Cynthia Dodd Adcock is vice president of communications and marketing at Independent Sector. She leads Independent Sector’s efforts to amplify and shape the vital voices of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector through messages and stories that convince diverse audiences to work with IS to advance our shared mission of a just and inclusive society. 

Cynthia has extensive public affairs and communications experience and more than 25 years leading communications and marketing efforts for national nonprofit organizations including the National Council of State Housing Agencies and most recently the National Housing Conference. She has held senior positions in public affairs at the National Association of Home Builders and Fannie Mae’s affordable housing division, and was director of public affairs for the Alabama Education Association. 

Cynthia was a writer producer for WAFF-TV, an NBC affiliate in Huntsville, AL. She has a B.A. in Public Relations from Auburn University and is a native of Alabama.

Michael Goff is the senior vice president and chief development officer at Independent Sector. Michael has more than 25 years of senior executive experience including development, communications, and a long-standing interest in government, public policy, and nonprofit institutions. Michael served for 21 years as the vice president for development and college relations at Loyola College in Maryland. During his tenure, he led five major capital campaigns, raising over $200 million in annual and capital support for the university. Michael also managed external relations, community relations, and media relations. Previously he served as director of planning and development at The Gilman School, also in Baltimore, from 1982 to 1987, and was director of advancement and special assistant to the president at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson, Pennsylvania, from 1977 to 1979.

Michael earned a Ph.D. in Government at Georgetown University in 2002, specializing in American Politics, Public Policy, and Political Theory. He also holds an M.A. in Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Political Science from Saint Joseph’s University. His research in the area of fundraising during the early stage of the presidential nomination process was published in 2004 in his book The Money Primary: The New Politics of the Early Presidential Nomination Process.

Erica Greeley leads Independent Sector’s efforts to expand and engage its diverse network. Erica’s role includes strengthening IS’s current membership, while investigating how people, organizations, and networks can best work together in today’s dynamic environment. Erica joined IS in 2007 as Director, Strategic Initiatives.

Prior to IS, Erica served the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (now the National Council of Nonprofits) as Director of Strategic Policy Planning and then Deputy Director. In that capacity, she oversaw an initiative that convened over 100 town hall meetings across the US to discuss the needs of local nonprofits. Her 18-years in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector also includes managing fundraising and marketing campaigns, evaluating community-building initiatives, chairing local grant-making committees, and directing after-school programs for at-risk youth.

Erica is an adjunct faculty member of Georgetown University’s Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate Program and serves on the board of Microfinance Opportunities. She holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an MPP from the Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University.

Nadine Jalandoni is vice president for research, evaluation and special projects at Independent Sector. Her responsibilities include providing research support to departments across the organization; promoting organizational effectiveness; contributing to strategic planning; and developing and managing the program content for the IS Annual Conference. She has been with IS since 1999 and worked on IS’s Giving and Volunteering series, in addition to co-authoring two key nonprofit resource publications, The Nonprofit Almanac, and Social Justice Grantmaking.

Nadine serves on various nonprofit research advisory committees and is responsible for calculating the annual dollar value of volunteer time. She has been involved in managing the IS international program and represented IS at the CIVICUS Global Assemblies. During this time she also co-chaired the Steering Committee of the Affinity Group of National Associations (AGNA). Prior to Independent Sector, Nadine worked as associate executive director for a major corporate foundation in the Philippines, as research manager for the United Way of Southeastern PA, and other research positions with nonprofits and consultancy firms. She holds a B.S. in foreign service from Georgetown University and an M.A. in international development from American University.

Terri O'Brien works to ensure that Independent Sector’s infrastructure and financial plans cohesively support the strategic direction and advance the mission of the organization. Terri oversees accounting, finance, human resources, and administration and brings her finance and business expertise to the CEO and senior leadership team. Prior to joining Independent Sector in April 2010, Terri worked six years as the CFO and vice President of finance and administration development at BoardSource, where she played a key role in developing and implementing two strategic plans and aligning people, processes, and financial resources.

For 15 years, Terri held a variety of roles at World Wildlife Fund, the most recent of which was the director of financial operations where she led smart business practices for the home office and 16 field offices and integrated multi-year program strategies and plans with budgeting. Terri also held positions at Miles & Stockbridge and the consulting firm of Yaffe & Offutt, both in Baltimore. She has volunteered on a number of school financial committees and currently serves as a trustee for Thomas Benjamin Combs Trust.

Terri graduated from Towson University, where she majored in communications with a concentration in journalism. She passed the Certified Public Accountant exam in 1995.

Geoffrey Plague leads Independent Sector’s efforts to advance policies that enhance the ability of charitable and philanthropic organizations to improve lives across the country and around the world. Before becoming vice president, Geoff served as Independent Sector’s director of government relations for more than two years, working on the development of policy objectives and the implementation of an advocacy campaign focused on the tax treatment of nonprofit organizations and charitable giving. 

Prior to joining IS, Geoff served as advocacy and policy director at the Basic Education Coalition, a group of international development organizations dedicated to providing every child around the world access to a quality education. 

Geoff served nearly 15 years in the United States Congress, and the New York Times in August 2008 called him “a well-respected Capitol Hill veteran.” He held senior positions in the offices of Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Representatives Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and Robert Andrews (D-NJ). 

Geoff received an MA in International Affairs from American University’s School of International Service and a BA in Political Science from the University of Kansas. He has taught courses on the U.S. Congress at Georgetown University and St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Geoff is also the founder and president of Buildings & Books, a 501(c)(3) public charity that constructs children's community libraries in sub-Saharan Africa.

Mikaela Seligman directs Independent Sector’s efforts to strengthen leadership, accountability, and effectiveness in nonprofit organizations of all sizes and missions. She brings to Independent Sector deep experience as a leader in and consultant to both the public and charitable sectors. Her career includes co-founding The OCL Group, which engages creative approaches to addressing organizations’ toughest leadership challenges.

Mikaela joined Independent Sector in April 2010. She has taught leadership at the master’s level at George Mason University and St. Mary’s College and has provided consultation to leaders in international and domestic nonprofits, corporations, foundations, and governments.

Mikaela was a program officer in the early years of AmeriCorps, vice president and COO for the largest coordinator of volunteer services in Greater Washington, and senior advisor for education to Washington, DC, Mayor Tony Williams. She began her career as a charter corps member of Teach for America and taught elementary school in Brooklyn, New York. Mikaela holds an M.P.A from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, a certificate in leadership coaching from Georgetown University, and a degree in journalism from Boston University.

Claire Wellington joined IS in November 2004, and now leads the organization's efforts to bring together theorists, researchers, and practitioners to identify the emerging trends in the nonprofit sector. She was most recently vice president and general counsel to the American Association of Exporters and Importers, where she provided legal and policy advice and prepared reports on a range of regulatory and legislative matters. Prior to AAEI, Claire was chief of staff and senior advisor of the enforcement division at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where her work included anti-corruption efforts and sanctions policy.

Claire received a bachelor's degree in government from Smith College, a master's degree in international affairs from Columbia University, and a law degree from Harvard Law School. She is a member of the Minority Outreach Advisory Board of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and co-author of “The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act: Avoiding the Pitfalls,” published in the Preventive Law Reporter. Among other accomplishments, she received the Treasury Department's Secretary's Honor Award in 2001.