’s headquarters is in Georgia, Mark is based in Springfield to providing coaching and advice to Habitat affiliated organizations in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and other nearby states. Mark has expertise in board and staff issues, fair housing, fund-raising, and family service issues.
Mark has worked in the nonprofit sector for 30 years, first as a student services staff member with three different colleges and universities, then as an overseas worker for Habitat for Humanity in Africa, and now in his present role. He holds a Master’s Degree in Adult Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and more recently is a graduate of The Indiana School of Philanthropy’s Fund-Raising School and the Harvard Business School Nonprofit Leadership Program.
Mark supports The Rainbow Network in Springfield, volunteers with and supports Holt International Children’s Services, and is a trainer for U.S. Soccer. He has volunteered with many other Ozark’s nonprofits including Convoy for Hope, Ozark Greenways, and Springfield Habitat.
Trudy Pischer, Senior Development Officer
Missouri University of Science & Technology
Trudy Pischer is a senior fundraising professional with over 20 years experience in the fundraising field. She obtained her CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) in 2006. Since that time her career has taken her from a small local nonprofit to Missouri University of Science & Technology, one of the top technological universities in the USA.
Trudy is a member and Past President of the Ozarks Region Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and received AFP’s Outstanding Fundraising Executive Award in 1997. Trudy received the Springfield Business Journal’s Outstanding Women in Business Award in 2002. She is a Paul Harris Fellow and former member of Rotary Club of Springfield Southeast and Rock’n Ribs Barbecue Festival.
Trudy is a member of the Southwest Missouri Humane Society, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Greater Ozarks Audubon Society, North American Bluebird Society and Purple Martin Conservation Association. Trudy enjoys spending time on her 50 acre hobby farm near Willard, Mo along with her husband of 18 years, Roy Pischer, Mother, 4 horses, 2 dogs 7 barn cats and three wicked step-children.
Randy Russell, Senior Communications Officer
Community Foundation of the Ozarks
Randy Russell is Senior Communications Officer for the Community Foundation of the Ozarks and coordinates all individualized grant making programs, the Arts Programming Sustainability Initiative, Foundation events, special programming and outreach efforts. He currently serves on the Boards of the Community Partnership of the Ozarks, The Mayor's Commission for Children and Springfield Little Theatre.
He completed 28 years of service for Springfield Public Schools as a teacher, coach, curricular and professional development coordinator and finished his career for the District as Director of Community Development and Grants. He served during a one-year leave of absence from the Public Schools as Director of Marketing for the inaugural year at the Juanita K. Hall for the Performing Arts. He was the eighth recipient of the Ozzie Award for service to the arts in 1992 and was named Volunteer of the Year in 2000 .