2025 Panels

Join us for a series of dynamic panel discussions featuring leading voices in philanthropy, social impact, and nonprofit management. Our carefully curated sessions bring together experienced practitioners, innovative funders, and thought leaders to share insights on pressing challenges and opportunities in the philanthropic sector.

Below you'll find our growing list of confirmed speakers for each panel. We're continuously adding distinguished voices to our lineup – check back regularly for updates as we announce additional industry leaders joining these important conversations.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the guest speakers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization they may be affiliated with.

Community-Centric Philanthropy and Equitable Impact

Community Engagement in Philanthropy: Innovative Approaches for Maximizing Impact and Inclusivity

  • Jackie Downing, Senior Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Support, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

  • Jeanine Valrie Logan, Lead Steward and Founder, Chicago South Side Birth Center

  • Roland Kennedy, Director of Grants Management, Carnegie Corporation of New York

  • Shruti Jayaraman, Chief Investments Officer, Chicago Beyond

Corporate Philanthropy & Funding Equity in a Shifting Landscape

  • Erin Sternberg, Director, Corporate Social Responsibility & BI Cares, Boehringer Ingelheim USA Corporation

  • Nikhil Bumb, Managing Director, FSG

  • Zebradedra Hunter, Program Officer, Citi Foundation

Measuring What Matters in Philanthropy

  • Jason Price, Founder & Chairman of the Board, NXTHVN

  • Kara Straun, Director of Program and Evaluation, Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

    Sid Ravinutala, Chief Data Scientist, IDinsight

  • Raphael Duguay, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Yale School of Management

Strategic Philanthropy for Growth and Innovation

Growth Capital and Scaling: Strategies for Supporting Organizational Stability

  • Alex Roque, President & Executive Director, Ali Forney Center

  • Alexandra Sing, COO, Capitalize Good

  • Emily Sproch, Senior Program Officer, Howard Gilman Foundation

  • Henry Fernandez, Executive Director, LEAP

  • Scott Thomas, Co-Founder & President, Arbor Rising

The Evolution and Challenges of Impact Investing in Philanthropy

  • Liqian Ma, Head of Sustainable and Impact Investing, Cambridge Associates

  • Sarah Kearney, Executive Director, Prime Coalition

  • Sheena Strawter-Anthony, Director of Impact Investment Strategy, William Caspar Graustein Memorial Fund

Philanthropy for a Resilient and Connected World

AI and Philanthropy

  • Chantal Forster, AI Strategy Resident, Annenberg Foundation

  • Felecia Webb, Chief Strategy Officer, Partnership on AI

  • Laura Maher, Head of External Engagement, Siegel Family Endowment

  • Sarah di Troia, Managing Director, OutcomesAI, Project Evident

  • Michael Belinsky, Director, AI Institute, Schmidt Sciences

Philanthropy's Mobilization for Climate Change and Climate Adaptation

  • Andrea Strimling Yodsampa, CEO, DEPLOY/US

  • Cary Lynch, Climate and Energy Policy Manager, The Nature Conservancy

  • Shanti Kleiman, Energy Program Manager, The 11th Hour Project, a program of The Schmidt Family Foundation

  • Stuart DeCew, Executive Director, Yale Center for Business and the Environment

Innovating Humanitarian Aid for the Modern World: How Philanthropy Addresses Urgent Global Crises

  • Alix Cantave, Senior Program Officer, Latin American and the Carribean, WK Kellogg Foundation

  • Kaveh Khoshnood, Director, Yale Humanitarian Research Lab

  • Matthew Collins-Gibson, Vice President, USA Philanthropy & Global Board Engagement, International Rescue Committee