EmpowerHER: Celebrating Female Development Leaders in New Jersey

About this In-person Event

Join us for an inspiring evening as we come together to celebrate and honor the remarkable women leading the charge in development across New Jersey.

Listen and learn from our distinguished panelists and partake in an empowering conversation centered on women development leaders.

This event will also provide a valuable networking opportunity for women working in the nonprofit sector. Let's celebrate the power, passion, and dedication of these incredible women who are making a difference in our communities.

Event Details

Date: Thu, Feb 27, 2025
Time: 6PM - 9PM
Setting: In-person

Location: La Piazza Ristorante
11 Church Street, Allentown, NJ 08501

Guests will enjoy a light happy hour, dinner, wine/beverages, and dessert, along with networking, camaraderie, and a panel conversation!
Please inform us of any dietary restrictions in your registration.

Feel free to reach out to us with any thoughts or questions at info@widnewjersey.org.

We look forward to seeing you in person for food, networking, and fun!

Registration Information

• Registration is required by Mon, Feb 17, 2025 (space is limited)
• $55 for members | $75 for non-members
• All levels of experience in development, fundraising, and nonprofit management are welcome

To view a full list of our upcoming events, visit www.widnewjersey.org/events and save your spots today!

About the Speakers

Mary Heagley
Executive Director and Vice President for Advancement
Thomas Edison State University Foundation

Mary Heagley, Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of Thomas Edison State University’s Foundation, brings nearly 40 years of development and non-profit experience to her role. She has served in leadership roles at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University, NYU Medical Center and the University of Chicago among other organizations. Heagley has worked in alumni relations, donor relations, planned giving, major and principle giving, special events, and volunteer board management. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Florida and a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Florida.

Lavinia Awosanya, MBA, CFRE
Chief Development Officer
Foodbank of South Jersey

In her role as Chief Development Officer, Lavinia Awosanya advances the Food Bank of South Jersey’s mission by leading fundraising, marketing and partnership cultivation strategies for the region’s largest hunger-relief organization. She also oversees and directs all aspects of donor relations, implementing key strategies for scaling fundraising operations and maximizing results. As a part of the executive team, Lavinia helps shape the strategic direction of the organization with the core mission of feeding residents remaining central to all decisions.

Awosanya joined the Food Bank of South Jersey in 2014, and most recently served as Director of Strategic Partnerships where she headed up corporate partnerships working with national brands and multinational corporations on key philanthropic initiatives. Awosanya is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and holds an MBA with Rutgers University; she also graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Business Administration from DeVry University. Her earlier experience includes working in London and New York City for one of the world’s leading beauty and skincare brands as part of the sales and management team.

In 2020, Lavinia received the Outstanding Fundraising Professional award by AFP New Jersey – Southern Chapter and was also named one of Philadelphia Business Journal’s 2020 Women of Distinction. She’s a Rotarian and is currently the President-Elect of the Maple Shade Rotary Club. She’s co-chair of the Feeding America Network Fundraising Advisory Council, and currently serves on the board of AFP New Jersey – Southern Chapter as the Vice President of Education and Ethics. Lavinia has also been a guest instructor for the AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising Course.

Jodi Hope Grinwald
Visionary Nonprofit Leader, CEO of MODC, and Founder of Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation

Jodi Grinwald is a transformational leader and award-winning advocate for change with over 20 years of dedication to the nonprofit and business sectors. As CEO of MODC, she drives powerful initiatives that fuel business growth, professional development, and community impact across the region. Her vision and influence extend nationally as the co-founder of Zzak G. Applaud Our Kids Foundation, the only organization in New Jersey that provides long-term performing arts education to children facing financial hardship, funding lessons for up to 15 years to unlock potential, confidence, and resilience through the arts.

Her commitment to empowering individuals and communities has earned Jodi multiple awards, including the Athena Leadership Award, NJBIA Nonprofit Leadership Award, and the New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education. She is also a certified professional coach who empowers clients and corporate teams to cultivate deeper connections to their mission, each other, and personal values. Her training and presentations for entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 companies has fueled growth, fostered communication, and helped these organizations surpass their goals.

Through her global platform, Today is the Day Changemakers, an international podcast downloaded in over 833 cities, Jodi brings together changemakers and thought leaders who are reshaping the future. This mission led her to launch the Today is the Day Changemakers International Forum, a cross-border event connecting leaders from multiple countries to inspire meaningful change. Her soon-to-be-published book, Inspiration from Everyday Changemakers, amplifies powerful stories of resilience and innovation worldwide.

Driven by a passion for connection and transformation, Jodi’s work continues to open doors, foster empowerment, and build pathways for brighter futures across industries and communities.

For more information visit www.applaudourkids.org and www.todayisthedayliveit.com and www.modc.com.

Denise Kawailani Barricklow
EmpowerHER Moderator
Director of Individual Giving
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen

Denise Kawailani Barricklow is the Director of Individual Giving at the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Denise is a mission-driven development and communications leader who leverages data driven insights to optimize fundraising success. A communications expert with international experience, Denise’s storytelling skills have translated into fundraising success at TASK, where she’s overseen the soup kitchen’s $5 million+ annual giving campaign since 2021. As a thought partner to the CDO, Denise drives TASK’s donor communication outreach and strategy, developing content and messaging for all fundraising marketing materials, including year-end appeals, a quarterly newsletter, impact reports and promotional videos. She supervises TASK’s Development Operations and Donor Services manager and spearheads a thriving stewardship campaign that has resulted in an 85 percent long-term donor retention rate – nearly double the industry standard.

A graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, Denise has devoted her life to anti-poverty work and the fight for racial and economic justice, starting with a career in journalism. She has worked for large and small nonprofits in the United States and abroad. Previous employers include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UNICEF USA, the Ford Foundation, Princeton University, Fair Share Housing Development, New Jersey Future and PlanSmart NJ. Denise’s journalism has appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Star-Ledger, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sunday Observer in London, Reuters, Condé Nast Traveler, Spy, Newsday, Billboard and The New York Observer.