Presenters

Tara Acker

Mentor, Jcamp 180
Tara Acker is a mentor for Jcamp 180. She has over 15 years of experience in organizational development, leadership, strategic planning and measurement. She cofounded a global nonprofit organization that provides leadership training within the peace building arena. She also owned a consulting practice that provided organizational leadership and change strategies for resource constrained organizations. Prior to her consulting work, Tara worked in the public sector as Director of SomerStat for the City of Somerville where she worked closely with the mayor to manage over ten city departments. Tara was also the Director of the Environmental Results Program for the state of Massachusetts, a program which was named a finalist in the 2001 Ford Foundation’s Innovations in American Government Award. Tara Acker received her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and a master's degree from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. Tara can be reached at tacker@hgf.org.

Jeanne and Gideon Bernstein

Founders, #BlazeItForward
Jeanne and Gideon Bernstein started the #BlazeItForward movement in 2018 to encourage global community philanthropy and acts of kindness in an attempt to help heal the world after their Ivy League son, Blaze Nathan Bernstein, was murdered in California. Philanthropy wasn’t a new concept to them at the time. Gideon was the Chairperson of the Jewish Community Foundation of Orange County and Jeanne, an attorney, was involved in contributing to the development of the Jewish community. They will share their story and how, despite going through tragedy, the concept of leaving a legacy and the impact of legacy giving has helped them to manage the grief and trauma of their loss and how it has allowed them to inspire others. Through their efforts, #BlazeItForward is now a movement with over 26,000 followers around the world doing intentional acts of kindness.

Tamra L. Dollin, MSW, CPCC

LIFE & LEGACY^TM Legacy Community Consultant, Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Prior to joining HGF, Tammy Dollin directed the establishment of Ramah in the Rockies, focusing on project management, fundraising, and board development. Tammy holds master’s degrees from Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary, and an undergraduate degree from UC Berkeley. Tammy is an alumna of the Wexner Graduate Fellowship and is a certified professional Co-Active coach. Tammy can be reached at Tammy@hgf.org.

Nanette Fridman

Principal, Fridman Strategies
Nanette Fridman is a catalyst for values-driven organizations and leaders. She founded Fridman Strategies in 2006 to assist organizations with the strategies, training and coaching to advance their missions and maximize their impact. Today her work focuses on governance, fundraising, strategic planning, and leadership and team development. Nanette’s clients range from small start-ups to large international organizations. Nanette is the author of On Board: What Every Board Member Must Know about Nonprofits and Board Service. A regular blogger, her articles can be seen on eJewishPhilanthropy, massnonprofit news and other publications. Nanette earned her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, and MA in public policy from Georgetown University. She received her BA, summa cum laude, in political science from Tufts University. Nanette is honored to be a Harry S. Truman Scholar. Nanette can be contacted at fridmanstrategies@gmail.com or fridmanstrategies.com.

Gail J. Gordon

Senior Director, Planned Giving & Endowments, The Jewish Federations of North AmericaGail J. Gordon is a trusted advisor to planned giving professionals throughout the Jewish federation system. In addition to identifying best practices and educating the professionals about them, she helps to structure planned gifts that allow donors to realize their philanthropic vision and federations and Jewish community foundations to sustain the vibrancy of the Jewish community at home and abroad. Gail previously served as endowment director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. Before joining the Seattle Federation, Gail was a securities layer. Gail holds a JD from the University of Washington School of Law and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of the Year Program of the Pardes Institute for Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. Gail can be contacted at gail.gordon@jewishfederations.org.

Harold Grinspoon

Founder, Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Harold Grinspoon, the founder of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation along with his wife Diane Troderman, is a real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is also the visionary behind HGF’s key programs: PJ Library, JCamp 180, LIFE & LEGACY, and Voices and Visions. Harold and Diane have also established the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, which supports educational initiatives for inner city youth in Springfield, MA, recognizes Western MA teachers for professional excellence, encourages entrepreneurship, supports Western MA farmers, and supports educational and health projects in Cambodia. In June 2015, Harold and Diane signed Warren Buffet’s Giving Pledge, committing to donate more than half their wealth to charitable causes.

Winnie Sandler Grinspoon

President, Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Winnie Sandler Grinspoon assumed the role of president of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in June 2014. Winnie added this role to her long tenure as a trustee of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation. Prior to her work in philanthropy, Winnie practiced law, first in New York (Stroock & Stroock & Lavan) and Boston (Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, now K & L Gates), and more recently in her own law practice. Winnie holds a BS from Cornell University and a JD from Fordham University.

Lee M. Hendler

Co-Founder and President of the Jewish Grandparents Network
Beyond her decades of work on her family’s charitable foundations and leadership in many Jewish and communal organizations, Lee Hendler is the creator of Freedom’s Feast, a civics initiative that raises the next generation of citizens through the celebration of our national holidays. She is the past president of Chizuk Amuno, and author of “The Year Mom Got Religion: One Woman’s Mid-life Journey into Judaism.” The mother of four, mother-in law to three, and “Gromzy” to six grandchildren, Lee lives in Baltimore with two big and boisterous dogs. Lee can be contacted at lee@jewishgrandparentsnetwork.org.

Lynn Malzone Ierardi, JD

Author and Director of Gift Planning, University of Pennsylvania
Lynn Malzone Ierardi, JD has been in the estate and gift planning field for more than 30 years. She is a leader in the charitable planning community, just completing a term as 2019 Board Chair of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP). She’s also served as a leader for the local CGP councils in New Jersey and Greater Philadelphia for more than two decades. Lynn’s recently published the book, Storytelling: The Secret Sauce of Fundraising Success. She is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations to secure significant gifts using the right assets, and the right structures. She has served as Director of Gift Planning for the University of Pennsylvania since 2005 and as an independent gift planning consultant (GiftPlanningAdvisor) since 2002. Lynn is a graduate of Lycoming College and Fordham University School of Law.

Dena Kaufman, CFRE

CAP® LIFE & LEGACY® Legacy Community Consultant, Harold Grinspoon Foundation​Prior to joining HGF, Dena Kaufman was the director of philanthropy for Sojourner Center, the nation’s largest domestic violence shelter. Her professional career has also included nine years at the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix in various campaign roles and development director at URJ Camp Newman. Dena has a degree in business, public, and private administration from the University of California, Riverside, is a Certified Fundraising Executive and a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy. Dena can be reached at Dena@hgf.org.

Alia Mckee

Principal, SeaChange Strategies
To make social change, you have to fund social change. That’s why Alia has dedicated her professional career to fundraising on behalf of causes she believes in. A principal of Sea Change Strategies, a boutique research and fundraising communications agency – Alia is a veteran strategist who has worked with clients including The Wikimedia Foundation, Everytown for Gun Safety, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, National Audubon Society, Environmental Defense Fund, Conservation International and the International Rescue Committee among others. Alia is a noted thought leader and speaker. Her work has been featured in Forbes, NPR, The Chronicle of Philanthropy, Buzzfeed and CNN. She earned her masters in Public Affairs from the LBJ School at the University of Texas at Austin and her masters in Social Work at UT Austin as well. Alia can be reached at alia.mckee@seachangestrategies.com.

Rachel Muir, CFRE Speaker

Trainer and Nonprofit Founder
When she was 26 years old, Rachel launched Girlstart, a non-profit organization to empower girls in math, science, engineering and technology in the living room of her apartment with $500 and a credit card. Several years later she had raised over 10 million dollars and was featured on Oprah, CNN, and the Today show. A winner of Oprah’s Use your Life Award, Rachel was named “Outstanding Fundraising Executive of the Year” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and one of Fast Company Magazine’s “Fast 50 Champions of Innovation.” Rachel’s career spans running successful nonprofit organizations, leading an online fundraising consulting practice, and managing major gift portfolios for some of the country’s largest nonprofit brands. Today she leads custom training and board retreats that reliably turn participants into confident, successful fundraisers. Learn more about Rachel at www.rachelmuir.com.

Hugh O’Doherty

Professor, Harvard’s John F. Kenney School of Government
Raised in Northern Ireland, Hugh O’Doherty teaches leadership at Harvard’s John F Kennedy School of Government. Hugh has taught leadership and conflict resolution at the Jepson School of Leadership Studies, the McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership, University of Maryland, where he directed the Ireland-US Public Leadership Program for “emerging” leaders from all the political parties in Ireland. In Northern Ireland, he
directed the Inter-Group Relations Project, an initiative bringing together political and community leaders in Ireland to establish protocols for political dialogue. Hugh has consulted extensively with a wide variety of clients including the Irish Civil Service, the American Leadership Forum, the Episcopalian Clergy Leadership Program, the National Conservation Leadership Institute, and the Mohawk Community Leadership Program in Canada. He has also consulted in Bosnia, Croatia, and Cyprus and has addressed the United Nations Global Forum on Re-Inventing Government. He has worked with the government of Nepal on a negotiation and leadership development program, as a third-party member of an Armenian-Turkish Dialogue process, and on a leadership development program with a number of leaders from major political factions in Kashmir. Hugh earned an M.Ed and Ed.D from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

David I. Raphael

Co-Founder and CEO of the Jewish Grandparents Network
David has spent virtually all his professional career in Jewish communal service. A graduate of Albany University and the Columbia University School of Social Work, he spent 30 years in Hillel including roles as Assistant International Director, Executive Director of Hillel of Greater Baltimore and Senior Campus Liaison for Hillel International. David was also the founding Executive Director of the Floortime Foundation, an organization seeking to advance new approaches to treating children with autism spectrum disorders, and the Executive Director of the Maryland Teen Initiative, where he developed new approaches to engaging Jewish youth. David can be reached at david@jewishgrandparentsnetwork.org.

Julia Riseman, CFRE Speaker

Mentor Jcamp180, Consultant, Executive Coach and Fundraiser
Wulia Riseman is a Mentor for Jcamp 180 and a consultant, executive coach and fundraiser to non-profit organizations. She has co-founded two non-profit organizations, served as the development director for a private elementary school, and has helped raise more than $200 million for organizations with which she has worked. Julia has a breadth of experience that includes youth leadership and community service-learning programs, international environmental, and human health programs, peace and social justice organizations, universities and independent schools. Julia earned a B.A. in Psychology from Reed College and received her M.B.A. at the Simmons School of Management. She can be contacted at julia@hgf.org.

Arlene D. Schiff

National Director, LIFE & LEGACY, Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Prior to joining HGF in 2013, Arlene D. Schiff served as the executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires. During her 12-year tenure she provided visionary leadership while devising and executing strategic plans that centered on community building and garnering support for philanthropic giving. Arlene is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and holds an MA from Harvard University. Arlene can be reached at arlene@hgf.org.

Amy Schiffman

Co-Founder and Principal, Giving Tree Associates​
DWith more than 25 years in nonprofit development, Amy partners with organizations to develop effective fundraising campaigns, build strong leadership teams and empower them with tools to visualize and achieve mission impact. Since co-founding Giving Tree Associates in 2008, Amy has helped clients raise tens of millions of dollars through individual major gifts, foundation and corporate funding. Based in Chicago, Amy is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and is a frequent presenter at local and national conferences, including gatherings offered by Association of Fundraising Professionals, Forefront, Association of Consultants to Nonprofits, JCC Association of America, Hillel International, Jewish Federations of North America, the Jewish Emergent Network,
JPRO, JCamp 180, local Create a Jewish Legacy programs, JDC, Prizmah’s National Endowment & Legacy Institute and Jewish Federations across North America. Amy can be reached at amy@givingtreeassociates.com.

​Alli Thresher

Digital Content Lead, PJ Library
Alli Thresher joined the Harold Grinspoon Foundation in 2016 after a decade working in STEM fields. Prior to working with PJ Library, Alli was a video game designer, consultant and social media instructor and strategist. Over the years she has also consulted for a number of small businesses, arts organizations, and nonprofits helping with website reviews, social media strategies, blog design, content creation, and digital marketing. Alli can be reached at Alli@hgf.org.

​David Toll, JD

Consultant with gift planning development, llc and Senior Associate Vice President of the
Office of Gift Planning, Drexel University
David Toll brings more than 17 years of professional experience in development and fundraising. He currently serves as the Senior Associate Vice President of the Office of Gift Planning at Drexel University where he is responsible for the development and implementation of university-wide planned giving efforts. David has presented at conferences around the country and has consulted with many groups in developing gift planning programs and structuring complex planned gifts. David is the current president of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia. Before pursuing a career in higher education advancement, David spent several years practicing law at White and Williams, Patterson and Weir and Fox Rothschild with an emphasis on real estate, business, tax and estate planning. David can be reached at David@giftplanningdevelopment.com.

Lynne Wester

The Donor Guru, Donor Relations Guru Group
Lynne believes that donor relations is the key to unlocking fundraising success and that organizations must be as dedicated to the donor experience as they are to the ask itself. Sometimes referred to as the Olivia Pope of fundraising, Lynne helps organizations when they need it the most – when crisis or opportunity arrive. Lynne and her teammates at the Donor Relations Guru Group partner with nonprofits large and small on a variety of initiatives from developing sound strategy and vision to utilizing technology and creating meaningful donor engagement - all designed to positively affect the fundraising bottom line. Lynne created the DRG website to be used as a unique industry tool filled with resources, samples and thought leadership on donor relations and fundraising. She is regularly featured in publications such as the Washington Post, Chronicle of Philanthropy, and CASE Currents and has authored three books of her own on a myriad of industry topics. Lynne received her B.A. from the University of South Carolina, holds a master’s in strategic Fundraising and Philanthropy from BayPath University, and proudly sports a DUCKtorate from the Disney Institute. Lynn can be reached at www.donorrelationsguru.com.

Steve Yastrow

Author, President, Yastrow and Company​
Steve Yastrow is the author of three books: Ditch the Pitch, We: The Ideal Customer Relationship, and Brand Harmony. Steve’s passion is creating revolutionary marketing systems that yield major results. As a consultant, speaker, and writer, he challenges his clients, audiences and readers to reinvent the way they look at marketing and sales. The concepts behind Steve’s ideas were developed in the “real world” through his Chicago-based consulting firm. Steve has worked with major corporations such as McDonald’s and many nonprofits. Prior to founding his consulting firm, he was vice president of resort marketing for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Steve earned an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a BA from Indiana University. Steve can be reached at steve@yastrow.com and 847-924-2470, and you can sign up for his newsletter and read his blog at Yastrow.com.