SUNY Community College CAO Retreat
2026 Retreat Information
Thursday, January 8, and Friday, January 9, 2026
- Conference is in person.
- Conference is open to all community college faculty, staff, and board members with a role in fundraising, advancement, donor engagement, alumni relations, scholarship administration, and board management.
- Registration is $250.
- The conference will begin on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 10am and end on Friday, January 9, 2026 at 12pm.
- Sponsorship opportunities are available.
- For questions or more information about the conference, please email Jenna Bichler, executive director, Erie Community College Foundation, Christyn Sanagursky, director of development, Monroe Community College Foundation, or Dolores Swirin-Yao, executive director & vice president, external affairs, Westchester Community College Foundation.
Keynote Presentation
Vu Le, Writer & Speaker
Vu Le is a writer, speaker, vegan, Pisces, and the former Executive Director of RVC, a nonprofit in Seattle that promotes social justice by developing leaders of color, strengthening organizations led by communities of color, and fostering collaboration among diverse communities.
Vu's passion to make the world better, combined with a low score on the Law School Admission Test, drove him into the field of nonprofit work, where he learned that we should take the work seriously, but not ourselves. There's tons of humor in the nonprofit world, and someone needs to document it. He is going to do that, with the hope that one day, a TV producer will see how cool and interesting our field is and make a show about nonprofit work, featuring attractive actors attending strategic planning meetings and filing 990 tax forms.
Sponsors
Committee Members
- Jenna Bichler, executive director, Erie Community College Foundation
- Rudy Breedy, executive director, Institutional Advancement & External Relations, Ulster Community College Foundation
- Bob Duckworth, fundraising solutions consultant, Npact Solutions
- Steve Frederick, vice president for advancement and executive director, Clinton Community College Foundation
- Kia Larsen, director of alumni engagement and deputy director, Cayuga County Community College Foundation
- Diana L. Pollard, CFRM, MBA, executive director, Dutchess Community College Foundation
- Michelle Robbins, director of development, Finger Lakes Community College
- Christyn Sanagursky, director of development, Monroe Community College Foundation
- Dolores Swirin-Yao, executive director and vice president, external affairs, Westchester Community College Foundation
Hotel Information
The Desmond Hotel
Crowne Plaza Albany
660 Albany Shaker Rd.
Albany, NY 12211
(518) 869-8100
Visit The Desmond Hotel Website
Reservations can be made directly with the hotel online or by phone.
Important Dates and Information:
- Last day to book: 12/16/2025
- Room rate: $140
- Group code: SCC SUNY Community Colleges
Questions?
Please contact our Conference Chairs with any questions:
Jenna Bichler
Executive Director
Erie Community College Foundation
Christyn Sanagursky
Director of Development
Monroe Community College Foundation
Dolores Swirin-Yao
Executive Director & Vice President, External Affairs
Westchester Community College Foundation.