Influencing without Authority as a Leader of Volunteers
Are you in a volunteer engagement role where securing buy-in from colleagues is essential to achieving your goals? Do you often feel frustrated because your contributions—and the value of strategic volunteer engagement—aren’t fully recognized?
In this 3-hour interactive session, we’ll explore how deeply rooted "standard practices" in the nonprofit sector can hinder your ability to influence. You’ll be encouraged to challenge traditional thinking and step outside your comfort zone. You’ll learn new internal communication strategies that are adaptable and designed to inspire colleagues, no matter your formal title.
About Jessica Pang-Parks

Jessica is a volunteer engagement thought leader who helps organizations build trust, create impact, and inspire belonging. She is the recipient of the 2021 Alison Caird Young Leader Award in recognition of her leadership and excellence in volunteer engagement and the recipient of the 2023 VMPC Exemplary Leader Impact Award in recognition of her contributions to the field as a mentor, leader, trainer, and advocate.
Jessica earned her CVA credential in April 2023 and has facilitated Fleming College’s Volunteer Management: Spectrum of Engagement course since May 2022. She has held professional volunteer and community engagement roles at Crohn's and Colitis Canada, https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/, Pathways to Education Canada, https://www.pathwaystoeducation.ca/, the Heart & Stroke Foundation, https://www.heartandstroke.ca/ Volunteer Toronto, https://www.volunteertoronto.ca/ and WWF-Canada, https://wwf.ca/
Jessica has the privilege to work on the traditional land of the Huron-Wendat, the Seneca, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. Learn more about Jessica at https://www.learnwithjpp.com.