Imagine being lost somewhere in the Sahara Desert. Your map wouldn’t be much help if you didn’t know where you were! But a compass can guide you, even in a sandstorm. So the question is: What’s your compass, and where is it taking you?

As a young man, Steve Donahue actually attempted the incredible feat of crossing the Sahara. Blinding sandstorms, relentless heat, mysterious nomads — this harrowing journey nearly cost Steve his life. But it also taught him valuable lessons about leadership, success, balance, and risk taking that we can all apply to our own professional and personal lives.

Today, Steve is an international best-selling author (Shifting Sands; A Guidebook for Crossing the Deserts of Change) and documentary filmmaker. A former stand-up comedian, he’ll make you laugh while you learn! With humor, music, and stories from his adventure traversing the world’s largest desert, he’ll show you how to make sure you’re heading in the right direction over constantly shifting terrain.

Marc Chardon joined Blackbaud as president and CEO in November 2005. Previously, he served as chief financial officer for the $11 billion Information Worker business group at Microsoft^®, where he was responsible for the core functions of long-term strategic financial planning and business performance management. He joined Microsoft in August 1998 as general manager of Microsoft^® France. 

During his three-year leadership, the subsidiary remained one of the three most admired companies by French professionals and achieved increased customer satisfaction. Mr. Chardon is an American/French dual national. He is an economics honors graduate from Harvard University.