Join us for the Charitable Gift Planners of Houston event on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the United Way of Greater Houston.

Beyond Tomorrow: Mastering the Long-Game of Philanthropy explores why planned giving is a critical pillar of every successful nonprofit fundraising program—not as a quick fix for immediate funding needs, but as a long-term strategy built on trust, patience, and meaningful donor relationships. This conference will highlight the importance of collaboration across the entire development team to uncover and nurture planned gift opportunities, as well as the growing role of non-cash assets in securing truly transformative gifts. Participants will walk away with actionable strategies to advance their long-term fundraising goals while learning from leading experts and donors in both panel discussions and lecture-style sessions. Along the way, attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with peers, strengthen their networks, and build practical skills to elevate their planned giving efforts. Future CGPH networking and meeting opportunity dates will be presented.

Perks of Attending! 🎉
Your registration includes access to exciting Exhibitor Bingo and Door Prize giveaways — don’t miss your chance to win!

Plus, enjoy a delicious start to your day with our Build-Your-Own Parfait Bar, complete with juice and coffee. For lunch, indulge in a buffet meal featuring mini desserts, along with tea, water, and soft drinks — all included with your registration!

🎟 Pricing:

$49 for members
$99 for non-members
$69 each for groups of 5+ from the same organization/company

Our Schedule

Click here to view the schedule as a PDF.

Important Notices:

Our Speakers

Bill Alexander is a development leader with more than 20 years of experience cultivating strategic relationships with donors, board members, and institutional partners. He specializes in connecting philanthropists with high impact opportunities that advance meaningful programs and initiatives. At The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bill focuses on advancing novel life saving cancer research, innovative patient care, and breakthrough scientific discoveries. He has helped secure over $75 million in philanthropic support through major, principal, and planned gifts, partnering closely with faculty and institutional leadership to advance initiatives such as the Cancer Neuroscience Program and the Belfer Neurodegeneration Consortium. Bill also leads and mentors a team of gift officers, strengthening the philanthropic pipeline across multiple regions through robust donor engagement. Before joining MD Anderson, he advanced the missions of the Montrose Center’s HATCH Youth Program and Pride Chorus Houston. He previously spent more than a decade in finance on the trading and investment research floor at Invesco AIM Funds. Bill lives in Pearland with his husband and their two children. 

Pamela Jones Davidson, J.D., has been a nationally recognized speaker in charitable gift planning for decades.  She is President of Davidson Gift Design, Bloomington, Indiana, a consulting firm specializing in motivational presentations about all aspects of gift planning, planned giving program design and implementation, training and orientation.  She is also Emeritus for Thompson & Associates, offering estate planning services to nonprofits.  From 1985 through 1996, she was with Indiana University Foundation, leaving there as its Executive Director of Planned Giving and Associate Counsel; she quadrupled expectancies in only 2 ½ years as Director.    

Ms. Davidson received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University in 1975, and graduated magna cum laude from the Indiana University School of Law at Indianapolis in 1979.  She was an examiner in the Estate and Gift Tax Division of the Internal Revenue Service, and practiced law with an Indianapolis law firm before joining the nonprofit sector in 1985.

Ms. Davidson was the 1999 President (now, Chair) of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (then, “NCPG”), after serving on its board for six years.  She was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2018, its second class, and is a member of its Leadership Institute.  

Ms. Davidson is a past board member and treasurer of the Indiana Chapter of the National Society of Fund Raising Executives (now, “AFP”), and a past board member and president of the Planned Giving Group of Indiana.  She serves on the Community Advisory Board of her local public broadcasting stations and has served many charities in her community with Board and volunteer service, also mentoring colleagues and donors in gift planning, her mission, “to help donors do smartly what they already want to do.” 

Amanda R. Doslich is an Of Counsel attorney practicing in the areas of estate planning and probate. Amanda assists clients in creating and implementing tailored estate plans, ranging from straightforward Wills to complex trust structures, ensuring that each plan reflects the client’s unique goals and circumstances. Her work includes the drafting of Wills and Trust agreements, as well as guidance in the administration of estates, from non-taxable estates to those involving sophisticated tax considerations. In probate matters, Amanda advises clients through every step of the process, including the funding of testamentary trusts and compliance with applicable tax reporting requirements.

Educational Background
Baylor University School of Law, J.D.
Texas A&M University, M.S. in Management Information Systems
Texas A&M University, B.B.A. in Finance

Professional Organizations & Memberships
State Bar of Texas (Real Estate, Probate and Trust Law Section; Tax Section)
Attorneys in Tax and Probate

Interests
Away from work, Amanda enjoys traveling.

A graduate of Baylor University and SMU Dedman School of Law, Amy Grant is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® and had guided countless donors in aligning their values with meaningful giving to accomplish generosity that creates a lasting impact. Amy currently leads development efforts for Democracy Forward Foundation.

Vince McElligott joined Thompson & Associates in November 2011, where he provides charitable estate planning, major and planned gift consulting services to nonprofit organizations. 

Vince has worked in fundraising and development programs at major research and medical universities and nonprofit institutions since 1990. His philanthropic experience includes the role of executive director of development for the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University, assistant vice president of development at The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health), managing major and planned giving. Previously, he served as senior director of development at Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins, Colo., and director of development at the National 4-H Council in Chevy Chase, Md.

He has served in the charitable gift planning field in leadership positions with local planned giving councils and estate planning councils and served as a director and president of the Fort Collins Colorado Convention and Visitors Bureau, trustee and campaign adviser to the Alpha Gamma Rho Educational Foundation, and the development committee of the Galveston Texas Historical Foundation. Vince trained at the National Planned Giving Institute at the College of William and Mary. He has enjoyed membership, serving in various volunteer positions, speaking for AHP, CGP, and CASE, and serving on the board of the Planned Giving Council of Houston in Houston, Texas. Vince is a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning from the Institute of Charitable Estate Planning. 

McElligott lives in Kingwood, Texas, and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Montana State University.

Laura McWilliams is a deeply engaged civic and cultural leader whose philanthropy has had a lasting impact across Greater Houston. She spent her professional career in international banking, helping establish the international banking department at Amegy Bank before retiring in 2007.

Laura has held leadership and board roles with the Houston World Affairs Council, Asia Society Texas Center, and the Houston Committee on Foreign Relations. She has served as a Trustee of Houston Grand Opera and is a member of its Legacy Committee and remains active with the Salvation Army Auxiliary Guild of Houston, The Women’s Home, and the University of St. Thomas Center for International Studies.

Together with her late husband, Brad, Laura has made significant philanthropic investments in health innovation, the arts, and essential community programs, including the YMCA, Houston Grand Opera, and McWilliams Dog Park in Hermann Park. In recognition of their generosity, they received the Maurice Hirsch Award for Philanthropy in 2024, and UTHealth Houston named its School of Biomedical Informatics in their honor.

Terrylin Neale has dedicated more than five decades to volunteer fundraising in Houston, bringing both passion and strategic vision to every cause she champions. Her transformational impact on Houston Grand Opera began in 1976, when she joined the Board of Directors, later serving as Board Chair from 1981 to 1983. She was instrumental in raising funds for the construction of the Wortham Theater Center and in establishing the HGO Endowment in 1982. Since then, Terrylin has participated in every major fundraising campaign, helping HGO grow into one of the nation’s leading opera companies. Her commitment to Houston’s cultural and civic institutions extends well beyond HGO. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Hermann Park Conservancy for 21 years and, professionally, has been President of the University of Houston Foundation since 1987.

Mauricio Perillo is a Technology Integrator at ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company (EMTech), where he brings interdisciplinary expertise across applied physics, civil and environmental engineering, and integrated geoscience. He serves as ExxonMobil’s representative to the American Geosciences Institute and co-leads the Teaching and Learning Academy, a national initiative that strengthens Earth science education for K8-12 educators.

Originally Italo-Argentinian and now a proud U.S. citizen, Mauricio has called Houston home since 2014. Drawn to opera as the highest expression of disciplined human artistry—pure talent and technique—he became involved with Houston Grand Opera through the Young Professionals program. He now serves as Trustee and Co-Chair of the Donor Engagement Committee and played an active role in revitalizing post-pandemic engagement within the Young Patrons Circle, expanding participation and cultivating new supporters.
Mauricio believes meaningful philanthropy is not about legacy alone, but about momentum—intentionally shaping institutions that will define the future of our communities.

As the Executive Director of Gift Planning for Rice University, Byron Rupp is responsible for helping cultivate high-value opportunities for transformational giving and advancing the long-term support of Rice University through effective stewardship.  In addition to leading the Gift Planning team, he collaborates with the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, Major Gift and Principal Gift Officers, and key stakeholders across campus to foster relationships and expand the pipeline for planned and blended gifts.

Byron’s career in non-profits has included relaunching the foundation of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, International, the world’s largest international legal association as their first Director of Development; leading the Development, Alumni, and Marketing and Communications teams as the Vice President of Advancement at Hesston College; and leading the Planned Giving Program at Wichita State University as their first Executive Director.  While at WSU, his innovations included the creation of a gift planning role that focused solely upon existing gift retention and the creation and implementation of a gift planning scoring system to minimize gift degradation.  Byron has a BA from Bethel College (KS) and a Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law.  

Jeff Shaw is the Vice President for University Advancement at Prairie View A&M University, where he leads fundraising, alumni relations, and marketing and communications. A Certified Fundraising Executive with more than 20 years of experience in higher education advancement, Jeff has held leadership roles at Harris-Stowe State University, Texas Southern University, the United Negro College Fund, and Florida A&M University. Known for securing transformational gifts, increasing alumni engagement, and driving endowment growth, he is a frequent presenter on strategic fundraising, donor stewardship, and inclusive advancement practices.

Julia O. Smith is a development professional specializing in planned giving, major gifts, and estate administration, with more than 15 years of experience working with donors and their advisors to facilitate transformational philanthropy. She serves as Senior Development Officer for Special Gifts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where she manages the museum’s planned giving program and a portfolio of major and legacy donors.

In her role, Julia collaborates with donors, attorneys, and financial advisors to structure complex gifts—including charitable trusts, life insurance, real estate, closely held business interests, and other non-cash assets—and oversees the stewardship and administration of estate gifts to ensure donor intent is honored while advancing institutional priorities. She also stewards the museum’s two legacy societies and develops educational resources to help donors and advisors navigate charitable estate planning.

Earlier in her career, Julia led fundraising strategy and execution for major donor events. Julia began her career in fundraising at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello) in Charlottesville, Virginia. Julia serves on the board of Charitable Gift Planners of Houston and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of the South (Sewanee).  Outside of work, Julia most enjoys spending time with her husband, James, and their three young sons. 

David Starnes serves UT Health Sciences Center Houston as Senior Director, Estate and Gift Planning. Prior to joining UT Health, David served as Senior Director of Gift Planning at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Director of Gift Planning at Baylor College of Medicine and the Director of Gift Planning at the University of Houston. Since starting his fundraising career, David has focused on gifts of non-cash assets and helping individuals develop a gift plan that will produce beneficial results for the donor and their family. Other professional memberships include the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and Houston Estate and Financial Forum. David has served on the speaker committee for the National Conference on Gift Planning. David and his wife Sheri have been married 39 years and have 2 boys and two granddaughters.

Christine Ann Stevens is a seasoned fundraising executive skilled at leading high-performing development teams. After an early career in marketing, Christine made a purposeful pivot to fundraising and has since built a reputation as a strategic, metrics-driven, and deeply relationship-centered leader.

Christine most recently served as Vice President of Development at LA Opera, where she joined an organization nationally recognized for its artistic excellence, ambitious programming, and innovative approaches to audience engagement. Prior to her role in Los Angeles, Christine spent much of her fundraising career with the Houston Symphony, serving in multiple leadership roles including Director of Major Gifts, Senior Director of Development, and Interim Co-Chief Development Officer. In that capacity, she led a team of 14 fundraising professionals responsible for individual giving, major gifts, a newly invigorated planned giving, and endowment effort, as well as funding transformational initiatives such as the renovation of Jones Hall, introduction of a mid-level giving program, and the welcome and financial support of a new music director and their artistic ambition for the organization. Christine’s career also includes senior development roles with Theatre Under The Stars and River Oaks Chamber Orchestra, giving her broad experience across organizations of varying size, scope, and complexity.

Christine is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), earning her credential in 2018, and is an active leader within the Association of Fundraising Professionals, currently serving as President of AFP Greater Houston, the third largest fundraising chapter globally. She holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance and a graduate certificate in Finance from the University of Houston–Downtown. A lifelong learner and committed civic volunteer, she also serves as a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar, helping Houstonians register to vote.
Christine was thrilled to begin her next chapter as Development Director at the Houston Humane Society. She is inspired by the organization’s lifesaving mission, deep community trust, and commitment to advancing animal welfare through compassion, innovation, and impact. Christine looks forward to partnering with the board, donors, volunteers, and staff to strengthen philanthropic support and help ensure a strong, sustainable future for the pets and people the Houston Humane Society serves.

Kayla White is a Southeast Texas native with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Lamar University and more than seventeen years of experience in nonprofit business development and finance. She has been recognized as one of the Southeast Texas Top 40 Professionals Under 40 by the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and as one of the Top 30 Professionals Under 30 by the Beaumont Enterprise.

Throughout her career, Kayla has secured millions of dollars in grant funding, organized and managed countless fundraising initiatives, and helped organizations build sustainable strategies for long-term programmatic success. Her expertise has made her a sought-after speaker and facilitator across Texas. She has contributed to nonprofit conferences and civic group events statewide, most recently leading a breakout session at the 2025 Texas Nonprofit Summit, presenting at the BBB of Southeast Texas 2024 Professional Women’s Conference, and serving on a 2025 United Way of Mid & South Jefferson County panel focused on winning grant proposals. In addition, she regularly speaks to Rotary clubs and civic organizations, sharing practical, real-world insights to strengthen nonprofit leadership and impact.

Kayla is deeply committed to service beyond her professional role, volunteering with multiple nonprofit organizations and using her experience to guide effective fundraising efforts and strategic event planning. She frequently serves on event planning committees, helping organizations maximize both community engagement and financial outcomes.

Today, Kayla leads the Southeast Texas Nonprofit Development Center, the region’s only nonprofit agency dedicated to providing high-quality management support services to nonprofits and funders. Under her leadership over the past four years, the Center has experienced enormous growth - expanding its reach, deepening its service offerings, and strengthening the nonprofit ecosystem across Southeast Texas. Through education, training, consulting, and capacity-building support, the Center has become the region’s go-to resource for nonprofit development, ensuring the continuity and effectiveness of the area’s most critical public charities.

Anne Kathryn Zamkovsky, J.D., serves as the Senior Director of Gift and Estate Planning at Baylor College of Medicine, where she provides strategic leadership for the institution's planned giving program. In this role, she applies her broad legal and philanthropic expertise to guide donors professional advisors in crafting enduring philanthropic commitments. She also administers working collaboratively with Baylor leadership and donors to ensure donor integrity through gifts on non-cash assets and other alternative giving options.

Anne Kathryn is also an active leader in the advancement of her field. She currently serves as President-Elect of the Charitable Gift Planners of Houston and is Assistant Editor of the Journal of Planned Giving, helping shape professional standards and promote excellence in charitable planning in Texas and beyond. Anne Kathryn and her husband are proud parents of twin boys and she enjoys swimming, calligraphy, and the LSU Tigers.

As Director of Financial Advisory Services, Morgann Zimmer is responsible for working directly with clients to address their financial planning needs while also leading the firm’s Financial Advisory Team. She ensures consistency in the overall client experience by overseeing client relationships and supporting team members in navigating complex financial planning matters. Prior to joining Goodman Financial in 2017, Morgann spent four years with KMH Wealth Management, LLC in Victoria, Texas, where she supported multiple financial advisors with investment strategies and comprehensive financial planning. 

Education:
Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness, Texas A&M University, 2012, Cum Laude
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® Professional

Affiliations, Current and Past:
Member, Young Professionals Committee, Houston CPA Society  (2019 – Present)
Member, Financial Planning Association (2017 – Present)
Member, Houston CPA Society (2015 – Present)
Former Member, American Business Women’s Association (2016 – 2017)
Former Member, Victoria Professional Express Network (2016 – 2017)