We are pleased to announce our keynote speaker and education concurrent session speakers for PG Day 2025.
Opening Keynote Presentation
Opening Keynote: Creating Legacies That Change the World
Aimee D. Griffin, Esq. | Principal, Life & Legacy Counselors, The Griffin Firm, PLLC
Creating Legacies That Change the World explores the profound impact of intentional estate planning and philanthropy. Aimee Griffin will delve into how families can create legacies that reflect their values, ensuring generational wealth and meaningful charitable giving. Attendees will explore how supporting individuals and families to incorporate their values into their legacy planning can create lasting change. By aligning estate plans with philanthropic goals, individuals can leave a legacy that strengthens communities, empowers future generations and transforms the world.
Three Concurrent Sessions (By Track)
Choose any session from three concurrent tracks throughout the day. You may decide to stay on one track all day, or mix and match the sessions. Either way, take advantage of learning from some of the most experienced and best speakers in Planned Giving!
Donor Engagement Track
Planned giving is all about the relationship. This track focuses on building relationships with your donors and prospects through marketing, personalized engagement, and stewardship.
Track Dean: R. Sylvester Owens, CAP® | Senior Director, Estate Planning, Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation
Session 1:
Legacy Lift: Mastering the Art of Planned Gifts
Jeff Grandy | Vice President, Catapult Fundraising
Planned giving is key to sustainable fundraising, requiring strategy and donor engagement. This interactive session equips processionals with tools to identify prospects, build relationships and secure commitments. Attendees will refine communication, recognize donor interest and guide decisions. Best practices for outreach via mail, email and phone will be explored. Participants also will learn to structure planned giving marketing, overcome challenges and integrate solutions into program efforts. Whether launching or enhancing a program, this session offers actionable strategies for lasting impact.
For gift planners and trusted advisors, educating donors about their fiduciary choices can be as important as helping them choose beneficiaries. This presentation will discuss strategies for advising donors about the pros and cons of various fiduciary options for estate and trust administration. It also will include tips to help demystify the post-death administration process so donors can make thoughtful and informed decisions aimed at easing the burden of post-death administration for everyone.
Session 2:
Trust, Transparency and Technology: Navigating the Planned Giving Journey with Boomers
Nathan Stelter | President, The Stelter Company
To better understand the generational change impacting the planned giving industry in the coming years between leading and lagging boomers and how philanthropic psychology, building trust and transparency and optimizing technology can help us create a better donor journey and ultimately close more gifts.
Session 3:
Hosting Your First/Next Virtual Workshop
Kendell Cockrell | Planned Giving Director, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Susan Nahvi | Director of Major Gifts, Friends Committee on National Legislation
Donors appreciate practical information and engagement and are now well integrated into the world of virtual meetings. The Friends Committee on National Legislation reaches out to these donors through twice-yearly Virtual Planned Giving Workshops for its constituents. Come learn what led us to this event the results for our program, and most useful, the practicalities of putting on your first or next virtual planned giving workshop.
Behind the Scenes Track
A strong planned giving program is built on the behind-the-scenes systems and operations highlighted in this track.
Track Dean: Samantha O’Neal | Specialist, Planned Giving and Bequest Administration, National Geographic Society
Session 1:
Portfolio Management for Organizations of All Sizes
Katherine Pooser, MPA, CAP® | Director Planned Giving, Legal Defense Fund
This session will explore why and how to establish a portfolio management system within an existing database including why a portfolio management system for planned giving is essential for prioritizing staff time and ensuring donors stay engaged. The system also opens communication with other revenue streams and creates a production metric that is not tied to revenue today. Understanding the real constraints of development departments, the system is relevant for organizations of every size.
Session 2:
Following the Donor Journey from Intention to Maturity: Securing Bequests, Honoring Legacies
John Jensen | Planned Giving Director, Washington National Cathedral
Lindy Nash | Partner, CCK Bequest Management
This presentation will guide attendees through the key steps in securing bequest commitments, documenting, and effectively managing those gifts after a donor’s passing. Presenters will offer real life examples involving how to identify and cultivate potential donors who are likely to make charitable gifts. Additionally, we will cover best practices for honoring a donor’s legacy once the bequest matures, ensuring that their wishes are respected, and their generosity is protected. We will cover what documents to request, what questions to ask, and how to spot red flags that the bequest may be in jeopardy. Whether you are new to planned giving or looking to enhance your current approach to cultivation, this session will provide valuable insights for securing future gifts and managing them with care.
Session 3:
Maximizing Impact with Limited Resources: Leveraging Marketing and Technology to Scale Planned Giving
Jeff Giannatto | Director of Sales, MarketSmart
Jimmy O’Connor | Director of Strategic Giving, Rails to Trails Conservancy
This session will equip nonprofit professionals with the tactics, tools and confidence to grow their planned giving programs, even when faced with budgetary constraints and limited human resources. Attendees will learn how to leverage technology and data-driven strategies to enhance donor engagement and establish a sustainable foundation for long-term fundraising success.
Getting Technical Track
Technicalities like taxes, laws, and gift structures can maximize a donor’s giving potential. Learn about or refresh yourself on the technical details in this track.
Track Dean: Lauren Fields | Director, Gift Planning, National Wildlife Federation
Session 1:
Post-Death Estate Litigation: Navigating Legal and Other Challenges for Charities
Andrew Fussner | Vice President of Estate Settlement, American Heart Association
Fredrick B. Weber, JD | Counsel, ArentFox Schiff, LLP
We will explore post-death estate and trust administration, with a focus on litigation affecting charitable beneficiaries. We will touch on will and trust contests, fights among heirs and beneficiaries, allegations of breaches of fiduciary duties, objections to fees and expenses, and other issues that may result in litigation, or worse. Attendees will learn about fiduciary duties relevant to charities and how to hold fiduciaries accountable. The presentation also will include practical considerations for pursuing litigation and responding to litigation brought by other parties, along with strategies to minimize financial and reputational costs for charities when disputes cannot be avoided.
Session 2:
A Fiduciary’s Guide to Investing Planned Giving Assets
John J. Monahan, CFP | Team Lead, Planned Giving & Donor Advised Fund Investments, BNY Wealth
This session will provide insights into the roles and responsibilities of a fiduciary, drafting appropriate investment policies and guidelines, and developing a framework for effective oversight of your investment manager. Using real-world examples, we will demonstrate how to establish appropriate asset allocation. We will provide insights into what to expect from your investment manager or advisor and how to ensure that they are applying a fiduciary approach to managing your organization’s life income assets.
Session 3:
Harnessing the New Wave of Giving: Integrating DAFs, QCDs and More into Your Planned Giving
Tim Logan | Senior Legacy Director, Mal Warwick Donordigital
Planned Giving isn’t just for estate gifts anymore. With record-breaking dollars flowing through Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) and an aging donor base using Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), these gifts are reshaping philanthropy across all areas of fundraising. If your development strategy doesn’t include a proactive approach to DAFs and QCDs, you’re missing key opportunities to engage donors at every level – from annual giving to major gifts and capital campaigns.