2025 CNL Celebration of the Sector
Thursday, November 6, 2025
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
Museum of Ventura County
100 E. Main Street, Ventura
Individual Members: $0
Organizational Members: $0
Non-Members: $0
About this event
Join the Central Coast's nonprofit community as we celebrate a year of resilience, collaboration and social impact! Take time to connect with over 150 nonprofit leaders and philanthropists. We are delighted to host our keynote speaker, Dr. Akilah Watkins, President and CEO of Independent Sector. She will highlight national charitable sector trends and shed light on some of the current issues and opportunities facing nonprofits and philanthropies. Drawing from recent data, Dr. Watkins will share her insights leading a national infrastructure organization on how to build public trust in charitable organizations, effectively advocate around shared priorities, and help strengthen and advance common agendas that enable civil society to flourish.
Faculty
Akilah Watkins
Dr. Akilah Watkins is president and CEO of Independent Sector, a national organization uniting nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs. Since 2023, she has been a leading voice on policy and advocacy for the country’s 1.8 million nonprofits and philanthropies.