Rhonda Abrams, Founder & Principal, Legacy Impact Group
Rhonda Abrams’ superpower is relationships. From non-profit community building to network-weaving, next-gen leadership cultivation, executive leadership and engagement-driven fundraising, Rhonda spent 15 years of experience in the non-profit and social impact sectors. In 2025, she founded Legacy Impact Group, a boutique philanthropic advising practice where she works with generous individuals and families to maximize their community impact. Rhonda is a Millennial advisor of intergenerational families where she brings cultural fluency, not just technical fluency, to her work.

Julianne Buck, CEO, Community Foundation of Grundy County
Julianne Buck, CAP®, has been CEO of the Community Foundation of Grundy County (IL) for 23 years and has taken their assets from $0 to $24 million.  As a small, rural shop, Julianne has performed all roles within a nonprofit – often all in one day!  Mrs. Buck serves on the board of directors of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving (CCPG) and has co-chaired the past five annual day of learning Symposiums. She also served on the 2024 conference session committee for the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners.  Julianne’s specialty is teaching Planned Giving 101 to new staff and small nonprofits. Julianne teaches a Certificate of Nonprofit Administration at Joliet Junior College (JJC).  She has also partnered with the Entrepreneur & Business Center at JJC to teach workshops for nonprofits in the City of Joliet, Will County, and numerous Chambers of Commerce throughout the region. In 2017, she launched Nonprofit Brains & Brawn, LLC, a consulting firm dedicated to nonprofits, donors, and professional advisors.  Julianne became a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® in 2020. Due to her expertise in nonprofit administration, Julianne was appointed to the Charitable Advisory Council of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in June 2025.

Kelly Anne Keeler Calvanico, JD, Founder & President, Kelly Calvanico Creative LLC
Kelly is a strategic communications and branding consultant who has spent over two decades in advancement, including serving as Director of Planned Giving at Loyola University Chicago and working in adult education at Chicago-Kent College of Law. She now helps growth-stage nonprofits sharpen their messaging, streamline programs, and build coalitions so they can raise more money with less chaos. Kelly has sat through (and redesigned) more than her share of donor conversations, CLEs, and planned giving trainings—and is happiest when helping fundraisers say the hard things out loud with clarity and confidence.

Christina Caputo, Forefront Services, Librarian, Forefront
Christina Caputo is a nationally recognized nonprofit librarian and knowledge strategist with more than 20 years of experience across libraries, education, and the social impact sector. She directs Knowledge Library Services at Forefront, Illinois’ statewide association for grantmakers and nonprofits, where she leads enterprise research strategy and mobilizes decision-ready intelligence for close to 1,400 organizations annually. A trusted advisor to executives, development teams, and philanthropic leaders, Christina specializes in prospect research, foundation strategy, workforce analysis, and knowledge governance. Under her leadership, the Forefront Library has evolved from a traditional support function into a high-impact, data-driven strategic asset, strengthening fundraising readiness and organizational capacity across Illinois and beyond. Christina is the author of Library Services to Homeschoolers: A Guide and numerous professional articles, and is a sought-after speaker on social impact sector resources, alternative education models, and equitable access to information. Widely regarded as a leading prospect research professional in Illinois, she is known for embedding mission-aligned, ethical knowledge practices that advance resilience and long-term impact across the sector.

Jenny Carroll, Senior Director of Gift Planning Operations, University of Illinois Foundation
Jenny Carroll is the Senior Director of Gift Planning Operations at the University of Illinois Foundation (“UIF”), overseeing the “back office” for UIF’s Office of Gift Planning and Trust Services. For over ten years, she has worked to modernize operations and codify policies and procedures, so planned gifts commitments to benefit the three Universities of the University of Illinois System are properly documented, recorded, and stewarded, and so estate gifts are realized in a timely manner. She also oversees planned gift marketing, gift agreement drafting, and advises major gift officers on gift terms to balance donor intent with university priorities. Jenny earned her BA and JD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and has over 20 years of experience in the non-profit and higher education industries, in programmatic, legal, and operational roles.

Renee Durnin, Senior Strategist, The Stelter Company
Renee Durnin, CFRE is a Senior Strategist at The Stelter Company, where she works with key nonprofit clients such as Feeding America, World Wildlife Fund, World Vision, The Salvation Army, and Save the Children to improve their legacy marketing through a data-driven, behavioral science based approach. She also heads up the donor survey program. For more than 25 years, Ms. Durnin has specialized in leveraging analytics to build effective creative communications for legacy, mid-level, and major giving along with donor acquisition and renewal fundraising campaigns. She has earned her Philanthropic Psychology certificate from the Institute of Sustainable Philanthropy, acquired her CFRE certification, and graduated from Truman State University with a B.A. in communications.

Ali Hay, Vice President of Success & Strategy, Giving Docs
Ali has spent nearly two decades in the world of nonprofit fundraising serving organizations across the country as a frontline fundraiser and consultant. As a gift officer, she successfully cultivated and closed multiple six-figure planned gifts. Prior to joining Giving Docs, she got her feet wet in customer success at Gravyty. Ali's proud of the ways in which she’s incorporated empathy, creativity, and candor into her work, and her diligence and industry expertise result in meaningful gains for the organizations she supports. Ali recently returned to her Massachusetts hometown after somehow convincing her partner that New England's quirks are more desirable than Southern California’s year-round sunshine. Libraries and road trips are two of her very favorite things.

Kirk Hoopingarner, Partner, Quarles
Kirk Hoopingarner is a partner in the Chicago office of Quarles & Brady where he is a member of the trusts and estates practice group and national chair of the firm's tax exempt organization practice. He is an adjunct professor at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law where he co teaches a LLM course on tax exempt organizations. He is on the editorial board of the on line publication Planned Giving Today. He is a frequent speaker and author on charitable planning, including writing the recent update of the Blumberg portfolio on charitable lead trusts.

Ron Krit, President and Founder, Krit Consulting
Ron Krit is the founder of Krit Consulting, where he helps nonprofit organizations build confidence and effectiveness in fundraising, with a focus on planned giving and donor engagement. With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Ron has helped organizations raise millions with planned gifts. He is known for making fundraising approachable by blending practical strategy with improv-based techniques that help conversations feel natural, human, and confident.

James H. Moore, Jr., President/CEO, University of Illinois Foundation
James Moore, president and CEO of the University of Illinois Foundation, provides strategic oversight and leadership of the systemwide development program for the University of Illinois and its three campuses in Urbana‑Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield. He previously served as president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation and the University of Northern Colorado Foundation. He also held senior‑level positions at Northwest Missouri State University, Clarkson University, University of Arizona, and Iowa State University.

A veteran advancement professional with more than three decades of experience, Moore has also served the profession as a volunteer, speaker, and author. His service to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), included membership on CASE’s National Committee on Institutionally Related Foundations, the CASE Commission on Philanthropy, and the CASE Board of Trustees. His 12‑year service on the CASE Board culminated with serving as chair of the CASE Board from July 2019 to July 2021. Moore is the 2015 recipient of the CASE Commonfund Institutionally Related Foundation Award.

In addition to his volunteer service to CASE Jim has served on numerous thought‑leadership councils, authored book chapters on institutionally‑related foundations, and has been an invited speaker and facilitator at several Association of Governing Board (AGB) Leadership Forums. In 2023, he was appointed as a faculty member of the Big Ten Fund Raisers Institute.

Jessica Noe, Senior Director, Development and Planned Giving, Feeding America
Jessica Noe (she/her) is the Sr. Director, Development & Planned Giving for Feeding America with 23 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and donor engagement. For over 17 years, she has been a key leader at Feeding America, expanding the planned giving program, driving record-breaking revenue, and growing the van Hengel Society by over 300%. She also manages the charitable gift annuity program, helping donors create lasting legacies. Her expertise includes donor stewardship and charitable gift strategies. A Northern Illinois University alumna, Jessica serves on the board of the Chicago Council on Planned Giving and is dedicated to advancing philanthropy. She lives in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Kate O'Malley, Founder & CEO, K.O. Strategies
Kate is CEO and founder of K.O. Strategies, a nationally award-winning firm that helps organizations convey their value, influence key audiences, and achieve meaningful results. Over the past 20 years, we’ve helped clients navigate complex challenges, elevate their visibility, build strong relationships, and turn strategy into action. Our services include communications, public relations, advocacy/lobbying, community relations, issue campaigns, public affairs, and strategic planning. Kate created and produced an improvised and sketch comedy show that ran for more than a year in Chicago, building upon classes at Second City. She enjoys weaving improv principles into her work and life. Kate is an alumna of Notre Dame, U of I College of Law, and Harvard Law School.

Mary Petersen, Founder, Hey Fundraiser!
Mary is a nationally recognized fundraising strategist, author, speaker, and coach—trusted by nonprofits of every size to unlock transformational 6-, 7-, and even 9-figure gifts. She’s the host of the Hey Fundraiser podcast, where she discusses philanthropy, leadership, and nonprofit innovation. Her practical, results-driven approach has helped organizations raise hundreds of millions of dollars, launch record-breaking campaigns, and build donor relationships that last a lifetime.

Katie Pfeiffer, Director, Marketing and Client Communications, TIAA Kaspick
Katie leads a team of designers, marketers, and events specialists responsible for brand, collateral, digital strategy, client/prospect events, sales support, industry research, and analytics for TIAA Kaspick, a provider of planned giving services for charitable organizations nationwide. She has spoken on a variety of topics in planned giving ranging from developing engaging planned giving marketing strategies to understanding technical aspects of deferred gift annuities to the relevant provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Prior to joining TIAA Kaspick in 2013, Katie served as Director of Communications for Marin Academy, a private high school in San Rafael, CA. Previously, she served as Director of Communications for the Haas Center for Public Service and Graphic Designer and Publicist for the Department of Theater and Performance Studies, both at Stanford University. Katie has a BA in Art History from Stanford University and an MBA from Santa Clara University.

A.J. Price, Senior Wealth Advisor, Legacy Impact Group & Focus Partners Wealth
A.J. is relationship-driven and takes pride in delivering objective advice to the people who trust him to guide their wealth. He works with high net worth individuals, families, and charitable organizations to help them achieve their long-term financial objectives. He does this using a comprehensive approach that considers a client’s distinct financial resources, tolerance for risk, and personal goals. And while investment management is certainly a focus of this work, A.J. gets the most satisfaction from helping people simplify their financial lives, optimize their long-term strategy, and feel more confident about their legacy.

Jessi Pridle, Relationship Manager, TIAA Kaspick
Jessie Pridie joined TIAA Kaspick as a Relationship Manager in 2022.  In this role she works with planned giving programs on complex gift arrangements and program oversight.  Previously, Jessie spent 14 years with Mayo Clinic working in planned giving fundraising and marketing. She holds a BA in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Sioux Falls and an MA in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary's University.

Laura Ruiz, Director of Development, Catholic Theological Union
Laura joined the Development team at Catholic Theological Union, a graduate theology school located in Hyde Park, in January 2025. Prior to joining CTU, Laura spent much of her career working in higher education/development, and learned much of what she knows from her former colleagues at Dominican University, Northwestern University, and the University of Notre Dame. In her current role, Laura works with CTU alumni, family, and friends who are interested in supporting the mission through major and planned gifts. She is passionate about the importance of planned giving within the broader non-profit/fundraising community and has been a member of CCPG since 2024. Laura holds a JD from Loyola University Chicago School of Law and a BA from Saint Mary's College. Outside the office, she and her husband live in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago with their son and dog.

Christy Smith-Hall, Development Director, Deborah's Place
Christy Smith-Hall is an accomplished nonprofit development leader with more than a decade of experience advancing mission-driven organizations through strategic fundraising, donor stewardship, and legacy giving. As Development Director at Deborah’s Place, she leads comprehensive fundraising and planned giving strategies that center dignity, equity, and long-term impact, helping to secure sustainable resources for women overcoming homelessness. Christy is known for translating complex philanthropic concepts into accessible, values-aligned conversations that resonate with donors and boards alike. A Chicago Council on Planned Giving Scholar, CFRE, and frequent conference presenter, she brings a practical, relational, and systems-level lens to legacy giving, helping organizations cultivate bequests not as transactions, but as lasting expressions of purpose and belonging.

   

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