Yale Philanthropy Conference

Launched in 2004, the Yale Philanthropy Conference is a student-run convening held at the Yale School of Management and host to philanthropic and nonprofit leaders who seek to tackle the social sector's most pressing challenges.

Now in its twentieth year, the Yale Philanthropy Conference is hosted by the Yale School of Management and is the only convening of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector planned entirely by graduate students. Bringing together thinkers, students, and professionals from leading institutions and foundations across the country, the conference fosters discussions about the role of philanthropy in contemporary society, strengthens professional networks, builds management acumen necessary for vibrant institutions, and cultivates leadership in the social sector and beyond.

A Letter from the Faculty: Professor Tony Sheldon

SENIOR LECTURER IN THE PRACTICE OF MANAGEMENT & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM ON SOCIAL ENTERPRISe, INNOVATION, AND IMPACT

The Yale Philanthropy Conference attracts leaders from the non-profit, public, and private sectors to explore the complex and imaginative ways that the bounds of philanthropy are expanding.

The student-organized annual event presents a rare opportunity to engage with colleagues across sectors and fields of work, probing both domestic and global issues.

The talks, panels and discussions are multi-faceted and always lively. The Yale Philanthropy Conference has consistently been a forum for inquiry, dialogue, and challenge.

OUR HISTORY:

The Yale Philanthropy Conference (YPC) grew out of a class at the Yale School of Management, Philanthropic Foundations. Students, wanting to engage more deeply with best practices and innovation in the social sector, decided to bring experts and practitioners to the School of Management campus. Now in its nineteenth year, the conference remains entirely planned and executed by Yale graduate students. YPC has hosted leaders in the field including Hilary Pennington, Vice President of the Ford Foundation; Edgar Villanueva, author of Decolonizing Wealth; and La June Montgomery Tabron, President and CEO of W. K. Kellogg Foundation.

PREVIOUS CONFERENCE THEMES:

2024: Catalyzing Change

2023: Advancing Justice

2022: Beyond the New Normal

2021: Reimagining Philanthropy

2020: A Vision for the Future

2019: Values in Action

2018: Adaptive Philanthropy, Resilient Sector

2017: Transformations

2016: Fostering Ecosystems of Change

2015: Reflect. Innovate. Impact.

2014: Rooted in History, Growing with Purpose

2013: Integrated Perspectives Across the Sector

2012: Beyond Best Practices

2010: Fostering Innovative Ideas for Social Change

2009: Harnessing Resources & Leveraging Strengths

2008: Collaboration and Leadership in Philanthropy

2007: Achieving Effectiveness in Philanthropy

2006: Future of Philanthropy

2005: Yale Philanthropy Conference

The 2025 Yale Philanthropy Conference Team

Margaret Kuo (she/her/hers), MBA '25 | Co-Chair

Margaret Kuo is a second-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. At Yale, she is co-chair of Yale Philanthropy Conference, co-president of Nonprofit Board Fellows, co-president of Cocktail Club, and manages social media for Heidi, the Yale Therapy Dog. She was most recently at The Rockefeller Foundation as a Summer Associate on the Digital Communications team. Prior to graduate school, she worked in finance, marketing at a startup, and was heavily involved in a nonprofit serving immigrant youth from low-income families. She holds a double degree in Economics and Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences (MMSS) from Northwestern University.

Camila Novo-Viano (she/her/hers), MBA '25 | Co-chair

Camila Novo-Viano is a second-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. She serves as one of the co-chairs of this year’s conference. Before Yale, she spent five years at FSG, a social impact consulting firm, where she advised corporate and philanthropic donors and nonprofits on strategy, program design, and evaluation across various issue areas, including economic mobility, education, mental health, and racial justice. This past summer, Camila worked on program-related investments focused on economic mobility at Samvid Ventures. At Yale, she is Co-President of the American Latine Business Association (ALBA), co-leads the education and workforce deal team for the Meng Impact Investing Fund, and serves as a board fellow for Amistad Academy, a public K-12 school in New Haven. Camila holds an AB in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University.

nicole wong (she/her/hers), Mba '25 | Co-chair

Nicole Wong is an MBA/MPP candidate at the Yale School of Management and the Jackson School of Global Affairs. Prior to Yale, Nicole worked to harness the arts and cultural sector for social good and global solidarity through her time as a Junior Teaching Fellow at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and as an Executive at Checkpoint Theatre. She also steered research for Singapore’s Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth on the impact of COVID-19 on the arts, culture, and heritage sectors and was part of the team representing Singapore at the 59th Venice Biennale.

At Yale, Nicole engages in critical data studies and the development of regenerative economies through technology policy. She is a Forte Fellow, Center for Business and the Environment 2050 Fellow, and Geopolitics of Technology Fellow. She also advises Capital for Change Connecticut through the Social Impact Consulting Club.

Nicole graduated with distinction and honors from Stanford University in 2018 with a BA in International Relations and a Minor in Art History.

Fanny Abib-Rozenberg (she/her/hers), MFA '25 | Logistics Director

Fanny Abib-Rozenberg is a third-year Theater Management MFA at the David Geffen School of Drama. She is currently the Associate Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Yale Schwarzman Center. Last year, she served as the Company Manager for Yale Repertory Theatre and was on a spring term fellowship with the Executive Director of the Signature Theatre Company in New York City. She is also writing a case study on the new Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC/NYC).

Born and raised in Paris, France, she has a BA in English and a MA in Theatre Studies from Sorbonne University, where her research focused on post-traumatic and post-terrorism theatre, a BA in Theatre Studies from Sorbonne Nouvelle, and a MSc in Media, Art and Creation from HEC Paris. She has experience in both film and theatre production, including working as the assistant to the directors of the (LA)Horde dance company in a key role assisting their production team at every stage of the creative process. Before coming to Yale, she was the production assistant for a documentary production company, where her role consisted of managing budgets and logistics, reading and editing scripts, and maintaining and translating the website. Fanny is passionate about fundraising and development and how philanthropy for the arts can adapt to today’s challenges.

Joo Chung (he/him/his), MBA '26 | Marketing Director

Joo Chung is a first-year MBA candidate at the Yale School of Management. Prior to Yale, he spent five years as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, which included service in Arlington National Cemetery. At the School of Management, Joo is an Inclusive Growth Fellow and a Nonprofit Board Fellow. He holds a BS in Economics and English & American Literature from the United States Military Academy.

isabelle levenson (she/her/hers), mba '26 | Marketing director

Isabelle Levenson is a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Before Yale, Isabelle was an Associate Vice President at Fenton, a social impact communications agency, supporting nonprofits, philanthropies and private-sector companies with robust corporate social responsibility programs. With a specialty in global health and development from her previous work at a global research nonprofit and global health consulting firm, Isabelle is particularly passionate about the power of public-private partnership to advance health outcomes for people around the world. Besides Yale Philanthropy Conference, Isabelle is a member of the School of Management’s Student Government, on Yale’s Health Equity team for the MBA Impact Investing Network and Training (Turner MIINT) competition, and a Nonprofit Board Fellow. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with her BA in American Studies and is an avid painter.

Libby Liu (she/her/hers), MBA '26 | Fundraising Director

Libby Liu is a first-year MBA candidate at the Yale School of Management. She brings a strong foundation in finance from her four years at Liberty Mutual Investments. Through a comprehensive two-year rotational program, she honed her ability to drive data-informed investment strategies and collaborated with cross-functional teams to support sustainable growth. Dedicated to empowering others to achieve their goals, she played a crucial role in enhancing engagement and ensuring financial stability within Liberty Mutual's Pan-Asian employee resource group. At the School of Management, Libby serves as co-president of the Internship Fund, a Nonprofit Board Fellow, and a community lead for the Women in Management Club. Beyond her interests in finance, Libby has a deep passion for dancing and oil painting. She aspires to transition into the arts and culture nonprofit space post-MBA.

Philip Reilly (he/him/his), MBA '26 | Logistics Director

Philip Reilly is a first-year MBA candidate at the Yale School of Management. Prior to Yale, he served nine years active duty as a Navy Supply Officer. Philip served as the chief logistician on the fast attack submarine USS Louisville stationed in Pearl Harbor, HI as well as the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in Yokosuka, Japan. Additionally, he served two years at the Pentagon designing logistics strategy for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Prior to commissioning as an officer, Philip worked as a fundraiser for Lambda Legal, the nation’s largest legal groups defending LGBTQ+ rights, and volunteered as an English teacher at the Saint Rita’s Center for Immigrant & Refugee services in the Bronx. Raised in New York, Philip earned his BS in mathematics with a minor in philosophy from Fordham University.

Jamil Alizada (he/him/his), MBA '26 | Fundraising committee Member

Jamil Alizada is a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Before joining Yale, Jamil worked as the General Counsel at a family office with assets across diverse industries, including art and philanthropy. In this role, he advised art galleries on the creation of philanthropic assets by engaging local and international private donors, negotiated legal frameworks for emerging artists at exhibitions in the US and Europe, and coordinated the largest art festival in the South Caucasus region. At Yale, Jamil is an active member of the Consulting Club and serves as an Admissions Guide. He holds a bachelor's degree in law from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (Russian Federation) and a master's degree in intellectual property law and knowledge management from Maastricht University (Netherlands).

Antigone Antonakakis (she/her/hers), MPH '26 | Fundraising committee Member

Antigone Antonakakis is a first-year MPH student in the Healthcare Management program at Yale University. Before Yale, she dedicated over 1,200 hours of community service to supporting adults with disabilities through her work with ARC Mercer, a local nonprofit in Trenton, New Jersey. At ARC Mercer, she launched “Unified Pulse,” a community integration program designed to enhance the inclusion of older adults with disabilities, and collaborated to deliver educational and recreational services.

Antigone is deeply passionate about philanthropy and mission-driven work. She aspires to address housing disparities for adults with disabilities by creating sustainable and inclusive solutions that empower underserved communities. In addition to helping organize the Philanthropy Conference, Antigone is also an active member of the Social Impact Consulting Club at the School of Management and a volunteer at HAVEN Free Clinic.

Daniel Lee (he/him/his), MBA '26 | Logistics Committee Member

Daniel Lee is originally from Brookfield, Wisconsin and is currently a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Before Yale, he worked at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where he helped Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBE) access partnership opportunities. Prior to that, he was at Via Transportation, connecting cities and transit agencies with innovative microtransit technology solutions. Outside of his professional career, Daniel mentors underrepresented Asian American youth in New York through Apex for Youth. In his free time, he enjoys attending concerts, leather crafting, and watching football. His long-term goal is to empower small minority-owned businesses to drive sustainable change within communities.

Ramona Li (she/her/hers), MBA/MFA '26 | Logistics Committee member

Ramona Li is pursuing a joint MBA/MFA degree at Yale University. Born and raised in Beijing, China, Ramona is passionate about using theater as a medium to connect diverse communities and tell meaningful stories on a global scale. At Yale, she has contributed to the arts community as Assistant Managing Director of Yale Repertory Theatre, the creative laboratory where renowned artists such as Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, and Meryl Streep honed their craft.

Ramona’s professional journey includes a management fellowship at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, where she focused on institutional fundraising under the mentorship of Managing Director Kimberly Douglas, and a role as Executive and Board Assistant at Puy du Fou Asia. There, she supported the development of performances celebrating Shanghai’s cultural history at what is now the world’s largest immersive theater. Her work at the intersection of the arts and social impact also includes community and school theatrical licensing at Disney Theatrical Group and educational initiatives with Steppenwolf Theatre.

Ramona holds a BBA with a concentration in finance from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, where she graduated with distinction and earned highest honors for her thesis in Theater Studies. At Emory, she performed in stage and television productions and produced theater with both student and professional companies. An avid reader of plays and nonfiction, as well as a fan of FiveThirtyEight’s data visualization dashboards, Ramona enjoys exploring the arts’ role in inspiring change and fostering dialogue.

Emily Nagler (she/her/hers), MBA '26 | Logistics committee Member

Emily Nagler is a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Prior to Yale, she served as a Princeton in Latin America Fellow at the Women's Justice Initiative, a local women's rights NGO in Guatemala, supporting development and communications. She spent the following three years on the Philanthropy team at the International Rescue Committee, where she helped raise 6- and 7-figure gifts for the humanitarian organization. She also volunteered as a caseworker with the Carolina Abortion Fund, providing clients with the financial and logistical resources needed to obtain abortion care across the Southeast. At the School of Management, Emily is a Nonprofit Board Fellow and a member of the Portfolio Support Team within the School of Management's student-run impact investing fund. Emily holds a BA in Public Policy and Global Health from Duke University. She is a fluent Spanish speaker and enjoys dabbling in learning other languages in her free time.

Seidy Pacheco (she/her/hers), MBA '26 | Logistics Committee Member

Seidy Pacheco is a first-year Yale School of Management MBA student from Los Angeles, CA. Prior to attending Yale, she worked for Equitas Academy, a network of public charter schools where she led the student recruitment and marketing functions. As part of the Yale Philanthropy Conference, she is excited to learn more about the flow of funds to highly impactful organizations. In addition to YPC, Seidy is also part of the Social Impact Consulting Club and the Meng Impact Investment Fund. She holds a BS in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania.

Harmon Pardoe (he/him/his), MBA '26 | Logistics Committee Member

Harmon Pardoe is a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management with an interest in non-profit management and strategy. He previously worked as Director of Research at Global Cultural Asset Management, a cultural consulting firm at the intersection of art, architecture, politics and economics. There, he developed concept studies for major museums, arts institutes and cultural districts, as well as high level cultural strategies. At the School of Management, Harmon is a 2025 Inclusive Growth Fellow, a First-Year Leader in the Arts and Culture Club, and a member of the Social Impact Consulting Club. He is interested in returning to the museum industry to make museums more accessible and to develop new streams of revenue generation for small- to mid-sized institutions.

Taylor Robin (she/her/hers), BA/MPH '25 | Marketing Committee Member

Taylor Robin is a fifth-year BA/MPH student in the Health Care Management Program at Yale School of Public Health. This past May, she finished her undergraduate degree in the History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health. She is passionate about health equity–particularly regarding maternal and child health. Taylor has always been passionate about nonprofit and philanthropic work, having experience working in a health equity 501(c)(3). In her most recent position, she investigated philanthropic opportunities for gender-affirming care in a large health system in San Francisco, CA. She looks forward to expanding her experience in philanthropy in the hopes of continuing her health equity focus.

Ramya Srinivasan (she/her/hers), MBA '26 | Logistics committee Member

Ramya Srinivasan is a first-year MBA candidate at the Yale School of Management. After pursuing a Bachelors of Commerce, specializing in Finance and Management Strategy, she started her career in Consulting. She focused on Financial Institutions, specifically Digital Transformations in Banks at The Boston Consulting Group before transitioning into the Consumer and Public Sector industries at L.E.K. Consulting. She also worked with Teach for India for ~3 years, as a volunteer and later helping them with their volunteer recruitment. This past summer, Ramya interned at PlusTrust, a non-profit organization in Bangalore that uses the micro-funding model to provide fellowships to women working in Education and Health, to develop them into Social Entrepreneurs. While working with the firm, she realized her interest in the intersection of finance/management and non-profit, and wants to continue to work in sustainable finance planning and management for non-profits. Apart from work, you can find Ramya in libraries or just taking a walk / hike in nature. She is fluent in Tamil, Hindi and English and is learning French.

Satoshi Suga (he/him/his), MBA '26 | Marketing committee Member

Satoshi Suga spent seven years in R&D after earning his BS and MS in Electrical Engineering, but later moved to the Bay Area to complete an MA in Science Education. He founded the Trusted Network of Teachers, a venture focused on teacher retention by offering high-paying, low-time commitment virtual coaching opportunities. Now at Yale School of Management, Satoshi is diving into all facets of education—social impact consulting, impact funding, and entrepreneurship—to understand where the biggest impact can be made. His goal is to explore how we can collaboratively and effectively support underserved students in at-risk communities nationwide, potentially through nonprofit-led social services and programming that empower students to pursue careers they’re passionate about and create meaningful social mobility.

Ellie Utter (she/her/hers), MBA '26 | Logistics committee Member

Ellie Utter is a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Prior to Yale, she developed and managed a nonprofit program that provided advocacy and counseling services to survivors of sexual violence. She then worked as a government consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, supporting the Department of Defense’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office. At the School of Management, Ellie serves as a Nonprofit Board Fellow, Title IX Committee Chair, and Net Impact Lead. She holds a BA in Urban Studies from Stanford University.

Casey Wells (she/her/hers), MPH '26 | Fundraising Committee Member

Casey Wells is a first-year MPH candidate at the Yale School of Public Health, where she focuses on global health policy and health equity, with a particular interest in philanthropy and collective impact. At Yale, she serves as a patient navigator, working closely with refugee families to help them access healthcare and overcome barriers through collaboration with community-based resources.

Before coming to Yale, Casey worked with Smart Works Charity UK in London, where she developed data management strategies for the UK Female Unemployment Index and played a key role in executing strategic plans to expand the organization’s services across the UK, helping to increase the number of women receiving critical support. Her passion for philanthropy began as an undergraduate, where she served on the Executive Board and as Vice President of a student-led nonprofit. In this role, she was also a member of the Board of Directors for an initiative that raised funds for Prisma Health Children’s Hospital and Children’s Miracle Network. Over four years, Casey fostered local partnerships and worked to raise awareness about the urgency of child health.

Lindsey Keiko Wong (she/her/hers), MBA/MPH '26 | Marketing committee Member

Lindsey Keiko Wong is a first-year MBA/MPH student at the Yale School of Management and Yale School of Public Health. Prior to Yale, she managed strategic initiatives and data operations for a California nonprofit healthcare business league and orchestrated change management programs for a San Francisco Bay Area provider organization.

Her commitment to advancing health equity drives her active involvement in university and community life. In addition to her roles as a Solomon Center for Health Law and Policy Fellow and Nonprofit Board Fellow, Lindsey currently serves as a First-Year Lead for the Healthcare and Life Sciences Club, Digital Health Group, and Asian American and Pacific Islander Association. In her spare time, she studies nihon buyo (classical Japanese dance) with the Nishikawa School of Classical Japanese Dance based in Tokyo, Japan.

Lindsey graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors from UCLA with a BA in Human Biology and Society and a Minor in Public Health.

Laura Zhang (she/her/hers), MBA '26 | Marketing COMMITTEE Member

Laura Zhang is a first-year MBA student at the Yale School of Management. Prior to Yale, she worked as a product manager at an HR tech startup focused on using nudge theory to drive positive behavior change in the workplace. She also volunteered at City Harvest, a network of community gardens that provides fresh produce to food-insecure neighborhoods in Philadelphia. At the School of Management, Laura serves as a Nonprofit Board Fellow and is a first-year leader for Tech Club. She holds a BA in Cognitive Science from Pomona College.