Facilitators & Workshops

Alumni often tell us that GES is able to achieve such a personalized and impactful result because it’s a conference designed for students and run by students. But as students, we don’t always have all the answers. That’s why we find professionals from the field and bring them to the Summit to facilitate all Summit programming, including our signature workshops. Our facilitators have years of experience in a wide range of industries — from consultants specializing in nonprofit clientele to CEOs of successful solutions-driven startups — and provide delegates with valuable feedback on their projects through an experienced business lens.

Throughout the Summit, all delegates have the chance to interact with these experts during workshops that are tailored to different aspects of running a nonprofit, from building a brand to turning ideas into impact.

Facilitators travel to the Summit from all over the world specifically to meet delegates and engage with their projects, and these unique, personalized, professional connections often extend beyond the Summit. In other words, when you graduate from GES, you join a family of global changemakers dedicated to sharing ideas and assets.

Previous facilitators & workshops include:

  • Laura Magnuson, Executive Vice President of Global Programs, Obama Foundation — Nonprofit Management

  • Teju Ravilochan, Co-Founder of Uncharted; Forbes 30 Under 30 — Scaling Your Impact

  • Dominik Prinz-Barley, Head of Brand, Google — Cultivating Your Brand

Delegates participating in workshops at GES 2025

Facilitator Spotlight: Alfreda Bradley-Coar

executive vice president, chief legal & people officer, The Obama foundation

Alfreda Bradley-Coar is Executive Vice President, Chief Legal and People Officer for the Obama Foundation. An accomplished corporate executive and civic leader, she is recognized for her expertise in enterprise risk, strategy, and human capital across healthcare, insurance, financial services, and transportation.

She previously led The Bradley Coar Enterprise Risk & Strategy Group, advising C-Suite leaders of emerging businesses. During 23 years at General Electric, Alfreda held senior executive and general counsel roles, managing global legal, compliance, and regulatory functions while driving DEI initiatives as a National Operating Leader for the GE African American Forum. Based in Chicago, she serves on the boards of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital, Chicago State University Foundation, and advises Advocate Aurora Health. She is also a member of the Executive Leadership Council and Black Directors Health Equity Agenda. Alfreda earned her MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Alfreda hosted her workshop, "Nonprofit Leadership in an Evolving Landscape,” where she guided delegates through today’s dynamic sector. The session introduced the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) framework, highlighted practical risk management strategies, and encouraged participants to develop confidence, clarity, adaptability, and their own unique leadership styles.

Should you have question about becoming a facilitator, please reach out to our Content team at content@thegesnu.org.