Annual Giving Directors Forum
Overview
Welcome to AGN’s Annual Giving Directors Forum! This virtual event will take place online using Zoom and will begin on Thursday, February 9th at 11:30AM EST. You will be able to access each general session 5 minutes prior to its start time. To join the event, review the information and zoom links on the "Join Sessions" tab.
As a new year gets underway, annual giving leaders at educational institutions are facing a vastly different and continuously changing landscape. Remote work, staff turnover, artificial intelligence, economic recession, and many other issues sit front and center as program leaders tackle the ongoing tasks of running their programs, engaging donors, and generating annual support for their institutions. But you don’t need to go it alone! Meeting with annual giving leaders at peer institutions, sharing your challenges, and exchanging ideas can be the best way to identify potential solutions and steer your program in the right direction.
Join us on Thursday, February 9th, for a half-day interactive online directors forum which will provide leaders with a platform for identifying and addressing the most pressing issues facing annual giving programs today.
Participants will have an opportunity to:
- Meet annual giving program leaders (and rising leaders!) from similar institutions
- Discuss the latest issues and biggest challenges facing annual giving programs
- Find out how other organizations approach their work and solve problems
- Review and discuss real situations and examples
- Examine your own efforts and identify opportunities for improvement
- Obtain tools, templates, and other materials
- Earn CFRE credit
- And more
This event is ideal for current and rising annual giving program leaders at educational institutions who wish to connect with other leaders at institutions of similar size and scope.
If you need technical or customer support at any time prior to or during the event, please contact our dedicated support representative at 888.407.5064 or [email protected].
Join Sessions
To participate in a live session, please click below on the title of the session you wish to join. When a separate window opens in Zoom, please enter the password listed under the session title. Event audio is available via streaming (through your computer speakers) or you may listen over the phone by calling 929.205.6099 and entering Meeting ID 869 9365 5216. If you have any issues with the audio through your computer, we strongly advise you to dial in using the phone number.
Welcome/Overview of the Day
(Password: LEAD2023)
11:30-11:45 AM Eastern Time
Review the day's agenda and find out how to get the most out of AGN’s resources.
Introductions, Institutions, & Issues
(Password: LEAD2023)
11:45AM-12:15PM Eastern Time
Meet peers from other institutions and learn about their program structures, goals, and challenges.
Individual Assignment/Break
12:15-12:30PM Eastern Time
Work independently on an assigned task and take some time to rest, get a snack, check email, etc.
Assessing Opportunities
(Password: LEAD2023)
12:30-1:30PM Eastern Time
Use a self assessment tool to identify potential growth areas and develop actionable strategies to improve your program.
Individual Assignment/Break
1:30-2:00PM Eastern Time
Work independently on an assigned task and take some time to rest, get a snack, check email, etc.
Show & Tell
(Password: LEAD2023)
2:00-3:25PM Eastern Time
Share an example, a special initiative, or new idea and get feedback from your group on how to make the most of it.
Bringing It Together
(Password: LEAD2023)
3:25-3:30PM Eastern Time
Hear key takeaways, lessons learned, and final words of advice from the workshop’s expert faculty.
For more information, please contact us at 888.407.5064 or [email protected]
Faculty
Gloria Goosby
With over 15 years of experience in annual giving and educational fundraising, Gloria had led programs at Furman University and Georgia Southern University. Her other experience includes work with the Southeast Annual Giving Conference Committee and the Statesboro-Bulloch County Chamber of Commerce. She holds a B.S. in Broadcasting from Georgia Southern University.
Jackie Gear
With more than 15 years of experience in alumni engagement and annual giving, Jackie has led programs at Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Delaware Valley University, and Bucks County Community College. She holds a Bachelors of Business Administration and a Masters in Educational Leadership both from Delaware Valley University.
Gina Fiorillo
Gina has over 20 years of experience in annual giving and educational fundraising. She currently serves as Senior Director, Annual Giving & Stakeholder Engagement at Rutgers University Foundation, and has previously led programs at Kean University, and Douglass College. She holds a B.A. in English from Douglass College and an M.P.A. from the School of Public Affairs & Administration at Rutgers University.
Nkiruka McGinnis
With nearly 20 years of experience in annual giving and educational fundraising, Nkiruka has led programs at the University of Rochester, Towson University, American University, The George Washington University Law School, and the University of Pittsburgh. She holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.A. in Health/Health Care Administration/Management from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. in Healthcare Administration from Walden University.
Melinda Phillips
With over 15 years of experience in annual giving and educational fundraising, Melinda has led programs at Vanderbilt University and its Owen Graduate School of Management. Her other experience includes work with the Annual Giving Directors Consortium and the Rhodes College Alumni Board. She holds a B.A. from Rhodes College and an M.T.S. from Harvard Divinity School.
Kara Tompkins
With over 10 years of experience in annual giving and educational fundraising, Kara has led programs at Syracuse University, SUNY Cortland, and Clarkson University. Her other experience includes work as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in her local community. She holds a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences from Clarkson University and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Stony Brook University.
Mary Risner
With more than 20 years of experience in annual giving and educational fundraising, Mary has led programs at Westover School, Brown University, University of Pennsylvania, and Franklin & Marshall College. She holds a B.S. in Business Economics from Bloomsburg University and an M.S. in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dan Allenby | Principal & Founder at Annual Giving Network

Dan is an author, speaker, and consultant who has worked with educational institutions for more than 25 years to improve their fundraising results. An internationally recognized expert on annual giving, he is a CASE Laureate and recipient of the prestigious Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence. His book Ideas for Annual Giving offers designs for helping organizations increase their levels of sustainable philanthropic support.
Dan has led annual giving and membership programs at Boston University, Tufts University, Georgetown University, and the National Geographic Society. He also served on the faculty for CASE’s Summer Institute in Educational Fundraising and chaired its Senior Annual Giving Professionals Conference and Annual Giving Workshop for five collective terms. He holds a B.A. in History from James Madison University and a M.B.A. from Boston College. Outside of work, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, writing songs, and getting away to the beaches of Cape Cod. His philosophy is that success comes from focusing on what’s right in front of you.
Event Materials
Please click on the links below to access the workshop materials and additional training tools.
General Materials
For more information, please contact us at 888.407.5064 or [email protected]