What happens when you rethink everything about your signature event all at once? From branding and location to timing, Curebound took a leap that could have reshaped everything or strengthened it.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell sits down with Liz DiGeronimo, Director of Community Fundraising, and Erik Gordon, Director of Marketing at Curebound. Together, they unpack what it really takes to guide both your community and your internal teams through major change while staying grounded in purpose.

Liz and Erik walk through the signals that made it clear their long-standing event needed to evolve and the risks that came with stepping away from tradition. They share how they brought their community into the process through intentional listening and conversation, discovering that what mattered most wasn’t the venue or logistics but the mission driving it all.

The conversation also dives into the internal work. From aligning marketing and fundraising around a shared story to refining how they communicate during moments of uncertainty, they reveal how clarity and connection became their biggest strengths.

Together, we’ll explore:

• Guiding teams toward shared clarity during major event change
• Engaging your community so they feel part of the journey
• Keeping your mission front and center through every shift

Mentioned Links

• Curebound
• Curebound Cancer Challenge
• Curebound Concert for Cures

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

• Connect with Liz
• Connect with Erik
• Connect with Marcie
• Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:03) - Introducing Liz DiGeronimo and Erik Gordon
• (04:18) - About Curebound
• (05:32) - Big Moves and Rebranding in 2025
• (10:50) - Marketing
• (19:46) - Location Location Location?
• (24:31) - Get Involved

For many families, a peer-to-peer event is more than a fundraiser, it’s their first step into a community that understands and supports them. When organizations show up with care in those early moments, they create a foundation for trust, connection, and long-term engagement.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell talks with Christie Godowski, Vice President of Community Engagement at Autism Speaks. Christie shares how her team connects with individuals and families right after diagnosis, offering support while inviting them into a broader community experience through peer-to-peer.

Christie reflects on what it takes to create a seamless journey across program and fundraising teams, so families feel supported rather than segmented. She also shares how Autism Speaks equips frontline fundraisers to approach sensitive conversations with confidence, along with the nuances of engaging adults newly diagnosed with autism alongside parents navigating a child’s diagnosis.

Learn how early outreach shapes long-term connection and what small, intentional actions can help teams build trust from the very first interaction.

Together, we’ll explore:

• Connecting families to support and community from the earliest moments after diagnosis
• Strengthening collaboration between program and fundraising teams to create one cohesive experience
• Equipping fundraisers to lead thoughtful conversations that build trust and lasting engagement

Mentioned Links

• Autism Speaks
• On social - Instagram, YouTube & Facebook

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

• Connect with Christie
• Connect with Marcie
• Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:20) - Introducing Christie Godowski and Autism Speaks
• (03:50) - The First Walk
• (06:40) - Breaking Down Barriers
• (11:10) - Front Line Fundraisers
• (14:34) - Adults & Children in Diagnosis
• (22:44) - Making Change toward Building Trust
• (24:25) - Get Involved

In a world where inboxes are overflowing and attention is limited, email isn’t dead, it just needs a new approach. The organizations seeing results today aren’t sending more, they’re sending smarter. By focusing on relevance, timing, and human connection, email can still be one of the most powerful tools in your engagement strategy.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell sits down with Charlotte Conmy, Associate Director of National Marketing at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. Charlotte brings a unique perspective shaped by experience on both the program and marketing sides of peer-to-peer fundraising. She shares how her team is rethinking email from the ground up, moving away from rigid calendars and toward behavior-driven communication that meets supporters where they are.

Charlotte dives into how segmentation, real-time data, and emerging tools like AI are helping her team deliver more personalized, timely messages. She also unpacks how to balance storytelling with action, collaborate across national and local teams, and integrate email with other channels like texting to create a seamless supporter journey.

Together, we’ll explore:

• Rethinking cadence and segmentation to reduce fatigue and increase relevance
• Balancing storytelling, calls to action, and clarity in every email
• Integrating email with texting and local outreach to drive deeper engagement

Mentioned Links

• crohnscolitisfoundation.org
• takesteps.crohnscolitisfoundation.org
• teamchallenge.crohnscolitisfoundation.org

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

• Connect with Charlotte
• Connect with Marcie
• Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:13) - Introducing Charlotte Conmy
• (06:48) - Is Email Really Dead?
• (29:13) - Looking Ahead
• (32:00) - Get Involved

Endurance fundraising is about more than race entries and revenue goals. At its best, it’s a relationship-driven experience that connects people to purpose in lasting ways. When organizations move beyond transactional touchpoints and invest in the full journey, fundraisers don’t just participate, they stay, grow and advocate.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell talks with Kelly Lamb, Director of Development at the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. As the leader of Team Reeve, Kelly shares how her team approaches every runner as a long-term partner, not just a participant.

Kelly walks through how relationships begin at the application stage, where listening for motivation and potential sets the tone for everything that follows. She shares how personalized coaching helps fundraisers see beyond minimums and step into what’s possible. From building connections across a dispersed team to creating moments that inspire runners to return year after year, Kelly offers a thoughtful approach to growing both impact and community.

Together, we’ll explore:

• ​Treating peer-to-peer fundraisers like major donors from recruitment through stewardship
• Coaching strategies that unlock confidence and increase fundraising potential
• Creating connection and community that keeps runners engaged beyond the finish line

​
Mentioned Links

• Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Events

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

• Connect with Kelly
• Connect with Marcie
• Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:06) - Introducing Kelly Lamb & the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation
• (04:02) - The Major Donor Mindset
• (19:12) - Feeding the Joy... not the Stress
• (22:02) - Bibs Across the Country!
• (27:37) - Retention
• (32:24) - Get Involved

Many fundraising teams are stretched thin, yet the work keeps expanding. Instead of pushing harder, some organizations are stepping back and reimagining what healthy capacity really looks like. When leaders center people, clarity and collaboration, teams gain the space they need to grow with purpose.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell talks with Diana Perrault, Director of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising at the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Diana brings deep frontline experience and a people first leadership approach that has helped her rebuild team infrastructure, expand staff capacity and create an environment where fundraisers feel supported.

Diana reflects on the early signs that a team needs to reset its structure, from burnout signals to stalled ideation. She shares thoughtful ways leaders can understand the true load their staff carry, make the most of one-on-one conversations and advocate for resources with confidence. The conversation also highlights how to choose tools and systems that truly serve the work and how remote teams can stay connected through trust and shared values.

Together, we’ll explore:​

• Assessing real capacity and identifying when a team is ready for a rebuild
• Creating people centered practices that prevent burnout and strengthen culture
• Advocating for resources and designing systems that support sustainable growth

Mentioned Links

https://themmrf.org

https://endurance.themmrf.org/endurance

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

Connect with Diana

Connect with Marcie

Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:02) - Introducing Diana Perrault
• (02:26) - Diana's Journey
• (04:44) - The MMRF P2P Portfolio
• (07:54) - Burnout
• (15:56) - Leading the Team
• (33:10) - Managing Culture with a Remote Team
• (40:06) - Get Involved

Recognition is no longer just about t-shirts or medals - it’s about meaning. Thoughtful, mission-driven recognition strategies can deepen fundraisers’ emotional connection and inspire long-term loyalty.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell talks with Meredith Perkins, Director of Peer-to-Peer Fundraising at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Meredith shares how her team has evolved recognition from transactional to transformational, creating experiences that honor fundraisers’ motivations and celebrate their impact.

From weaving MD Anderson’s mission to eliminate cancer into every recognition moment to reimagining branded products with purpose, Meredith offers practical ways to make participants feel valued and connected. She also dives into how feedback and metrics guide continuous improvement, ensuring each recognition effort aligns with participant expectations and program goals.

Together, we’ll explore:

• How to design recognition programs that strengthen mission connection and emotional engagement
• Creative ways to recognize and reward fundraisers across participation levels and years
• Practical methods for measuring impact and evolving recognition strategies for sustained success

​Mentioned Links

www.MDAnderson.org/Fundraise

www.MDAnderson.org/BootWalk

www.MDAnderson.org/DIY

www.MDAnderson.org/Remember

​
Stay Connected on LinkedIn

Connect with Meredith

Connect with Marcie

Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box

Many large nonprofits struggle with the tension between standardization and localization in their fundraising programs. When national organizations move toward centralized models, they risk losing the authentic community relationships that make peer-to-peer events successful. Yet operating entirely through local structures can create inefficiencies and inconsistent donor experiences.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell talks with Andi Hughes, Vice President of Signature Peer to Peer Programs at Susan G. Komen. With deep experience in nonprofit fundraising transformation, Andi shares how Komen navigated the complex transition from decentralized to centralized program support while maintaining the local flavor that makes their events resonate.

Andi discusses the strategic decision-making behind Komen's organizational shift and the practical challenges of managing change across field and national teams. She explores how they determine which decisions require consistency and which benefit from local autonomy, and shares the metrics that demonstrate success beyond just revenue numbers.

Together, we'll explore:

• Strategic rationale and phased approach for centralizing peer-to-peer program support across a national nonprofit
• Preserving local community connections and authenticity within standardized national event frameworks
• Impact on operational efficiency, fundraising outcomes, and brand presence when balancing autonomy with consistency

Mentioned Links

www.komen.org

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

Connect with Andi
Connect with Marcie
Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (01:03) - Introducing Andi Hughes

Managing volunteer leadership presents unique challenges, especially when your entire executive team changes annually. The most successful campaigns don't just recruit great volunteers—they systematically develop them into unified, mission-driven teams that can execute at the highest level despite constant turnover.

In this episode, Marcie Maxwell talks with Suzanne Graney, Executive Director of Four Diamonds, the nonprofit behind Penn State's Dance Marathon (THON). With years of experience leading one of the largest student-run philanthropies in the world, Suzanne shares how THON successfully onboards brand-new leadership teams each year and maintains momentum across a full campaign cycle.

Suzanne discusses her approach to rapidly aligning diverse volunteers around shared goals and creating systems that sustain engagement throughout the year. She explores how succession planning works when your pipeline constantly refreshes, and reveals what she's learned about the evolving leadership styles of today's college volunteers. The conversation offers practical strategies for anyone working with rotating volunteer teams in large-scale fundraising efforts.

Together, we'll explore:

• Effective onboarding strategies that quickly transform individual volunteers into unified leadership teams
• Year-round engagement techniques that maintain focus and momentum between major campaign milestones
• Building sustainable leadership pipelines when your entire team changes annually

Mentioned Links

FourDiamonds.org

Facebook: @FourDiamondsFTK

Instagram: @FourDiamonds

X: @FourDiamonds

Stay Connected on LinkedIn

Connect with Suzanne

Connect with Marcie

Connect with the Peer-to-Peer Professional Forum

• (00:00) - Welcome to The P2P Soap Box
• (02:19) - Introducing Suzanne Marie Gran
• (05:09) - Four Diamonds
• (07:52) - The Turnover Challenge