With so many great things happening at the annual conference next week, it’s hard to narrow it down. But here’s my list of 10 things you don’t want to miss.

#10 LEARNING TOURS. Get an up close and personal look into cutting-edge collaborations related to healthcare, cross-racial coalitions, Native communities and Portland’s Living Cully neighborhood. The tours will be followed by dinner on your own in nearby neighborhoods.

#9 DINE THE ‘COUVE. Experience Vancouver’s vibrant restaurant scene during hosted dinners on Day 1, Tuesday, Oct. 3. “Dine the ‘Couve” offers a selection of choices to tempt your taste buds.

#8. CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES. Start the conference off with our New Members & First Time Attendees Reception from 10 - 11 a.m. It’s the perfect way to plan out your schedule to make the most of the full conference agenda. Later that evening, join our always-popular Welcome Reception starting at 6:30 PM. You’ll get to know other attendees, reconnect with colleagues you haven’t seen for a while, and meet and mingle with presenters and panelists from across the country. On Day 2, CHANGE Philanthropy will host a Networking Reception from 8 - 9 p.m. CHANGE is igniting our sector to advance equity, and it’s sure to be a great time supporting this shared vision for philanthropy across the region.

#7 Peer-to-Peer Playdate. Back by popular demand are several learning salons where you can connect with your peers in the philanthropic sector. More than 50% of conference attendees are CEOs, Executive Directors, or Board Members. Don’t miss the CEO-to-CEO Conversation with Kiran Ahuja from 1 - 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 4 or the concurrent Trustee Salon.

#6 STAR-STUDDED THOUGHT LEADERS. You don’t want to miss our plenary sessions featuring a line-up of rockstar thought leaders who will offer their insights on the serious issues of the day. In our Welcome and Closing Plenaries, we’re honored to hear Dr. Gail Christopher, Eric Ward, Becky Munroe and Maulik Pancholy drop the knowledge about philanthropy’s role in combatting racism, hate and facilitating healing for our communities. At Thursday’s breakfast plenary former State Sen. Jason Atkinson, former Deputy Secretary of Labor Chris Lu, Northwest Health Foundation CEO Nichole June Maher, and our own Remy Trupin will weigh in on how philanthropy can use its power, platform and money towards systems change.

#5 LUNCH AND LEARN. Three networking lunches offer the opportunity to dive deeper into possible to partnership and collaboration. Scheduled for Wednesday 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m., topics range from how to strengthen nonprofit capacity with the Statewide Capacity Collaborative; an exploration of a new impact investing collaborative, the Northwest Bond Fund; and a discussion of Health Philanthropy Partnership on strategy in the current social and political climate.

#4 MEET THE MOMENTUM FELLOWS. We are excited to welcome our second cohort of the Momentum Fellowship who are joining us at the conference. Come meet this dynamic group of ten talented individuals as they begin their two-year journey in philanthropy.

#3 AND THE WINNER IS…Who will win the Mary Helen Moore 2017 Ambassador of the Year Award?! Shh…it’s a surprise. Show up to the membership meeting to find out who receives this coveted honor.

#2 KIRAN AHUJA is in the building! Come meet and welcome the new CEO of Philanthropy Northwest hear what’s on the horizon for the network at the Membership Meeting on Wednesday from 9 – 10 a.m.

#1 PHILANTHROPY gets INTERRUPTED! We interrupt our regular formatted program to give you the chance to curate the conversation you’ve been wanting to have during the final day of the conference. Join one of the peer-suggested topics already slated in our open space Philanthropy Interrupted sessions or propose your own. Topics so far include: DACA, the rise of organized hate, homelessness, spending policy, tax reform policy, STEM for rural and students of color and more.