6.4 Who Say's Nonprofit Can't Be Fun!

Denise Parker, Class of ‘77, joined the Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Bush School of Government and Public Service in October 2017. Prior to joining the Center, Denise worked for an international nongovernment organization, IMA World Health, from 2008 to 2017, where she gained extensive nonprofit experience. She was a senior finance officer, working, mentoring, and building the institutional capacity of in-country finance staff in South Sudan, Tanzania, and Kenya. She managed and implemented financial processes and procedures for multi-year public health projects with diverse contract structures. Other duties included monitoring and managing foreign currency and cash management processes to assure the program activities could be funded and implemented and all activities complied with contractual requirements and accounting principles. She is proud of her work to improve the lives of people in low-income and middle-income countries, particularly the most vulnerable in the failing state of South Sudan.

Jamie is the marketing manager at the APCC. She started as assistant manager in 2014, moved to manager in 2018, and transitioned to her current role in 2020. She has over 15 years of experience in event planning, marketing and communication. Previously, she coordinated events and managed marketing efforts as a sales and marketing coordinator for a healthcare consulting firm in Dallas and managed several competitive dance studios in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Jamie graduated from Texas A&M University in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in communication with a minor in tourism management. She graduated from IAVM Venue Management School in 2019, has her CVP (Certified Venue Professional) certification through IAVM and is a professional certified marketer through the American Marketing Association with a Marketing Management Certification.

When not working, Jamie enjoys spending time with her dog Ginger and her friends and family, watching Aggie sports, traveling, photography, dancing and listening to live music.

Nicole Collier serves as the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC) executive director and research associate for the Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy (CNP) at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. As NACC's executive director, she supports NACC member programs around the world. Her work includes overseeing various committees, creating and updating curricular guidelines used globally, managing publication opportunities, accrediting nonprofit and philanthropic degree programs, and more.

As the research associate for CNP, Nicole supports Brazos Valley organizations, assists with various research projects in partnership with nationally-focused organizations, and serves as the research partner for the Built for Texas initiative with United Ways of Texas and the OneStar Foundation.

Before joining the Bush School and NACC, Nicole worked with other nonprofit organizations including Make-A-Wish North Texas, The Children's Society in London, and several East Texas organizations.

An East Texas native, Nicole graduated from Nacogdoches High School in 2012. She earned her bachelor's degree from Austin College in Sherman, Texas and a Master's degree in public service administration (MPSA) from the Bush School with a focus on nonprofit management and analytic methods.

William A. Brown is a professor at the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University and holds the Mary Julia and George Jordan Professorship. He serves as the Director of the Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy. He teaches Nonprofit Management, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, and Capstone courses. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Northeastern University with a concentration in Human Services. He earned his Master's and Doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. He has worked with numerous organizations in the direct provision of services, consulting, and board governance. He served on the board of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action (ARNOVA) from 2007-2012 and chaired the Education Committee from 2009-2011. His research focuses on nonprofit governance, strategy, and organizational effectiveness. He has authored numerous research articles, technical reports, and several practice-oriented publications. Examples of his work include exploring the association between board and organizational performance and developing the concept of mission attachment. Publication outlets include Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, Nonprofit Management & Leadership, International Journal of Volunteer Administration, and Public Performance and Management Review. He has completed an edited volume entitled Nonprofit Governance: Innovative Perspectives and Approaches (Routledge, July 2013) with Chris Cornforth. A tex… Read More

Dr. Kenneth Anderson Taylor serves as an Associate Professor of the Practice, the Director of Outreach and Professional Development within its Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy and holds the Younger & Carter Distinguished Professorship.

Dr. Taylor’s primary faculty responsibilities encompass teaching a variety of nonprofit management and leadership theory courses for graduate students. In his role with the Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy, Dr. Taylor enjoys working in Texas and beyond where he gets to utilize his decades of training and partner with nonprofit leaders on a variety of professional development and research opportunities.

Dr. Taylor earned his MBA in Management from Bellarmine University’s Rubel School of Business and holds a BA in Sociology from the same institution. His PhD in Leadership Studies is from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, and dissertation research explored the link between leader behavior within nonprofit organizations and its impact on employee job satisfaction.

Before arriving to College Station, Dr. Taylor served at Murray State University in Kentucky and held the appointment of Academic Program Director & Assistant Professor within its College of Health Science & Human Services. While there he founded and launched the Nonprofit Leadership Studies degree program which was formerly a youth and nonprofit leadership undergraduate offering.

Dr. Taylor has more than twenty years of leader experience inside, and on behalf of, nonprofit organizations. His self-defined career h… Read More

Sarah Chrastecky is the director of the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center, where she oversees all aspects of the operation.

Chrastecky graduated from Texas Lutheran University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art and a minor in psychology. Upon graduation, she moved to the Bryan/College Station area.

In the summer of 2009, Chrastecky began working for the APCC and caught the industry bug. During this time, she had the opportunity to expand her knowledge and passion by attending and graduating from the IAVM Venue Management School. In October of 2012, she transitioned to an associate director position for Chartwells Catering at Texas A&M University to continue her experience and business interests. She returned to the APCC as the manager in the summer of 2015. In February of 2017, she stepped in as interim director until June of 2018, when she accepted the director position.

Chrastecky is the mother of two beautiful boys and wife to a golf course superintendent. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, game nights, family movie nights and entertainment provided by sarcastic 10 and 4-year-olds.

Former international social studies teacher that tranistioned into Instructional Design

Alyssa Duany serves as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator for the Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy. She leads the Center's marketing initiatives by creating promotional materials, strategically planning and managing marketing campaigns, and coordinating with other MarCom departments.

Before coming to Aggieland, Alyssa worked as a Volunteer Coordinator for a midsized nonprofit in Tallahassee, FL. In that role, she was able to network with other nonprofit organizations in the area to gain a robust understanding of the nonprofit sector and its unique benefit to society. In 2019, she served as a Team Leader for AmeriCorps NCCC in the North Central Region, where she led and managed a team of Corps members. This service year solidified her passion for helping nonprofits increase their capacity and value to communities.

Alyssa graduated from the Bush School in 2022 with her Masters in Public Service Administration, focusing on Public Policy Analysis and Nonprofit Management. Originally from South Florida, Alyssa graduated from The Florida State University in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and is still a proud supporter of the FSU Seminoles! She has found Aggieland to be an extremely warm and welcoming place.