This Month’s Featured Cool Cat:
Imad-Dean Kaddoura

With a career spanning more than 30 years, Imad had the insight of enhancing his fund development expertise by expanding his knowledge and specialization in one of the most vital and crucial key areas of organizational capacity building, namely the digitization and sustainability of funding for nonprofits.

 

From his early beginnings in sales and marketing to the emergence of his passion for and subsequent transition to the non-profit sector, Imad has consistently provided the highest level of skill and commitment for every client and every job that he has taken on in his career.

 

Having originally connected with our founder Kat Mooney at an Association of Fundraising (AFP) Fundamentals of Fundraising training session more than sixteen years ago, Imad had the honour of being invited to join Pounce Support Services™ as one of the Cool Cats in 2020! Since joining the team, Imad has provided clients with a wide array of specialties including (but certainly not limited to!):

 

  • Digital fundraising
  • Digital marketing
  • Lead generation
  • Development of diversified & sustainable fundraising infrastructures
  • Robust stewardship programs’ development
  • Fundraising through Blockchain innovation
  • AI solutions for nonprofits
  • Social impact funding

 

In addition to his passion for non-profit work, Imad has also developed a strong interest in technology over the years, particularly how the ever-evolving nature of digital technologies will impact society as we currently know it.

 

“People might not realize that we are actually experiencing what is called Internet 2.0, which is a centralized technology that came from the original Internet 1.0 from the end of the 20th century. And now, the world is changing, and Internet 3.0 is coming soon down the line.”

 

Originally self-taught, Imad’s interest in digital technology eventually led him to pursue a diploma and additional certifications within the field. This has allowed him to keep his finger on the pulse of the many innovations that are driving the evolution to Internet 3.0, especially those that will positively contribute to the non-profit sector. The fastest growing and dynamic of these trends comes in the form of systems such as Blockchain.

 

“Blockchain is simply a distributed ledger. Every new entry is a new block in the chain, visible to everyone with access and eliminating any third-party middlemen. The Blockchain technology was introduced to the world initially through the introduction of Bitcoin, however, Bitcoin is just one of the multitudes of applications that can operate on the vast Blockchain technology. As an analogy, Blockchain could be described as a smartphone and Bitcoin as one of the apps used on the phone.”

 

With his recent certification as a Blockchain expert, Imad has created the perfect space for the marrying of two professional passions: non-profit work and innovative technology. It is through this partnership of specialties that Imad is taking the next step in his professional career, one that will allow him to continue to uplift the important work being done in the non-profit sector.

 

“Blockchain is very transparent and very traceable; it offers phenomenal opportunities for the non-profit sector and for charities, especially in terms of fundraising and development, as it cannot be corrupted. The sky is really the limit for what this technology can provide.”

 

If you are looking to expand your knowledge of Blockchain and how it can serve non-profits, there is no better guide than Imad-Dean Kaddoura. If your organization needs help working with Block Chain technology, please call 780.819.0095.