Mission: Possible | Resilience, Connection, and Courage in Uncertain Times
Leadership Council's Securing the Future Conference
Wednesday, October 29th, 2025
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM - Registration & Breakfast
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM - Keynotes, Breakout Sessions, and Networking Opportunities
Schiff Family Conference Center
Xavier Cintas Center
1624 Musketeer Dr
Cincinnati, OH 45207
Barnes Dennig is proud to be the Keynote Sponsor of Leadership Council’s Securing the Future, an annual conference dedicated to building the strategic, leadership, and resource development skills of the board, staff, and donors of the region’s nonprofits. In addition to the keynote address, participants will have a chance to interact with peers and attend breakout sessions led by local speakers for a deeper dive into the keynote topic.
For the conference’s 25th year, Securing the Future has been expanded to a full day, packed with even more breakout sessions and actionable content! Don’t miss this educational conference designed to address the needs and concerns of board members and senior leadership at your organization.
This year’s conference includes an opening keynote and luncheon speakers, multiple workshop sessions, an exhibit area, free parking, breakfast, lunch, and a happy hour. Register today at Leadership Council’s website.
This event is hosted by Leadership Council, and sponsored by Barnes Dennig. A full list of event sponsors can be found here.
About the Speakers
Suzanne Smith, Social Impact Architects
Suzanne Smith is a nationally recognized nonprofit strategist, speaker, and author who believes everyone can be a changemaker. As CEO of Social Impact Architects and adjunct professor, she has spent almost three decades advising nonprofits, foundations, corporations, and social entrepreneurs on how to design game-changing solutions for our most pressing social issues. Suzanne also authors Social TrendSpotter, one of the sector’s top blogs according to The Huffington Post. She is frequently interviewed by regional and national media and has published articles in Forbes, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, See Change, Nonprofit Business Advisor, and Upstart. For her outstanding work as a leading thinker, she was recognized with the Next Generation Social Entrepreneur Award by the Social Enterprise Alliance. A graduate of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, Suzanne is a sought-after keynote speaker and executive education instructor who has trained thousands of leaders nationwide.
Patrice B. Borders, JD, Founder & CEO, AmplifyEI™
Author Patrice B. Borders, Esq., widely known as The EI Amplifier™, is a transformational executive coach, TEDx and keynote speaker, attorney, and the visionary behind AmplifyEI™. As Founder and CEO, she’s led a 20+ year mission to cultivate emotionally intelligent leaders and thriving cultures where people feel seen, safe, and supported. With a foundation rooted in employment law and human capital consulting, Patrice delivers neuroscience-based tools that empower leaders to navigate stress, conflict, and complexity with clarity and confidence. She is the creator of the 7 Keys to Emotional Intelligence™—a practical, actionable model designed to elevate self-awareness, connection, and courageous leadership. Her approach guides teams and individuals from autopilot to intentional action using her signature Pause–Process–Pick framework. Her impact reaches from Fortune 100 giants like Disney and Kroger to Am Law 100 firms and national nonprofits. She is a Certified Search Inside Yourself Teacher, Board-Certified Executive Coach, and credentialed in multiple emotional intelligence assessments, including EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360. Her coaching is anchored in transformation, self-awareness, and authentic leadership presence. Patrice is a contributing author to the Amazon bestseller Micro Shift: Small Mindset Changes for Big Results. Her debut solo book, Amplify Emotional Intelligence, is currently in progress and scheduled for release in 2026. The book brings to life the themes explored in her bi-monthly LinkedIn newsletter of the same name, which has cultivated a loyal and growing global readership.
Register at Leadership Council’s website
Keynote Speakers
Suzanne Smith, Social Impact Architects
Patrice B. Borders, JD, Founder & CEO, AmplifyEI™