Angel Oak Creative’s David Chatham proudly joins Apparo’s village of nonprofit support
In early 2024, David Chatham invited Apparo CEO, Kim Lanphear, to join him for a conversation on Angel Oak Creative’s podcast, “Nonprofit State of Minds“. Angel Oak Creative is a Triangle-based nonprofit marketing company on a mission to empower nonprofits to activate and inspire their communities. Like Apparo, Angel Oak Creative shares a similar vision of a world where every nonprofit can realize its maximum impact. David hosts “Nonprofit State of Minds” as one of his many duties serving as Senior Client Success Strategist and Director of Business Development for the organization.
Following David and Kim’s conversation, David returned to Apparo as a skilled volunteer, leading Digital Marketing workshops for our Cox Enterprises, G.A.I.N., and Bank of America Technology Foundations Cohorts, and providing Tech Therapy to Community Building Initiative. Reflecting on his volunteer experience, David shares, “The Tech Therapy support for Community Building Initiative gave me the opportunity to dig a little deeper to engage in conversation and understand the nonprofit experiences and challenges, and work together to identify some solutions. After working on their website, I felt like we all walked away with a sense of hope.”
“Helping an organization accomplish their goals, make a bigger impact, and reach more people is the reason we do what we do. Getting the right pieces in place can be a little tricky and it can take some investment to move to the next level, but it takes a village. We appreciate being a part of the village for nonprofits who need help identifying solutions and charting a path to the next level of success. It is always exciting when progress is made and so rewarding when a nonprofit is satisfied with their website.”
David works with nonprofit clients to improve their ability to deliver their services by adding value to their branding or messaging strategies, making him a perfect fit for presenting marketing and social media workshops to nonprofits in three Apparo cohorts. David continues, “We believe our best marketing comes when we’re able to get in front of people and share our experiences and expertise so presenting the workshops was a great opportunity. I hope the workshop was as valuable for the participants as it was for me, and I would love to present on other topics at the intersection of technology and marketing.”
Apparo’s Yenting Liu and Allison Grant nominated David for the spotlight; Yenting shares her experience working with Chatham, “David Chatham and his team have been a true blessing to our educational programs. David consistently responds to our workshop needs with eagerness and enthusiasm, bringing a spirit of partnership that I deeply appreciate. David and his team have a remarkable talent for taking complex and broad topics like digital marketing and breaking them down into clear, manageable pieces that perfectly fit the needs of our nonprofit partners. The wealth of knowledge and generosity he and his team bring to the table have been invaluable. I’m excited to work with David and his team again for our upcoming November webinar and am grateful for the continued collaboration.” Allison reflects on David’s work with a similar sentiment, “David’s engaging delivery, insightful content, and passion for making a difference were truly evident in the Digital Marketing workshop. David provided valuable information and inspired us with his dedication to empowering nonprofits through effective digital strategies. His commitment to helping others succeed is a shining example of the impact that skilled volunteering can have.”
Angel Oak Creative is also now a valued Expert Link partner, strengthening Apparo’s network of trusted organizations. David shares the value of being part of Apparo’s village, “Being able to point someone in Apparo’s direction and say, “I might not have the answer, but Apparo can find someone who does”, is a great feeling. I really appreciate the depth of knowledge and the relationships Apparo has with so many experts across the field. A year ago, I didn’t know Apparo existed and now I know they are such a great resource for the sector. The insights and skills that come from the Apparo circle are invaluable. Not only can I share my skillset to help nonprofits, but I also gain exposure to people and organizations I may have never come in contact with. I can deepen relationships with local organizations through Apparo, but also learn about and offer assistance to nonprofits in Charlotte, Atlanta, and places I don’t show up in every day otherwise, which is extremely valuable. We have gained exposure to nonprofits, but also had the opportunity to engage with new for-profit organizations and professionals in the field through Apparo, expanding our network and reach.”
Expanding the Village
Apparo is hopeful about expansion in the Triangle and values the partnerships that fuel that growth. Volunteers like David allow Apparo to grow our village, reach Triangle-area nonprofits, and positively transform communities in new geographic areas. David discusses his experience working with Apparo to make an impact in the Triangle, “I love the nonprofit sector, and our home is here in the Triangle, so anything I can do to make Apparo’s mission more effective in our area I’m always interested in, but volunteering with Apparo certainly exceeded my expectations in terms of being able to deliver our best services. I was really impressed with the level of skill from Apparo and how they relate to clients and partners; everyone is so generous and easy to work with. I am a technology guy, but Apparo takes things to the next level.”
In closing, David encourages others to connect with Apparo, “To an organization that has not explored a partnership with Apparo, I encourage everyone to contribute to the work that Apparo does. Whether in time, treasure, or talent, the relationships and resources that come from supporting Apparo are incredibly valuable and the more people who understand that, the more nonprofits can take advantage of this opportunity to improve their operations, fundraising, programming, and ability to fulfill their mission. I look forward to seeing more of Apparo in the Triangle.”
