Biographies des conférenciers
Kris Archie
Kris Archie, a Secwepemc and Seme7 woman from the Ts’qescen First Nation, is passionate about heart-based community work and facilitating positive change. In her own words: “My lived experiences as a mixed blood woman, mother and community member informs my desire for inclusion, accessibility, and justice”. Archie was the project manager for the Vancouver Foundation’s youth homelessness initiative, called Fostering Change before becoming the Executive Director of “The Circle on Philanthropy and Aboriginal Peoples in Canada”, an open network to promote giving, sharing, and philanthropy in Aboriginal communities across the country. In all of her roles, Kris works to transform philanthropy and contribute to positive change by creating spaces of learning, relationship-building and activation.
Sharon Avery
Entrepreneurial and innovative, Sharon Avery has been challenging traditional notions of fundraising and philanthropy throughout her twenty-three-year career.
As President & CEO of Toronto Foundation, Sharon has championed “the new philanthropy,” an inclusive, participatory, and power-shifting approach to charitable giving and grant-making. With Sharon at the helm, Toronto Foundation has become a gathering place for diverse new philanthropists, community organizations and grassroots leaders to embark on learning journeys and build partnerships to more effectively fight inequality in the city.
Under her leadership the Foundation has introduced programs, such as Vision 2020 and Vision Next, aimed at mobilizing next generation philanthropists; the Trust Collective, focused on investing in women and girls; and harnessing the potential of social impact investing. Sharon played an instrumental role in helping secure $300 million in government funding to support global gender equality through the Equality Fund, an innovative multi-sector partnership between the non-profit sector, philanthropists and investors.
Armed with a broadcasting degree Sharon found her real calling in the charitable sector and has held senior roles at UNICEF, SickKids Foundation, Save the Children Canada and Tim Horton Children’s Foundation.
Christall Beaudry
Christall joined CNIB in 2013, fresh off the trail of having completed her Master of Business Administration through the University of Regina where she also worked in the governance office. Her professional journey led her to working in international trade, immigration, with post-secondary institutions and as a business owner. Her varied career roles focused on strategy, governance, communications, government relations, advocacy and philanthropy. A lifelong learner, in addition to an MBA, Christall received her Certified International Trade Professional (CITP), Registered Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) designation and is currently working on becoming a Life Coach. As Executive Director of CNIB Saskatchewan, Christall led the implementation of The Path to Change in Saskatchewan, successfully achieving the integration of post-vision loss rehabilitation therapy into the healthcare system. As well, she led a team of Senior Leaders from across the organization to develop CNIB’s new strategic plan for 2018-2022.
Yolanda Benoit
As Senior Manager, Will & Estate Gifts at The BC SPCA for the past seven years, Yolanda works with supporters, professional advisors and executors, passionately facilitating the final requests of donors, many of which are complex and challenging, as well as those with legal claims. Previously, she spent over 10 years raising funds in the healthcare sector. Yolanda is a director on the CAGP National Board and a member of the Vancouver Chapter, the Fraser Valley Estate Planning Council, and an Associate Member of STEP, where she earned her Certificate in Estate and Trust Administration. She pursues her passion of gift planning and estate administration thanks to the support of her husband, two sons (and study buddies!) and dog, Digger!
Krista Bissiallon
Krista is Anishinaabe kwe from Bawating (Sault Ste. Marie, ON) with roots in Mississauga First Nation. She has worked in various avenues of community development with a strong focus on supporting young people doing change work in her community. Krista is inspired by the good work of leaders creating systems change, and she brings her passion for people, learning, social justice and community development to her own practices.
Michael Blatchford, LL. B.
Michael Blatchford is a partner with the global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright. Michael practices from Vancouver, working with charities and not-for-profits across Canada, helping them to carry out their mission while complying with legal and regulatory obligations. Michael advises on all aspects of charity law, including fundraising and social enterprise activities. Michael also works with registered charities and donors to plan and implement tax-effective charitable gifts and other structures for strategic philanthropy. Michael is a director on the national board of CAGP-ACPDP and the past-chair of the Greater Vancouver Chapter.
Kimberley Blease
When it comes to building high-value donor relationships, Kimberley’s energy, enthusiasm and original thinking is unparalleled. With over 30 years of experience in both the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, Kimberley is a fundraiser and marketer who believes in building high value donor programs from the ground up. She helps not for profit organizations raise the bar on the experience their donors receive and inspiring donors to do more in the process, especially with legacy giving! In her role as EVP at Blakely Inc., she brings vision and proven strategy to the clients she works with and to the teams she leads. Kimberley challenges her fundraising colleagues to think and act differently to achieve more!
Lynne Boardman
Lynne has been working in fundraising for 20 years in both Canada and the UK, starting with an animal welfare charity in Vancouver who really did keep their donor records on recipe cards! She’s worked with a myriad of causes as a fundraiser and a consultant, from international aid to health care, environment, human rights, homelessness, and indigenous education. Lynne works as the Managing Director of Vancouver and Toronto-based consultancy Harvey McKinnon Associates, where she oversees strategy for clients like Amnesty International, Oxfam Canada, Ecojustice and Indspire.
Vanessa Bonk
Vanessa Bonk, Director of Finance & Administration, South Saskatchewan Community Foundation. Vanessa is a Chartered Professional Accountant, a Certified Management Accountant, and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Regina. Since joining the Community Foundation, Vanessa has assisted donors and charities with their financial inquiries, and sits on the Foundation’s Finance Committee.
Photo credit: Michael Chmielewski
Mikhael Bornstein, MA, CFRE
Having worked in the arts, health, social service, and education sectors, Mikhael Bornstein has more than twenty years of experience as a professional fundraiser. Throughout his career he has been involved in all areas of fundraising but has developed special expertise in gift planning and direct marketing. He is an AFP Master Trainer and a frequent speaker at conferences across North America. Mikhael is the Associate Director of Philanthropy at Ecojustice and teaches at George Brown College. He has a MA in Leadership Studies from Royal Roads University and recently published the Canadian Fundraising Leadership Survey.
Rick Braun-Janzen, CFP
Rick is the Director of Gift Planning at Abundance Canada. He provides leadership for Abundance Canada’s gift planning consultants, assisting them in developing and implementing generosity plans and engagement strategies for donors and prospects. Prior to Abundance Canada, Rick worked for various for-profit companies and social profit agencies. Rick holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree, the Certified Financial Planner designation and is a member of CAGP. He also chairs the Board of Directors for a seniors housing society in Winnipeg.
Terri-Lynn Brown
Terri-Lynn is the Regional Director, Scotiatrust – Western Canada. She is responsible for the profitable delivery of the full range of trust services (Estate and Trust Consulting and Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Philanthropic Services including Aqueduct Foundation and Personal Office) offered by Scotiatrust branches located in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. She joined the Scotiabank Group in 1994 and has worked in the financial industry since 1980. Terri-Lynn was appointed as a member and director of Aqueduct Foundation in 2013 and currently serves as Board Chair.
Malcolm Burrows
Malcolm Burrows has been a gift planner for 30 years. He is Head, Philanthropic Advisory Services at Scotia Wealth Management, founder of Aqueduct Foundation and a Friend of CAGP.
Jennifer Button
Jennifer Button is the Head of Philanthropic Advisory Services at RBC Wealth Management. She works with investment advisors and investment counsellors across Canada to help implement charitable giving strategies and plans with RBC Wealth Clients.
Terrance Carter, B.A., LL.B, TEP
As Trade-mark Agent and Managing Partner of Carters, Mr. Carter practices in the area of charity and not-for-profit law, and is counsel to Fasken on charitable matters. Mr. Carter is a co-author of Corporate and Practice Manual for Charitable and Not-for-Profit Corporations (Thomson Reuters), a co-editor of Charities Legislation and Commentary (LexisNexis, 2019), and co-author of Branding and Copyright for Charities and Non-Profit Organizations (2019 LexisNexis). He is recognized as a leading expert by Lexpert, The Best Lawyers in Canada and Chambers and Partners, and is a Past Chair of the Canadian Bar Association and Ontario Bar Association Charities and Not-for-Profit Law Sections. He is editor of www.charitylaw.ca, www.churchlaw.ca and www.antiterrorismlaw.ca.
C. Yvonne Chenier, Q.C.
Yvonne is a lawyer and philanthropy consultant. As Legal Counsel for IntegralOrg, Yvonne brings 35 years of experience helping those in the philanthropic, not-for-profit and social enterprise sectors, acting as general legal counsel and advising on planning, organizational, regulatory and governance matters. Yvonne is named in The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory for excellence in Charity Law and has been selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in Canada for her work in Charities/Non-Profit Law.
David Chilton
David Chilton is a Canadian author, investor, and television personality from Waterloo, Ontario. As a venture capitalist, he appeared on television in the Canadian production of Dragons’ Den. Chilton began his career by self-publishing his best selling book, The Wealthy Barber, in 1989. In 2011, Chilton released a sequel to The Wealthy Barber in response to the 2008 financial crisis, titled The Wealthy Barber Returns. He has a BA in Economics and currently resides outside of Waterloo, Ontario.
Nicole K. D’Aoust, LL.B.
Nicole D’Aoust is a Partner in Miller Thomson LLP’s Social Impact Group in Toronto. Nicole advises charity and non-profit clients across Canada and internationally on a wide range of topics and issues including corporate structures, governance, operations, charitable gifts and receipting, planned giving, fundraising campaigns, endowments, donor advised funds, compliance with legislation and regulatory regimes, domestic and international activities, social finance, investments, audits, reorganizations, mergers, public policy, dialogue, and development activities, anti-spam, and privacy. Nicole also advises clients who are seeking to establish a social enterprise or carry on a business through a charity. She has expertise dealing with animal law issues in the charitable context as well as the taxation of First Nations bands and their activities, including commercial activities. Nicole has completed CPA Canada’s three-year In-Depth Tax Course, as well as the Canadian Board Diversity Council’s Corporate Governance Education Program for charities and not-for-profit corporations. Nicole is Co-Chair of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s Young Leadership Council, which oversees all programming directed towards young patrons of the Symphony. Nicole is co-editor of the Social Impact Group’s free newsletter. Nicole works with clients in English and French.
Colleen DeJager
Building on 23 years of experience in the financial services industry, 17 of those years as a Trust Officer, Colleen spent the last 13 years of her career building a robust planned giving program as Director of Planned & Memorial Giving at one of Canada’s largest teaching hospitals. Adding this experience to her estate planning & administration background, Colleen is now a Senior Consultant for national planned giving consultancy firm, PGGrowth Inc. As both active member and past faculty of CAGP and Past President of the London Estate Planners Council, her passion is helping charities develop successful, informed and professional planned giving practices.
Siobhan Doherty
Siobhan Doherty leads the Planned Giving Program at Dalhousie University in Halifax. She previously held fundraising roles with the University of Calgary and The Canadian Cancer Society. Her fundraising career began at McGill University at the age of 18 and she hasn’t stopped since. Siobhan completed her BA from McGill and professional certificates in Public Relations and Marketing from UCalgary. Currently she volunteers on the board of the Halifax Chapter of CAGP, with AFP National and is the Vice-Chair of the non-profit dance company Votive Dance. Siobhan wants to continue her career in fundraising and is working towards her CFRE designation.
Nigel Fawcett, CFA, MBA
As Chief Operating Officer, Nigel is responsible for the delivery of RBC Royal Trust’s key strategic initiatives that focus on business growth, business efficiencies, and enhancing the client and partner experience. He leads three national teams that are tasked with leading and supporting the business to achieve these strategic goals.
Nigel’s career with RBC began in 2010 through the RBC Wealth Management Generalist Program. Before joining RBC Royal Trust in 2012, Nigel completed rotations with RBC Dominion Securities and RBC Global Asset Management. Nigel holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation as well as an MBA degree from the Rotman School of Management.
Charlotte Field
Charlotte Field is a Philanthropic Counsel, Digital Specialist at Good Works and co-author of You Can’t Take It With You: The Art & Science of Legacy Fundraising. She’s helped a multitude of charities to effectively integrate digital into their fundraising programs and create seamless digital donor journeys. Charlotte specializes in all things online, including email, websites, social, and content creation. Charlotte is a member of the Tech4Good Ottawa Steering Committee, a volunteer with the Ottawa CAGP Chapter, and was selected for the Session Advisory Committee for the Nonprofit Technology Conference in 2019 and 2020.
Calvin Fong
I am a non-profit professional with over 10 years of non-profit experience and over 20 years of prior experience in the private wealth management field. I joined the Vancouver Foundation in May 2014 in the role of Director, Donor Services. This role allows me the privilege to work with donors, both individuals and charities, to establish their own endowment funds with Vancouver Foundation. I work to link the charitable interests of donors with the significant work being done in our communities to create a positive and lasting impact.
Laurie Fox, MBA
Laurie has been a die-hard charity sector professional for close to 2 decades. Most recently, Laurie specialized in gift planning at Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation and Plan International Canada. It was there that Laurie discovered the power of strategic giving to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary; and its potential to help meet some of society’s greatest needs. For the past two years Laurie has been working with CAGP to develop Canada’s first national legacy campaign, an effort to promote gift planning amongst all Canadians.
Stephen George
Stephen George is a fundraising and leadership coach and consultant, specialising in helping charity leaders become more entrepreneurial leaders who change behaviour and raise more money. He is currently working on global legacy strategies for international NGO’s and runs a leadership and coaching programme. He has over 30 years’ experience at all levels in the UK and internationally at NSPCC, UNICEF, RNIB, Action on Hearing Loss, Maggie’s and Scope and is a speaker, writer, podcaster and contributor to NGO’s. He is a former chairman of Remember a Charity, and a former Vice Chairman of the UK’s Institute of Fundraising. He is currently a trustee at UK children’s charity CLIC Sargent.
Gary Goodwin, LL.B., MBA, LL.M.
Gary Goodwin has been Executive Corporate Secretary and Counsel for Ducks Unlimited Canada since 1989 and has led Information Technology, Human Resources and directed all aspects of corporate involvement in legal, quasi-legal or legislative policy matters. He is the Staff Liaison for the DUC Governance Committee; has national experience in conservation agreements, legislation and policies and is Director for the American Friends of Canadian Land Trusts. Gary’s latest publications include: Canadian Lawyer Magazine monthly columnist: The Untethered Lawyer; North American Wildlife Policy and Law (2018); and Contributing Author for Federal Conservation law, Provincial Conservation Law and NGO role in Conservation.
Holly Greatrex, CFRE
Holly Greatrex is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and the Associate Director of Planned Giving in the Department of University Advancement at Carleton University. Holly has over 14 years of fundraising and professional experience at Carleton and is a member of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners. Holly helps develop and manage the Planned Giving Department’s marketing and fundraising plans including the design and delivery of the Carleton University Giving Insight newsletter, surveys and other lead generating marketing efforts and tools.
Lisa Green, CFRE
A fundraising professional with 20 years’ experience, and a CFRE since 1999, Lisa has raised funds for an international NGO, universities and hospital foundations across the country. Lisa served in a variety of roles on the board of AFP Saskatoon chapter from 2008-2013, before stepping down at the end of her term as President. She has also served on the National Philanthropy Day organizing committee for AFP Manitoba and on the AHP Convene Canada Conference organizing committee. As the VP Development in her second hospital foundation, Lisa has first-hand experience with the challenges of attracting and retaining fundraising talent. Speaking: AHP Convene Canada 2015 – The Science of Major Gift Fundraising: Help Your MGOs Achieve Maximum Performance.
Sherri Grosz, CFP
Since 2006, Sherri has helped individuals, couples, and families create and implement their charitable giving plans through Abundance Canada. In her role as Gift Planning Consultant, she works primarily with donors and their advisors. She received the Certified Financial Planner designation in 2013 and is a member of both the Canadian Association of Gift Planners and the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors. Sherri graduated from the University of Waterloo with a B.A. in Sociology and lives in Kitchener, Ontario.
Joady Guyot
Joady has been with the Assante organization for over 20 years, and her primary job role is helping share best practices between financial advisors in the Assante network so that they can constantly improve the way they help Canadian families manage their wealth. In 2018 she became actively involved in giving strategies, and has been partnering with advisors to keep that conversation going.
Serena Hak
Serena started her philanthropic journey at Free The Children in 2009, and has since become an Associate at Stonegate Private Counsel and a Partner with The Donor Motivation Program® Canada. The Donor Motivation Program® is a national organization committed to engaging donors in the philanthropic conversation. She is passionate about breaking down the barriers between the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Through her current role as CAGP (Canadian Association of Gift Planners) GTA Chair, she hopes to set an example of collaboration and innovation in order to foster new ideas and partnerships. She is also involved with the George Hull Centre for Children and Families, The Toronto Foundation, and The Stop Community Food Centre. Outside of work, she loves trotting around Toronto with her beagle, Bogart.
Jeremy Hampson, CFP, CLU
Since 1996, Jeremy Hampson has been advising families and business owners on how to significantly reduce their income and estate taxes through the implementation of philanthropic planning.
He is a sought after planned giving consultant and speaker, having presented at many local and national conferences. He has helped raise over $1M for the special needs community and currently he is leading a capital campaign to raise $2M for the construction of a family resource center.
Given Jeremy’s passion and his understanding of the many financial limitations charitable organizations face, he has made it a personal objective to help initiate $100M of philanthropic gifting over the next 10 years.
Kent Hartshorn, CFRE
Kent Hartshorn’s strategic knowledge of the ‘art and science of fundraising’ encompasses all avenues of fund development. He began his philanthropic career at the University of Saskatchewan where his devotion to learning and skill as a fundraising leader enabled him to advance to Executive Director, Development, with oversight of all university fundraising activity raising $33M/yr. Since joining DCG, Kent has been Campaign Counsel on numerous successful community fundraising campaigns ranging from $1M-$35M. Kent enjoys presenting and discussing with boards, their role in creating a culture of philanthropy within their charity and has been a lecturer at various CFRE Review Courses. Kent firmly believes that legacy giving can very easily, be a vital part of the development revenue stream of every charity.
Sharon Hartung, PEng, MSc, BEng, PMP, CD, rmc
Sharon Hartung is currently the Founder and Principal of Your Digital Undertaker. With over 30 years of experience in IT management, project management and consulting, she brings a multiple disciplinary approach to better understanding the role of managing digital assets in estate planning and estate administration. Sharon has built and maintained large enterprise systems for public sector and financial clients – starting as an aerospace engineering officer with the Canadian Forces before retiring as a Captain. Joining IBM Global Services, Sharon spent her career as an Executive and Consultant in Project Management. Sharon’s book, Your Digital Undertaker – Exploring Death in the Digital Age in Canada, has just recently been published.
Photo Credit: Thaller Photography
M. Elena Hoffstein, LL.B.
M. Elena Hoffstein, FEA, is a lawyer with Miller Thomson LLP and has a practice focused in all areas of estate planning, family business succession planning, corporate reorganization both pre and post mortem planning. She also advises on cross border and international matters, will, trusts and marriage contracts. Elena is also a recognized leader in charity law advising both charities and donors on effective legislative, tax and regulatory matters and on tax effective charitable gifting.
Eric N. Hoffstein, LL.B., TEP
Eric N. Hoffstein, TEP, is a litigation partner with Fogler, Rubinoff LLP in Toronto whose practice focuses on trust, estate and charity disputes, as well as general commercial litigation. Eric has extensive experience advising individual, corporate and institutional clients in the financial and charitable sectors. Eric has served on several charity and advisory boards and is a frequent speaker at legal and industry conferences and publishes regularly on subjects related to risk management for fiduciaries and charities. Eric has appeared as counsel at all levels of Ontario courts and at the Supreme Court of Canada.
Martina Jileckova
As CEO of Horizon Housing, Martina is passionate about the mission of providing individuals and families an affordable place to call home. Martina has 20 years of experience in the real estate sector, and a strong track record of driving meaningful growth. As a respected leader within the sector, Martina is committed to building strong partnerships with community groups and government. Horizon was one of the partners in the RESOLVE Campaign – a unique collaboration of nine like-minded organizations which together raised $75M for affordable housing in Calgary. Martina has served on Boards and committees of several organizations and holds a Masters of Environmental Design from the University of Calgary.
Iryna Khovrenkov, PhD
Dr. Khovrenkov is an economist with research interests in philanthropic foundations and charitable giving, social finance and applied microeconomics. Iryna teaches core economics classes in the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina and serves as a program lead of the school’s certificate in Nonprofit Management.
Peggy Killeen, CFRE
Peggy Killeen, CFRE, is a development consultant with over 30 years of leadership experience in non-profits. Her career began in South Africa, managing grassroots advocacy, human rights and community organizations. She has also worked for international agencies in Central Africa and the former Yugoslavia. In Canada she specialized in fundraising, mainly for healthcare and education, with some forays into adult literacy and immigration services. Peggy has served as a Director on the Boards of CAGP and the CAGP Foundation, and now works part time for the CAGP Foundation as its Development Director. Her mission is to work with authentic leaders to increase the capacity of their organisations to build and sustain fundraising revenue. Planned giving is her passion.
David Kravinchuk
David firmly believes philanthropy’s power belongs to all people and not just the world’s wealthiest. He created The Common Good fundraising agency to help charities and nonprofits of all sizes empower donors of modest means to achieve their philanthropic dreams. He advises The Common Good’s clients on successful strategies for annual giving and legacy marketing programs that build meaningful donor relationships. David also founded Western Canada Fundraising Conference, Canada’s only multi-award-winning annual conference and the Day Of Good Assemblies.
Deborah Legrove, CFRE (2002 – 2017)
Following extensive experience in the non-profit sector, Deborah purchased crawfordconnect in 2010. She has served in numerous leadership roles in non-profits and within the Association of Fundraising Professionals, locally and nationally, and has served on the boards of many organizations. A CFRE from 2002-2017, Deborah has also completed the Institute of Corporate Directors Not for Profit Governance Essentials course and is a popular speaker and writer in the areas of leadership search, retention, sustainability and board development. Deborah is committed to providing sound solutions to solve the non-profit fundraiser and leadership deficit in Canada.
Aimée Lindenberger, CFRE
Aimée Lindenberger is Chief Engagement Officer at Refocus Communications & Fundraising. She gets to spend her days helping charitable organizations make the world a better place, and she can’t think of anything she’d rather do. With her degree in Graphic Communications Management, double minors in Marketing and Multimedia, a tender heart and insightful mind, and nearly twenty years of marketing and communications experience, she has worked with charities across Canada, helping them build fundraising programs. Aimée is Co-Chair of the CAGP Greater Vancouver Chapter, and serves on the Greater Vancouver Chapter of AFP as a member of their Communications Committee and Fraser Valley Committee.
Ruth MacKenzie
Ruth MacKenzie is the President & CEO of the Canadian Association of Gift Planners, and provides leadership to the newly-established CAGP Foundation serving as its Executive Director. Ruth has a 30-year background in the nonprofit sector, working at the local, provincial and national levels. For 12 years she was with Volunteer Canada, serving as its President and CEO and previously held the position of Director, Volunteer Development with the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia Division. Ruth also experience running a small business, having established and ran her own microbrewery for which she was recognized with an Entrepreneur of the Year award. Ruth is a committed volunteer and has served on countless boards and committees locally, nationally and internationally. She currently Chairs the Board of CanadaHelps, as well as the Champlain Region Grant Review Team of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Ruth also served on the Governor General of Canada’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Advisory Committee from 2010 to 2013. In acknowledgement of her contribution to volunteerism, Ruth was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012.
Theresa L.M. Man, B.Sc., M.Mus., LL.B., LL.M.
A partner with Carters, Ms. Theresa Man practices in the area of charity and not-for-profit law and is recognized as a leading expert by Lexpert, Best Lawyers in Canada, and Chambers and Partners. In addition to being a frequent speaker, Ms. Man is co-author of Corporate and Practice Manual for Charitable and Not-for-Profit Corporations published by Thomson Reuters. She is chair of the CBA Charities and Not-for-Profit Law Section and a member of the OBA Charities and Not-for-Profit Law Section. Ms. Man has also written on charity and taxation issues for various publications.
Susan Manwaring, LL.B.
Susan Manwaring is a recognized leading expert advising social enterprises, charities and non-profits in her practice. Susan provides both general counsel and specialized tax advice to her clients across Canada and internationally. Susan is the national lead of the Social Impact Group at Miller Thomson LLP.
Holly McLellan
Holly is a second-generation immigrant to Ontario, and grew up in the Niagara region, on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabeg Peoples. She is passionate about contributing to a philanthropic future and is driven by the urgency of reconciliation, growing inequality, and climate change. Holly has worked in the education, social service, environmental, and philanthropic sectors for nearly 20 years. She is currently the Executive Director of the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative Canada (YPI), a public foundation dedicated to youth-led participatory grant-making.
Jon McPhedran Waitzer
Jon is passionate about convening diverse stakeholders around shared interests in a renewed philanthropic sector, with a commitment to facilitating equitable participation across differences in power and position. They currently organize with Resource Movement and the EDGE Funders’ Alliance, and work as a strategic advisor to Powered by Data. Jon’s professional experience includes leadership roles across the fields of grassroots community services, international development, and management consulting.
Bryan Millman, LL.B.
Bryan is a lawyer at the law firm of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada in Vancouver with a focus on the law surrounding charities and other entities in the voluntary sector. He provides advice on matters related to the establishment, administration and regulation of charities, societies and other not-for-profit and tax-exempt organizations in Canada.
Grant Monck, LL. B.
Grant Monck, LL.B. has over twenty years of experience as a board member, gift planner and senior fundraiser with organizations across Canada. After being called to the law societies of British Columbia and Ontario, Grant developed the planned giving program for the Canadian Cancer Society and then headed the gift and estate planning program at the University of British Columbia. Grant is currently Chair of the CAGP National Government Relations Committee and has spoken at national CAGP conferences since 1996. He was named a Friend of CAGP in 2016. Grant has a private consulting firm based in Vancouver and is currently Senior Counsel for PGgrowth.
Shereen Munshi
Shereen is a first-generation immigrant to Canada migrating with her family from Lusaka, Zambia. Her experiences with wealth disparity and segregation have shaped her outlook on life. She has a compulsion for equity, justice and cultural preservation. As Communications Manager at The Circle, Shereen is responsible for programming, strategic communications, storytelling, resource sharing and partnerships.
Patrick O’Connor, FEA, TEP, CHFC, CFP, CLU
Patrick is the President of Blackwood Family Enterprises Services. Blackwood is a firm that specializes in working with very affluent families to help guide them along the journey to address the many challenges of transitioning from generation to generation. This involves working with families with a current operating company or significant land/investments assets that needs to be transitioned. Blackwood assists these families and their advisors with the difficult conversations that are so often needed in order to make sure all voices within the family are heard. Our disciplined process ensures that all of the major topics are discussed, and very often one of these key topics is philanthropy. Helping families get clarity and focus around philanthropy is an important aspect of a successful transition from generation to generation.
Brad Offman
Brad Offman is the President of Spire Philanthropy and has worked for many years within the charitable sector with MacKenzie Investments, Toronto Community Foundation and has been a member of the Board of Directors of Benefaction, AFP and is a Friend of CAGP.
Charlotte Paul, CIM®, CDFA
Charlotte Paul is a financial advisor and founder of Perspective Wealth Management which focuses on helping women after the death of a partner or divorce. Charlotte has personally had to navigate times of major transition – including the loss of a partner – giving her a unique understanding of the fears, emotions, and challenges women face at these critical times. Her goal is to help women establish independence and financial wellbeing so they can live life to its fullest and achieve the goals they’ve set for themselves and their families. Charlotte is a Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) and a 2019 nominee for the Investment Industry of Canada top 40 under 40 award. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Victoria.
Jen Pederson, CFRE
I’ve been in the charitable sector since 2002 and have held my dream job (Philanthropic Advisor at Saskatoon Community Foundation) since 2018. Part of why this is my dream job is because it allows me to focus on bequests and other planned gifts, work with advisors seeking to enhance their practice by having charitable giving conversations, and help to build capacity in partner organizations by strengthening their connections to their donors. That capacity building piece, together with my work with CAGP and AFP, and a desire to build a stronger, more resilient, more supportive sector is what drew me to this session. I am grateful for the opportunity to help create a safe space for learning here.
Heather L.M. Powers
Heather L. M. Powers is the Director of Development at the McGill University Faculty of Law. She started her career in philanthropy in 2002 as a Gift Planning Assistant at Harvard University and then, from 2003-2005, as the Assistant Director of University Planned Giving at Harvard. She spent nine years at Centraide (the United Way) of Greater Montreal, where she began their planned gift recognition society and grew the program to $24M in bequest intentions. While her primary role now focuses on major gifts, she remains a strong planned giving advocate and weaves this conversation into as many donor conversations as possible. Heather serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of CAGP.
Darren Pries-Klassen, CFP
Darren joined Abundance Canada in 1998 as a Gift Planning Consultant. In 2009, Darren was appointed to the role of CEO. In 2015 -16 Darren led the organization through a rebranding process. (Abundance Canada was formerly Mennonite Foundation of Canada). Darren has degrees in Theology and Leadership. He has completed the CREST leadership program and holds the Certified Financial Planner designation. He has served on several Boards including Kitchener-based Kindred Credit Union and the CAGP National Board where he was Chair for two years. He currently sits on the Boards of Imagine Canada and the CAGP Foundation. Darren and his wife Monika live in the Niagara peninsula.
Doug Puffer
Doug is a recognized expert gift planner, with 32 years of fundraising success in higher education and environmental conservation, Doug recently retired as Director of Personal and Planned Giving at Carleton University and has joined PGGrowth Inc. as Senior Counsel. He was Director of Planned Giving for Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C for 9 years. Earlier, Doug was a Senior Planned Giving Officer at Queen’s University and a wildlife biologist with Ducks Unlimited Canada. He served 6 years on the CAGP national board and has been engaged with local chapters in Kingston, Ottawa and Vancouver and as guest lecturer for the Master in Philanthropy program at Carleton University.
Rob Rongve
Rob Rongve has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years, spending the last 21 years as an Investment Advisor with RBC Dominion Securities. In 2006 Rob was the founding chair of the Battlefords and District Community Foundation (BDCF). Since joining the Community Foundation, Rob has seen the value that the BDCF provides to his community through both endowed and flow-through funds and he is extremely proud of the impact the Foundation has had within the Community.
Robyn Schein, MPA
Robyn is an expert facilitator, speaker and trainer on multigenerational and next generation philanthropy. As Senior Director at 21/64, Robyn uses tools, thoughtful guidance and meaningful dialogue to help her clients reach their goals now and to set the stage for future generations. Robyn has spent her whole career in the non-profit sector, including 12 years as a Philanthropic Advisor at The Minneapolis Foundation. Robyn has a Master’s in Public Administrator in Nonprofit Management from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University
Dino Sophocleous, CFRE
Dino Sophocleous is a senior non-profit leader with twenty-seven years of experience. He specializes in financial/operational management and major giving and has managed campaigns ranging from $10 million to $80 million. He has presented at national conferences on leadership, fundraising, marketing & branding and the operational management of charities. Dino is the President & CEO at Hospitals of Regina Foundation, where he supports Regina’s three hospitals. His past roles include President, Arthritis Research Foundation at UHN, President, The Hearing Foundation and National Director of Development, Ducks Unlimited Canada. Dino sits on the board of AFP Canada, holds the CFRE professional designation, a BA in Economics from York University and has completed the Capital Campaigns Program at Madison Institute.
Janice L. St-Denis, CFRE
Janice L. St-Denis, CFRE, is a passionate relationship fundraiser with over 15 years of experience working in major gift fundraising and gift planning. Janice has worked with The Arthritis Society, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and is now the principal fundraiser in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Janice feels strongly about the need for open conversations about death, and believes that people-serving professions should attend to this privilege with great care. If you’d like to connect, follow on twitter (@jlstdenis), visit her blog (deathed4professionals.blogspot.com), or connect via LinkedIn.
Gwenyth Stadig, LL. B.
Gwenyth Stadig is an associate in Miller Thomson’s Social Impact Group which she finds incredibly rewarding. Gwenyth focuses her practice on assisting voluntary sector organizations with legal services to help them navigate the complex regulatory environments that are unique to the sector. She assists charities and not-for-profits – as well as organizations interested in considering becoming charities or non-profits – with a variety of matters related to corporate governance. She specifically provides tailored advice on various issues including incorporation and charitable registration, operating in foreign jurisdictions, structuring complex gift agreements, reporting, and general compliance under legislation governing the voluntary sector. Gwenyth received her Juris Doctorate from the University of New Brunswick, where she received the Lord Beaverbrook Scholarship in law for her studies there. While living in Fredericton, Gwenyth had the honour to mentor one youth on a weekly basis through a mentorship program with a local charity. She was also involved in Pro Bono Students Canada projects benefitting local charities and not-for-profits there. Prior to commencing her law degree Gwenyth completed two degrees in Human Kinetics from the University of Ottawa, where she played varsity rugby and was employed as the mascot. As part of her Master of Arts she lived in Pangnirtung, Nunavut where she worked as the local lifeguard and had the privilege to work with the community elders to improve water safety programming to better reflect the unique needs of the Inuit community of Pangnirtung.
Jay Stark, CFP
Jay is a certified financial planner and a consultant for the Donor Motivation Program in Saskatchewan. He has been successfully advising people on how to significantly reduce their income and estate taxes for more than 20 years. His counsel and expertise has helped hundreds of families in the Saskatoon area realize their goals of giving back and creating a meaningful legacy. Impacting a number of different communities in a positive way has always been important to Jay. From meeting his family’s sponsored child in Nicaragua through Compassion Canada, to being a Kinsmen member and working behind the scenes on the Telemiracle committee.
Brittany Sud, LL.B.
Brittany Sud is an Associate at the Toronto office of Miller Thomson LLP. Brittany has developed and implemented cohesive estate plans for clients, reflecting their financial objectives and both short and long-term goals. She has significant experience drafting multiple wills, inter vivos trusts and domestic contracts, and has advised on testamentary charitable giving, taxation of trusts, disability planning, estate freezes, business succession planning, probate planning and planning for beneficiaries and assets outside Canada. Brittany also advises trustees and beneficiaries on all aspects of estate administration, including preparing probate applications and the administration of the Canadian estates of non-residents. She is a frequent speaker and writer for professional organizations, such as the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Ontario Bar Association.
Betty Thompson, FCPA, FCGA
Betty is a chartered professional accountant and President and Board Chair of IntegralOrg. Betty has over 40 years of entrepreneurial and not-for-profit expertise. Through IntegralOrg, Betty offers coaching services in governance, policy development, financial and management related issues. Betty is the recipient of many accolades for her outstanding achievements and contributions to both the not-for-profit and accounting communities. She frequently delivers seminars and training sessions on a variety of topics that are relevant to her clients and colleagues. She is also an alumni instructor with the Alberta Board Development Program.
Keith Thomson
Keith Thomson is an internationally recognized financial educator, author and consultant, specializing in estate and charitable tax planning. Thomson has authored the book, What Was Your Great Grandmother’s Name? 50 Thoughts On How Canadian Philanthropy Can Transform You, Your Family And Your Community. He has written numerous articles in publications such as The Globe and Mail and CPA Magazine. Hundreds of lawyers, accountants, financial advisors and philanthropic professionals have all benefited from his instruction. Keith currently serves on the national board of the CAGP. For over five years he was chair of The African Medical and Research Foundation and has also served on the boards of The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, Seva Canada, and The Toronto Foundation.
Annette Verschuren, OC
Annette Verschuren is the Chairman and CEO of NRStor Inc., an Officer of the Order of Canada, and the author of Bet On Me: Leading and Succeeding in Business and in Life. She is a Companion of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame. The daughter of Dutch immigrants, Annette was raised on a dairy farm in Cape Breton. When Annette was a child, a serious heart attack left her father unable to perform physical labour. For the rest of her childhood and adolescence, Annette and her four siblings took over the farm duties, working hours each day in addition to attending school and playing sports. Annette credits the lessons she learned on the family farm with her extraordinary success in business. After spending the first part of her career working in the government sector, Annette went on to co-found the craft chain Michaels Canada. She then became CEO of Home Depot Canada and Asia. Annette then changed gears and co-founded NRStor, a trailblazing clean tech firm that builds leading edge energy storage projects.
Holly Wagg, CFRE
Holly Wagg (CFRE) is Managing Partner and Head Counsel at Good Works. She’s the co-author of You Can’t Take it With You: The Art and Science of Legacy Fundraising (the second edition of Iceberg Philanthropy), the go-to book on planned giving that shows fundraisers how very ordinary donors make extraordinary gifts to charity in their wills. Through her legacy, digital and direct mail fundraising, she’s had the privilege to work with clients like WWF Canada, Kids Help Phone, Nature Conservancy of Canada, CARE Canada, Ontario SPCA, SOS Children’s Villages Canada, and the Ottawa Hospital Foundation. Holly co-founded the Ten Oaks Project in 2004 for which she was honoured with a lifetime achievement award in the queer community before she cracked 30. She’s a widowed, and re-married, mother of six (two adopted, one bio and three step children) who does an abundance of yoga, crossfit, hiking and eats ice cream to stay grounded.
Patricia Ward
Patricia Ward is the National Project Manager for Estates Administration with Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. In this role, Patricia and her team are responsible for the administration of all estate gifts to Heart and Stroke in Canada. Working in the area of Estates and Trust exclusively, for over seven years, has provided her with opportunities and experience dealing with a variety of issues, circumstances and court proceedings. Patricia has worked in the charitable sector for the last 15 years and is a member of the Toronto Chapter of CAGP. Patricia’s greatest achievement, in her opinion, is her four children who she spends time with whenever she can. In her spare time she likes to travel, read, attend concerts and play tennis.
Laura West, J.D.
Laura West is called to the bars of BC and Ontario. She is a partner of Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP (Vancouver) and is engaged in a general practice in the areas of wealth management, estates, trusts, charity and not-for-profit law. She has been recognized as a leading lawyer by Best Lawyers in Canada, the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and the Chambers High Net Worth Guide. She was also the co-recipient of a Lexpert Gold Zenith award recognizing pro bono work in the legal profession. Laura has taught Wills and Estate Planning at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law as an adjunct professor and she is the co-author of the book Charitable Giving in Canada, published by Carswell. She has lectured and written frequently on estate planning, charity and non-profit legal issues, including articles and presentations for the Canadian Tax Foundation, the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (Canada), the Estates Trusts & Pensions Journal, the CBA, the CLEBC, the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Ontario Bar Association, the Pacific Business & Law Institute, the Canadian Association of Gift Planners and others.
Jane Westheuser, CFRE
Jane Westheuser has worked in the philanthropic sector for over 30 years. A Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), she has managed annual, major and legacy/planned gift programs at small and large educational, health and arts organizations. As volunteer CAGP Greater Vancouver Chapter Co-Chair, Jane is committed to promoting legacy giving. Jane is passionate about the performing arts and served on the Board of the Vancouver Fringe Theatre Festival for over 10 years. In 2015 she was recognized for her contributions with the Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award for Board Member of the Year.
Ellen Whiteman, MA
Ellen Whiteman is a research and policy analyst with the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation as well as the manager of the Stirling McDowell Foundation for Research into Teaching. The McDowell Foundation is an independent registered charitable organization that funds, supports and promotes teacher-led research inquiry focused on teaching and learning in Saskatchewan classrooms. While experienced in policy development and governance, Ellen is relatively new to the fundraising world but has worked alongside DCG in supporting the McDowell Foundation Board of Directors in developing and investing in a planned giving program.
Brad Willems, CFP
Brad Willems has worked in Abbotsford B.C. for over 30 years. He specializes in wealth and philanthropic planning for high net worth Canadians. Brad is the author “No Shortcuts” and conducts public workshops educating donors on their opportunities to be generous. He has been on the Board of the Abbotsford Airport Authority; served 16 years on the Board of Directors of a post-secondary educational institution; was Board Chair of the Central Heights Church and Assistant Coach for College Women’s Volleyball. Brad is married to Donna, has two children, two grandchildren and enjoys hockey, golf, volleyball and tennis.
Tracey Woo, LL.B., TEP
Tracey Woo leads the Professional Practice Group (PPG) at RBC Royal Trust, the principal resource facility for technical, legal and tax expertise for trust and estate matters. Tracey also leads the Central Tax and Private Company Services teams, RBC Royal Trust’s in-house accounting and tax professionals.
Tracey graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and obtained her Bachelor of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School. She has completed the Canadian Securities course, Levels I,II and III of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) In-Depth Tax Course as well as Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Program.
Prior to joining RBC, Tracey practiced corporate tax law in the Toronto office of a national law firm. She sits on the steering committee of the Global STEP Digital Asset Special Interest Group.
Cameron Wood
Cameron Wood’s experience in the environmental field has been about connecting the conservation sector with landowners and interested parties in order to make practical advances in conservation efforts across the Prairies. Before joining the Nature Conservancy of Canada, Cameron’s main work was in Alberta doing field work to improve management for riparian areas. Cameron has a BSc in environmental practice, a post-diploma certificate in fish and wildlife technology and a diploma in renewable resource management.
