Speaking

The Ducks regularly speak at nonprofit workshops, conferences and events. We keep up with the ever-changing face of media and emerging technologies to help you deal with current communications issues. Our presentations offer tangible takeaways so you can go back to your organization confident that you have new tools to reach your audiences.

We are regular presenters at the NTEN’s Nonprofit Technology Conference, AFP’s Fund Raising Day New York, and the Support Center for Nonprofit Management.

Check out our complete list of upcoming speaking engagements, workshops, and webinars.

Experienced speakers

Looking for more information on one of the Ducks? Below you will find bios for the members of our team that speak most regularly, or visit our team page to learn more about what we think is just ducky.

Sarah Durham—Principal and Founder of Big Duck

Sarah Durham grew up in the advertising, design, and marketing worlds. In 1994, it was time for her to put communications best practices to work for a better reason: to help nonprofits increase their visibility, raise money, and move the needle on their missions. So she made her escape and started Big Duck. Today, Big Duck is the leading communications firm that works exclusively with nonprofits. Clients include local, regional, national, and international organizations.

Sarah is a total nonprofit communications nerd. She was named a top fundraiser under 40 by Fundraising Success Magazine in 2006, and one of the most influential women in technology by Fast Company magazine in 2010. She serves on the Board of DIrectors for the New York City chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and of the National Brain Tumor Society.

The author of Brandraising: How Nonprofits Raise Visibility and Money Through Smart Communications (Jossey-Bass/Wiley, 2010), Sarah teaches aspiring nonprofit communications nerds at NYU’s Wagner School (where she is an adjunct faculty member) and at the Athena Center for Women’s Leadership at Barnard College. She regularly gives workshops and webinars to anyone who’ll listen.

Sarah tweets @BigDuckSarah; please join her in conversation there.

Farra Trompeter—Vice President

Farra has more than 15 years of experience in communications and fundraising for nonprofit organizations. Farra’s expertise focuses on helping nonprofits use the internet (social media, websites, email, etc.) to increase visibility and connect with donors, activists, and other stakeholders. 

Farra is an active participant on the Communications Committee for the New York City Anti-Violence Project and helps organize 501TechNYC—a monthly meetup for local members and friends of the Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN). Farra is a part-time faculty member at Milano The New School for Management and Urban Policy, where she teaches a class about Online Engagement for Nonprofits.  She also holds an M.S. degree in nonprofit management from The New School.

Farra tweets about nonprofit fundraising and communications via @farra.

Elizabeth Ricca—Director of Strategy

Liz works with Big Duck’s clients to help them assess and improve their online communications, build effective websites, create social media strategies, develop branding and messaging platforms, and more.

Liz keeps track of new developments in the online world, and every Monday, she co-writes a roundup on Big Duck’s blog of interesting posts for nonprofit communicators.

Liz tweets about nonprofit communications via @elizabethricca.

Rachel Hope Allison—Senior Strategist

Rachel has helped nonprofits develop integrated fundraising and outreach campaigns, build online relationships and community, and sharpen their overall messaging and communications programs for the past decade.  Soon after graduating from Stanford, Rachel began working with leading online direct response firms, where she helped craft online campaigns for major international organizations.

She has given trainings at the New Organizing Institute and the Commonwealth Club, and has been a guest speaker at Sarah Durham's Brandraising course at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service.

Rachel tweets about nonprofit communications and online fundraising via @rachishoping.

Where you might have seen them

Check out a complete list of past workshops that we have given over the last few years.

Book us to speak

Interested in having one of the ducks speak at your next conference, workshop, or webinar? Contact us at hello@bigducknyc.com or 718-237-9551 x135