STAFF ARRIVAL & WELCOME EVENT
6:00 - 8:00 PM Welcome to Champion of the Year University!
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Join us as we kick off Champion of the Year University! This event will include dinner and drinks along with a fun and engaging program including mission moments and interactive games to learn how you can include them in your Gala.
Attire: Business Casual
TRAINING DAY | 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
7:30 - 8:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast at the Hotel Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
9:00 - 9:30 AM Championing Success: Continuing Record-Breaking Growth and Initiatives Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
This session will provide an overview on the success of Champion of the Year and exciting updates for the 2024 season!
Presenters:
Katie Rose, Senior Director, Champion of the Year
Hannah Caudell, Director, Champion of the Year
9:30 - 10:30 AM Spotlighting Local Stars: Identifying Champions in Your Community Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
During the first half of this session, learn from various staff about best practices to identify, recruit, and support Champions in your community. During the second half, you’ll have the opportunity to idea share in small groups.
Hannah Caudell, Director, Champion of the Year
Staff Panelists: State Director, AZ
Mallory DeTota, Area Director, OH
Ryan LaCosse, Area Director, IL
Courtney Rambo, Director, Mission Advancement, SC
10:30 - 11:30 AM Power Up Your Live Event: Strategies for Spectacular Success
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Matt Newsom, Auctioneer and Emcee, joins us to share how to work with your auctioneer and provide tips to create a profitable event.
Presenter:
Matt Newsom, Professional Benefit Auctioneer
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Maximizing Impact: Strategies to Elevate Your Mission Moment
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
The Mission Moment and Bid from the Heart combine to form one of the most impactful moments within the Champion of the Year event model. This session will provide examples of how to prepare for the Mission Moment, work with your auctioneer and identify who to have in the room to inspire guests and generate
Facilitators:
Senior Director, Champion of the Year
Hannah Caudell Director,Champion of the Year
12:00 - 1:00 PM Lunch Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
1:00 - 2:00 PM Building Bridges: Activating Corporate Partners, Employers, and Board Members in Your Event Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
In this session, you’ll have the opportunity to choose two groups most relevant to your interests to explore further, Corporate Partnerships, Employment Opportunities, or Advisory Boards.
Facilitators:
Lise Lozelle Senior Director, State Communications & Engagement
Amy Colucci Director, Corporate Engagement
Chris Dourov Director, Jobs
Kristen Starcher Director, State Development Resources & Trainings
2:00 - 3:00 PM Voices of Service: Insights from Minnesota Volunteers on Championing Change Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Learn from local Minnesota volunteers about their experience as Champions and support of the Champion of the Year Gala.
Facilitator:
Ryan LaCosse, Area Director, Illinois
Panelists:
Katey DeMarais State Director, MN
Jessica Berkelman
2021/2022 Gala Chair, 2022 Mission Partner
Sara Messerli Board Member & 2023 COY Winner Mikayla Holmgren Global Ambassador, 2021 COY Winner, 2023 Mission Partner
Patrick Elmore
2022 COY Winner,
3:00 - 3:15 PM Break
3:15 - 4:15 PM Setting the Stage: Design, Themes, and Communication Strategies
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
This session will provide an overview of design and theme requests for the Champion of the Year season along with an overview of communication and social media best practices.
Presenters:
Stephanie Guzman, Lead Graphic Designer
Haley Wilber, Manager, State Development Communications
4:45 PM All Hands on Deck: Facilitating a Collaborative and Engaging Event
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Engaging your team and volunteers in the event will take it to the next level. This session will share how staff have empowered their team and volunteers to support and grow their events.
Presenters:
Brittany Bennett, Program Manager, Florida
Tricia Williams, Regional Director, Palm Beach
5:30 PM Office Hours
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Have additional questions about any of today’s information? Our presenters, panelists, and facilitators will hang around to chat with you more!
WRAP UP DAY | 7:30 - 11:30 AM
7:30 - 8:30 AM Complimentary Breakfast
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
9:00 - 9:30 AM Gala Logistics 101: Your Ultimate Event Survival Guide for Champion of the Year
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Champion of the Year Gala logistics can be overwhelming, but this session will provide an overview of best practices and how to work with your committee to create a seamless event experience for attendees.
Presenter:
Mary Schafhauser, Director, Development, Capital Region Morgan Ilika, Area Director, Central TX
9:30 - 10:00 AM Fostering Your Legacy: Sustaining and Supporting Champions Year-Round
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Learn from various staff on how they steward Champiround and set up legacy candidates for the Director, Comms & Stewardship, CA Director, Development, CT Director, Development, IA
10:00 - 11:00 AM World Café: Sharing Insights and Takeaways
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Connect with a new group of attendees to share your key takeaways, fresh ideas, and insights learned from COYU 2024. Make the most of this opportunity for peer-to-peer collaboration!
11:00 - 11:30 AM Strategic Planning: Crafting Action Plans and Identifying Top Goals for Your 2024 Event
Room: Pinnacle Ballroom
Set yourself up for a successful Champion of the Year season by completing an action plan.
Facilitators:
Katie Rose Senior Director, Champion of the Year
Hannah Caudell Director, Champion of the Year
Matt Newsom
Matt Newsom has helped high-profile charities through the United States generate millions of dollars in fundraising. As a licensed benefit auctioneer, he brings over 30 years of event management and public speaking experience to every fundraising gala. He has brought his energy balanced with sincerity to over 350 fundraising events that have raised over $50,000,000.
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and serving the entire country, Matt was President of his class at Mendenhall School of Auctioneering. He will help you raise more money through Live Auction, Fund A Need, Silent Auction, Interactive Fundraising Games, and Run of Show Consulting.
Personally, he has been a relentless fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, raising over $530,000 in 10 weeks in 2022 resulting in his being named the LLS National All-Star Man of the Year. A Hairy Cell Leukemia survivor, he was also the Charlotte Man of the Year in 2016, raising over $150,000. Matt was also Chairman of the LLS Charlotte Board of Trustees and the Man/Woman of the Year Leadership Team.
SEA SALT
YOUNG JONI
Casual seafood at Minnehaha Falls, great for lunch on your way to the airport
Speakeasy with craft cocktails and upscale bar bites. *Needs reservation*
QUANG RESTAURANT
PARLOUR
Casual Vietnamese, located on Eat Streetmany restaurants in this area
Great burgers + other American food
HOLA AREPA
Latin American restaurant known for Arepas
SURLY BREWING CO.
Brewery with pizza upstairs
THE MARKET AT MALCOM YARDS
OWAMNI BY THE SIOUX CHEF
MATT’S BAR & GRILL
BRIT’S PUB
North American Indigenous *Needs reservation* Food hall
Famous spot for a Juicy Lucy
Relaxed English Pub
RED RABBIT MINNEAPOLIS
HAI HAI
Modern Vietnamese street food & craft cocktails
O’SHAUGHNESSY DISTILLING CO.
Craft cocktails & upscale bar bites (large outdoor area!)
Click on the name of each restaurant to view their menu!
Thank you to our incredible 5 Star Team for their commitment and passion for Champion of the Year. These individuals from across the country work hard to create resources and initiatives while continuing to make positive change in their local communities. We are so appreciative of the time and talent you give to our national team!
THANK YOU!
