CORFA PRESENTS:
The 2025 Virtual Friends Conference
Join us Nov. 4th & 5th
Level up your skills and network with refuge and hatchery Friends from across the country.
When Friends succeed, Refuges succeed.
Friends Groups fortify our National Wildlife Refuge and Hatchery Systems. Together, we amplify impact, generate support, and build stronger and healthier communities. This two-day virtual conference is designed for Friends leaders, board members, staff, and volunteers who want to build capacity, share best practices, and connect with peers from across the country.
What Will This Look Like?
Learning Sessions and Workshops
- Fundraising, Membership and Grants
- Nature Store Tips and Ideas.
- Community Engagement.
- Advocacy with Elected Officials
- Marketing, Communication and Social Media
- Board Development and Governance
- Volunteers: Clarifying Roles
Inspiring Keynotes & Talks
Day 1 Opening: Desiree Sorenson-Groves – President & CEO, National Wildlife Refuge Association
Day 2 Spark: Wendi Weber – Former Regional Director of the Northeast Region USFWS
Day 2 Closeout: Desiree Sorenson-Groves – President & CEO, National Wildfire Refuge Association
Community Networking
Breakout rooms and social time built in to connect with other Friends groups.
Conference Schedule
Participants can select from concurrent sessions – and all sessions will be recorded for future viewing, handout and materials made available for all. Click on any session below to learn more about the session and presenters – and be sure to check the schedule for both days.
Note: this schedule is subject to change as speaker availability is confirmed in regards to the ongoing federal shutdown.
| Time | Track 1 | Track 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 pm | Opening Session
Joan Patterson
Director at Large, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates
Mark Musaus
Vice President, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates | |
| 2:10 pm | Kickoff Keynote
Desirée Sorenson-Groves
President & CEO, National Wildlife Refuge Association | |
| 2:30 pm | Sessions 1, 2, 3 & 4 Overview
Joan Patterson
Director at Large, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates | |
| 2:45 pm | Session 1: Fundraising, Membership and Donor Engagement
Janelle Wicks
Executive Director, Friends of Malheur NWR
Mary Beth Volmer
President, Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands
Thomas Daubert
Executive Director, Friends of Kauai National Wildlife Refuge Complex | Session 2: Nature Stores
Tom Worthington
Director at Large, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates
Jill Bachman
Nature Store, Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge
Carolyn Ferrell
Executive Director, Booth Society, Inc.
Melissa Worthington
Volunteer Manager, Minnesota Valley Refuge Friends |
| 4:00 pm | Session 3: Community Involvement
Angie Horn
Urban Wildlife Program Director, National Wildlife Refuge Association
Ken Kupchak
President, Friends of Oahu NWRs & CORFA Board
Suzanne Trapp
Community Outreach Manager at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Retired | Session 4: Volunteers: The Critical Role of both Friends Volunteers and FWS Volunteers
Sue Hix
Board Member, Friends of Sherburne NWR
Robin Will
Board member, Friends of St. Marks NWR |
| 5:10 pm | ||
| 5:55 pm | Close Out: Recap of Day 1
Ken Kupchak
President, Friends of Oahu NWRs & CORFA Board | |
| Time | Track 1 | Track 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 pm | Welcome and Orientation to Day 2
Janelle Wicks
Executive Director, Friends of Malheur NWR
Tom Worthington
Director at Large, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates | |
| 2:10 pm | Spark Talk
Wendi Weber
Regional Director of the Northeast Region - Retired | |
| 2:30 pm | Sessions 5,6,7 & 8 Overview
Janelle Wicks
Executive Director, Friends of Malheur NWR | |
| 2:45 pm | Sessions 5, 6, and 7
Cathy Allen
Nonprofit Governance Consultant, Board Doctor
Carol Mertesdorf
President, Friends of Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Janelle Wicks
Executive Director, Friends of Malheur NWR
Willem Stoeller
Director at Large, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates
Samantha Zeiner
Director of Operations, Friends of Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge
Richard Dolesh
Board Member, Friends of Patuxent
Greg Knadle
former VP of Government Affairs NFWF | |
| 4:00 pm | Session 8: Current Issues and Topics affecting Refuges and Hatcheries
Tony Wasley
President of WMI
Scott Kahan
Retired as Regional Chief in the Northeast Region
Paul Johansen
Chief of the Wildlife Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
Dale Hall
Former DEO of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. | |
| 5:15 pm | Keynote Address
Desirée Sorenson-Groves
President & CEO, National Wildlife Refuge Association | |
| 5:45 pm | Close Out: Recap of Day 2
Cheryl Hart
President, Coalition of Refuge Friends and Advocates | |
Our Speakers
Are you in?
Together, we can make a difference for wildlife, for our communities, and for the refuges we love.
Reserve your spot by registering below.
Volunteers and Sponsors
This conference was made possible through the generous support of Kathy and Carl Woodward, who kindly sponsored this conference and covered all costs of hosting. This event would also have been impossible without the following volunteers:
Aimee Arent – Friends of Ottawa NWR, CORFA
Dustin Braden – CORFA
Ceal Craig – San Francisco Wildlife Society
Elizabeth Gardner – Friends of Balcones Canyonlands NWR
Cheryl Hart – Friends of Tualatin River NWR, CORFA
Ken Kupchak – Friends of Oahu NWR, CORFA
Sirena Lao – San Francisco Wildlife Society
Joan Patterson – CORFA
Lisa Jansen-Rees – Friends of the Wichitas NWR, CORFA
Linda Schnee – USFWS
Willem Stoeller – Friends of Tualatin River NWR, CORFA
Eden Taylor – NWRA
Janelle Wicks – Friends of Malheur NWR
Tom Worthington – Friends of Minnesota Valley NWR, CORFA
Samantha Zeiner – Friends of Ridgefield NWR