MT. VERNON — Area volunteers in public, private and nonprofit organizations will be able to learn more about how to help others and their own development during the Southern Illinois Volunteerism Conference.

The theme for the SIVC this year is “Lighting the Way for Service and Success.”

“I think we have a very dynamic lineup this year,” said organizer Jennifer Witzel. “The conference speakers are those who will be able to help volunteer and volunteer managers who are new, and those who have been doing this for 25 years — there will be something for everyone.”

The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn on Sept. 23. The conference, which has been in existence for 12 years, provides training opportunities for volunteer leaders and managers in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. It also will  provide professional development workshops for volunteers.

Keynote speakers for the event are Karen Foss and Jen White.

Foss is the senior vice president of communications and brand management of the Ameren Corp. Prior to her work with Ameren, Foss spent more than 25 years as a nationally recognized newscaster with KSDK-TV in St. Louis. Foss won six Emmy Awards and was inducted into the Silver Circle by the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences in 2005. She has actively supported organizations including the Salvation Army to Paraquad, a nonprofit dedicated to helping the disabled establish homes and jobs to become more independent.

Other awards which highlight Foss’ commitment to volunteerism is the Paraquad Service Award in 1983; the first recipient of the St. Louis Ambassadors “Sprit of St. Louis” award in 1985; the St. Louis Suburban Journals Woman of Achievement Award in 1989; the YMCA Special Leadership Award in 1989; and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Persons Roy Wilkins Freedom Award in 1992.

White is the leadership development coordinator at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria.

According to information provided in advance of the conference, she is proud to work “with the finest mission-driven, values-based, community-focused healthcare system in Central Illinois.”

Her speaking style is described as “info-tainment,” and has been honed by her first career goal of becoming a stand-up comedian as well as her second career as a speech team coach at Illinois State University.

White has worked for nearly 20 years as a leadership consultant with organizations ranging from Caterpillar to Heartland Bank & Trust, the Peoria Civic Center and Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America.

Workshops include The Art of Delegation by Sheri Seibold, specialist of 4-H Youth with the University of Illinois Extension; Volunteer Driven Fundraising by Tina Barnard, the director of development for Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois; The Four P’s of a Volunteer — Plan, Promise, Pluses and Problems by Amanda Guinn, director of Americorps in Belleville and Don Baden, director of Americorps in St. Louis; Casting a Wider Net by Cindy Stath, director of volunteer services for Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana; Real Colors by Dana Hoffmann, educator, 4-H development with the University of Illinois Extension; Changing Times: How to Deal by Suzanne Kutter-Siburt, assistant director, Leadership and Volunteer Services Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville; Power Surge: Tapping the Youth Potential by Robin Block, SADD State Coordinator; Coaching 101 by Jacqueline Gomez, chief operating officer of Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois; From Granddads to iPads: Understanding Intergenerational Communications by Jason A. Huff, interim director of development and campaign manager of St. John’s Mercy Hospital Foundation in Washington, Mo.; Moving from What To So What — Evaluating Volunteer Programs by Rick Skinner, vice president, Volunteer Center United Way of Greater St. Louis; Diversity Bingo by Donna Moody, director of multicultural services, Southwestern Illinois College; Emergency and Disaster Response in Emergency Management by Diane Logsdon on behalf of the Illinois Citizen Corps Council; Recognizing Community Volunteerism; and To Sustainability and Beyond by Rachel Hollinshead, community and economic development educator, University of Illinois Extension.

Those who attend the conference have the opportunity to earn half a credit hour of continuing education through a partnership with Rend Lake College. In addition, the workshops and training can also be used to meet requirements for certification in Volunteer Administration Recertification.

The cost of the conference is $25, which includes light morning snacks, lunch, exhibitors’ hall and a book store.

Registration information is available online at www.sivc.net, by contacting  Witzel at 242-8266 or jwitzel@onehopeunited.org, or by calling the Serve Illinois Commission toll-free at (800) 592-9896.