Learning from and watching our fellow brothers shine as facilitators is one of the greatest joys at the National Convention. Check out the list of experienced and talented facilitators coming to you live at the 2023 National Convention!
| Photo | Name | Chapter | Pronouns | Learning Lab(s) | Biography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Adam Gaetz | Alpha Theta Xi `22 | He/Him | Identifying & Utilizing Collegiate and Community Resources to Expand Service Opportunities | Perpetual Rush: How to Recruit and Retain New Members Throughout the Year | Adam Gaetz, Alpha Theta Xi `22, is one of the original founders of Alpha Theta Xi Chapter at St. Petersburg College where he served as petitioning group president, chapter president, Region K representative on the APO National Student Advisory Committee, Conference Coordinator of the 2022 APO Tri-Sectional Conference, voting delegate at various national, regional and sectional conferences, and Chairman of various chapter committees. Adam works full-time as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant at BayCare Neurosurgery in Clearwater, Florida, as well as a part-time Learning Support Specialist in Natural Sciences at St. Petersburg College. As a Florida native, Adam loves to spend his time scuba diving, getting sun at local beaches and camping in the Florida wilderness. He aspires to become a physician in the specialty of Pediatric Oncology and is currently in the process of applying to medical school. |
 | Andrea Gilman | Alpha Alpha '01 | She/Her | Embracing Your “No”. Strategies for Setting Boundaries and Preventing Burnout | Brother Andrea Gilman, Alpha Alpha `01, began her APO journey with the Alpha Alpha Chapter at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and has held a variety of roles (often at the same time) since becoming an alumni volunteer including APO LEADS presenter, National Convention Advisor, chapter advisor and sectional chair. She knows what it’s like to take on too much! She has presented workshops for APO in at least 7 different states. By day she is a pediatric occupational therapist and by night you can find her cuddling dogs that aren’t hers or crocheting and binging “old lady” crime dramas. |
 | Ari Fleischer | Alpha Eta Tau '15 | He/Him | How to Find and Land that Job, Co-op or Internship | Brother Ari Fleischer, Alpha Eta Tau `15, is a founding brother of the Alpha Eta Tau chapter at Hofstra University where he held many different chapter executive positions. Brother Fleischer currently serves as the Section R-3 Chair. Ari has a B.S. in biochemistry from Hofstra and a M.S. in data science from Northeastern University. In his professional life, Ari is a data scientist at MITRE. Outside of work, Ari is a big trivia and board game enthusiast as well as a huge Boston sports fan. Ari also loves to travel and just got back from Italy. |
 | Bex Takacs-Britz | Alpha Zeta Iota '09 | They/Them | Radically Inclusive Volunteerism: Designing universally accessible service programs for volunteers with disabilities | Brother Bex Takacs-Britz, Alpha Zeta Iota`09, holds a bachelor’s degree in public and nonprofit administration from Grand Valley State University, and is now in the process of completing a masters in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. Professionally, Bex has spent over a decade working in fund & resource development for nonprofits spanning the entire US, from small shops to internationally-scaled organizations. Bex is a subject matter expert in disability access and inclusion, and has a special interest in the spaces where marginalized identities intersect in the nonprofit sector. They are a highly acclaimed speaker on the subject of volunteer access and inclusion, with recent presentations at Elevate Nonprofit Global Summit 2023, the Minnesota Alliance of Volunteer Advancement national conference, and the recent Dismantling Inequities conference hosted by MAVA. They earned their Certified Nonprofit Professional credential in 2021, their Certified Fundraising Executive credential in 2022, and was credentialed as a member of the first cohort of Advanced Certified Nonprofit Professionals in January 2023. Outside of their day work, Bex is the chapter advisory chair for the Alpha Zeta Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at Grand Valley State University and is the President & founder of Welcome Home. |
 | Brandon Douglas, National Membership Chair | Alpha Gamma Lambda '11 | He/Him | Innovating Recruitment & New Member Education | New Name/New Award: The New Member Program of Excellence | Small Chapter Survival | Brandon Douglas is a Life Member of Alpha Phi Omega and currently serves as the National Membership Program Chair. Since his initiation at the Alpha Gamma Lambda Chapter (Albion College) in the Fall of 2011, Brandon has held numerous volunteer roles with the Fraternity, including serving as an APO LEADS presenter, Section Chair, and National Deputy Extension Program Chair. Brandon lives in Denver, CO. Outside of the Fraternity, he works as a Program Manager for Vail Resorts. He is an avid fan of the Denver Broncos, Colorado Avalanche, and loves to travel. |
 | Chloe Smith | Alpha Theta Xi '21 | She/Her | Fantastic Fossils: A Beginners Guide to Fossils | Perpetual Rush: How to Recruit and Retain New Members Throughout the Year | Brother Chloe Smith, Alpha Theta Xi `21, is the current president of Alpha Theta Xi Chapter at St. Petersburg College. From being a part of the Chapter's first ever pledge class, she has loved every minute she has been a part of the Fraternity. She is currently an undergraduate pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology and is aspiring to be a paleontologist. She is doing volunteering and research with the Natural History Museum of Florida. |
 | Chris McEwen | Alpha Lambda '07 | He/Him | Mastering Your Money: Strategies for Personal Finance | Chris McEwen is an initiate of Alpha Lambda Chapter at North Dakota State University. Chris has served APO as a Region Chair, Section Chair, Chair of the National Diversity Committee, and member of the National Finance Committee. Chris is currently employed with JPMorgan Chase & Co. and has worked in financial research for eight years. Chris has volunteered with financial literacy efforts for over ten years. Chris also enjoys travel and hopes to visit all 50 states by 2025 (he is currently at 45). |
 | Disraeli Smith, National Vice President | Kappa Delta '07 | He/Him | Driving Under Caution: Risk Management 101 | Brother Disraeli Smith is an initiate of the Kappa Delta Chapter at Florida A&M University in 2007 where he earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in business administration, while holding various chapter executive positions. He also earned a master’s in public policy from Georgetown University. Prior to his current service as the National Vice President, he served the fraternity as the 2010 National Convention Chair, on Region IV Staff (2011-2014), as Alumni & Internal Volunteer Program Director (2015-2016) and as a member of the Board of Directors (2018-2021). Professionally, Brother Smith is a senior manager with the Bridgespan Group, where he provides strategic consulting to social sector clients looking to achieve high impact. Outside of work and APO, Brother Smith is a father of two kids, a sports fanatic and a LEGO builder. |
 | Fred Heismeyer, Past National President | Lambda Omicron `73 | He/Him | Leadership Competencies We Can ALL Use! | Fred Heismeyer, Lambda Omicron `73, is celebrating his 50th anniversary of pledging Lambda Omicron Chapter at West Virginia University, Brother Heismeyer brings a wealth of experience to his presentations. He coordinated the development of the APO LEADS program, served in numerous formal leadership positions including National President, and has been recognized as a Fall Pledge Class Namesake Honoree. Fred is a Rotarian, serving as District Governor, and gives back to his community with several other organizations. His career path includes teaching/facilitating leadership and team development skills in academic settings and in the corporate arena, both nationally and internationally. |
 | Gigi Umstead | Mu Eta '19 | She/Her | APO X Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation – APO Ambassador Program | Gigi Umstead, Mu Eta `19, is currently an Event Coordinator on the Special Events Team at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a childhood cancer nonprofit that funds research and family services. She assists in the planning and execution of foundation events, including The Lemon Ball, Alex’s Original Lemonade Stand, Great Chefs Event Philadelphia, LA Loves Alex’s Lemonade Stand and the End Childhood Cancer Walk. |
 | Jeff M. Neurauter, National Parliamentarian | Omega '90 | He/Him | Robert's Rules, Chapter Meetings and You! | Brother Jeff Neurauter, Omega `90, is an initiate of Omega Chapter at Drake University, where he studied speech communications and rhetorical studies. He is a member of the American Institute of Parliamentarians and an experienced parliamentarian. Brother Neurauter has served as a parliamentarian for numerous local, state, national and international organizations, including student groups, churches, unions, social associations and professional organizations. In addition to serving as a parliamentarian at conventions, he has conducted numerous seminars and workshops across the United States on the use of parliamentary procedure. Brother Neurauter specializes in providing workshops and advice to organizations on the development and revision of bylaws and governing documents. In his professional career, Jeff works for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security. |
 | Jennifer Headman, Region L Chair | Omicron Iota '97 | She/Her | I'm an Alumni Volunteer, How Can I Support an Extension Effort? | Brother Jennifer Headman pledged at the Omicron Iota chapter at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1997. During graduate school, she was one of the rechartering Brothers of the Beta Theta chapter at the University of Wisconsin, Madison in 2004. Jennifer is also an honorary Brother of the Iota Lambda chapter at North Carolina State University. She has served as a presenter and trainer for the APO LEADS program, as well as serving as the Section 80 Chair, Region III Director and Chair, and currently serves the Fraternity as the Region L Chair. Professionally, Jennifer is the Fermentation Manager in research for POET, the world’s largest producer of plant-based alternatives to petrochemicals. An industrial microbiologist by training, Jennifer also serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Industrial Microbiology. She currently lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota with her two dogs and one cat. For her service to the Fraternity, Jennifer has been awarded the Beta Theta Chapter DSK, the Section 80 DSK, and the Region III DSK, the Region L DSK, and the Region M DSK. |
 | Jeremy Bingman, Board of Directors | Alpha Alpha '96 | He/Him | You turned risk management into a game?! | Jeremy Bingman, Alpha Alpha `96, was at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1996. He earned a bachelor’s in economics and master’s in business administration from DePaul University. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors and previously served as Section 51 Chair (2003- 2009), 2010 National Convention Legislative Director, Region VI Extension Coordinator (2009-2010) and Region VI Director (2010-2016). He belongs to the Society of Life Members, is a Silver Founder’s Circle Torchbearer and contributed to the Leaders in Service campaign. He received DSKs at the chapter, sectional and regional levels. Professionally, Brother Bingman is a product manager in the fintech industry. |
 | Jéri Ogden, Board of Directors | Zeta Phi '07 | She/Her | Cultural Competence and Its Impact on Recruitment and Chapter Relations | Brother Jéri L. Ogden, Zeta Phi `07, is a Fall 2007 initiate of the Zeta Phi Chapter at Howard University. Shortly after graduation, she began to work with regional and sectional staff. In 2010, she was elected to serve as the formerly designated Section 85 Chair. Brother Ogden's additional APO volunteer experience includes being the Founding President of the Uptown DC Alumni Association and community advisor to Zeta Phi Chapter. She currently serves on the National Board of Directors. Professionally, Brother Ogden is an educator, writer and facilitator with a passion for and emphasis on equitable practices and cultural competence. |
 | Jesse Manchester, Region N Chair | Nu Omega `07 | He/Him | APO, It's Not What You Think | Brother Jesse Manchester, Nu Omega `07, pledged in the Fall of 2007 to the Nu Omega chapter at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Brother Manchester has served the Fraternity at every level and across the country over the past 15 years. Jesse has served as a chapter advisor to 4 separate chapters, region staff in 6 regions and was the most recent National Leadership Development Program Chair. He currently serves as Region N Chair. Outside of the Fraternity, Brother Manchester has nearly two decades of servant leadership experience: from AmeriCorps to the College Advising Corps, from political campaigning to high school teaching and everything in between. He is currently serving as an Air Force Officer, most recently, as an subject matter expert to the Director of National Intelligence. Outside of his service life, Brother Manchester loves live performance, comedy and musicals with his 14-year-old child. |
 | John Strada | Delta '93 | Brotherhood 101 | Brother John Strada, Delta `93, is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Communication at Eastern Kentucky University, bringing nearly 30 years of collegiate teaching experience to the classroom. His primary academic interests are interpersonal, group and instructional communication, advocacy, and issues in higher education leadership, policy and teaching. Brother Strada is a member of the Kentucky Communication Association, Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Toastmasters International, is an honorary member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and is a proud member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. John’s biggest passion is service. In 2017, he was honored with AmeriCorps’ President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteer service, and in 2021 he received the Kentucky Governor’s Lifetime Achievement Service Award. He has served on the board of directors and the national operations council for Alpha Phi Omega, as well as serving as a national program director, regional director/chair, sectional chair and as a local chapter advisor. He has served as a learning partner for EKU alternative break trips, as a director for education abroad programs, served for 3 years as EKU's first faculty in residence, and currently serves as the announcer and name reader for EKU graduation ceremonies. |
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 | Jon Fitzpatrick | Zeta Beta '88 | He/Him | Working with the Boy Scouts of America | Jon Fitzpatrick initiated at Zeta Beta chapter at Virginia Tech, where he served as Scouting Co-Chair and Chapter Sergeant-at-Arms and is currently the Advisory Chair and Scouting Advisor at Alpha Delta Iota chapter at Virginia Commonwealth University. Jon has been involved in Scouting nearly his entire life, beginning as a Cub Scout and completing his involvement as a youth by attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and has completed Woodbadge Training and three Philmont Treks. Jon currently serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster with Troop 2806 in Midlothian, Virginia. He is also a member of the National Scouting and Youth Services Committee. |
 | Julius Bradley | Pi Omega '15 | He/Him | The History of Strolling | Julius Bradley Pi Omega `15, attended Kentucky State University where he was one of the many that helped bring back the chapter in 2011. After college, Julius held the position as being a pledge master and now he's one of the advisors for his home chapter. Outside of the organization, he is a Prince Hall Mason and a member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. |
 | Ken Tinkler, Board of Directors | Zeta Upsilon '09 | He/Him | Inclusive Communities When "Woke" is Under Attack | We're a Nonprofit - The Do's and Don'ts of Community Engagement | Ken Tinkler is an initiate of Zeta Upsilon chapter at Boston University, where he was a re-chartering brother and Chapter President. Since graduation in 1994, he has volunteered at all levels of Alpha Phi Omega and is currently on the Board of Directors. His favorite role in APO is teacher/mentor and he is an active community volunteer in Tampa Bay. Professionally, he is an attorney and shareholder at Carlton Fields, PA, specializing in local government law and all of the things that make Florida weird. When not volunteering or working, he is at Disney World with his wife Amy and their son Anthony. |
 | Kristen Santullo | Alpha Delta Phi '17 | She/Her | Interchapter Networking | Kristen Santullo, Alpha Delta Phi `17, currently serves as the Section P-3 chair around New Jersey. As an active member, she was very involved with interchapter relations and conferences. Since graduating from Seton Hall in 2020, Brother Santullo has served multiple roles at the regional and sectional levels. Professionally, she is an Italian/special education/history teacher and loves to travel to National Parks. She is very excited to continue to work with the section and see the chapters and alumni develop further! |
 | Lucas Niven | Mu Pi '11 | He/Him | Mental Health & Physical Wellness | New Name, New Award - The New Member Program of Excellence Award | Lucas Niven, Mu Pi `11, is an initiate of the Mu Pi Chapter at the Colorado School of Mines. He held many positions as an active brother and continues his involvement with the Fraternity as an alumnus. He helped in the chartering of a new chapter at the University of Denver while an active brother and was the advisor to the charter of the new chapter at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs after graduating. Lucas is also an APO LEADS presenter for the Achieve and Discover courses. For work, Lucas is an Engineer at Infineon Semiconductor where he designs layout for computer chips. Outside of work and APO, Lucas is very active joining almost any sports league he can find, including volleyball, kickball, bowling and ultimate frisbee. He also enjoys all the outdoor activities that Colorado has to offer, like hiking, biking, camping and more. |
 | Luke Langner | Theta Alpha `16 | He/Him | From Survive to Thrive: Understanding the Modern College Landscape | Luke Langner, Theta Alpha `16, has been an alumni volunteer in Alpha Phi Omega since he graduated from Theta Alpha Chapter at Stevens Institute of Technology in May 2021. In that time, he’s held numerous roles on sectional and regional levels, including serving as Section P-3 Chief of Volunteers and Advisor Specialist, Region R Leadership Development Coordinator, and as a member of the Region P Bylaws and IVD Committees. Additionally, he has served as the chapter president of the Theta Alpha Chapter Alumni Association, and he led the founding of the New England Area Alumni Association. Brother Langner has presented at multiple section and region-level conferences in his time as an alumni volunteer; he particularly enjoys presenting about the impact that every member of APO can have on the success, engagement and happiness of their chapter and beyond. He’s very excited to attend National Convention and is looking forward to meeting students and alumni from across the nation and working hard to enhance their APO experiences. Professionally, Luke works as an R&D engineer at a medical device company, where he combines his passion for helping others with his enthusiasm for product design and development. |
 | Melissa Donndelinger,National Extension Chair | Nu Pi '03 | She/Her | Extension: What is it and how does it impact the Fraternity? | Extension Coach Training | I'm an Alumni Volunteer, How Can I Support an Extension Effort? | Melissa “Ding” Donndelinger, Nu Pi `03, is a rechartering member of the Nu Pi Chapter at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She earned a bachelor’s in English at Minnesota State University, Mankato and a master’s in project management at St. Mary’s University. Brother Donndelinger served APO as the Section 23 Chair (2005-2014), the Region 9 Director/Chair (2014-2018) and the National Extension Program Chair (2019-present). She is the advisory chair for Gamma Psi at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, an APO LEADS presenter, observer, and director, and a member of the Society of Life Members. Brother Donndelinger is the recipient of the Chapter Distinguished Service Key from Nu Pi Chapter, the Section Distinguished Key from Section 23 and Region Distinguished Service Key from Region 9. In addition to APO, she is a PMP and a certified personal trainer and coach for Training for Warriors. Professionally, Brother Donndelinger works at an insurance company as the senior scrum master for the Corporate Legal and Records Management Technology and the Corporate Functions Data Analytics teams. |
 | Sarah Hurlbert | Gamma Lambda '14 | She/Her | SMARTIE Goals 101 | Brother Sarah Hurlbert, MPH, Gamma Lambda `14, is an initiate of the Gamma Lambda chapter at Clemson University. She graduated with a B.S. in bioengineering in May 2018. While at Clemson, she was very active on the Scouting Committee. Sarah then continued to graduate school at the University of Maryland, where she became an advisor for Epsilon Mu Chapter. She earned her MPH in May 2020. In addition to serving as an advisor she is active with the DC Area Alumni Association. Sarah's hometown is Columbia, SC. She currently lives in Price George's County Maryland and works as a research specialist at the Institute for Medicaid Innovation. In her free time, Sarah loves to explore the Washington-DC area. |
 | Stefano Mancini | Alpha '18 | He/Him | Leveraging Unique Partnerships for Meaningful, Community Engaged Service | Brother Stefano Mancini, Alpha `18, was the vice president of service and chapter president of Alpha Chapter at Lafayette College. After graduating in 2022, Brother Mancini served as an AmeriCorps VISTA in Connecticut at a food pantry. He is currently a Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellow through the Congressional Hunger Center, completing his field placement in advocacy at the Greater Boston Food Bank in Boston, Massachusetts. |
 | T. Manjula "Manj" DeSilva | Delta Kappa '89 | He/Him | Incorporating Alumni into Your Chapter (a.k.a. Old People – What To Do With Them And Why Even Bother) | Brother T. Manjula “Manj” DeSilva, Delta Kappa `89, was part of the rechartering group for the Delta Kappa Chapter at Emory University. He held several leadership positions including president and pledge trainer. He took a 3-year break from APO after graduation before joining the section 72 staff. Since then, he has held numerous volunteer roles including being a sectional chair (for 5 sections) and serving on 3 region staffs. He was a co-sponsor for a brand-new chapter at Clayton State University and is the advisory chair to his home chapter. He also served on a national program committee to create a section chair handbook. Manjula has long stated that being an alumni volunteer was his way of repaying the alumni who helped him and his chapter while he was an active brother. However, he is now very tired and strongly believes we need more alumni volunteers so that he can take a nap. |
 | Taylor Dantes | Alpha Zeta Kappa '12 | She/Her | Understanding and Integrating the Parts that Make Us Whole | Brother Taylor Dantes, Alpha Zeta Kappa `12, is an initiate of the Alpha Zeta Kappa Chapter at Eastern Kentucky University. During active membership, Brother Dantes’ notable memories come from volunteering at National Conventions and building lifelong friendships. Professionally, Taylor works as the Training and Education Coordinator and Clinical Mental Health Counselor remotely from her home in Michigan. Taylor enjoys watching anime with her husband, dog training and really anything task oriented. |
 | Traci Ackerman | She/Her | Gift of Life Marrow Registry / APO Beating Blood Cancer Together | Traci Ackerman is the Community Engagement Manager at Gift of Life Marrow Registry. Traci joined the Gift of Life team in March 2020 after working in Higher Education. Traci received her Master's in Arts and Bachelor of Business Administration from Hofstra University. Outside of work Traci spends her time giving back to her community. |