The relationship between government and nonprofits has been and continues to be complicated. Throughout history,  the evolution of nonprofits’ role in American society has reflected the shifting structure of the country, which in turn has affected the roles of nonprofit organizations. Today, in the face of a global health crisis and domestic civil unrest, the government and nonprofit sector are faced with new challenges as they work together to navigate the country’s path forward.

Tune into this virtual conversation with former Mayor of Washington, D.C. and current Chief Executive Officer of the Federal City Council, Anthony A. Williams, and listen as we discuss the challenges the government and nonprofit sector are facing, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and how each can play a role on issues related to the economy, social welfare, racial injustice, and more.

FEATURED SPEAKERS

Anthony A. Williams, the former Mayor of Washington, D.C. (1999 – 2007), is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Federal City Council, an organization focusing the creative and administrative talents of Washington’s business and professional leaders on major problems and opportunities facing the District.

He is widely credited with leading the comeback of Washington D.C. during his two terms as Mayor, restoring the finances of our nation’s capital, and improving the performance of government agencies, all while lowering taxes and investing in infrastructure and human services.

In addition to his duties with the Federal City Council, Mayor Williams is a Senior Consultant to Dentons LLP.  He serves on several company boards as well as the boards of Fight for Children and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Prior to Federal City Council, he led the Global Government Practice at the Corporate Executive Board in Arlington, Virginia.  He also taught public finance and urban leadership as the William H. Bloomberg Lecturer in Public Management at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government while coordinating programs for the Municipal Innovation Program at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

Before his election as Mayor, he was the independent Chief Financial Officer of the District from 1995 to 1998, working with and on behalf of local officials, the D.C. Financial Control Board, and the U.S. Congress. Before his service in local Washington, Tony worked in a variety of positions in federal, state, and local government, including as the first CFO for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, appointed by President Bill Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

He holds a BA from Yale, an MPP from the Harvard Kennedy School, and a J.D. from the Harvard Law School, as well as a number of awards and honorary degrees, including Governing Magazine Public Official of the Year in 1997.  He is a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration and former President of the National League of Cities.

As co-founder and Managing Partner of Orr Group, Stephen K. Orr has facilitated the growth and evolution of the firm to its current position as a national leader in the nonprofit consulting sector.

Drawing on his investment banking and finance background, Steve brings a problem-solving approach, a focus on metrics, and an outcomes-driven perspective to the nonprofit sector. He is an expert fundraiser and enjoys sharing strategies and creating value with donors and partners, particularly with complex estate and planned gift opportunities. Steve is committed to enhancing philanthropy using innovative technologies and approaches developed in the business world to disrupt the established ways of working and encourage experimentation.

Steve leads strategy and implementation teams for Orr Group’s partners, is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Executive Committee, and has served as the interim Executive Director for five nonprofit organizations, including Youth INC, which he founded in 1994. In addition to providing fresh thinking and visionary leadership, he drives transformational change to help nonprofits achieve their missions. He draws on his 30 plus years of experience to establish and build trust with staff, management, and boards, as well as to drive philanthropic revenue growth.

Steve began his career on Wall Street as an investment banker specializing in the financial sector at Goldman Sachs. In 1991, inspired by the charitable efforts of his parents, Steve founded Orr Group with his wife, Carol, to help nonprofits fundraise more effectively.