Cohort #1 Participants’ Profiles
Seema Donahoe
Email: sdonahoe@nevadafund.org
Name of Community Foundation: Community Foundation of Northern Nevada
Role: As Director of Communications and Donor Relations Strategies, we expanded the role beyond traditional Marketing & Communications to ensure the work would be grounded in donor and asset growth strategies of which professional advisors will be an audience.
Colleagues: We have a CF team of 10, with two Philanthropic Advisors, a Donor Relations Associate and the balance on administration and finance. Our President and CEO, VP Donor Relations and CFO maintain close relationships with professional advisors, particularly those on our board and committees, and those who refer and are related to our Bring Your Own Advisor funds.
Our VP Donor Relations is also on the Board of the local Planned Giving Round Table, with which we co-host a holiday event for professional advisors. She also has a seat on our local University's Planned Giving Advisory Council.
We also host a 7-week Family Estate Planning Series in the Spring and Fall that features 7 different professional advisors to present and is facilitated by a contract employee, and attended/stewarded by current staff (me and VP Donor Relations or CEO)
Governance: Our Board Trustees, Investment Committee, Audit Committee and Board Advisors are involved and most specifically our Advancement Committee is engaged with our strategy for engaging PAs. Not a Governance function, but we do utilize PAC and Board/committee members to facilitate connections with other advisors and seek their counsel where appropriate.
Estimated Number of Advisors on Mailing List: 100
Estimated Number of Referring Advisors: 36
Approximate Number of Funds: 275
Approximate Assets Under Management: $160M
Bio/LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/seema-donahoe-5079b99/
Seema Donahoe has joined the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada as director of communications and donor relations strategies.
From the corporate world to healthcare and higher education to a national nonprofit, Donahoe is a seasoned creative professional who brings over 20 years of marketing, communications, fundraising and community relations experience.
Most recently, Donahoe was the vice president of marketing and communications for Make-A-Wish Northeastern & Central California and Northern Nevada, where she led creative, communications and engagement strategies across a nearly 50-county territory.
Donahoe has held fundraising and community engagement roles at the University of Nevada, Reno and Renown Health, where she secured over $15 million in gifts to deliver new and enhanced programs and services to the community.
Prior to Make-A-Wish, Donahoe was the creative director leading creative strategy and brand for the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and University Health.
Donahoe is a proud alumna of the University of Nevada, Reno Reynolds School of Journalism. She is currently on the board of directors for the Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum and the advisory board for Girls on the Run Sierras.
She is also a grade level advisor for the Sierra Nevada Chapter of National Charity League.
Kelly Stimson
Email: kstimson@greaterworcester.org
Name of Community Foundation: Greater Worcester Community Foundation
Role: As Vice President, Philanthropic Services, I engage with local professional advisors as they work with their clients to create philanthropic goals to incorporate in their estate plans.
Colleagues: Pete Dunn, CEO
Jacob Vazquez, Philanthropic Advisor
Governance: We have a 21-member board and just established the Development and Communication's committee comprised of board and community members. Kick off meeting is scheduled for April 22.
We had established a professional advisors network (PAN) which, due to CEO transitions, has not been fully utilized. Looking to find ways to re-engage with this group and others.
Estimated Number of Advisors on Mailing List: 500
Estimated Number of Referring Advisors: 20
Approximate Number of Funds: 600
Approximate Assets Under Management: $220 million
Bio/LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-stimson-3a379b30/
Naomi Limor Sedek
Email: nsedek@tjfva.org
Name of Community Foundation: Tidewater Jewish Foundation
Role: President and CEO of the Foundation. An outcome of our most recent Strategic planning initiative that concluded in 2023 was the enhancement of the Foundation's relationship with the Professional Advisor Community. This engagement, a year 1 Key initiative, is under my purview.
*Could not include this detail on the approximate number of funds: Approximately 724 funds with current assets/activity and another nearly 200 funds that have been established to be funded with future gifts.
Colleagues: I, together with our CFO and Development Strategist, engage with the Professional Advisor Community. We are also members of the Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council, where I serve as a board member, and Hampton Roads Estate Planning Council, where our CFO serves as a board member.
Governance: We have a board member who serves as the Professional Advisory Committee Chair. This position also has a seat on the Foundation's Executive Committee. Our chair is involved in leading the Professional Advisor Steering Committee, serves as a thought partner and door opener.
Estimated Number of Advisors on Mailing List: 166
Estimated Number of Referring Advisors: 5
Approximate Number of Funds: 724
Approximate Assets Under Management: $142.6 million
Bio/LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/naomilimorsedek/
Naomi Limor Sedek, a leader in the non-profit foundation sector, currently serves as the President and CEO of the Tidewater Jewish Foundation (TJF). Joining TJF in July 2020, Naomi has leveraged over 17 years of extensive experience in community building, financial resource development, and cultivating relationships through Jewish values to enrich the Tidewater/Hampton Roads Jewish community. Under her leadership, TJF, which has been a cornerstone of support since 1984, manages hundreds of funds for individuals, families, foundation donors, and local non-profits, distributing over $217 million to more than 1,700 charitable organizations to date.
A 21/64 Certified Trainer, Naomi facilitates multi-generational philanthropic conversations, bringing invaluable tools and insights to the community. Her journey began in Nashville, Tennessee, where she served as the Assistant Executive Director of the Jewish Federation and Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee. There, she was instrumental in overseeing Total Financial Resource Development, managing VIP trips for major donors, and spearheading the Jewish Foundation's endowment initiative, which secured over $19 million in expected legacy gifts for the community.
Naomi's commitment to the community extends beyond her professional role. She serves on the Hampton Roads Gift Planning Council board, is an active member of the Hampton Roads Estate Planning Council and is a graduate of the CIVIC Leadership Institute Class of 2023, where she actively volunteers her time to programming initiatives that highlight the challenges and opportunities in the Hampton Roads community.
Naomi holds an undergraduate degree in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies from Brandeis University, which included a year of study at Hebrew University. She enhanced her leadership and management skills by completing the Executive Program as a Forte Fellow at Vanderbilt University, where she earned a Master of Business Administration in 2019. Furthering her expertise, Naomi acquired a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) designation in 2023, equipping her with specialized knowledge in philanthropic giving strategies. This designation underscores her ability to effectively assist community members in achieving their charitable goals, coordinating with estate planning advisors to ensure the best tax strategies and techniques are applied.
Married for over 25 years with three adult children, Naomi's love for travel, culture, and reading enriches her professional and personal life, underscoring her commitment to service and philanthropy.
Caroline von Kessler
Email: cvonkessler@cfgc.org
Name of Community Foundation: Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga
Role: As Vice President of Philanthropy, I oversee the development and implementation of donor acquisition strategies as well as ensure long term engagement through effective donor stewardship. I am the primary team member focused on efforts to enhance external partnerships with wealth managers and professional advisors.
Colleagues: President and CEO (initial primary before my position was created). President works with a select group of PAs.
Philanthropy Associate provides operational support for the PA program.
CFO is also involved in engagement with PAs especially around fee conversations and stewardship/mgmt of IMF advisors.
Governance: There is a subset on our investment committee that approves of IMF partnerships.
Estimated Number of Advisors on Mailing List: 110
Estimated Number of Referring Advisors: 12
Approximate Number of Funds: 187
Approximate Assets Under Management: $235M
Bio/LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-w-von-kessler-4728476/
As Vice President of Philanthropy for the Community Foundation, Caroline von Kessler is primarily responsible for leading a highly effective philanthropy team in achieving the Foundation’s goals to inspire generosity and engage donors in meaningful giving. She oversees the development and implementation of donor cultivation and stewardship, and also leads efforts to enhance external relationships with wealth managers and professional advisors. This work with donors and their advisors helps to ensure they meet their philanthropic goals.
Caroline has extensive experience in donor relations, fundraising strategy, major gifts and planned giving and over 20 years in fundraising experience in Chattanooga’s academic and cultural organizations. Prior to moving to Chattanooga in 2001, she worked with a social services nonprofit in Memphis. Most recently, she was with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she was a Director of Development for two colleges and oversaw Corporate and Foundation philanthropic relations.
Caroline grew up in Memphis and is a graduate of Vanderbilt University. She has two daughters, ages 21 and 18, who are both enrolled at the University of Georgia.
Zach White
Email: zwhite@bgcf.org
Name of Community Foundation: Blue Grass Community Foundation
Role: Relationship Development Officer: main responsibilities include maintaining and strengthening relationships with professional advisors and any auxiliary groups that support them.
Colleagues: VP Advancement, Director of Planned Giving, Community Outreach Director, and CEO/President all have relationships with professional advisors that they foster.
Governance: 7 of 20 Board Members work in an advisory setting of some capacity (banking, wealth mgmt, estate planning, etc.) They either refer directly or introduce us to colleagues who could potentially refer.
Estimated Number of Advisors on Mailing List: 325
Estimated Number of Referring Advisors: 35
Approximate Number of Funds: 850
Approximate Assets Under Management: $245 Million
Bio/LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-white-8ba31130/
Zach is an ambassador for Blue Grass Community Foundation to the professional advisors of Central Kentucky, to help them provide additional resources to their clients regarding charitable giving. Zach has 7 years’ experience in higher education and corporate recruiting, with Georgetown College and Robert Half respectively. He enjoys being active, following professional soccer (Chelsea FC specifically), and hanging out with his dog Domino.
Education
B.A, Business Management from Georgetown College