Rev. Dr. Z. Allen Abbott currently serves as the Vice President of Philanthropy for the Baptist Homes Foundation in Pittsburgh. Previously he held a similar position with Cypress Cove in Fort Myers, Florida. Most of his career has been in leadership and philanthropy with the American Baptist denomination nationwide. An ordained minister with credentials in five denominations, Allen has served as pastor or interim minister with four congregations. He is a frequent guest speaker, teacher, author and editor.

Recently Allen was the chapter president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and vice president of the Planned Giving Council, both in Southwest Florida. He is a board member and chairs the programming committee for the Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council. He earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential, recognizing the highest standards in ethics and effectiveness. He earned the Executive Certificate in Religious Fundraising from Indiana University, the Certificate in Financial Planning from Emory University, and the Certificate in Fund Raising Management from Indiana University.

He holds the M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Seminary in Louisville and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Northern Kentucky University. His post-doctoral work includes studies at Dartmouth College and Harvard Divinity School.

His community involvement includes work with public media, the American Red Cross, local community foundations and United Way.

http://www.LinkedIn.com/in/ZAllenAbbott 

Dr. Stephanie J. Adam is an Associate Professor of Management, focusing on Human Resource Management, as well as the MBA Program Coordinator for PennWest University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management from Mercyhurst University, her Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management from La Roche University and her Doctorate in Business Administration Human Resource Management emphasis, from Northcentral University. Prior to joining the full-time faculty at PennWest-California in the fall of 2016, Dr. Adam taught for several universities both online and in person as an adjunct faculty member. She worked for seven years in Human Resources for a small manufacturing company in Western PA while attending graduate school prior to that. Her research interests include: innovation in MBA design, online learning best practices, service learning, and small business-education alliances in the classroom.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-adam-m-s-d-b-a-shrm-scp-6219b1b9/

Landis Erwin Andrews

Landis Erwin Andrews is the Director of Development at The Neighborhood Academy, bringing nearly fifteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Driven by her passion for helping others and ensuring access to a quality education for all children, Landis has secured more than $12 million in funding throughout Allegheny County.

Her achievements have earned her recognition through numerous awards, including Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40 Award, Gannon University’s Distinguished Alumni Award, Partnership in Education Award, and the Mercer County’s 40 Under 40 Award. She has been featured in Successful Fundraising and has shared her expertise as a speaker in Micro-Learning Sessions tailored for "Small Shops" and moderated the AFP Emerging Leaders conference. Landis is actively engaged with several professional organizations, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Western PA Chapter, where she serves as the VP of Membership and former committee chair on the AFP Global Conference Education Committee. She is also a dedicated member of Pittsburgh Young Professionals, Three Rivers Rowing, Pittsburgh Community Television (PCTV), and the Community Alliance of Spring Garden and East Deutschtown (CASGED).

Landis holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism Communications and a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Project Management, which have shaped her expertise in nonprofit development, leadership, and project management. Beyond her professional achievements, Landis finds joy in outdoor adventures, including hiking, traveling, and scuba diving. She also enjoys ballroom dancing, and spending quality time with her husband and their two beloved huskies. She also volunteers for various charitable organizations and serves as a "next step" coach for high school graduates, guiding them as they transition into the next chapter of their lives.

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/landiserwin/

Kerry Bartlett

With more than 30 years serving the philanthropic sector, Kerry is recognized as a
passionate and principled nonprofit leader with extensive experience in fundraising campaigns, planned giving, board development, strategic planning and organizational culture.

Kerry joined the Carter team in 2014, translating her professional experience to the field of nonprofit consulting. Her work has focused specifically on board governance, strategic planning, organizational assessments and capital campaigns. Before the transition to consulting, Kerry served as the first executive director of the Indian River Community Foundation and led the advancement and communications programs at the VNA and Hospice Foundation.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerrybartlett/

Jennifer Belliveau has nearly two decades of experience working in philanthropy. Jennifer has a demonstrated commitment to the nonprofit field. She has worked for organizations focused on secondary and higher education, community and economic development, global health and healthcare, human rights, religion and faith, and poverty solutions. Jennifer has extensive experience with a variety of development initiatives, including major gifts, capital campaign design and implementation, running a development office, staff training, and planning and feasibility studies.

Jennifer is currently overseeing CCS’s client work in Pittsburgh, as well as leading a campaign design phase with Villanova University for a $1.2 billion campaign. She lived in London for many years, where she led multi-million-pound engagements for key European clients – running landmark capital and endowment campaigns, meeting with major donors, building prospective donor pipelines, conducting specialist prospect research, and developing overall and individual fundraising strategies.

In addition to her client work, Jennifer co-leads the Human Capital initiatives for her team at CCS. She is a founding member of the firm’s Pro Bono Working Group and the Crypto-Philanthropy Working Group, and she was Chair of the firm-wide Executive Summit Committee. Jennifer is a repeat Reunion Co-Chair for the Yale School of Management as well as a liaison to the For Humanity. Campaign Committee. In Pittsburgh, she is a board member of the Sewickley Area Mother’s Club, as well as a guest lecturer at Carnegie Mellon University. 

Jennifer earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management and a BA from the University of Notre Dame. She lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and three children. An avid traveler, she enjoys high-altitude trekking and global vegetarian cuisine. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbelliveau/ 

Becky Brandt has worked in the communications and fundraising fields throughout her career, serving healthcare, human service, disability, youth, and higher education organizations.

Becky has provided counsel to partners throughout the United States and internationally. Her work projects have included strategic communications plans, integrated fundraising communications plans, communications audits, donor-centric fundraising writing, organizational and campaign branding, and graphic design. Her approach to developing communications begins with the identification of the target audience and their needs, followed by the development of key messages that motivate the audience to act, while strengthening the organization’s brand.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/beckybrandt/

Natalie Chaido has been with the Washington Health System since 2004. In that time, she's raised more than $2 million from special events. She has also focused on annual giving, commemorative giving and donor recognition. Natalie has her Masters in Nonprofit Management from Robert Morris University.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-chaido-2b8a3212/

Matthew Clark, J.D. AEP® is the Executive Director of Planned Giving at the West Virginia University Foundation (WVUF), where heoversees all aspects of estate and gift planning for the WVU system. He has nearly 20 years of experience in the field and has secured over $128 million in planned gifts across the university.

Before joining WVUF in 2016, Matthew was a vice president at PNC Institutional Investments, where he administered perpetual charitable trusts and advised institutions on planned giving strategies. He is a board member and the President-Elect of the Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council, and an active member of two other estate planning councils in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Matthew holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, an MBA from Pennsylvania State University, and a BBA in Economics from Mississippi State University. He is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and an Accredited Estate Planner®.

Matthew enjoys traveling with his family, playing tennis, and volunteering in his community.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarkbhm/

Charlotta Dragenflo is Director of Individual Philanthropy and Prospect Development at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, where she started seven years ago as an Advancement Officer. She works with a portfolio of individual donors to support initiatives and priorities across all four Carnegie Museums. She also coaches other front-facing gift officers on their portfolio work, and helps build focused strategies for moving donors through the pipeline. She has worked in fundraising and others arts administration roles in Cleveland and Pittsburgh for over 10 years. Charlotta resides in Pittsburgh with her husband Henry and two amazing kids, Freya and Hans.

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlotta-dragenflo-a2963318/

Daniel Hickton is an accomplished attorney with a background in cyber technology and law, focusing on artificial intelligence, robotics innovation, and non-profit law. With a deep understanding of the intersection between cutting-edge technology and legal frameworks, Daniel has advised numerous organizations on navigating the complexities of emerging tech in the philanthropic landscape. At the forefront of AI's integration into the nonprofit sector, Daniel is passionate about leveraging innovative solutions to enhance fundraising efforts and maximize impact. In his presentation, Daniel will explore how AI can transform fundraising strategies, offering practical insights on how organizations can harness technology to drive donor engagement and streamline operations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-hickton-esq-993a477b/

Maureen Mahoney Hill, CFRE is Founder and Principal of Advancement Advisors, an independent woman-owned consulting firm that focuses on building fundraising capacity and sustainability in nonprofit organizations in our local region. Prior to establishing the firm in 2016, Maureen worked as an independent fundraising consultant for ten years. With more than 30 years of professional fundraising experience, Maureen counsels nonprofit clients to help them meet – and often exceed – their fundraising goals. A long-time Certified Fund Raising Executive, Maureen has also achieved the status of Master Trainer with the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and was recently named a Woman of Influence by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenmahoneyhillcfre/ 

Elizabeth Bleil Malone, CFRE has over eighteen years of experience in fundraising, special events, and grant writing. She started her grant writing journey as a teacher in public schools in the Washinton, DC suburbs, winning small and large grants to improve her classroom curriculum and arts facilities. Today, she "wears many hats" on a small in-house advancement team as the Senior Advancement Manager at The Education Partnership, writing and winning over $300,000 in grants last year to support educational equity in Southwestern PA. 

Elizabeth is also an active member of Pittsburgh's Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, working to reboot
the group to provide mentorship and networking opportunities for emerging non-profit leaders in the region. 

Elizabeth lives in Bloomfield with her five-year-old daughter Grace and husband Jim.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabethbleilmalone/

Liz McFarlin- Marciak

A frontline fundraiser for over a decade, Liz has experience in higher education, arts & culture, and human services philanthropy. As a passionate advocate for marrying relationship-based fundraising principles with philanthropy operations, Liz has created frameworks to ensure gift officer teams are high-functioning and sustain fundraising growth over time. In her current role at Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Liz oversees a robust planned giving program along with a team of gift officers that connects individuals, families, and family foundations to outright and deferred philanthropic opportunities that help create lasting solutions to hunger and its root causes in southwestern Pennsylvania. Liz resides in Forest Hills with her husband Matt and their two kids, Liliana and Filip. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizmcfarlin/

Jamie McMahon, CFRE is CEO of the Educational Foundation at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, and has 20 years of experience in fundraising, higher education, and nonprofit management. He previously worked at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh, and as a fundraising consultant for Ketchum. He teaches fundraising at Carnegie Mellon University and holds an A.B. from Dartmouth College, an M.Phil. from the University of Cambridge, and is completing a doctorate in higher education management at the University of Pittsburgh.

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-mcmahon-cfre-9936b13/ 

Dr. Carey Scheide Miller joined the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh in August 2023 as Vice President for Development, overseeing fundraising, membership, and corporate communications for Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and Andy Warhol Museum. She oversees a team of 65 that raised over $28 million in 2023. In early 2024, she played a role in soliciting and securing a $65 million gift -- the largest gift since the Carnegie Museums’ founding. She previously served nearly eight years at Chatham University, first as Associate Vice President (2015-2017) and then as Vice President of University Advancement (2017-2023). Miller led the efforts for the successful completion of Chatham’s largest comprehensive campaign, which raised more than $101M, implemented a new alumni engagement program, a Day of Giving, and fundraising efforts that resulted in the highest levels of support both in dollars and donors in decades. Prior positions include serving as Senior Director of Development for the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and as Associate Director of Major Gifts for Carnegie Mellon University. Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Pennsylvania State University’s Schreyer Honors College, a master’s degree in public history from Duquesne University, and a doctorate in education in organizational leadership from Northeastern University. For her dissertation, she studied the effects of flexible work on job satisfaction and feelings of belonging.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/carey-scheide-miller/

Jethro Miller has had a long career as a development leader within some of the largest nonprofit organizations in the United States. He has recently formed Jethro Miller & Associates LLC in order to focus full time on fundraising consulting. Previously, he served as the Chief Development Officer for Planned Parenthood nationally for almost ten years and raised a total of $3.4 billion over those years. Over the decade, Jethro increased Planned Parenthood’s annual fundraising from $120 million to more than $400 million and increased the organizations’ active donor file to more than 800,0000. Prior to joining Planned Parenthood, Jethro served as Vice President for Principal and Major Gifts at the American Red Cross for more than five years, also overseeing the planned giving team. Earlier in his career, Jethro worked for CCS Fundraising and led capital campaigns for organizations including UNICEF USA, the American Civil Liberties Union, Rotary International, and other organizations as diverse as a hospital, a homeless shelter, and an opera company.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jethro-miller/

Christian Ola is an associate professor of finance at PennWest University. His research interests include behavioral financeandeconomics, event study analysis, and effective teaching methods in business disciplines. He lives in Mars, PA with his wife and two kids, both of whom will be graduating from PennWest in 2024 and 2025. In his spare time he likes to write, listen to music, and listen to live original music. 

Kiki Reis, is a current grant writing "rockstar" as the Advancement Director at The Education Partnership. She has experience writing nd winning Foundation, Corporate, and Government grants ranging from $100,000 + annually.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-mcguinn05091317/

John Sammis is a Senior Vice President and leads the CCS Data Analytics practice. He brings more than 30 years of experience with statistical analysis and predictive modeling. He has devoted more than 15 years of his career to charities, universities, hospitals and other nonprofit institutions, helping them produce models and use the results to achieve their fundraising goals.

At CCS, John helps philanthropy and fundraising professionals apply leading edge data analytics tools to address specific organizational objectives. He is constantly reviewing the latest statistics tools and innovations to ensure that CCS applies the best approach for each client. He has particular expertise in the areas of exploratory data analysis, interactive model building, model diagnostics and data vetting and cleaning. During his time at CCS, John has worked with over 400 clients from all over the world to utilize data analytics for strategic fundraising.

John earned an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-sammis-56a7443/

Judi Smith has more than 30 years’ experience in the nonprofit arena, across higher education, the arts, and national and international philanthropy. She has been an executive director, a director of planned giving, a regional specialist for capital campaigns, a marketing and communications manager, a teacher, writer, a coach, and a mentor.

As senior director of planned giving for Arizona Community Foundation, Judi directed Classes 8 through 11 of the Arizona Endowment Building Institute. She developed and taught the Planned Giving 100 and 200 education series for nonprofits around the state. Additionally, she backstopped the regional offices in developing complex gifts and helping educate allied professionals in charitable giving techniques while working with her own portfolio of legacy donors and nonprofits.

Judi has consulted with organizations engaged in conservation, higher and private education, social services, the arts, religion, and community foundations. She speaks nationally on various topics related to wise charitable giving and is writing a book on managing your calendar to initiate a gift planning program. The depth of her experience allows her to quickly assess an organizations’s situation and guide them toward useful solutions that advance their mission.

She is past president of charitable gift planning councils in Phoenix and St. Louis. She has also served on AFP Boards and as a mentor and trainer for the CFRE exam. She currently serves on advisory councils for the Phoenix Zoo and the Arizona Foundation for Women. Among her honors and awards is the 2005 Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year from the Greater Ozarks Chapter of AFP.

https://www.givingsmith.net/

Dave Tinker, CFRE, FAFP, is the Vice President of Advancement at Achieva and a Consultant with Goalbusters, and has over three decades of fundraising and nonprofit leadership experience. An early graduate of the Lilly Family Schoolof Philanthropy, he transitioned from a medical path to his true calling in fundraising after an internship at Ketchum, Inc. Fundraising Counsel.

Dave's expertise spans grant proposals, prospect research, capital campaigns, technology integration, social media marketing, major gifts, planned giving, and board/volunteer management. He is an AFP Faculty Training Academy graduate, approved Grant Professionals Association (GPA) trainer, and has held the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) credential since 2001.

Honored as a member of the inaugural class of AFP Distinguished Fellows in 2016 and selected as the Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the AFP Western PA chapter in 2013, Dave's impact is widely acclaimed. He has served on a number of committees and volunteer leadership positions for AFP WPA, AFP International, and GPA. Beyond his professional achievements, he was an elected board member Brentwood Borough School Board, volunteers at his church, and supports various nonprofit boards.

A true fundraising leader, Dave continues to blaze new trails in the sector through his work, teaching, and community involvement.

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davetinkerwork/ 

Fred Weber is Counsel in the Private Client, Trusts, and Estates Group at ArentFox Schiff, LLP in Chicago. He primarily represents fiduciaries and beneficiaries in matters related to post-death administration of estates and trusts. Before returning to private law practice in 2022, Fred spent 18 years as a professional fiduciary, first at the JPMorgan Private Bank and most recently with the Northern Trust Company. As a professional fiduciary, Fred guided families and beneficiaries through the post-death administration process. Fred has also worked as a planned giving officer and bequest administrator for a large public charity. Prior to law school, Fred worked in Washington, DC, as an aide to the late U.S. Senator Paul D. Wellstone (D-MN). Fred has delivered presentations on post-death administration and planned giving topics to audiences across the United States. He also developed and taught a full semester course on post-death administration of estates and trusts at the John Marshall Law School (now the University of Illinois at Chicago Law School). Fred is a member of the Chicago Estate Planning Council, the Chicago Council on Planned Giving, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, and the Professional Advisory Committee for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago. He holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Minnesota, a J.D. from DePaul University College of Law, and he is licensed to practice law in Illinois. 

Fred is a happy husband to his wife, Michelle, a proud dad of three adult sons, a baseball fan, a lover of live music, a theatre goer, a movie watcher, a backyard chicken enthusiast, a Chicago resident, and a Minnesota native who enjoys biking, hiking, reading, and traveling.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fred-weber-7a16275/

Greg Wilson

In his nearly 25 years of frontline fundraising and managing frontline fundraisers, Greg has served in various leadership positions including Chief Development Officer/Associate Vice President, Development for Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, Director of Leadership Gifts and Planned Giving at Muhlenberg College, Senior Director of Individual Giving at East Stroudsburg University Foundation, Director of Development for Sisters of the Order of St. Basil the Great, and multiple assignments with the Boy Scouts of America.

While he’s held literally every position possible in fundraising, planned giving has always been his favorite area as it scratches the donor visit and technical itches. Now that he’s no longer a frontline fundraiser Greg has found (some) time to research some of those pesky questions in planned giving.

Greg is a certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) from the American College of Financial Services, a MS in nonprofit management from Eastern University and a BA in history from Lebanon Valley College.

You’ve probably also seen Greg in various Planned Giving Marketing YouTube videos focused on practical planned giving fundraising advice or speaking in-person across the country. He currently serves as the Director for Client Success with Planned Giving Marketing where he helps clients convert marketing leads into meaningful conversations.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-wilson-ms-cap%C2%AE-cfre-3108504/

Dr. Andrew Winner has worked in the field of advancement for over ten years in the private business sector and higher education. Currently, Dr. Winner is a Charitable Relationship Manager for Westminster College, where he works primarily with major gifts and leadership giving opportunities. Prior to Westminster, Dr. Winner worked as Director of Advancement for Portage Learning, overseeing strategic relationship development and organizational growth. Dr. Andrew Winner also provides consulting to startups and small businesses on leadership development, navigating growth opportunities, and strategic marketing development.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewnwinner/

Amy Wong is president and founder of Dot Org Solutions LLC, an agency specializing in marketing, fundraising, strategic planning and consulting for nonprofits. The agency, based in Ohio, serves a wide range of nonprofit clients throughout the United States.

Amy has more than 30 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, communications and planning, mostly in the nonprofit sector. Prior to starting Dot Org in 2009, she worked for a variety of nonprofits including Bowling Green State University, Akron Children’s Hospital and The Cleveland Orchestra, where she was responsible for leading teams, raising dollars and promoting the brand of these institutions. In these roles, received national and regional recognition for programs she developed. 

Amy has a B.S. in Journalism/PR from Bowling Green State University. She is also a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program (Cleveland Cohort 13) and the Leadership Akron/Women’s Network CLI. She actively lobbies on behalf of small businesses, is a board member of Junior Achievement of Northcentral Ohio and has served as a mentor to many fundraisers, marketers and business owners. When not working, she enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, reading and cooking for her family. 

Jennifer Zgurich is a nonprofit development professional with over 18 years of fundraising experience. She joined Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in December 2019, three short months before the pandemic drove the Food Bank and food insecurity into the national spotlight. Jennifer oversees corporate fundraising, community fundraising, including Food & Fund Drives, events and third-party fundraisers, as well as the volunteer program where more than 6,700 volunteers are engaged each year. 

Prior to the Food Bank, she worked at JDRF, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, for 11 years. Most recently she was a National Manager for Signature Events consulting with chapters on strategies to increase revenue for gala and golf events. From 2008-2015, Jennifer specialized in corporate development at the JDRF Western Pennsylvania Chapter. 

Her fundraising career began as a Major Gift Officer at University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and UPMC Cancer Centers. Earlier in her career, Jennifer spent eight years in marketing and community affairs at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-zgurich-776261115/