Big or Small: Promoting and Stewarding Planned Gifts in Any Size Organization

It doesn’t matter if you work for a big or small nonprofit—any organization can promote planned giving. Learn from a panel representing three types of nonprofits on how they promote and steward planned gifts. Our panelists are:

Mary Conlon, Major Gifts Coordinator – Next Door Foundation  
Mary has been at Next Door since 1980.  She founded the “home-based” early childhood development program at Next Door that was soon expanded to include Head Start.  Since 1993, Mary has focused on Major Gift fund development. She was instrumental in meeting the Suzanne and Richard Pieper Family Fund challenge grant goal in 2003 and establishing  the Next Door Planned Giving Society. Mary has a bachelor’s degree from Avila University in Kansas City, Missouri.  Prior to joining Next Door, Mary served as a Vista volunteer in Jefferson Davis Parish in Louisiana and taught elementary school in Seattle, Washington. In 2013 there was a major expansion of Next Door’s Head Start program.Currently Mary is actively involved in securing needed funds to provide high-quality education for over 1,000 children. 

Rachel Golla, Director of Development – St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy 
Rachel Golla graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor's degree in business administration. After working for a music publishing company for five years, she joined St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy in 1998. She spent five years working for enrollment services and the last 11 years in development. As director of development, she oversees the planning and implementation of the Academy's annual fund drive, its planned giving programs, and its comprehensive campaigns. The Academy is embarking on its second $25 million campaign during her tenure.

Kelly Sachse, Senior Planned Giving Director – Children’s Hospital of WI Foundation
Kelly Sachse has been with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation since 2001.  Kelly previously held the same position for St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee for seven years.  Kelly came to planned giving with a background in financial planning, having worked as a certified financial planner for a fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm and for a CPA firm in the Milwaukee area.  Kelly is a graduate of Carthage College with degrees in Business Administration and International Business.  She was licensed as a certified financial planner (CFP) in 1991.  

Kelly is involved in several organizations related to planned giving and estate planning.  She is an officer and board member of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Eastern Wisconsin (PPP-EW) and was involved with the formation of the chapter in 1997.  Kelly is also a member of the Milwaukee Estate Planning Forum, in the recent past serving on the board and as chapter president.