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The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners is your professional home—a place to build your career and connect with a national network of charitable gift planning professionals.
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CGP gives a voice to the charitable gift planning industry in Washington. Read more.
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Join CGP and ask your elected officials to support the charitable giving profession. Learn more.
About The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners
CGP has grown with and for the charitable gift planning industry. From think tank conversations, to a federation of local councils, to a professional organization, we've evolved to serve members nationwide. Together, we build a bold future of smarter giving and bigger impact.
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Tap into education that will take your career to the next level. Search for conference papers, on-demand webinars, and live events. CGP members enjoy member-only pricing and discounts on events.
Editorial Structure
The Journal of Gift Planning includes five sections or article types: Opinion; Program/Practice; Policy Analysis; Research; and Literature Review.
Author Guidelines
The Journal of Gift Planning accepts original submissions (i.e., new unpublished work) that highlight programs, policies, academic research, and any other topic that is relevant to CGP’s diverse nonprofit readership.
CGP’s readership includes charitable gift planning professionals from diverse backgrounds, both at the beginning of their careers as well as veterans in the field.
Authors should be prepared to identify their target audience and how the topic they’re addressing can contribute to the professional advancement of that audience.
Inquiries concerning the appropriateness of a certain topic, or any other questions/concerns, should be sent to journal@charitablegiftplanners.org.
Below are the formatting requirements for all submissions as well as the requirements for each article type.
Articles that do not follow these requirements will be resent to the authors for corrections.
Authors Contact Statement: Authors may not contact editors to influence the outcome of their submission. Authors must submit their work through the form on the CGP website and may not send information directly to an editor. Author may not try to access the outcome of the review by contacting an editor. Authors of accepted submissions are required to sign CGP's license to publish agreement, which includes CGP's AI use policy.
National Association of Charitable Gift Planners Elects 2025 National Board Members
Wednesday, December 31, 1969
Indianapolis, IN -- The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is pleased to announce the 2026 class of Board of Directors. Six members were elected to the board to serve three-year terms beginning January 2026. The members were elected at the Assembly of Delegates during the Annual Business Meeting held June 11, 2025.
Meet the 2026 Class of Board of Directors below:
Sharon Bean
Sharon Bean has spent most of her career in the planned giving field and is passionate about building meaningful donor relationships and championing planned giving within larger development operations. She is the Senior Director of Planned Giving at International Rescue Committee, overseeing the growth of donor advised funds revenue, planned giving donor marketing and stewardship, professional advisor engagement and estate administration.
Sharon began her development work in higher education at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Western Maryland College. She spent many years at the American Heart Association where she led principal, planned and major gifts efforts for NYC and Eastern US and was responsible for raising revenue for the organization's first social impact fund. While leader of Charitable Estate Planning in the Tri-State area, Sharon facilitated new national marketing approaches including one of the largest professional advisor conferences in the country and was a leader of the AHA’s National Planned Giving Marketing Committee.
Sharon currently serves on the Board of the Philanthropic Planning Group of New York and previously served on the Board of the Charitable Gift Planners of CT.
Akadius Berry
Akadius Berry is the Chief Marketing Officer at TIAA Kaspick, where he leads the marketing, analytics, and client communications teams. He joined the organization in 2023 after serving as Head of Global Demand Marketing at General Electric Digital. Over his career, Akadius has held key marketing roles at prominent companies, including Charter Communications, Corning Inc., Time Warner Cable, Toshiba, IBM, JPMorgan Chase & Co., and FedEx. He earned his MBA from Tennessee State University and a BBA from Howard University. Beyond his professional achievements, Akadius has been deeply involved in community service, serving as board chair and trustee for various nonprofits and organizations. Notably, he was a commissioner for the Charlotte Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission and is currently a member of the 2025 CGP Conference Committee.
Julie Captain
For nearly 30 years, Julie Captain has dedicated her career to helping individuals make meaningful, impactful gifts that align their personal passions with the needs and mission of the organizations she serves. In a variety of roles across leading institutions, she has combined thoughtful strategy with deep empathy to inspire generosity and advance important causes.
As Associate Vice President of Advancement at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Julie leads the day-to-day operations of a small, high-performing team focused on fundraising for the hospital’s annual needs, including its research, charity care and Quality of Life programs, as well as the organization’s $100 million "Accelerate Ability” campaign.
Prior to her time at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, she invested nearly 19 years at Northwestern Medicine in a variety of roles, including Director of Planned Giving at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Director of Development and Planned Giving at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, where she co-led their $150 million Our Legacy. Our Future. campaign.
Julie’s professional forte is in creative gift planning and has been heavily involved with the Chicago Council on Planned Giving, joining its Board of Directors in 2007 and ultimately serving as President from 2011–2013. During her tenure, she is most proud of starting the CCPG Scholars Program with her board colleagues, in the hopes that CCPG can enrich the lives and careers of others like it did for her. In 2023, she received the organization’s prestigious Russell V. Kohr Award in recognition of her professional accomplishments and mentorship to others.
Since leaving a leadership role with CCPG, she has participated in both CCPG and AFP Chicago’s respective mentorship programs. Also active in her community, Julie was on the Evanston Community Foundation Board of Directors from 2010–2013 and currently serves as Moderator of First Congregational Church of Evanston UCC and plays an active role in its justice/advocacy board.
Matthew Clark
Matthew Clark, J.D. AEP® is the Executive Director of Planned Giving at the West Virginia University Foundation (WVUF), where he oversees all aspects of estate and gift planning for the WVU system. He has 20 years of experience in the field and has secured over $162 million in planned gifts across the university.
Before joining WVUF in 2016, Matthew was a vice president at PNC Institutional Investments, where he administered perpetual charitable trusts and advised institutions on planned giving strategies. He is a board member and President of the Pittsburgh Planned Giving Council, and an active member of two other estate planning councils in West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
Matthew holds a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, an MBA from Pennsylvania State University, and a BBA in Economics from Mississippi State University. He is a licensed attorney in Pennsylvania and an Accredited Estate Planner®.
Matthew enjoys traveling with his family, curling with the Pittsburgh Curling Club, and volunteering in his community. He can be reached at mclark@wvuf.org or 304-284-4033. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarkbhm/.
Andrea Jenkins
Andrea Jenkins is the Associate Director of Gift Planning at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she recently secured her largest deferred gift commitment to date to support Covenant Scholarships. Previously, Andrea served as Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor at Winston-Salem State University from May 2023 to June 2024. Prior to that, she held the roles of Director and Senior Director of Development for Major and Planned Gifts at WSSU. Over the past decade, Andrea has specialized in gift planning, establishing a robust legacy society program that welcomed over 200 new members into the Heritage Society since 2015.
During her tenure at WSSU, Andrea led several advancement programs, including the Annual Fund, Major and Planned Giving, Donor Relations, and Advancement Services. She has extensive experience in securing blended gifts, benchmarking gifts of insurance, and closing complex gifts of real estate and tangible personal property. From 2017 to 2020, she closed several charitable gifts of real estate in Edenton, NC, which were later featured in the 2023 UNC Investment Fund annual report. In 2020, she also established WSSU’s “Gift of Property” Committee to oversee potential non-cash gifts.
Before her advancement roles at WSSU, Andrea served as a Major Gifts Officer at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Andrea holds the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) designation, a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from High Point University (2009), and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and African American Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (2004).
A committed leader in the philanthropic community, Andrea is a former President of the North Carolina Council of Charitable Gift Planners and a long-time member since 2015. She has twice chaired the Major and Planned Gifts Committee for the UNC System’s Advancement Symposium. Nationally, she has served on the Nominating Committee of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and currently sits on its 2025 DEI Committee.
Locally, Andrea has been deeply engaged in community service. She served on the Black Philanthropy Initiative Committee of The Winston-Salem Foundation from 2009 to 2016 and has been part of the Community Philanthropy Builders from 2015 through 2025. In addition, she has volunteered with the Ronald McDonald House of the Triad and Samaritan Ministries, reflecting her lifelong commitment to advancing equity and compassion through service.
Andrea is married to George Jenkins, and has two beautiful daughters Gabrielle and Aubrey. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated., The Links Incorporated, and Jack and Jill of America.
JiHae Munro
Since 2007, JiHae Munro has honed her skills at leading, complex healthcare, higher education, and advocacy institutions. As Senior Director of Gift Planning, Principal Gifts at the University of Southern California, she helps alumni, faculty and other partners with making a meaningful impact and colleagues with preparing for confident, nuanced donor conversations involving gift planning. In addition to working with supporters in California, she is responsible for helping drive philanthropic and gift planning activity on the East Coast. Previously, JiHae managed the comprehensive gift planning program at Barnard College and served as a gift planning resource for donors and regional development teams of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. JiHae has a breadth of development knowledge, including principal giving, planned and blended giving, stewardship, campaign management, volunteer development, marketing and planned gift administration.
From 2021-2025, JiHae served on the executive committee of Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York (PPGGNY). Most recently as DEIB Chair, she strengthened board culture, strategic planning and leadership development practices and as Planned Giving Day New York Co-Chair, spearheaded planning of this conference in 2023 and 2024. She also served as the 2021-2023 Board Secretary. JiHae earned her MBA from Temple University and her BA in political science from Amherst College. A Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy and Certified Fundraising Executive, she has completed the Plus Delta Discipline of Frontline Fundraising Program (DFF). JiHae is a member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and Georgia Planned Giving Council and is committed to ongoing learning and leadership in the field.
About CGP
The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is the leading organization setting standards for charitable gift planners. We bring members together to learn, connect and advocate. We provide education and resources that enrich and advance careers. We connect colleagues at all levels through our national network—including those who defined the field. We exist to serve our distinguished profession and bring to life the art and science of charitable gift planning.
Staying up-to-date with evolving legislation and industry trends while managing teams and schedules is an ongoing challenge across industries. Whether you’re looking to master new technology, gain practical skills or understand the latest from Capitol Hill, professional development is crucial for career success in charitable giving and philanthropy.
Since 1992, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners has conducted a state-of-the-art field survey to provide gift planners and organizations with the information they need to remain competitive in the field.
The CGP 2024 Compensation Report provides unprecedented insight into the gift planning and philanthropic landscape. The report spans over 60 pages and explores 44 research questions impacting the compensation of charitable gift planners, including:
Regional salary benchmarks and variations
Career satisfaction and retention
Professional challenges and perceptions
The report is available to CGP national members at no cost, as part of your suite of membership benefits. Non-members may purchase the report for $99. Read the abstract and access the full report here.
Prepare your visit to CGP Conference 2025 with a guide to Indianapolis. Learn more about the home state of CGP and explore local favorites and recommendations from the CGP Team.
CGP Member Benefit: Partial Tuition Waiver for Certificate in Planned Giving Management
In the fall of 2024, the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (LFSOP) added a designated Certificate in Planned Giving Management to its program catalog. This comprehensive program will help create a more accessible front door to the profession of planned giving for those interested, or create a path to better understanding of planned giving to the broader community.
Thanks to generous support from the Planned Giving Initiative (PGI), CGP, along with the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), is able to offer partial tuition waivers to members who are interested in completing the certificate program.
The certificate requires three courses, and partial tuition waivers will be offered in a corresponding three parts:
The first course partial tuition waiver is for $450, about one-third of the cost of the course. [course schedule]
The second course partial tuition waiver is for $650, half of the total cost of the course. [course schedule]
The third course partial tuition waiver is for $900, about two-thirds of the cost of the course. [course schedule]
The 2026 tuition waiver application is now closed.
Eileen Heisman Announced as Opening Dinner Keynote Speaker for CGP Conference 2025
Wednesday, December 31, 1969
Indianapolis, IN: The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is pleased to announce Eileen Heisman, Senior Fellow at the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania and former CEO for National Philanthropic Trust, as the Opening Dinner Keynote Speaker for CGP Conference 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In a conversation with Matthew Treadwell, Gift Planning Attorney at Indiana University Foundation and CGP Conference Chair, Eileen will reveal candid insights from her inspiring journey in gift planning and philanthropy. Reflecting on pivotal moments that have defined her career, Eileen will share how she’s navigated the ever-changing environment, reshaped her approach to leadership, and developed her philanthropy philosophy.
With over 20 years as CEO of National Philanthropic Trust (NPT), Eileen has transformed charitable giving by building one of the world’s largest donor-advised fund providers, managing $63 billion in charitable assets and distributing $31 billion to 778,000 grant entities worldwide.
“Few individuals have had a greater impact on modern philanthropy than Eileen Heismann,” says Michael Kenyon, CEO of CGP, “Throughout her career, she has been a visionary leader and an industry innovator, advancing meaningful philanthropy across the globe.”
A leader in gift planning and strategy, Eileen pioneered innovative approaches that have become industry standards, including the first national private-label DAF programs for large financial firms and distinctive concierge donor services.
Recently appointed as a Senior Fellow at Penn's Center for High Impact Philanthropy, Elieen continues to transform the industry through speaking engagements, advisory roles, and serving as a mentor for emerging leaders. Her expertise spans corporate strategy and risk management to global philanthropy, fundraising, and anti-money laundering.
Eileen’s leadership and innovation have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2024 DAF Giving Summit DAF Trailblazer Award and Nonprofit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 for 10 consecutive years. Frequently featured in prominent media outlets including CNN, Bloomberg, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal, Eileen remains one of philanthropy’s most influential voices.
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The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners is delighted to have Eileen speak at CGP Conference 2025 at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, Indiana. Eileen will present during the Opening Dinner on Wednesday, October 15. The Opening Dinner is sponsored by TIAA Kaspick.
About CGP: The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is the leading organization setting standards for charitable gift planners. We bring members together to learn, connect and advocate. We provide education and resources that enrich and advance careers. We connect colleagues at all levels through our national network—including those who defined the field. We exist to serve our distinguished profession and bring to life the art and science of charitable gift planning.
Sandra Swirski Announced as Advocacy Update Plenary Speaker for CGP Conference 2025
Wednesday, December 31, 1969
Indianapolis, IN: The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is pleased to announce Sandra Swirski, Founder & CEO of Integer, LLC, as the Advocacy Update Plenary Speaker for CGP Conference 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Sandra’s presentation, “The Policy and Political Landscape for Charitable Gift Planners,” will provide vital insights into current legislative threats and opportunities affecting the charitable giving sector.
Sandra Swirski’s influence on philanthropic and planned giving policy has established her as a top strategy and government affairs advisor for high-wealth philanthropists, C-Suite executives, and global nonprofit institutions. Sandra, a seasoned lawyer, award-winning advisor, and advocate, has impacted every high-profile tax bill since 1989.
“Sandra offers an unbiased perspective grounded in her extensive experience and deep understanding of the relationship between philanthropy and tax legislation. Her insights improve our understanding of the legislative process and demonstrate how we can strengthen our voice in Congress," said Michael Kenyon, CEO of CGP.
She has long-standing relationships with the people and establishments on Capitol Hill, K Street, and nonprofit and wealth management circles, having advised U.S. senators and representatives, senior Treasury officials, nonprofits, foundations, global philanthropists, and associations.
Cited by the Associated Press, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Tax, The Center for Effective Philanthropy,Chronicle of Philanthropy, Inside Philanthropy, and frequently published in Wealth Management, Sandra’s continued commitment to philanthropy, policy, and practice has earned her numerous awards and accomplishments.
CGP Conference 2025 will be hosted from October 15-17 at the JW Marriott in Indianapolis, Indiana. Sandra will present during the Advocacy Update on Thursday, October 16. The CGP Conference Advocacy Update is sponsored by Chisholm Chisholm Kilpatrick.
About CGP: The National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP) is the leading organization setting standards for charitable gift planners. We bring members together to learn, connect and advocate. We provide education and resources that enrich and advance careers. We connect colleagues at all levels through our national network—including those who defined the field. We exist to serve our distinguished profession and bring to life the art and science of charitable gift planning. Visit CGP at https://charitablegiftplanners.org.
Thank you for your in interest in CGP Conference scholarships. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application no later than August 11.
