CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
MORNING KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Nicola Lawrence, MSc, MA, MSFP, PgC, CAP®, CFRE
Chair of the National National Association of Charitable Gift Planner,
Vice President, Individual Giving, Phoenix Children’s Foundation,
Award-Winning Fundraising Professional, Innovative Leader & Non-Profit Operations Specialist
Nicola Lawrence has dedicated her career to non-profit leadership, amassing over 30 years of experience serving organizations across four continents. Her work spans a range of philanthropic efforts, from billion-dollar campaigns to daily fundraising for large healthcare institutions and grassroots social impact startups.
Nicola holds undergraduate degrees in Business and Finance from Wigan and Leigh College and International Non-Profit Management from the University of Leicester. She also earned a postgraduate diploma in Missional Leadership from York St. John University, an MSc in Non-Profit Leadership and Innovation from Dundee University, and an MSc in Financial Planning from the American College of Financial Services. Additionally, she holds CFRE, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, and Accredited Estate Planner credentials. Currently, she is pursuing a DPhil at the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Nicola specializes in revitalizing underperforming development shops and unlocking revenue through adapting to ai, generational patterns and integrated gift planning. Beyond fundraising, she has led several non-profits in operations and senior leadership. By designing effective policies and guiding organizations through risk mitigation, adherence to legislation, and strategic planning, she helps them achieve their missions. Her commitment to ethical practices and impactful philanthropy has earned respect throughout the sector.
As a conference speaker, Nicola shares insights nationwide, focusing on emerging technologies, challenging norms to adapt economic and legislative realities and championing integrated approaches to charitable gift planning.
She serves on the board of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and is VP of Arizona Charitable Gift Planners. Nicola is gift planning faculty at the AHP Madison Institute. She is also proud to have served as a foster and adoptive parent.
Nicola Lawrence, MSc, MA, MSFP, PgC, CAP®, CFRE
Chair of the National National Association of Charitable Gift Planner,
Vice President, Individual Giving, Phoenix Children’s Foundation,
Award-Winning Fundraising Professional, Innovative Leader & Non-Profit Operations Specialist
Nicola Lawrence has dedicated her career to non-profit leadership, amassing over 30 years of experience serving organizations across four continents. Her work spans a range of philanthropic efforts, from billion-dollar campaigns to daily fundraising for large healthcare institutions and grassroots social impact startups.
Nicola holds undergraduate degrees in Business and Finance from Wigan and Leigh College and International Non-Profit Management from the University of Leicester. She also earned a postgraduate diploma in Missional Leadership from York St. John University, an MSc in Non-Profit Leadership and Innovation from Dundee University, and an MSc in Financial Planning from the American College of Financial Services. Additionally, she holds CFRE, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy, and Accredited Estate Planner credentials. Currently, she is pursuing a DPhil at the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Nicola specializes in revitalizing underperforming development shops and unlocking revenue through adapting to ai, generational patterns and integrated gift planning. Beyond fundraising, she has led several non-profits in operations and senior leadership. By designing effective policies and guiding organizations through risk mitigation, adherence to legislation, and strategic planning, she helps them achieve their missions. Her commitment to ethical practices and impactful philanthropy has earned respect throughout the sector.
As a conference speaker, Nicola shares insights nationwide, focusing on emerging technologies, challenging norms to adapt economic and legislative realities and championing integrated approaches to charitable gift planning.
She serves on the board of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and is VP of Arizona Charitable Gift Planners. Nicola is gift planning faculty at the AHP Madison Institute. She is also proud to have served as a foster and adoptive parent.
LUNCHEON KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Andrew Fussner
Vice President of Estate Settlement for the American Heart Association
Andrew Fussner currently serves as the national Vice President of Estate Settlement for the American Heart Association and oversees the administration of $85 to $110 million in bequest assets annually for the organization. He is based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Before assuming his current role, he served in several planned giving roles with the AHA; and before joining the AHA, he was an attorney with the Tampa office of a large, national law firm. He specialized in estate planning, probate/trust administration, and tax law.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for ACGA (American Council on Gift Annuities) and the GTE Financial Credit Union.
He holds a law degree, a B.S. in Accounting, and a B.A. in Political Science - all from the University of Florida.
Andrew Fussner
Vice President of Estate Settlement for the American Heart Association
Andrew Fussner currently serves as the national Vice President of Estate Settlement for the American Heart Association and oversees the administration of $85 to $110 million in bequest assets annually for the organization. He is based in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Before assuming his current role, he served in several planned giving roles with the AHA; and before joining the AHA, he was an attorney with the Tampa office of a large, national law firm. He specialized in estate planning, probate/trust administration, and tax law.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors for ACGA (American Council on Gift Annuities) and the GTE Financial Credit Union.
He holds a law degree, a B.S. in Accounting, and a B.A. in Political Science - all from the University of Florida.
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS (In alphabetical order by last name)
Hal Abrams, JD, LLM
Principal/Owner, Hal J. Abrams Planned Giving Consultant Hal Abrams is a planned giving consultant, based in Portland, OR with clients throughout the West Coast. Hal began his career as an estate planning attorney in San Francisco. He first moved into the nonprofit sector in 1996 and gained experience in the planned giving departments at City of Hope and UC Berkeley. This experience enabled him to lead the gift planning office at the University of Oregon, then spend many years in advancement leadership at Oregon Athletics, Lewis & Clark College and Clark College Foundation. In his leadership capacity, Hal has overseen entire development operations and helped teams of major gift fundraisers apply gift planning skills to raise major gifts more efficiently. Hal is on the faculty of the Fundraising School, as part of the Lilly School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Hal is a regular speaker at regional and national gift planning conferences. Hal has presented at both the 2022 and 2025 National Charitable Gift Planning Conference. Hal has a law degree from University of San Francisco, a master’s in taxation law from Golden State University and a bachelor’s from University of California, Los Angeles. He has served on numerous planned giving boards, including the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable and the NCPG Council board. He is a sports enthusiast with two children in college and one with a real job! |
Erinn Andrews
President, National Board of Advisors in Philanthropy Erinn Andrews, the President of the National Board of Advisors in Philanthropy, is a social entrepreneur, innovator, and philanthropy leader. As the Founder and CEO of GiveTeam, Erinn runs a unique philanthropic planning practice specializing in supporting donors who wish to be more intentional in their giving. Offering a new philanthropic advising model, GiveTeam collaborates closely with financial advisors and estate planners to help their clients develop a charitable mission statement and select local nonprofits aligned with their values. Before founding GiveTeam, Erinn led the Effective Philanthropy Learning Initiative at Stanford’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, where she researched donor behavior, published resources, and developed education programs. Previously, she led GuideStar’s nonprofit strategy, managing the largest database of nonprofit information in the U.S. While at GuideStar, she developed the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of distinction that nonprofits can earn today. Erinn received her B.A. and M.A. from Stanford University. |
Brantley Boyett
President & Co-Founder, Giving Docs Brantley is the Co-founder and President of Giving Docs. He is a former (recovering) attorney, having practiced for over a decade before starting Giving Docs in 2015 in Austin, TX. In 2017 Brantley moved to Durham, North Carolina, when Giving Docs partnered with Dan Ariely’s behavioral science lab, the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University, which seeks to use behavioral science to make the world happier, healthier, and wealthier. Brantley received his JD and BFA in Economics at the University of Texas in Austin. He also has taught Law and Entrepreneurship at Duke University School of Law. |
Christopher J. Clarkson, CFA
Senior National Director, Wealth Strategies, Bernstein Private Wealth Management Christopher Clarkson is a Senior Vice President and the National Director of Planning for Bernstein’s Foundation and Institutional Advisory business. He works with donors and nonprofits nationwide to ensure their finances are best positioned to fulfill their philanthropic mission. He has expertise in a variety of complex investment planning issues, including charitable giving, selling a business, multigenerational wealth transfer, and diversification of concentrated stock and option portfolios. Christopher is a frequent lecturer to groups of tax and legal professionals and charitable organizations throughout the western United States. He has given educational seminars for the Advisors in Philanthropy, Colorado Planned Giving Round Table Summer Symposium, Dallas Council of Charitable Gift Planners, Greater Washington Society of CPAs Nonprofit Symposium, Hawaii Tax Institute, Southern California Council of Charitable Gift Planners – Western Regional Planned Giving Conference, and USC Tax Institute. Christopher joined the firm in 1995 and has been a member of the Wealth Strategies Group since 1998. He earned a BA with high honors in business/economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst charter holder. |
Jeanine Crider
Director of Planned Giving, Peninsula Open Space Trust Jeanine Crider is a life-long conservationist with more than 20 years of legacy giving experience. With a background in Biology, she on the gift planning team at Earthjustice prior to joining POST in 2013. A former director of NCPGC, Jeanine is active with CGP, in particular their Emerging Professionals Committee, and is on the Advisory Council of the The Hibel Family Foundation’s Planned Giving Initiative. |
Erica Doyle
Director—Foundation & Institutional Advisory, Bernstein Private Wealth Management Erica Doyle is a Vice President and Director on Bernstein’s Foundation and Institutional Advisory (FIA) team. She works out of the Los Angeles office, partnering with advisors throughout the Western Region to support and add structure to their servicing of clients across the philanthropic spectrum. The FIA team works closely with our tax-exempt clients to deliver a tailored suite of comprehensive services designed to meet their specific needs, adding value beyond portfolio returns. Erica came to Bernstein in 2025 with 15 years of experience in the social sector, most recently serving as senior director of corporate philanthropy at Year Up United, a national nonprofit in the workforce development space. Prior to that, Erica was managing director of the just keep livin Foundation, Matthew and Camila McConaughey’s charitable foundation. Her additional experience includes roles at cancer treatment center City of Hope and entertainment companies Universal Pictures and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). She holds a BA in history from Northwestern University. |
Bryan Douglas Kirk
Development Legal Counsel, Stanford University Bryan D. Kirk is currently Development Legal Counsel for Stanford University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and certified specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. Bryan enjoys working with individuals, families and charitable institutions on issues related to philanthropy and estate planning. He regularly writes and presents on these topics, including publications in Trusts & Estates, Estate Planning, and Journal of Financial Planning. Prior to joining Stanford, he led estate and financial planning for Fiduciary Trust International and practiced trust and estate law in Northern California. He is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley School of Law (2004, J.D.), Santa Clara University’s Jesuit School of Theology (2022, M.T.S.) and Claremont McKenna College (2000, B.A.). |
Bill Laskin
Vice President, Consulting, PG Calc Bill has been part of PG Calc since its inception in 1985. As Vice President, Consulting, Bill's responsibilities include working with PG Calc's Consulting retainer client organizations to help them grow and improve their planned giving programs, as well as PG Calc software product design, documentation, and market research. He also manages and hosts PG Calc’s monthly webinar series, writes the PG Calc-U-Letter, PG Calc’s quarterly newsletter, and contributes regularly to the eRate, PG Calc’s monthly eNewsletter. Bill has served on the board of the Planned Giving Group of New England and the American Council on Gift Annuities. |
Jennifer Miano
Planned Giving Officer, Peninsula Open Space Trust To come |
Karl Mill
Attorney, Mill Law Center Karl Mill advises a broad range of charities and foundations on non-profit organizations on the wide variety of legal issues that arise from their non-profit or tax-exempt status. Karl founded Mill Law Center in 2021 after years of practice at other law firms supporting charitable organizations and their donors. Karl’s philosophy is to apply his years as a lawyer and educator to provide clear, actionable legal advice and support to non-profits. Karl’s areas of expertise include private foundations, public charities, impact investment, fiscal sponsorship, and charitable gift planning. Karl graduated from Columbia Law School in 2013. |
Ngan Le Raskin, JD
Director of Gift Planning, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health Ngan Raskin is the Director of Gift Planning at the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. In this role, she combines her technical expertise with relationship-driven leadership to advance and strengthen the Foundation’s planned giving program. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2026, Ngan worked for more than 15 years at TIAA Kaspick, supporting charities with program oversight and portfolio management, tax and legal consulting on complex gift arrangements, and donor communications. Ngan previously practiced law in the areas of trust and estate planning, and immigration and family law at legal nonprofits in Northern California. She received a JD from the University of San Francisco School of Law and a Master of Laws in Taxation from Boston University School of Law. She is a past president of the Northern California Planned Giving Council. |
David Sacarelos
Principal, Baker Tilly to come |
Amanda Weitman
Wealth Advisor Marin/San Francisco Bay Area Wells Fargo The Private Bank Amanda is a wealth advisor located in the Corte Madera Wells Fargo Private Bank office. She is responsible for working with high-net-worth clients to effectively manage their wealth, first by identifying each client’s unique goals then coordinating a team of specialists to implement custom, comprehensive wealth plans to help accomplish those goals. Amanda began her career with and has been with the firm since July, 1983. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Economics from Principia College. She received her MBA from Golden Gate University and she earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from American College. Amanda received a Masters in Philanthropy from the Lily Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University in 2020. She is currently a PhilD doctoral student at the Lily Family School of Philanthropy. Amanda is a native of Marin County. She serves on several local non-profit boards. |