Meet Our 2025 Facilitators
Dzenan Berberovic, M.A., CFRE
Refugee of war. Immigrant. Difference-maker.
Some people feel called to be a champion of the world’s least and last. Dzenan Berberovic (JE-nahn Bur-bur-oh-vik) is committed to making lives better.
Born and raised in one of the poorest countries of the world, war-torn Bosnia, his humble beginnings were a stepping stone that shaped him into the professional he is today. A resident of a refugee camp and Germany for six years, Dzenan and his mother immigrated to the United States when he was nine years old.
Today, Dzenan has the honor of serving Avera as Chief Philanthropy Officer and Foundation President. Inspired by a stranger’s generosity, Dzenan was led to his life’s work: philanthropy.
At Avera, an organization that cares for a population of one million individuals across a five-state footprint, Dzenan is the executive sponsor of philanthropy. He leads Avera’s philanthropic agenda to better serve patients, families, residents and employees. Prior to joining Avera, he held increasingly responsible roles at his alma mater, University of South Dakota, where he served as Executive Director for Principal Giving. During his career, Dzenan has also held Chief of Staff responsibilities and has been responsible for managing key internal and external relationships, strategies and initiatives.
Dzenan’s work spans the continuum of philanthropy: annual giving, marketing, special events, donor services, development operations, campaigns, and individual giving programs focused on major, lead and principal-level gifts. He has served and led teams to raise more than $550 million.
Dzenan and his wife, Kelsey, reside in Sioux Falls, SD. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Dakota. He received a graduate degree from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Philanthropy and Development. Dzenan holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) Credential.
Dzenan was named the Outstanding Young Professional by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Global. Prior to transitioning to healthcare, Dzenan received the Rising Star Award by the Council for Advancement in Support of Education (CASE). He was named Outstanding Graduate Student at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) recognized him as a 40 Under 40 recipient. In 2023, he was named Tomorrow’s Leader by the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA). Becker’s Hospital Review has listed Dzenan as a “Rising Star Under 40.”
Dzenan is involved in the community and serves on several regional and inter/national nonprofit boards and committees, including the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation Board of Trustees.
R. Ethan Braden
R. Ethan Braden serves as Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Texas A&M University. Drawn there because of its rich brand, unrivaled network, storied tradition, academic excellence, research prowess, and commitment to selfless service, Ethan brings a passion for building brands and teams that people worldwide love and trust to Aggieland. Reporting to Texas A&M’s President, retired four-star general Mark Welsh, Braden leads the University’s storytelling and reputation-building strategies, passionately positioning, promoting, and protecting the powerful, $3 billion Texas A&M brand nationwide and globally.
After one year in role, Texas A&M University is now the most visible and recognized university in the state of Texas, as evidenced by higher education research and consulting firm American Caldwell via their annual Global University Visibility (GUV) rankings. The rankings measure a university’s global visibility using news mentions, level of public interest and online searches, size of its online footprint, social media followers, visits to the university’s website, and video views. Texas A&M University is ranked #14 for universities in the United States and #6 among US public universities behind only Purdue University, Michigan, Berkeley, UCLA, and Arizona State.
Ethan’s advice on brand building, marketing, leadership, and higher education has appeared in Fast Company magazine, The Washington Post, Ad Age, The Hechinger Report, and Morning Brew. He has spoken at Salesforce’s Dreamforce, Connections, AdWeek’s Brandweek, Google Marketing Live, and keynoted at Content Marketing World.
In 2023, Ethan was named 2023 Content Marketer of the Year (B2C) by the Content Marketing Institute, selected among thousands of potential candidates and finalists including senior marketing leaders from State Farm and the National Humane Society. NPR reported that “if there is a top dog in higher ed marketing, it’s Ethan Braden.”
Prior to Texas A&M University, Ethan served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at both Purdue University and Purdue Global. Ethan transformed Purdue’s marketing engine into the enthusiastic driverofPurdue’s brand, growth, and prosperitythrough emotive storytelling, marketing prowess, and team development. His leadership resulted in the team’s production of award-winning content, with over 55 million YouTube views of its video content in 2023 alone. During his tenure, Fast Company Magazine selected Purdue University as a “Brand That Matter” three years in a row, the only university on a list with Fortune 100 icons including Ford, McDonald’s, and Nike. Fast Company Magazine also selected Purdue University as one of its “Most Innovative Companies” in 2022, the only university on the list, ahead of both NASA and Disney, and “#1 Most Innovative” in the Education category.
In 2020, Ethan and Purdue University swept the American Marketing Association’s annual awards for higher education as Ethan was named ‘Marketer of the Year’ and Purdue’s central marketing team was honored as ‘Team of the Year’.
Before Purdue, Ethan excelled in marketing and sales leadership roles at Eli Lilly & Company for over a decade, helping to build and launch billion-dollar brands including Cymbalta and Jardiance. Ethan earned his MBA from the University of Notre Dame and a bachelor’s degree from Willamette University. He, his wife Betsy, and their three children now call College Station home, embracing ‘Howdy,’ the heat, and the maroon-hot Aggie Spirit.
SUMMIT REGISTRATION & INFORMATION
2025 Schedule
Sunday, January 26
| Time | Program | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Invitation Only: FFE Board of Directors Reception | The Cape: Rooftop (Bar/Cabanas) |
Monday, January 27
| Time | Program | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Invitation Only: FFE Board of Directors Meeting | The Cape: A-Frame I |
| 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | First-Time Attendee Registration and Orientation | The Cape: A-Frame II |
| 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. | Welcome Reception & Returning Attendee Registration | The Cape: Glimpse (Rooftop Location) |
| 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. | Welcome Dinner | The Cape: Glimpse (Rooftop Location) |
Tuesday, January 28
| Time | Program | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast | The Cape: Manta |
| 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. | Day 1 Opening Session with FFE | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 9:30 a.m. – noon | Speaker Workshop: Maximizing Market Share and Inspiring Impact with Dzenan Berberovic, Avera Health This workshop will explore strategies for increasing market share in philanthropy – both in dollar growth and percentage of overall giving. It focuses on how tenured fundraising professionals can strengthen their fundraising efforts. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how fraternities and sororities can compete effectively in the nonprofit space, inspire alumni/ae and friends, and build stronger, enduring relationships. | The Cape: A-Frame |
| noon – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch | The Cape: Manta |
| 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Facilitated Group Discussion, TED Talks and Peer Learning: 1:00 – 1:45 pm | Legal & Financial Trends Discussion with AMG National Trust; Blue & Co; and Fraternal Law Partners 1:45 – 3:00 pm | Donor Retention & Fundraising Success >> TED Talk: Challenge Giving Innovation: Driving Annual Fund Growth & Retention with Ryan King, Delta Upsilon Educational Foundation and Alicia Lifrak, Digital Intersection >> Facilitated Large Group Discussion and Peer Learning: Innovation for Transformational Giving | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. | Casual Reception and Networking | The Cape: Lobby Bar |
| 5:30 p.m. | Optional Registration Add-On: Poolside Buffet Dinner at The Cape | The Cape – Pool |
Wednesday, January 29
| Time | Program | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 – 8:00 a.m. | Breakfast | The Cape: Manta |
| 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. | Day 2 Opening Session with FFE | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 8:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. | Speaker Workshop: People, Processes, and Performance with Dzenan Berberovic, Avera Health On day two, participants will explore strategies for building enduring relationships, emphasizing market share growth and the effective use of success measures to inspire staff, strategic partners, and constituents. This session will focus on inspiring lifelong commitment to philanthropy among constituents while exploring key practices such as journey mapping, portfolio management, and stewardship best practices. | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Peer Learning: Talent Development & Retention >> TED Talk: The Secret Sauce: Key Ingredients for a Supercharged Team with Shelly Bateman, Tri Sigma Foundation >> TED Talk: Motivating Frontline Fundraisers with Performance-Based Compensation Plans with Dan Hartmann, Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation and Scott Bova, Triangle Education Foundation | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. | Lunch & Group Photo | The Cape: Manta |
| 12:45 – 1:00 p.m. | Amplifying Sorority and Fraternities Matter Campaign Updates with Marsha Grady, FFE and Jud Horras, NIC | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Speaker Workshop: Marketing and Storytelling in Higher Education… What’s Changed in Two Years? with Ethan Braden, Texas A&M University | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Facilitated Group Discussion & Peer Learning: Recruiting & Retaining Talent | The Cape – Pool |
| 3:00 p.m. | Casual Reception | The Cape – Lobby Bar |
| Various | Dinner | On Your Own |
Thursday, January 30
| Time | Program | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. | Breakfast | The Cape: Manta |
| 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. | Summit Sendoff – Sharpening the Saw with FFE One of the most valuable aspects of the Summit experience is the natural world that surrounds us at The Cape. This rare and powerful conference environment presents us with a unique opportunity for reflection, introspection, and renewal – both personally and professionally. As we close our time together at Summit, we will lean in to this opportunity by using lessons and stories inspired by Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to enact strategies for renewal based on Habit 7: Sharpening the Saw. | The Cape: A-Frame |
| 10:00 a.m. | Departures | On Your Own |
