Event Details
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
9:00AM – 12:30 PM PT
Online via Zoom – this Summit will be recorded, excluding any breakouts
The Innovation Summit is a premier virtual gathering for nonprofit leaders, change-makers, and social innovators across Washington State. Launched in 2022, Nonprofit Innovation Summits provide a focused experience for deeper learning and examination of a single topic from multiple perspectives.
- 9am-10:45am: Allen Family Philanthropies (Anh Nguyen, Director, Arts, Youth & Communities) will explore how arts and culture organizations are creatively rethinking audience engagement in a rapidly changing landscape.
- 11:00am-12:30pm: Elizabeth Ralston will explore the evolving landscape of accessibility in arts and culture, examining how arts spaces are working to provide welcoming and inclusive experiences for people with disabilities.
Emerging Trends Driving Community and Engagement in Arts + Culture, Anh Nguyen
Arts and culture experiences are critical to community connection and resilience, and this session will explore how arts and culture organizations are creatively rethinking audience engagement in a rapidly changing landscape. Designed for nonprofit leaders and practitioners, the discussion will highlight ways that organizations are experimenting to deepen participation and broaden access. Speakers will share practical examples, trends shaping the field today, and how nonprofit partners can show up in ways that are additive, equitable, and aligned with long-term outcomes.
Innovation in Arts Accessibility, Elizabeth Ralston
There has been an important movement within arts sector to move away from “elite” and exclusive arts spaces towards greater inclusion. “Art is for everyone” is a powerful message, but what does it mean in practice? Join our presenter, accessibility expert Elizabeth Ralston, as she explores the vast opportunities for innovation that are connected to increasing accessibility in the arts.
We will explore the evolving landscape of accessibility in arts and culture, examining how arts spaces are working to provide welcoming and inclusive experiences for people with disabilities. From audio guides to tactile tours and low-sensory mornings, the field has made notable strides, but significant gaps remain. Accessibility is still too often treated as an afterthought, and the art itself continues to be inaccessible to many.
Some may view accessibility requirements as a constraint on creative freedom, while others see them as an invitation for innovation. Ultimately, for accessibility to truly become a genuine norm, arts spaces must champion its integration at the organizational level across every department, rather than treating it as a lower priority.
Cost
$20 + tax for NAWA Members – Find the coupon code on the Member Resources page.
$40 + tax for Not-yet-Members. Interested in becoming a NAWA Member? Learn more about membership here.
Cost should not be a barrier to participate. Please contact us if you have any requests, concerns, or questions regarding the cost of this workshop.
Recording
Registrants will receive the webinar recording by email after the event. If there are breakout rooms, they will not be included in the recording. If you can’t attend the training but you are interested in learning about this topic, please register so we can send you the recording and materials.
Accessibility
Captioning: We will have automated captioning enabled.
Interpretation: Please indicate during registration if you have an interpretation request. Typically, we need at least two weeks in order to schedule an interpreter.
Visual Descriptions: Presenters will include visual descriptions of themselves and the slides to give a person who is low-vision, blind, or calling in without video a sense of space and place.
If you have additional accessibility requests, please let us know when you register.
About the Speakers
Elizabeth Ralston is a consultant who guides organizations in the strategic development of an accessibility roadmap, with an emphasis on equity and inclusion. She has over 25 years of experience working with nonprofits, government agencies, and academic institutions. She has a Master of Public Health from the University of Michigan and a certificate of Nonprofit Management from the University of Washington. Elizabeth’s expertise is in maximizing organizations’ success through program development, strategic communications, and event implementation, all with an eye on accessibility. She is a published writer, engaging educator, and a seasoned storyteller committed to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities. Elizabeth is also the Founder of the Seattle Cultural Accessibility Consortium, a grassroots effort to help arts and cultural organizations improve accessibility for their audiences. Her creation of the Consortium emerged from deep listening to the arts and disability communities about the gaps in accessibility. She brings a unique perspective to her work, through her lived experience with a disability. As a deaf woman who uses cochlear implants to hear, Elizabeth faces accessibility challenges every day. Her hearing loss never stopped her from achieving her life goals. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Malawi, Africa, she saw first-hand the powerful impact a person can have on others’ lives. She has devoted her life to public service ever since.
Anh Nguyen, Director, Arts, Youth & Communities, Allen Family Philanthropies
Anh brings expertise in education, arts, tech, and philanthropy, as well experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors, to her role as the Director of Arts, Youth, and Communities at the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation. She has built products, programs, teams, and companies that help young people connect to meaningful education and economic opportunities. Previously, Anh served on the executive teams of two companies focused on education-to-employment: as CEO of Adjacent Academies, which helped college students develop technical skills alongside their liberal arts degrees, and as VP of Customer Success at Koru, a predictive hiring solution that enables Fortune 500 companies to diversify their hiring. Anh also led portfolios of high school- and higher ed-related investments at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, including grant-making focused on competency-based learning, online/blended learning, and innovative models that result in higher degree completion rates. She serves on the board of the Seattle Children’s Theatre and holds a BA from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Thanks to Our Partner
Presented by Nonprofit Association of Washington in partnership with Washington Office of the Secretary of State.
We’re grateful to our Champion-level Business Members for demonstrating their strong commitment to the nonprofit sector through their membership.
Questions? Check out the event FAQ page or contact Nonprofit Association of Washington
Phone: (855) 299-2922 x108
Email: [email protected]