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Session 2C
Diverse Donors Panel: What Makes Them Give, How Should We Engage Them?
Mitra Keykhah, Cara Cowan Watts, Gail Segal Elmore, and Michael Braxton
Wednesday, September 22
11:45 – 12:45 AM (PT) | 2:45 – 3:45 PM (ET)
Donor relations has never been one-size-fits-all, but with our focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, we are now learning exactly how diverse our donors are. They come in all ethnicities, religions, generations, genders and sexual preferences. They're married, single, divorced, part of a family, head of a foundation, members of an affinity group -- you name it. And because we are in the business of making our donors feel thanked and recognized, we ourselves need to recognize them for who they are as individuals. How do they want to be addressed? What kinds of engagement are they looking for? How can we make them feel seen and heard?
Learning Objectives
- Learn about donor preferences in everything from solicitation to salutations.
- Discuss current trends in philanthropy as they relate to diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Hear first-hand donor experiences.
Keywords: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, DEI, Donor Engagement, Communications
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Suitable for all audiences |
Suitable for any size shop |
Suitable for all levels |
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| About the Speaker |
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Mitra Keykhah
Assistant Director, Donor Relations
Princeton University
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Cara Cowan Watts
CEO
Cara is a second-generation college graduate and daughter of two retired Oklahoma educators. She earned three degrees from OSU including a PhD in Biosystems Engineering. She values all types of education and is passionate about scholarships. She served on the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council as an elected Tribal legislator and continues to give back by teaching students and their families about how to apply for scholarships.
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Gail Segal Elmore
Gail has more than 20 years of experience on Wall Street. A Montreal native, she spent most of her career as Managing Director for Bank of America’s emerging markets business where for many years she was the only woman on the board of the Emerging Markets Traders Association. A mother of two sons, Gail ultimately stepped away from Wall Street to actively manage family assets. She is on the board of the University of Maryland System and College Park Foundations and a member of the investment committee. She is also co-chair of the finance committee of the National Basketball Wives Association. Gail is a licensed advisor with the Miami-based LW Investment Management (USA) LLC.
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 Michael Braxton
Director of Development
Pittsburgh Opera
As chief development officer for Pittsburgh Opera, one of the nation’s oldest opera companies, Michael manages individual giving, planned giving, foundation relations, corporate giving, government relations and event planning, as well as the company’s $50M comprehensive campaign, the largest in its history. Michael came to Pittsburgh Opera in 2018 from Carnegie Mellon University, where he was Senior Director of Development for Strategic Academic Initiatives, after working with many of the university’s top donors for over 14 years as a fundraiser. A graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School, Michael is an active member of Opera America, the national service organization for the opera industry, and a founding member of the Black Administrators of Opera. Michael is also a trustee of the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church and believes in financially supporting the organizations to which he is connected. He has been a longtime donor to his Episcopal parish, local performing arts organizations, and to his alma maters. He and his husband reside in Pittsburgh with their two dogs.
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