Programs, Events, Activities, and More

Monthly programs and events occur on the third Thursday from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Habitat for Humanity (3501 N. Mountain). We strongly recommend that you register.

Would you be interested in presenting to SAVMA? Complete the Program Proposal Form.

2025 Programs and Events (Plan Ahead)

  • January 16, 2025: SAVMA Awards Volunteer Recognition Event
  • February 20, 2025: Elevating Volunteer Engagement with Strategic Design
  • March 20, 2025: Cindy Campano, Leadership Development
  • April 24, 2025: SAVMA Volunteer Fair
  • April: Global Volunteer Month 
  • May 15, 2025: Skills Drills! Develop your interview skills for better volunteer matching
  • June 3-6, 2025: Points of Light Conference: New Orleans, LA
  • June 26, 2025: Social Mixer and Networking Event
  • July: No Meeting- Nominate for the SAVMA Awards
  • August 21, 2025: Skills Drills! Orientation! Improve your retention starting with orientation
  • September 18, 2025: Members Only Exclusive Online
  • October 28, 2025: Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference
  • November 5, 2025: International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day
  • November 20, 2025: Self Care: Setting Boundaries for a Healthy Workforce
  • December 11, 2025: Annual Meeting and Social Mixer
  • January 22, 2026: SAVMA Volunteer Awards
  • February 19, 2026: Volunteer Appreciation Keep Your Volunteers Engaged! A planning activity for your 2026 appreciation events.

2024 Programs and Events

2023 Programs and Events

  • February 16, 2023: Jordanya Reeves, Using ALIVE’s Code of Standards to Make Your Case(s)
  • March 16, 2023: Victoria Hannley, Crafting Kind Kids through Youth Volunteerism
  • April 20, 2023: SAVMA Volunteer Recruitment & Recognition Fair at the Reid Park Zoo
  • May 18, 2023: How to Get, Keep and Inspire Volunteers!
  • June 15, 2023: Social Mixer @ Scordatos 4-6PM
  • July- No Meeting
  • August 17, 2023: Tandala Kidd, ICS: Effective Communications
  • September 21, 2023: Emily Litchfield, Director of AmeriCorps and Volunteerism for the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family: What are Arizona’s Priorities for Volunteerism?
  • October 17, 2023: Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference
  • November 5, 2023: International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day
  • November 16, 2023: Tanna Johnson: “Landing Your Volunteers:” How a volunteer persona will drive your digital recruitment success!
  • December 7, 2023: Social Mixer and Annual Meeting

2022 Programs and Events

  • January 20, 2022: Debbie Stephens, 10 Steps to an Impactful Volunteer Program
  • February 17, 2022: Jody Schaffer, Make Corporations Love your Organization
  • March 17, 2022: Meredith Bode and Liana Sharp, United Way’s Volunteer Center: What’s new and how we can help you fulfill your volunteer needs
  • April 21, 2022: SAVMA Volunteer Recruitment & Recognition Fair at the Reid Park Zoo
  • May 19, 2022: Stephanie Balzer, Corporation: “Tell me about yourself” Me: “Um…”
  • June 16, 2022: Jack Boepple,  Designing Volunteer Engagement Surveys
  • July 21, 2022: SAVMA Mixer & Networking Event
  • August 2, 2022: Volunteer Recognition Brainstorm
  • August 18, 2022: Tandela Kidd, Let’s Talk Effective Communications
  • September 15, 2022: SAVMA Membership Benefits Overview, Networking and Resource Sharing
  • October 18, 2022: Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference: Impact Evaluation: Data that Matters & Creating the Right Story
  • December 9, 2022: Social Mixer and Annual Meeting

2021 Programs and Events:

  • January 21, 2021: Risk is not a four-letter word: A conversation with Erin Spink and Faiza Venzant
  • February 18, 2021: Roundtable Discussion on Volunteer Recognition and Volunteer Appreciation Week
  • March 15-18, 2021: 2021 Arizona Summit on Volunteerism & Civic Engagement
  • April 15, 2021: Jayson Matthews, Valley of the Sun United Way Phoenix, Engaging and Developing Volunteers during COVID
  • May 20, 2021: Laura Cortelyou, Marana Economic Development, Change Management, an Introduction
  • June 17, 2021: Erin Spink of SpinkTank.ca, Metrics that Matter
  • July 15, 2021: SAVMA Mixer at Proof Artisanal Pizza & Pasta
  • August 19, 2021: Time and Project Management: The Surprising Secrets to Nonprofit Success
  • September 16, 2021: SAVMA Volunteer Fair and Recognition Event at Reid Park Zoo
  • October 19, 2021: Volunteer Management Hybrid Conference with AL!VE, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Real Impact for the Real World
  • November 18, 2021: Crystal Petry, Director of Golden Triangle Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Do you select the person of color or do you select the best applicant?
  • December 2021: Annual Meeting and Social Mixer, held at Brother John’s BBQ

2020 Programs and Events:

  • January 16, 2020: SAVMA Awards and Keynote Workshop
  • February 20, 2020: Cancelled due to speaker emergency
  • March 19, 2020: Cancelled due to COVID
  • April 19-25, 2020 Virtual Volunteer Appreciation Week Southern Arizona
  • May 21, 2020: Chris Elsner, Globally Good, Identify ways to work more effectively with volunteers
  • June 18, 2020: Ken Briggs, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, Golden Opportunities
  • July 16, 2020: SAVMA Virtual Mixer
  • August 18, 2020: Ashley La Russa, founder of Roux Events LLC and co-founder of BlaxFriday app, The BlaxFriday Project
  • September 3, 2020: Members-Only Event with Gretchen Jordan, CVA, Be Your Own Advocate
  • September 17, 2020: Nicole Smith, Nicole R. Smith Consulting, Resilience – A Vital Tool for Leaders of Volunteers
  • October 20, 2020: ALIVE Streaming Conference: Managing Risk: Balancing Aversion and Innovation
  • November 19, 2020: Sarah Sladek: The Future of Volunteering: What Organizations Need To Do Now
  • December 10, 2020: Annual Meeting and Social Mixer

2019 Programs and Events:

  • January 17, 2019: Southern Arizona Volunteer Recognition Event (registration required)
  • February 2019: Tori Carlson: What a CVA Can do for You?
  • March 21, 2019: Diane Diamond, A Speed Brainstorming Session on Recognition
  • April 7-13, 2019: Volunteer Appreciation Week
  • April 11, 2019: Volunteer SoAZ Fair and Appreciation at the Zoo (No April Meeting)
  • May 16, 2019: Meredith Bode, United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona a Days of Caring Overview
  • June 20, 2019:A SAVMA Special- [Volunteer Pro Webinar Recording-] Messaging to Upper Management: How to Launch a Campaign of Influence (Debrief by Alexei Marquez)
  • August 15, 2019: Havala Schumacher, Census 2020: Building Capacity Through Good Data: Why The Census Matters To Your Organization
  • September 19, 2019: Jennifer M. Tersigni, Your (Often Hidden) Role in the Revenue Pie: Volunteer Cultivation and Stewardship for
    Fundraising Success
  • October 22nd, 2019: ALIVE Hybrid Conference: The Future is Now – Tech Trends Transforming 2020 and Beyond
  • November 7, 2019: 2019 Arizona Summit on Volunteerism and Civic Engagement
  • November 21, 2019: Molly McCormick, Work That Conversation!
  • December 5, 2019: Annual Meeting and Social (4-6PM at the home of Robert and Linda Lohse)

2018 Programs and Events:

  • 1/18/2018: Elaine Walsh: Tapping into the power of an effective volunteer communications plan
  • 2/15/2018: Ken Briggs: The Power of the Service Enterprise Model
  • 3/15/2018: Linda Llewellyn, Founder of Celebrate Volunteers: RECOGNIZE your volunteers
  • April 15-21, 2018: Volunteer Appreciation Week
  • 5/17/2018: Alexei Marquez: Working with Wildcats and What to Expect
  • 6/21/2018: Sven Olson: Self Care for Mortals
  • 7/19/2018: Happy Hour and socializing, Reforma Cocina y Cantina
  • 8/16/2018: Rachel Cheeseman: Meet your local Volunteer Match!
  • 9/20/2018: Tim Medcoff: #MeToo Movement and Lessons Learned
  • 10/23/2018: ALIVE Hybrid Conference
  • 10/18/2018: No Meeting
  • 10/19 and 20th: Days of Caring
  • 11/5/2018: International Volunteer Managers Day
  • 11/15/2018: Jessica Dennes: Best Practices in Training
  • 12/6-12/7, 2018: Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family: Arizona Summit on Civic Engagement and Volunteerism
  • 12/13/2018: Annual Meeting and Holiday Party

2017 Programs and Events:

  • 2/16/2017: Jennifer Tersigni: Grantwriting Basics for Your Volunteer Needs
  • 3/16/2017: Recognition brainstorming session
  • 4/20/2017: Ann Eve Dingell: Storytelling for Impact
  • 5/18/2017: Heather Hiscox: How to drive impact and innovation in your organization using empathy, experimentation, and evidence
  • 6/15/2017: Tori Carlson and Jennifer Lohse: Setting goals and metrics
  • 7/20/2017: Happy Hour and socializing, Reforma Cocina y Cantina
  • 8/17/2017: Kevin Marshall: Budgeting for Dummies: Everything You Wanted to Know About Budgeting, But Were Afraid to Ask
  • 9/21/2017: Bob Schaff: Remarkability…the key to personal and business success
  • 10/19/2017: Elaine Walsh: Tapping into the power of an effective volunteer communications plan
  • 10/24/2017: ALIVE and Better Impact Conference Streamed to Tucson
  • 11/16/2017: Jennifer Lohse: Understanding and Supporting Your Board of Directors as a Volunteer Manager
  • 12/7/2017: Annual Meeting and Holiday Party

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