ONLINE: Nonprofit Office Hour: Fundraising Events

About Our Thought Partners

Gazala Uradnik, GFS Events

Gazala has a Master’s in Healthcare Management from the University of Michigan School of Public Health and provided strategic development and business development expertise to hospitals and healthcare systems for many years. She is an entrepreneur by nature and starting her own businesses was a natural progression of her goals and skills. Gazala started GFS Events in 2012 because she knew that nonprofits needed help through her own nonprofit board and volunteer experience. GFS Events provides strategic event planning expertise to nonprofits through focused event strategy, logistics coordination, mission/messaging and audience and donor development.

Over the last ten years, her team has helped countless nonprofits raise millions of dollars throughout the Pacific Northwest and across the country. GFS Events has received numerous awards for best nonprofit event and best public event through the International Live Events Association. Over the past 17 months, GFS Events has helped nonprofits across the country with strategizing and producing virtual events. Gazala also serves as the Immediate Past-President for the International Live Events Association Seattle Chapter as well as serving on the board for Seattle Women Business Owners. She has also served as President and Vice-President, for the Business Network International Plateau Partners Chapter. Gazala lives in Sammamish with her husband and three children.

Lianna Olds, Deputy Director for Partnerships, Nonprofit Association of Washington

Lianna comes to Nonprofit Association of Washington with 10 years of development and community support work with nonprofit organizations in both Pierce County and North Texas. Her expertise includes fund development, community outreach, board development, and volunteer management. Lianna is committed to equity and education, volunteering for the Equity Committee of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and teaching Public Administration and Nonprofit Management as an Adjunct Faculty member. She is excited to use her strategic approach to work with nonprofits across the state in identifying what they need to thrive and supporting them in achieving access. Lianna has a Master’s in Public Administration from Evergreen State College and a Bachelors in Journalism from University of Idaho. Lianna lives in Lakewood with her husband and two dogs (Boomer and Adele). She can most frequently be found experimenting in her kitchen or curled up with a sci-fi novel in her favorite chair.