Ask an Expert:
Sustained Collaboration – What It Is and How to Do It!
Thursday, June 5, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM MST | CF Campus
Register Here
ABOUT THE EVENT
Collaboration is a powerful tool, when implemented successfully it can be a catalyst for innovation and an igniter for positive change. There are various types of collaboration from associations or networks, to joint programming or back-office consolidation, to mergers or acquisitions. Join us to learn more about sustained collaboration and hear directly from nonprofit leaders about their experience with sustained collaboration in everything from programmatic partnerships to mergers and acquisitions.
ABOUT ARIZONA TOGETHER FOR IMPACT
Arizona Together for Impact is a collaborative philanthropic fund that provides Arizona nonprofits with advice, tools, and grants supporting the exportation and implementation of long-term, sustained collaborations. Their grants provide support exclusively for the neutral consultants, technical experts, and other 3rd party cost necessary to explore and implement a sustained collaboration at any level.
About the Presenter
Christine M. Thompson, Director, Arizona Together for Impact
Christine is an experienced leader in the nonprofit and government sectors, who has a passion for civic engagement and collaboration. She brings extensive experience in organizational leadership, public policy development, charitable giving program advancement. Christine previously served as the CEO of Expect More Arizona which built impactful coalitions with deep cross-sector collaboration. She has held executive positions at the Arizona State Board of Education, Arizona Board of Regents, and State Bar of Arizona. Her background also includes work in legislative advocacy, communications, development and alumni relations, and nonprofit management. She received her BA and JD from the University of Arizona, living and working in Tucson for nearly a decade. Christine currently serves as an elected member of the Madison Elementary School District Governing Board in Phoenix.
Panelists
The panel will feature local nonprofit executives from Roots & Roads Community Hospice Foundation, Easterseals Blake Foundation, and Tucson Children’s Museum, as well as a local consultant, sharing lessons learned from their experience exploring and implementing long-term, sustained collaborations.
Jennifer M. Tersigni has dedicated her career to empowering nonprofits to not only survive but thrive in a rapidly changing world. Armed with a unique blend of expertise in fundraising, leadership, and strategic development, Jennifer launched Raise the Bar Consulting in 2009 with a clear mission: to deliver innovative and tailored consulting solutions that enable organizations to achieve their greatest potential.
Since its inception, Raise the Bar Consulting has partnered with more than 300 organizations, helping them flourish and generate impact. Under Jennifer’s guidance, the team has successfully raised more than $1.2 billion for causes that change lives, proving the power of thoughtful strategy and collaborative leadership.
With more than twenty interim executive engagements in their portfolio, Jennifer and the Raise the Bar team have steered organizations through pivotal moments—whether it’s driving turnarounds, completing ambitious capital campaigns, transitioning business models, leading executive searches, or facilitating mergers and strategic partnerships. These efforts have empowered Boards and leadership teams to make bold, lasting decisions that build sustainability, relevance, and impact for years to come.
Jennifer and members of the Raise the Bar Consulting team have played a critical role in supporting dozens of organizations through their most significant crossroads: launching startups, structuring mergers, fostering strategic partnerships, and crafting thoughtful exit strategies that honor legacies of service while strengthening services for communities.
Jennifer’s unwavering commitment to building resilient, impactful organizations keeps her at the forefront of nonprofit innovation. She and the Raise the Bar team focus not just on solving challenges but on creating pathways for organizations to truly make a difference in the world.