Mary Beth Congdon, guest speaker at the Norwalk seminar, is Deputy Director of Planned Giving at Yale University, a position she has held since 2005. She previously served as Director of Planned Giving at Quinnipiac University, Director of Planned Giving at Simmons College, Boston, and Associate Director of Development and Planned Giving at The Masonic Charity Foundation of Connecticut. She holds a B.A. from Albertus Magnus College, an M.S. from Southern Connecticut State University, and a J.D. from the University of Connecticut School Of Law.

Mary Beth has spent 30 years working in the major and planned gift field, and has spoken at conferences sponsored by AFP, CASE, and at regional Planned Giving Councils. She is a former board member of the Planned Giving Group of New England (PGGNE), and a past president of the Planned Giving Group of Connecticut (PGGCT)). In 2013 she received the prestigious Elizabeth Keitel Award from PGGCT for outstanding service to the planned giving profession. [top]

Thomas P. Lockerby, guest speaker at the Boston seminar, is Secretary of the Academy at Phillips Academy (“Andover”). In this role, he leads the alumni engagement, development, and communications initiatives for the school. Thom has spent his entire career working in and consulting with charities, focusing on major and planned gift fund raising as well as organizational leadership. His expertise is advising donors and families about strategies to effectively maximize their philanthropy in concert with overall financial, estate planning, and wealth transfer goals.

Prior to joining Andover, Thom was the Vice President for Development at Boston College and directed its $1.5 billion comprehensive campaign. Previously, he served as Director of Gift Planning at Dartmouth College; Relationship Manager at Kaspick & Company, an investment firm specializing in charitable trusts and endowments; Vice President at PG Calc Incorporated, a development software company; and Director of Development Relations at Harvard Business School. Early in his career, Thom worked as the Research Associate for Professor Michael E. Porter at Harvard Business School.

Thom speaks widely on the topic of effective philanthropy from both the donor and institutional perspectives and his articles have appeared in Planned Giving Today and the Journal of Gift Planning. He is Board Chair of Polaris, a leading organization fighting to eradicate human trafficking in the United States and abroad. He is also a former Board Chair of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning and is a past President of the Planned Giving Group of New England. Thom is a graduate of Harvard College. [top]

Wayne Mones, guest speaker at the New York City seminar, was a career development professional from 1971 until his retirement in 2011. He served as Vice President of the National Audubon Society, where he directed its nation wide planned giving program between 1984 and 2011. During his career at Audubon the planned giving program realized over $250 million in revenue from matured bequests, life income gifts, and other planned gift vehicles, and approximately $300 million in future commitments. He also closed a number of complicated real estate gifts.

Wayne has served as Treasurer, Vice President, and President of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York from which he received the distinguished service award in April, 2011. He was a founding board member of the National Committee for Planned Giving where he served as Vice President , and chaired the education committee which produced the first syllabus for gift planners. Wayne has also been a speaker at many professional conferences around the country.

Wayne has published articles on gift planning, fly fishing, fly tying, and birding optics, and been an active blogger on the Audubon web site. He has also served as a planned giving consultant to a number of charitable organizations. [top]

Ellen O'Connor Shugart,CFRE, guest speaker at the Sturbridge seminar, has served as a Vice President for Planned Giving for the American Heart Association since 2002. In her role as Vice President and Team Leader for the Eastern United States, she supervises a staff of seven planned giving directors and covers the New England area. Prior to joining the American Heart Association, Ellen worked for the Arthritis Foundation for thirteen years, the last four serving as the Associate Vice President of Planned Giving in the Northeast. Ellen formerly served as Director of Development for the Hartford Conservatory of Music. She is past president of Planned Giving Group of Connecticut (PGGCT) and a regular speaker at conferences including a presentation on marketing at ACGA (American Council on Gift Annuities) in April of 2008. In 2006 she received the prestigious Elizabeth Keitel Award from PGGCT for outstanding service to the planned giving profession. [top]