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Speaker Biographies

Bandelloni_Donna.jpg Donna Bandelloni is currently the Director of Gift Planning for Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health. The Foundation is the fundraising entity for Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford and the pediatric programs at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Donna is responsible for providing gift and legacy planning services to donors and professional advisors.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Donna served as vice president and senior director of charitable gift services at Mellon Financial Services Corporation. Previously, she was managing director of Paul L. Comstock Wealth Advisory Services and director of advisory services for the San Francisco Foundation. For over 20 years Donna has served in a number of senior charitable roles for several national financial services institutions as a philanthropic consultant to individuals, families and the institutions they support.

She currently serves as a Board Member for The Neag School of Education, The University of Connecticut. Donna also serves as an advisor to the Marin Community Foundation, Give 2 Asia, Saint Raphael's Church, and sits on the Finance and Investment Committee for De Silva Island HOA.

Donna has a BS and an MA from the Neag School of Education and resides in Mill Valley, CA.
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Elizabeth A. Bawden began her career in the tax department at the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and joined Charles Larson in private practice in 2004. Ms. Bawden specializes in estate planning, planned giving and tax exempt organizations. She is certified by the California Board of Legal Specialization as a legal specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law. She has been named multiple times as a "Southern California Rising Star" by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Ms. Bawden is a graduate of Wheaton College in Illinois and the UCLA School of Law where she served as Executive Editor of the UCLA Law Review. After law school, Ms. Bawden clerked for Judge Wiley Y. Daniel of the Federal District Court in Colorado. Ms. Bawden is adjunct faculty at the UCLA School of Law teaching Estate and Gift Tax, has taught planned giving at the UCLA Extension, and is regularly featured as a speaker at continuing education programs. She served as 2009-2010 Chair of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and 2007 President of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southern California. Ms. Bawden is invested in her local community and is involved with Los Angeles Social Venture Partners as a partner.

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Nancy G. Baxter, CIMA Senior Philanthropic Investment Manager Philanthropic Services Strategic Business Segment Nancy Baxter is a Senior Vice President and Senior Philanthropic Investment Manager for Philanthropic Services at Wells Fargo. Ms. Baxter and her team work with Wells Fargo investment professionals across the country to help attract, retain and service charitable entities. They develop and execute investment strategies for nonprofit organizations’ endowment and deferred gift programs as well as for philanthropic individuals and their charitable plans.

Ms. Baxter joined Wells Fargo in 1999 as the Regional Investment Manager in the Pasadena region. In this role, she supervised a group of Investment Managers as well as designed and executed investment strategies for families, foundations, partnerships and public charities. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Ms. Baxter managed individual as well as endowment and charitable portfolios at Scudder Kemper Investments. In addition, Ms. Baxter administered and sold Investment Management and Trust relationships for Northern Trust Bank of California. She began her more than 25 year career in financial services as a broker with Sutro & Company in Los Angeles and spent several years in New York City delivering global macro-economic and strategic asset allocation information to money managers in the US and overseas.

Ms. Baxter is a volunteer with a number of nonprofit organizations and has served as a board member of the Los Angeles Opera and The Colburn School, and as past board chair of Shakespeare Festival/LA, and as a Corporate Fellow at The Huntington Library, Art Gallery and Botanical Gardens.

Ms. Baxter graduated from The Colorado College with a BA in Political Science and received an MBA in Finance from The Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management at The Claremont Graduate University. She has taken Ph.D. coursework at The Drucker School and is a graduate of Leadership California and Leadership Pasadena. Ms. Baxter holds the Certified Investment Management Analyst credential.






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Barbara Bergstein specializes in elder law and estate planning. Her practice includes estate and gift taxation planning, asset preservation for government benefits (Medi-Cal), durable powers of attorney and probate, including probate and trust controversy.

Ms. Bergstein is frequently consulted regarding the uses and drafting of special needs trusts for families with disabled children. In addition, she frequently drafts special needs trusts in personal injury settlements for disabled minors and adults.

Ms. Bergstein is the author of “The Uses of Irrevocable Special Needs Trusts in Gift and Estate Tax Planning” which appeared in Tax Information Perspectives, a publication of the Estate & Gift Tax Subcommittee, California Tax Bar.

She is the parent of a child with Autism and has experienced first hand the heartache and struggles of having a loved one with special needs. She has served as a board member of the Autism Society of Los Angeles and often speaks to parents about the rights of children disabilities.Ms. Bergstein has served on the Executive Boards of the State Bar Estate and Gift Tax Committee and the Los Angeles County Bar Trusts and Estates Section.
She received the State Bar of California Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Award two times and is a member of the California State Bar and of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

She is a frequent lecturer for the State Bar of California, AICPA, the Cal CPA Education Foundation and other professional organizations.

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Rebecca Bibleheimer, JD, LLM, has been working as a trust officer for US Bank Charitable Services Group for over five years. She is a planned giving specialist and prior to working with CSG practiced estate planning law at a tax boutique firm. She has a Legal Letters Masters from University of Florida Levin College of Law in taxation. Her current volunteer work includes serving on the Board of the Oregon Humane Society as well as the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable.

Bradford_Carol.jpg Carol Bradford is Senior Counsel to and Charitable Advisor at the California Community Foundation (CCF), a nonprofit organization serving the communities of Los Angeles since 1915 through philanthropy and civic engagement initiatives in areas such as arts, education, health care, housing, and human development.  In her dual role, she provides internal counsel on legal matters and external assistance to professional legal advisors and wealth managers on the establishment of charitable funds and foundations for their clients, gifting and liquidation of complex assets, and grant making to nonprofit organizations.
   
Bradford began her professional career as a lawyer in Los Angeles, first with Quinn Emanuel and then with Steptoe & Johnson.  She subsequently specialized in business litigation at a local banking concern, Coast Federal Bank, before joining CCF in 2001.  For a time, Bradford also served as Philanthropic Services Officer at the Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County.
 
Bradford is a member of the State Bar of California and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.  She serves as Chair of the Exempt Organizations Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Taxation Section, and Vice Chair & Treasurer for the Estate Counselors Forum of Los Angeles.  She is a former board member for the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Greater Los Angeles.  Bradford is active in several local professional women's organizations, including Broads Circle and Step Up Women's Network.  She is a frequent speaker on legal and tax issues surrounding complex charitable giving as well as on the business of community foundations.

Bradford holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, and a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles.  Her past charitable board affiliations include the Monterey County Victim-Offender Reconciliation Program, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale.  An accomplished choral singer who has sung with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and the Carmel Bach Festival Chorus, she is a voting member of the Recording Academy (Grammy®).

Buckley_S.jpg Stephanie Buckley is the Director for the Center for Estate and Gift Planning at Pepperdine University, Stephanie works with current and prospective donors raising planned and major gifts on behalf of the University. She assists donors with the preparation of their estate plan including identifying and creating estate and financial planning tools specific to donors needs. Stephanie organizes various planned giving and estate planning presentations on behalf of Pepperdine University and assists with training for all of Pepperdines fundraisers. She teaches the Planned Giving course offered through UCLA Extension and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Planned Giving Today. Stephanie earned her law degree from UCLA School of Law with a specialization in Taxation and Business Law. She completed her LL.M. in Taxation with Honors at Loyola Law School. She currently serves as a trustee for the Heifer International Foundation and is the past president for the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Greater Los Angeles. She is also a past president for the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Ventura County. Stephanie is a member of the State Bar of California.
Burrill.jpg Janice H. Burrill currently serves as a Philanthropic Consultant within Wells Fargo's Philanthropic Services team.  In this role, she advises public charities, private foundations and individuals on various aspects of philanthropy.  Ms. Burrill joined Wells Fargo in 1995 as National Manager of the Charitable Management Group (now Philanthropic Services).  Prior to joining Wells Fargo, Ms. Burrill was Director of Planned Giving for five years at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  She also practiced law with both Shearman & Sterling and Graham & James.   Ms. Burrill holds a BS degree in Accounting from Loyola Marymount University and a law degree from Loyola Law School.

Ms. Burrill has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including NCPG, the Los Angeles Women's Foundation, Ramona Convent Secondary School, the Serra Project and Holy Family Services.  She is past president of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Southern California and chaired the Western Regional Planned Giving Conference.  She is an active volunteer and speaker within the philanthropic sector and participated in the White House Conference on Philanthropy.

Dolan_Bill.jpg Bill Dolan, JD, has been a trust officer with the Charitable Services Group for six years.  He graduated from Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon and is a member of the Oregon Bar Association. 

He has legal and non-profit management experience and is a planned giving specialist. 


Donikian_Claudine2.jpg Claudine Donikian is the vice president of marketing & consulting services at Pentera, Inc., in Boston.  Certified by the Direct Marketing Association and holding an MBA with a focus in marketing, she has worked for Pentera for seven years in marketing for the company and for its clients.  She oversees all aspects of the company's own marketing, including strategy, creative production, and implementation of Pentera's marketing communications, and writes most of the creative copy.  She also works with nonprofits' planned giving departments, advising them on direct marketing strategies and best practices, as well as on creative design and messaging for direct marketing tools (mail and Internet), and writes and/or oversees the creative conceptualization, design, and copy for client materials. Claudine combines her theoretical grounding in marketing with her hands-on experience of applying it to gift planning marketing and speaks on these topics at a national level at Pentera Planned Giving Seminars, training planned giving officers and directors from the nation's top nonprofits, as well as at regional planned giving councils.
 
Claudine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University, received an MA in French from New York University, and holds a JD and an MBA from Boston College Law School and the Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College respectively. She is an active member of NCPG, PGGNE, and PGGGNY; she served on the planning committee of PGGGNY's all-day conference for three years; she is on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund; and she is a recent member of the steering committee of the Council at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Claudine also teaches French at Boston-area colleges as an adjunct professor, and her engaging and funny style makes her a popular teacher at Adult Education Centers in Boston.

Ehlers_Jim.jpg Jim Ehlers is the Director of Planned Giving for Claremont Graduate University.  He joined CGU in 2007 after working as the Director of Planned Giving and Major Gifts at his alma mater, Whittier College.  In 2005, Jim was the president of the Planned Giving round table of Southern California and in 2001 Jim chaired the Western Regional Planned Giving Conference.  Jim also has a certificate in planned giving from California State University, Long Beach.  

During his spare time, Jim is involved in several organizations that help the poor in Guatemala.
Ellison_Roger.jpg Roger Ellison is Senior Advisor for Philanthropy at the West Texas Rehabilitation Center Foundation.
 
He graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with undergraduate and graduate focus on political science, rhetoric and politics. Ignoring that preparation, he spent twenty-three years in the resident camping program of the Dallas YMCA and four years directing a boys ranch near San Angelo, Texas before those experiences inexorably lead him in 1993 to planned giving and his current responsibilities. Roger is a Certified Financial Planner®.
 
A member of the Dallas area North Texas Chapter, Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, he drives 250 miles each way for regular meetings.
 
Additionally, Roger is a planned giving consultant whose work focuses on relationship building and a furniture maker who builds fine furniture, especially of mesquite. He enjoys cooking over a campfire and with his Dutch ovens.
Finestone_Bill.JPG Bill Finestone, a founding member of the West Los Angeles law firm of Finestone & Richter, is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law.  He is a Fellow of ACTEC (American College of Trust and Estate Counsel), and a member of its Charitable Tax Planning and Exempt Organizations Committee and a Director of the ACTEC Foundation.  Mr. Finestone is currently the Secretary of the Exempt Organizations Committee of the Taxation Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.  Mr. Finestone is a frequent lecturer at continuing education and other programs, including American and California State Bar Associations, ACTEC, the USC Tax Institute, National Committee on Planned Giving, Western Regional Planned Giving Conference, Western Conference on Tax Exempt Organizations, AFP, and several Planned Giving Round Tables in California and elsewhere.  Mr. Finestone, who received B.S., M.B.A., and J.D. degrees from UCLA, is named as a “Southern California Super Lawyer (Estate Planning/Trusts)” by Los Angeles Magazine and is included as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" (Trusts and Estates) in that publication.

Garrett_Dan.jpg Dan Garrett has worked in the arena of fund development for not-for-profit organizations for the past thirty-eight years. He spent eleven years on the Development staff of Abilene Christian University, where he personally directed major campaign efforts in both Annual Giving and Estate Planning. In 1984, Mr. Garrett joined the Baylor University Medical Center Foundation where he served as Vice President until October 1, 1994 when he formed the Garrett Group, a Development and Planned Giving Consulting firm.

In addition to serving as President of the Garrett Group, Mr. Garrett was appointed Vice Chancellor of Abilene Christian University on June 1,1995. In June on 1998 he was named the first ever President of The ACU Foundation.

His professional experience has included regular face-to-face work with donors, as well as extensive contact and consultation with financial planning and allied professionals. He has consulted with professionals and individuals on estate plans of all sizes, securing avenues for more efficient transfer of assets and personal possessions.  From 1990 through the summer of 1994 he served as a regular featured lecturer for planned giving training seminars with a national association.

Mr. Garrett holds the Bachelors of Science Degree in Business from Abilene Christian University. In 1985 he received the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and became licensed as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP™) designee. He has also received professional certification from the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (CAHP), is an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP) and a Certified Wealth Consultant (CWC).

Mr. Garrett's work in the not-for-profit arena extends beyond the professional realm.   He regularly serves in volunteer and official Board capacity for a number of charitable organizations. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter of the International Association of Financial Planners (IAFP), and on the Board of the North Texas Chapter of the Partnership in Philanthropic planning (PPP) formerly (NCPG).

He and his wife Donna, reside in Abilene, Texas and attend the Southern Hills Church of Christ where he serves as an elder. He has three sons who graduated from ACU and are Eagle Scouts.

 Harrington_Ben.jpg Ben Harrington currently consults for churches and non-profit organizations to strengthen their annual giving programs, event planning, and planned giving programs.

Ben spent the last 15 years working with The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, The Episcopal Church Foundation, and The Church of Our Saviour.  

Prior to fundraising, Ben spent 44 years in the grocery business, advancing from bagger to company president.  The past 17 years he has been involved in “giving back” through training and placing 400 disadvantaged people in full time supermarket jobs with benefits, and serving people in the religious and non-profit communities.

Thanks to a generous scholarship from Vons Grocery Company, Ben graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Food Marketing.  Vons also funded his graduate studies in Advanced Advertising and Managerial Policy.  In 1998, the Episcopal Church Foundation and The Church Our Saviour funded Ben's education at the American Institute of Philanthropic Studies, which led to his Certification as a Specialist in Planned Giving (CSPG).

Ben is a former director of the Corporation of the Diocese of Los Angeles, board chairman of the Episcopal Camp & Conference Center at Wrightwood, Director of Marketing for Camp Stevens, board member of the Southern California Planned Giving Roundtable, advisor to the Anglican Chorale of Southern California, Staff Liaison to the Church Charitable Foundation.  He is a member of the Methodist Hospital Foundation Planned Giving Committee and Cardiac Council and a member of the Camp Stevens Development Committee. He is a lay Eucharistic minister and lector, former senior warden, junior warden, former chairman of the Our Saviour endowment committee, and chairman of the Harrington Family Limited Partnership.  

Ben and his wife Flo live in Arcadia and Huntington Harbour. They have six sons, one daughter, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Harvill_Jay2.jpg Jay Harvill is the Director of Gift Planning at Methodist Hospital Foundation.  He has over 20 years experience in relationship development through fund raising and finance.

Prior to joining Methodist Hospital Foundation, Jay was Director of Planned and Major Gifts at Braille Institute of America where he served for seven years.  His vocation in gift planning was preceded by a career in banking with both Citigroup and Wells Fargo.

Jay holds a Bachelor's degree from Pepperdine University's Seaver College and continues his studies in finance and the Certified Financial Planner program.

In 2004, Jay served as president of the Planned Giving Round Table of Southern California, and has since served on committees for the Roundtable's Western Regional Planned Giving Conference.  Jay returned to the board in 2010 and has been an active member of the Roundtable (now the Partnership for Philanthropy Planning of Greater Los Angeles) since 1996.  Jay has served as chair in various committees for National Philanthropy Day.

Jay serves on the Board of Directors of the San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity, having recently traveled with Habitat International's mission team to Nepal to build homes for the underprivileged in Pokhara.

Jay is an active member of Arcadia Rotary.  He is a member of the Fiduciary Round Table and the San Gabriel Valley Estate Planning Council.

Jay's greatest joy is his faith and family.  He, his wife, Robin, and irresistible little “big” boy, Joshua, live in South Pasadena.  Jay loves hiking with friends and escaping into the mountains.

Keates_Martha.jpg Martha Keates joined Marts & Lundy in 2007 after 13 years at Scripps College in Claremont. Martha was vice president for college advancement from 2001-2007, overseeing all aspects of fundraising, alumnae relations and public relations activities.  During her tenure as vice president, the College's most successful campaign was completed a year ahead of schedule and 19% over goal. Martha was assistant vice president for development and director of planned giving from 1999-2001. 

Her work at Scripps College helped the school earn numerous awards, including the Circle of Excellence and Overall Improvement awards presented by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).  Prior to Scripps, Martha worked as a consultant for Donald A. Campbell and Co., and on the fundraising staffs of the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and Claremont Graduate University.  As Senior Consultant and Principal at Marts & Lundy she provides counsel for a wide variety of clients.   She is Chair of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's (JDRF) Outreach Program for Greater Los Angeles and the Central Valley.
Kobara_John.jpg John E. Kobara is the chief operating officer responsible for all of the development, marketing, administrative, grantmaking, civic engagement and donor relations functions of the foundation. Prior to his appointment, he headed the foundation's external and donor relations department.

Before joining CCF in April 2008, Kobara served on CCF's board of directors from 2003-08. For the last 35 years, he has been leading and managing innovative nonprofit organizations, companies and technology startups. During this time he has been involved in advancing social justice by increasing access to educational opportunities in Los Angeles.

Kobara received the 2007 City of Angels award from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for his service on behalf of children and families. He was a Coro Fellow in Los Angeles and earned a bachelor's from UCLA, a master's in business administration from USC and a master's from Occidental College.

Normandin_Jim.jpg James Normandin, President for Memorial Medical Center Foundation in Long Beach, California, markets, designs and implements a resource service to assist donors and their advisors on the best method of optimizing income and minimizing taxation, utilizing charitable tax planning techniques.  As a result of the Foundation's role as trustee, Jim is intimately involved with the administration and investment management of charitable trust, endowment and donor advised programs.  In this fiduciary capacity, the Foundation currently oversees $154 million in assets.
 
His frequent seminars and speaking engagements for individuals and professional organizations have earned him a reputation as one of leading specialists in the Charitable Tax Planning field.
 
Jim is co-founder, Executive Director, and faculty of The American Institute for Philanthropic Studies, an independent, public educational foundation devoted to increasing awareness, training, and participation of planned giving professionals, as well as the legal, tax, and financial communities, in charitable giving.  Successful completion of the twelve courses, presented in six modules, leads to a professional designation of “Certified Specialist in Planned Giving” (CSPG).
 
An Eagle Scout and graduate of California State University of Long Beach, he has been a platform speaker for the National Committee on Planned Giving; "Options on the Family Homestead", "How Professionals Can Work Together", and Marketing a Planned Giving Program.  He is member of the Board of Directors of Casa Teresa, and past President of the Estate Planning and Trust Council of Long Beach, past President of the Planned Giving Roundtable of Orange County, and publisher and co-editor of "The Charitable Alternative", a newsletter for planning professionals.  His memberships include the Long Beach Estate Planning and Trust Council, Orange Coast Estate Planning and Trust Council, and Planned Giving Roundtable of Orange County.
 
He resides in Costa Mesa, California with his wife Peggy and sons Francis, Nicholas, and Charles (aka Frankie, Nick, and Charlie).

OHare_Mary.jpg Mary O’Hare serves as a philanthropy advisor to nonprofits providing strategic planning and plan implementation; consulting; counseling, and education to promote effective fundraising and giving.  She joined the planned giving community in 2004 as an outgrowth of her passion for nonprofits, after a career emphasizing strategic problem-solving and education in the private and government sectors.  

A graduate of Stanford Law School and Stanford University in communications, Mary frequently lectures for professional organizations and has taught at the university level, including Estate Planning at UCLA School of Law.  Currently serving on the Board  for the Partnership for Planned Giving of the Greater Los Angeles area, she has served as Chair of the Executive Committee of the California State Bar section of Intellectual Property Law and the President of the Copyright Society of Los Angeles.

Mary enjoys supporting the cultural and educational institutions of the greater Los Angeles area—and in her not-so-spare time, taking people to admire the treasures of the largest collection of Native American baskets at the Autry National Center.

OCorroll_Alison.jpg Alison O'Carroll joined PG Calc Incorporated in 2006. In addition to the practice of law, her background includes work in private business, government, and nonprofit settings.  A member of the Washington State Bar Association, Alison is a 1989 graduate of the Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. At the same time, she obtained a Masters in Business Administration at the Emory University Goizueta Business School. Alison earned her B.A. in Economics from the Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, California (formerly known as Claremont Men's College).

After practicing commercial real estate law at a large law firm in Atlanta, Alison made the transition to the nonprofit sector. She joined CARE, Inc., in 1993 as a Planned Giving Officer. Over the course of several years, Alison managed a portfolio of planned giving donors and prospects, closing many complex gifts including charitable remainder trusts and other life-income plans. In addition, Alison was responsible for creating the CARE recognition society for planned giving donors and oversaw centralized functions of the Planned Giving Office such as planning, marketing, and financial relations.__Most recently, Alison served as the Director of Development at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. In that role she broadened her expertise in all areas of development as well as continued her planned giving work.

Peebles_Jane2.jpg Jane Peebles is a Partner in Karlin & Peebles, LLP in Beverly Hills, California.  She is certified by the California State Bar Association as a specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. Jane is also a nationally recognized lecturer and author on a variety of domestic and international estate and charitable planning matters. Ranked one of the Top 50 Female Super Lawyers in Southern California in 2005, 2006 and 2007; a Southern California Super Lawyer in 2008 through 2011 and a Best Lawyer in America in the specialty of Trusts and Estates in 2008 through 2011, Jane has dedicated her practice to U.S. and international estate and charitable planning. She is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.
Penfield_Mike.jpg Mike Penfield is the Managing Director of the US Bank Charitable Services Group.

Mike formed the group twenty years ago when he noticed an area in need of specialization within the bank's trust department and has been leading the group ever since.
Portzel_Curt.JPG Curt Portzel joined the Pepperdine University's Center for Estate and Gift Planning from Atlanta, Georgia, where he practiced law for eight years, most recently with the law firm of McGuireWoods, LLP.  His role as a Associate Director includes developing charitable gifts that will benefit Pepperdine students, as well as helping donors incorporate charitable giving into their financial plans and structuring gifts to meet tax and estate planning objectives.  
Curt's real estate experience is a great asset to the Center, particularly when developing complex real property gifts.  Prior to entering private practice, Curt attended Emory University where he completed a Masters of Theological Studies while also earning his Juris Doctorate.  Curt graduated from Seaver College with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science in 1992. 

Curt is admitted to practice law in California and Georgia.

Ros_J.jpg Juan C. Ros is the Director of Development for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation in Simi Valley, California, where he is responsible for raising major and planned gifts.

Prior to joining the Reagan Foundation in 2008, Juan served in various positions with the National Office of The ALS Association in Calabasas Hills, California, most recently as Vice President for Philanthropy.  Juan also worked in the film industry, and his name can be seen in the credits of numerous films including Cape Fear, JFK, and The Godfather Part III.

Juan earned his MBA with a financial planning emphasis from California Lutheran University and his BA from Pennsylvania State University. Juan holds the Certified Financial Planner designation and the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving (CSPG) certification.  

Juan resides in Simi Valley, California, with his wife of 13 years and their two sons.

Sangster_Claudia.jpg Claudia Sangster is Director of Philanthropy, Estate and Trust Services with Harris myCFO, Inc., a service within the Harris Private Bank.  Ms. Sangster has more than 25 years of professional experience in delivering comprehensive family office solutions in estate, philanthropy and trust planning, and in counseling clients on sophisticated tax saving and wealth preservation strategies.  

Ms. Sangster is responsible for managing the philanthropy services division for Harris myCFO which includes negotiation of gifts on behalf of clients, the structuring and implementation of the clients' charitable vehicles for giving and in working with families to create its legacy of giving through multiple generations.  Ms. Sangster designs and facilitates family meetings to provide educational programs for next generation members with the goal to prepare the heirs for inheritance and responsible stewardship of the family's wealth.  Additionally, Ms. Sangster assists clients in identifying and establishing appropriate governance structures for multi-generational families in order to enhance family unity and to help preserve all aspects of the family's capital-financial, intellectual, human and social.

Ms. Sangster regularly gives seminars and speeches on philanthropy and estate planning.  She is former President and current member of the Board of the Associated Women for Pepperdine University, a Life Associate for Pepperdine University, current Board member of the Prostate Cancer Research Institute, Current member of the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University, Trustee of the Nicholas Endowment, Founding member of the Los Angeles Philanthropic Advisors Network and Founding Partner and current Board Chair for Los Angeles Social Venture Partners. Ms. Sangster is former President and current member of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Greater Los Angeles and a member of its national counterpart.

 Ms. Sangster is a faculty member for the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies for California State University, Long Beach.  She is a member of the state bar associations of Texas (Inactive) and California, the American Bar Association and the Los Angeles Bar Associations.

Schultz_Kristen.jpg Kristen Schultz is Senior Vice President for Crescendo Interactive, Inc. where she is responsible for tax planning support, client education and consultation for Crescendo's software and Internet services.  She speaks and conducts seminars and training events nationwide.  Kristen serves as a board member for the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA), an active member of the ACGA Committees on Rates and State Regulations, an Editorial Advisory Board member for Planned Giving Today, a member of the Ventura County Planned Giving Council and a committee member and volunteer for numerous charities.
 
Prior to joining Crescendo, Kristen served as Counsel to the Assistant Secretary of Education in Washington, D.C. and Oversight Counsel to the House Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. Congress.  She received her J.D. from UCLA School of Law where she was Editor of the UCLA Law Review and her LL.M. with Highest Honors from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.  Kristen is licensed to practice law in California, the District of Columbia and Maryland.

Simpson_Allyson.JPG Allyson Simpson has served as the Philanthropic Planner in the Office of Gift Planning of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California since May, 2010.  Prior to joining Caltech, she was the Associate Director of Gift Planning at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and the Director of Planned Giving at Scripps College in Claremont, California.  Allyson received both her bachelor's degree and her JD from USC, and is a member of the California Bar and the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning - Los Angeles.  She practiced law in the Los Angeles area for twenty-five years before transitioning into planned giving ten years ago.
 Solie_David.jpeg David Solie is an author, educator, speaker, and thought leader in communicating with seniors. His book How To Say It To Seniors: Closing the Communication Gap with Our Elders is a landmark text that has been read and reread by legions of baby boomers searching for a better approach to working with their aging parents. It offers insights and proven, practical communication strategies that help professionals and laypersons alike interact more compassionately and effectively with seniors.

David Solie is a marketing consultant who provides unique and inspiring training programs to financial services organizations that improve their relationships and sales with seniors. His clients include Merrill Lynch, U.S Trust, Northern Trust, Harris myCFO, and Genworth Financial.

David Solie is a gifted speaker whose keynote and breakout presentations on communication between generations have won critical acclaim from audiences throughout the United States and Canada. His compelling stories, unique insights, humor, compassion, and inspirational delivery have made him a favorite of financial advisors, attorneys, accountants, healthcare providers, senior service professionals, planned giving specialists, caregivers, and general audiences. His program Unlocking the Communication Code with Senior Clients is featured at the Annual Securities Industry Institute at Wharton Business School.

David Solie is a graduate of the University of Washington, University of Manitoba, the University of Colorado Medical School, and practiced for a number years in family medicine as a licensed physician assistant.

Stelter_Jeremy.jpg Jeremy Stelter is the western marketing consultant for The Stelter Company, a leading source for gift planning marketing for the nonprofit community.  The Stelter Company, which was founded over 47 years ago, currently serves more than 2,600 organizations nationally with a staff of over 75 individuals.  The home office is located in Des Moines, Iowa, with regional offices in Fort Worth, Texas; Chicago, Ill., Orlando, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; Hartford, Conn.; and Denver, Colo.

For eight years, Jeremy's primary responsibility has been to manage the western United States by making face-to-face visits with clients and prospects within an eight-state territory.  Jeremy personally works with more than 250 clients concerning their marketing needs.  

Jeremy's expertise places him avidly speaking at industry meetings or social networking online regarding gift planning hot topics such as marketing on multimedia platforms, relationship building strategies, and cutting-edge donor and fundraising research.

Jeremy is a graduate of the University of Iowa where he was the football team's mascot, Herky the Hawk. He is the son of Larry Stelter, who created the Planned Giving Division of the company, and one of two, third-generation Stelters currently working with the company. He is a dedicated runner, golfer, guitar player, trout fisherman and general “out-of-doors” kind of guy. Jeremy, his wife, Michelle,  toddling son, Sam,  and newborn Lucille reside in Denver.

Thompson_E.jpg R. EDWARD THOMPSON, ED.D., is the founder and CEO of Thompson & Associates.  Eddie originally began Thompson & Associates' work under the name of TrustMark Charitable Strategies in 1997.  As CEO, he provides leadership and direction to Thompson & Associates' Vice Presidents and support staff.  Additionally, he provides consulting services to national nonprofit organizations, foundations and charities assisting them in raising the level of success in annual giving and charitable estate planning.  Eddie is nationally known for his work with nonprofits.   
     
Eddie obtained his Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from Vanderbilt University.  His doctoral dissertation was on successful fund raising methods.  His academic achievements include two MA degrees and a BA and Associate of Fine Arts.  Eddie was recognized as a Certified Fund Raising Executive by the National Society of Fund Raising Executives from 1986 to 1996.  He is a gifted presenter and speaks to organizations on fundraising and board management from coast to coast.
Eddie began his career at David Lipscomb University where he served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Assistant to the President, and Director of Planned Giving.  His career advanced to The EAR Foundation, a national nonprofit, where he served as Chief Executive Officer.  

Dr. Thompson has garnered many honors during his distinguished career.  Eddie was selected by Freed Hardeman University as its 2000 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.  In 1992 he was selected as a Kellogg Foundation Board Trainer assigned to Special Olympics International; International Directory of Distinguished Leadership 1988; Who's Who in American Education, 1992; Personalities of America, 6th edition; 2000 Notable American Men, 2nd edition.  He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of four nonprofits; Institute of Board Certification, The Barnabas Foundation, African Christian School, and The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville.  Also, he is a member of the Middle Tennessee Planned Giving Council.  

A native of Florida, Eddie and his wife have made Nashville their home.  Eddie and his family are involved in many community organizations and are active members of their church.

Yasman_Shannon.JPG Michael Wagschal is First Vice President and Senior Philanthropic Consultant for Bank of America Merrill Lynch Philanthropic Services Group.  He has over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit endowment field. Michael is a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, which he most recently served as Vice Chancellor for Planned Giving for the 13 Universities and Colleges in the University System of Maryland.
 
Starting as a volunteer for the American Cancer Society his junior year at Maryland, his career spans several nationally prominent nonprofits, including Scripps Foundation for Medicine & Science, the YMCA, the American Cancer Society and the American Heart Association. Working primarily for centralized corporate offices, Michael's specialty was providing consultative, educational and proactive endowment and planned giving guidance to the many units, divisions and branches of these institutions.
 
He has served as the President of the Planned Giving Roundtable of San Diego County and as a board member for the Estate Planning Council, the International Association of Financial Planners and the National Society of Fundraising Executives. He is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and symposiums.
 
Michael currently works for Merrill Lynch covering the Western United States and is based in Newport Beach California.
wally.JPG CHARLES WALLACE (Wally) MUNRO Born in Evansville, Indiana, Wally grew up in Memphis Tennessee and began performing at the age of six. He attended the North Carolina School of the Arts and continued his education at Memphis State University. During his theatrical career Wally worked in over 50 productions and appeared in several Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, including “Fiddler on the Roof” with Zero Mostel and Harold Prince's legendary 1974 production of “Candide”.  

Wally has been with The Actors' Fund of America for 33 years, and became its first Director of Planned Giving 18 years ago his current title is Director of Planned Giving.  Previously he held a variety of positions there in fund raising, public relations, and administration.  During his performing and stage managing career he served The Fund as a volunteer from 1969 until he joined the staff in 1977.

While Organizing the Planned Giving Program at The Actors Fund, Wally launched a successful Gift Annuity Program and created the Edwin Forrest Society (The Actors Funds' Planned Giving Society) which has grown to over 900 members.  Wally has made numerous presentations on the various aspects of Planned Giving around the country.   

Wally served on the Council of Actors Equity Association for ten years, as an adult leader and trainer for the Nassau Council of Boy Scouts, coached soccer for the Police Athletic league (PAL) and served as Trustee, Vice President and President of the Seaford School Board on Long Island.  Wally is a Past President of the Planned Giving Group of Greater New York (PGGGNY) after having been President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary. He has served as a member of the board of the National Committee on Planned Giving (now the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning) and is a Past Chair of that organization. He also belongs to of Estate Planning Council of New York City, the Planned Giving Round Table of Southern California and the European Association for Planned Giving.     
Yasman_Shannon.JPG Shannon Yasman is the Director of California Lutheran University's Office of Estate & Gift Planning since 2002 and Associate Director from 1999-2002. She is responsible for all aspects of the estate and charitable gift planning program at the University, which raised more than $55 million in planned gifts over the past 10 years.

Prior to joining California Lutheran University, Shannon was the Executive Director of the American Heart Association, Ventura County Chapter for over 11 years.  She was responsible for the Chapter's fundraising, education and communication efforts.

Shannon is currently the President of the Conejo Valley Estate Planning Council, the Past President of the Planned Giving Council of Ventura County and an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

 Yates_Chris.jpg Chris Yates has been the Director of Planned Giving at Stanford University since 2003.  From 1998 to 2003 he was Director of Gift Planning at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and in 2001 he received the additional title of Associate Director of Development.  Previously he served as Associate Director of Planned Giving at Stanford from 1992 to 1998, after having worked in Stanford's Office of Undergraduate Admission from 1989 to 1992.  He practiced corporate and banking law with Morrison & Foerster (Los Angeles) from 1986 to 1989.   Chris has a lengthy record of service to the planned giving community:  he has served two separate terms on the board of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning (formerly NCPG) and was elected its president in 2003 (first term) and Conference Program Chair in 2010 (second term).  Chris received his bachelor's degree in History and Economics from Stanford University and his JD degree from the University of Chicago Law School.