30 Nonprofit IT Influencers to Follow in 2023
Nonprofits today are navigating a dynamic landscape. Digital transformation is a priority, with organizations increasingly leveraging innovative technologies such as cloud computing, data analytics and automation to streamline operations and amplify their social impact.
But nonprofits must be strategic, as financial constraints may limit their ability to invest in IT solutions. At the same time, there is a need to upskill their workforces to effectively harness new technologies and become better equipped to handle cybersecurity risks.
Despite these obstacles, the nonprofit IT industry remains committed to the greater good, driving efforts to bridge the digital divide, promote equitable access, and foster positive change in communities.
To spotlight these individuals making a difference, BizTech has assembled a list of 30 nonprofit IT influencers worth following right now. All of these individuals are savvy, insightful and have found ways to bring a human spark to technology.
Click the banner to learn about BizTech’s 30 Small Business IT Influencers to Follow in 2023.
Afua Bruce is a management consultant, public speaker and author working at the intersection of strategy, technology, and the public interest. Her latest book, cowritten with Amy Sample Ward (another influencer on our list), is The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Technologists and Philanthropists Can Build an Equitable World.
Reach: 2K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 3.7 K LinkedIn Followers
Allison Fine is the president of Every.org. As a nonprofit futurist, she embraces topics such as automation and artificial intelligence, and how organizations can use these technologies to build resiliency for the future in a particularly precarious time. Her 2022 bestselling book, The Smart Nonprofit, dived deep into this topic, exploring how humanity can complement AI and smart technologies. She is also a regularly quoted expert for BizTech magazine.
Reach: 2.7K X (formerly Twitter) Followers
A recognized leader in the nonprofit space, Allyson Fryhoff specializes in analyzing complex technology concepts and building business value propositions for nonprofits. As managing director of nonprofits at Amazon Web Services, she focuses on business development for nonprofits plus IoT, innovation and cloud computing.
Reach: 500+ X (formerly Twitter) Followers
As the founder and executive director of Nonprofit Tech, Alnisa Allgood is a cheerleader for nonprofits, technology, web design and social media. Her social media accounts are chock-full of practical technology advice and strategies for nonprofits. She is an all-around techie with over 25 years as a leader in the field.
Reach: 1K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 3K LinkedIn Followers
Amy Neumann is the founder of Resourceful Nonprofit, an organization that helps supply nonprofits with tools and resources to help them get the most out of technology. In addition to being an advocate for diversity and inclusion in nonprofits, Neumann is also a thought leader on using artificial intelligence for the sector.
Reach: 50.7K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 500 LinkedIn Followers
Amy Sample Ward is all about tech for good. They are the CEO of NTEN.org and the author of The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Philanthropists, and Technologists Can Build an Equitable World. Education is at the heart of technology use in the nonprofit sector, and NTEN is an influential organization dedicated to using tech ethically to promote change.
Reach: 31.4K Business X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 21.3K Personal X (formerly Twitter) Followers
AFP is an essential source of information and support for fundraising professionals throughout the nonprofit industry, and it provides its 19,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) with regular tips, invitations to webinars, research and more.
Reach: 18.6K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 90,657 LinkedIn Followers
Beth Kanter is a nonprofit tech leader and an active voice on social media. She provides practical advice for nonprofit IT leaders and tech insights on both foundational and emerging tech. She has been recognized by Fast Company as an innovator in digital transformation and workplace wellness and has received a NTEN Lifetime Achievement Award.
Reach: 329.6K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 522.9K LinkedIn followers
Birgit Pauli-Haack specializes in web strategy and coding for nonprofits. In addition to her extensive customer service management knowledge, Pauli-Haack also leads the conversation in site editing and security. She runs the Gutenberg Times, an aggregator of news about the Gutenberg WordPress Block Editor, which has been downloaded by tens of thousands of users.
Reach: 6.1K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 1.3K LinkedIn Followers
An expert at helping nonprofits hone their fundraising strategy, Brock Warner is a partner at the consulting firm Broccoli and the author of From the Ground Up: Digital Fundraising for Nonprofits. An active voice on social media, he specializes in connecting donors through technology.
Reach: 5.3K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 3.4K LinkedIn Followers
A nonprofit industry expert, Ted Talk speaker and philanthropic futurist, Dan Pallotta is most known for creating the multiday charitable event industry. A frequent speaker on social enterprise and nonprofit fundraising, he has been a presenter for Google, Stanford University, The Wharton School, Brown University, Harvard’s Hauser Institute for Civil Society, the Philanthropy Roundtable and the Gates Foundation. His books, including The Everyday Philanthropist and Uncharitable, discuss how technology can supercharge an organization’s impact.
Reach: 19.5K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 6.3K LinkedIn Followers
A champion of nonprofits and IT leadership, Dana Snyder is all about “tech for good.” She is the CEO of Positive Equation, podcast host of Missions to Movements, and a digital marketer and keynote speaker. She frequently shares fundraising tips and expert advice for how nonprofits can grow their presence and social impact.
Reach: 6.4K LinkedIn Followers | 2.8K Instagram Followers
A true champion of social good, Devin Thorpe is a writer, podcaster and thought leader. With a recognized name in social impact, he has interviewed more than 1,200 change-makers, including celebrities, CEOs, billionaires and philanthropists, for Forbes and his YouTube show. Currently, he is the CEO and founder of The Super Crowd, a public benefit corporation that crowdfunds community events.
Reach: 40K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 15K LinkedIn Followers
Working at the intersection of education leaders, researchers and technology developers, Digital Promise is a global nonprofit working to expand opportunity for every learner. They work with educators, researchers, technology leaders, and communities to design, investigate, and scale innovations that support learners, especially those who’ve been historically excluded.
Reach: 34.9K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 14K LinkedIn Followers
Harlan Yu is a technologist and the executive director of Upturn, an organization that works to advance equity and justice in the design, governance and use of technology. Yu, an alum of the Center for Information Technology at Princeton University, explores the positive use of technology throughout society and how organizations can use artificial intelligence equitably.
Reach: 3.1K X (formerly Twitter) Followers
Currently the chief technology and analytics officer at ACLU, Ijeoma Genevieve Mbamalu has over a decade of experience in data science and technology. She specializes in tech projects centered on mission-critical solutions.
Reach: 3.4K LinkedIn Followers
Jana London is the senior global program manager of nonprofit business and social impact at Amazon Web Services. An active voice in this space, she specializes in providing strategic leadership as nonprofits work to overcome obstacles in using technology to advance their mission and impact.
Reach: 319K via AWS Nonprofits X (formerly Twitter) followers | 500+ LinkedIn Followers
One of the leading voices in the nonprofit space, Jay Frost has over three decades of experience, working to fundraise on a large scale for thousands of charitable organizations around the world. He has been recognized as one of America's Top 10 Fundraising Experts by Philanthropy Media, one of the Top Eight Fundraising Influencers by Elevation Media, one of the Top Nonprofit Fundraising Consultants by Double the Donation. He shares how technology can help organizations reach donors.
Reach: 16.5K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 8.7K LinkedIn Followers
A nonprofit educator and strategist, John Kenyon has over twenty years of experience helping nonprofits achieve their digital transformation goals. With maximum social impact in mind, he advises organizations in decisions regarding culture, technology, communications, development, programs and operations. He has given keynote talks at the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and has served as faculty for several institutions, including the Alliance for Strong Families & Communities' Executive Leadership Institute and Masters of Nonprofit Administration program at the University of San Francisco.
Reach: 2.2K X (formerly Twitter) Followers
Julia Campbell is the host of the popular podcast Nonprofit Nation, a keynote speaker and founder of a nonprofit marketing company. A frequent and celebrated voice on social media, she regularly interviews nonprofit industry experts and practitioners to share best practices for how nonprofit leaders can develop a vibrant and engaged social community around a cause. On her website, she also shares how digital tools can improve nonprofit marketing and fundraising efforts.
Reach: 17.6K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 18.4K LinkedIn Followers
With over a decade of nonprofit fundraising experience, Justin Wheeler is on a mission to help nonprofits scale their business. As the co-founder and CEO of Funraise and the podcast host of Nonstop Nonprofit, he specializes in helping nonprofits grow their online revenue while deepening connections with their donors. Using tech, he helps nonprofits streamline their fundraising pipeline.
Reach: 2.1K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 14.5K LinkedIn Followers
The former vice president of ATL Tech Village, an Atlanta technology incubator, Karen Houghton is the founder of Infinite Giving, a provider of software that automates nonprofits' investment strategy and grows their contributions
Reach: 3.7 X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 6.4K LinkedIn Followers
Kimberly Bryant is the founder and CEO of Black Girls CODE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to “changing the face of technology” by introducing young women of color (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer science. Bryant is also a TEDx speaker and the founder and CEO of Ascend Ventures Tech and Black Innovation Tech LABS.
Reach: 115.3K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 128.5K LinkedIn Followers
Kishore Balasubramanya is CTO of the PAN Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides financial help to patients with chronic, life-threatening or rare diseases. An accomplished IT leader, he has years of experience delivering impactful solutions and working with industry-leading software products and platforms to help others navigate complex healthcare and business IT challenges.
Reach: 1K+ LinkedIn Followers
The largest network of nonprofits in the United States, the National Council of Nonprofits has been a champion of the nonprofit community for over 30 years. The Council offers newsletters, resources, workshops and expert advice with nonprofit leaders from across the country with the goal of supporting the public good.
Reach: 20K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 38.3K LinkedIn Followers
With 50,000-plus monthly visitors and more than 1 million followers on social networks, Nonprofit Tech for Good is a leading technology resource for nonprofit professionals. Since its founding in 2005, the organization has focused on providing useful, easy-to-understand news and resources related to digital marketing and fundraising.
Reach: 769.7K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 14.8K LinkedIn Followers
An expert in fundraising, Pamela Grow delivers advice to her 20,000 followers on X (formerly Twitter) on how nonprofits can harness social media and other digital tools to amplify their stories for potential donors. She is also the publisher of the weekly nonprofit newsletter called Basics & More and is the founder of GrowConsultingPA, a nonprofit consulting firm.
Reach: 19.7K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 2.2K LinkedIn Followers
With over 23 years of experience securing scalable infrastructure, Sajed Khan is a visionary thought leader and results-driven executive in the nonprofit space. As the senior director of cybersecurity and risk at the American Heart Association, he specializes in aligning technology to the organization’s core mission.
Reach: 300K + via American Heart Association X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 2K LinkedIn Followers
The Stanford Social Innovation Review is a thought leader in the nonprofit space. Since its founding, SSIR has sought to inform millions of social change leaders from around the world with webinars, conferences, magazines, online articles, podcasts, and more. It bridges research, theory and practice on a wide range of topics, including human rights, business, technology and more. SSIR is published by the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University. Its podcast, Uncharted Ground, hosted by Jonathan Levine, tells the stories of nonprofit and social entrepreneurs at the forefront of global development.
Reach: 142.9K X (formerly Twitter) Followers | 45.16K LinkedIn Followers
Steve Heye is a nonprofit technology expert working for NetSuite’s social impact team. In addition to promoting grants that the team gives to various organizations, Heye shares his expertise on topics such as data resilience and digital transformation.
Reach: 2.9K X (formerly Twitter) Followers
