# Event Details - **Event Name**: Beyond the Ban: Staying Grounded Amid Uncertainty & Post Holiday Networking - **Event Start and End Date**: Tue, 13 Jan, 2026 at 06:00 pm – Tue, 13 Jan, 2026 at 07:30 pm - **Event Description**: How can fundraisers continue diversity efforts in a time of great uncertainty?About this EventBeyond the Ban: Staying Grounded Amid UncertaintyDate: Tue January 13Workshop: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PMPost-Holiday Networking: 7:30 PM - 8:00 PMLocation: CBIZ 68 South Service Road, Melville NY 11747Format: In-person interactive workshopAudience: Fundraising professionals navigating policy restrictions on DEI fundingSpeakers:Evita Marrow, MA, PHRRetha Fernandez, SHRM-SCP, Workshop Overview & ObjectivesParticipants will learn to:Reframe organizational messaging while maintaining core valuesIdentify new funding opportunities and donor segmentsDevelop resilient storytelling strategiesCreate actionable communication plansBuild confidence in navigating current challengeAFTER THE WORKSHOP, stay with us for a holiday networking event - refreshments will be served!Evita Marrow, MA, PHR - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion StrategistEvita Marrow is a dedicated public servant whose career spans public service, telecommunications, and public transit, grounded in a lifelong commitment to equity, community empowerment, and inclusion. Beginning her professional journey in the telecommunications industry, she developed expertise in customer service and operations, eventually rising to a leadership role focused on team development and client satisfaction. Her early exposure to government through internships fueled a deep passion for public policy, which she carried into various public service roles, including designing and leading critical response systems during the COVID-19 pandemic and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at the county level.Transitioning into public transit, Evita now plays a key leadership role in ensuring civil rights compliance and advancing inclusive practices within one of the nation’s largest transit systems. Her work includes overseeing Title VI and VII efforts, promoting equitable access to services, and advocating for vulnerable communities. Evita's career reflects a holistic approach to leadership—blending operational acumen, policy insight, and a deep commitment to social justice across multiple industries. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/c8793d50-cfbe-11f0-8029-05d09ca4897d-rimg-w655-h740-dcc29274-gmir.jpg Retha Fernandez, SHRM, SCP With professional and personal passions aligned, Retha Fernandez serves as the Strategic Engagement Manager for National Grid Ventures and Community Offshore Wind. In this role, Retha supports the creation of workforce and economic development strategies to deliver on the mission of local clean energy for all. Retha formerly served as the inaugural Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Suffolk County, New York where she led the development and implementation of the County’s diversity and inclusion initiatives, including leading the development of the County’s first strategic plan for talent recruitment. Prior to joining the County, Retha was the inaugural Project Director of the State of Black Long Island (SOBLI) Equity Council, a project convened by the Urban League of Long Island to develop an equity agenda to improve the quality of life in Black communities on Long Island. She has over two decades of private sector experience in technology strategy development and relationship management, serving in executive leadership roles.Retha has received several citations and recognitions from organizations across New York State, including the publications, City & State NY and Long Island Business News; and serves on several advisory committees for diversity, equity, and inclusion. She serves as a Long Island Trustee of The Energeia Partnership, a think tank of regional leaders committed to the sustainability of Long Island and as the Board Chair of Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow, a nonprofit organization with the mission to break the cycle of poverty and inequity through education, job training, and employment. Her deep commitment to community service, youth development, and advocacy is demonstrated through her full engagement as a member with leadership roles in several Long Island community-based organizations.Retha holds a Bachelor of Science degree, Summa Cum Laude, in Organizational Management from St. Joseph’s University and is a Chopra Center Certified Meditation Instructor. She is devoted to her personal practice as she believes meditation and generating feelings of love and compassion for ourselves and others are the way to affect social change. "Live well, be well" is her mantra! Retha resides in Babylon with her husband of 19 years and their teenage son, Taylor, a college freshman at Howard University. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events10/banners/c8f264f0-cfbe-11f0-8029-05d09ca4897d-rimg-w559-h740-dcd7dde9-gmir.jpg - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/melville/beyond-the-ban-staying-grounded-amid-uncertainty-and-post-holiday-networking/100001975596589581 - **Event Categories**: workshops, holiday, meditation, health-wellness, contests, nonprofit, charities, job-fairs, storytelling - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket URL**: https://consumer.pxf.io/c/1339408/3151484/39691?partnerpropertyid=1191892&MediaPartnerPropertyId=1191892&svlink=14105511&level=1&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.com%2Fe%2Fbeyond-the-ban-staying-grounded-amid-uncertainty-post-holiday-networking-tickets-1975596589581 - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 33.85, max: 44.52, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Melville - **state**: NY - **country**: United States - **location**: CBIZ - **lat**: 40.7814623 - **long**: -73.43849469999999 - **full address**: CBIZ, 68 South Service Road, Melville, United States ## Event Organizer details - **affiliate_id**: 10 - **organizer**: AFPLI (https://allevents.in/org/afpli/17679735) ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: banner - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/3460125622700340f4256de260d60e34a6ac863bef3ab52b3c6fb1d1ecb0bba7-rimg-w1200-h300-dc014ea2-gmir.jpg?v=1764707904 - **Alt text**: thumbnail - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/2fe0461daa1c1466a0710eeb600decf9e5c3ae3b47e674edbd9adf64793bac43-rimg-w400-h400-dc024fa2-gmir.jpg?v=1764707904 ## FAQs - **Q**: When is the event happening? - **A:** Tue, 13 Jan, 2026 at 06:00 pm - **Q**: Where is the event happening? - **A:** CBIZ, 68 South Service Road, Melville, United States - **Q**: What is the ticket price? - **A:** starting from 33.85 up to 44.52 USD - **Q**: Who is organizing the event? - **A:** AFPLI - **Q**: What type of event is this? - **A:** workshops, holiday, meditation, health-wellness, contests, nonprofit, charities, job-fairs, storytelling - **Q**: Where can I find ticket details about Beyond the Ban: Staying Grounded Amid Uncertainty & Post Holiday Networking ? - **A:** You can find ticket details about this event on AllEvents. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Beyond the Ban: Staying Grounded Amid Uncertainty & Post Holiday Networking", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events9/banners/3460125622700340f4256de260d60e34a6ac863bef3ab52b3c6fb1d1ecb0bba7-rimg-w1200-h300-dc014ea2-gmir.jpg?v=1764707904", "startDate": "2026-01-13", "endDate": "2026-01-13", "url": "https://allevents.in/melville/beyond-the-ban-staying-grounded-amid-uncertainty-and-post-holiday-networking/100001975596589581", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "CBIZ", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "68 South Service Road", "postalCode": "11747", "addressLocality": "Melville", "addressRegion": "NY", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "40.7814623", "longitude": "-73.43849469999999" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "How can fundraisers continue diversity efforts in a time of great uncertainty?", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-05", "availabilityEnds": "2026-01-13", "validFrom": "2026-04-05", "lowPrice": "33.85", "highPrice": "44.52", "price": "33.85", "url": "https://allevents.in/melville/beyond-the-ban-staying-grounded-amid-uncertainty-and-post-holiday-networking/100001975596589581" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-05", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-05", "url": "https://allevents.in/melville/beyond-the-ban-staying-grounded-amid-uncertainty-and-post-holiday-networking/100001975596589581", "price": "33.85", "name": "AFP Members" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-04-05", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-04-05", "url": "https://allevents.in/melville/beyond-the-ban-staying-grounded-amid-uncertainty-and-post-holiday-networking/100001975596589581", "price": "44.52", "name": "Non-Members" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "AFPLI", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/afpli/17679735" } ] } ] ```