Just like a championship-winning team, a successful planned giving program requires strategy, teamwork, and a long-term vision. Learn how to build a lasting legacy for your organization by securing transformational gifts that will sustain your mission for generations. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how to empower your donors or clients to create their own championship moment!
Target audience: Fundraising generalists, professional advisors, CAPs, and gift planners.
August 26, 2025 - 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
7:30 a.m.
Registration and Networking and Exhibitors
Breakfast
8:00 a.m.
Welcome
8:10 a.m. – Session 1
Before the Buzzer Rings
Philip M. Purcell. MPA/J.D.
Central Territory Director of Planned Giving, The Salvation Army
Consultant for Philanthropy, LLC
Adjunct Faculty, Indiana University Maurer School of Law and Lilly School of Philanthropy
9:30 a.m. – Session 2
Dodging a Legal Blitz: How to Protect Your Nonprofit from Fraudulent Donations
David Slenn, J.D., L.L.M
Grant Thornton
Joined by Lydia E. Bailey, CFRE
10:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m. – Session 3
Philip M. Purcell, Moderator
Panelists:
David Slenn, J.D., L.L.M.
Lydia E. Bailey, CFRE
Wayne Olson, J.D.
Adjourn
The program will only be offered in-person.
AFP Tampa Bay aims to be accessible and inclusive to all of our members and guests. If you require special accommodations, please let us know via email so we can plan to make adjustments to the program
VENUE SPONSOR:
BREAKFAST SPONSOR:
CONTINUING EDUCATION SPONSOR:
$1,000 CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR:
$500 FIRST TIME OR NONPROFIT SPONSORS:
$2,500 PRESENTING SPONSOR
Opportunity to have a promotional display table at the Symposium.
Opportunity to distribute promotional materials to each attendee.
In pre and post event Symposium communications
On event PowerPoint and verbally mentioned at the Symposium
$1,000 CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR
Philip M. Purcell
Phil Purcell has enjoyed a thirty-year career in planned giving and as counsel to nonprofits. He currently serves as the Director of Planned Giving for the Central Territory of the Salvation Army. In this role, he is the directional leader of over thirty planned giving officers in eleven states who close approximately $90 million in planned gifts each year.
Phil serves as Editor for Planned Giving Today, a monthly national publication, and on the editorial board of Giving USA. He is legal advisor for the Community Foundation Legal Help Desk, a national online subscription service. He teaches law of nonprofit organizations, law of philanthropy, and planned gift fundraising for the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Lilly School of Philanthropy, The Fundraising School, and the American Institute of Philanthropic Studies of California State University Long Beach. Phil maintains an active consulting practice specializing in planned giving and nonprofit law including with the Heaton Smith Group, a national legacy consultation firm.
Phil is a licensed attorney and member of the American and Indiana State Bar Associations. He serves as Vice Chair of the American Bar Association’s Charitable Giving and Organizations Group (Real Property, Trust and Estate Section) and is a member of the Tax-Exempt Organization Advisory Council for the Internal Revenue Service (Great Lakes states). He is the current president of the board of directors of the American Council on Gift Annuities. Formerly he served on the boards of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (secretary), Planned Giving Council of Indiana (president), and Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana (president). Phil has received the Gift Leader Award by Crescendo and Fundraiser of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals Indiana.
Phil received his B.A. degree from Wabash College (magna cum laude) and his J.D./M.P.A. degrees (with honors) from Indiana University Maurer School of Law and O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. He was a Truman Scholar, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Alpha Alpha.
Senior Director of Gift Planning, Tampa General Hospital Foundation
Lydia Bailey supports donors and advances the TGH Foundation’s academic medical mission. Her expertise includes building legacy societies and managing complex trusts and estates. Bailey excels at fostering meaningful relationships with donors, fundraising professionals, stakeholders and community leaders.
A seasoned fundraising professional, Bailey brings over two decades of expertise in planned giving, major gifts and philanthropy leadership at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, raising millions annually while implementing innovative donor engagement strategies.
Bailey is deeply committed to her community, volunteering with local schools and organizations. A University of Florida alumna and fluent in Greek, she blends her cultural heritage, psychological training and passion for philanthropy to create lasting impact. In her free time, she loves boating and exploring the water with her husband, Bob, their two children, Bennett and Evelyn, and their dog, Lucy.
David Slenn
David is a Managing Director in Tax Practice Policy and Quality (TPQ) at Grant Thornton. TPQ manages policy, procedure and risk in connection with the Firm’s Tax Services. Drawing upon nearly two decades of experience as an attorney focusing on tax, business and estate planning with an emphasis on risk management, David also works closely with Grant Thornton’s Washington National Tax Office, Wealth and Human Capital Solutions and Insurance Industry.
Prior to joining Grant Thornton, David was a tax partner at an AmLaw 100 firm. David has experience in representing businesses and high-net-worth individuals, in both planning as well as tax controversy matters, captive insurance, administrative and regulatory matters, and creditors’ rights law. He is an author of numerous articles, as well as two books published by the American Bar Association, Captive Insurance Deskbook for the Business Lawyer (2018) and The Fraudulent Transfer of Wealth: Unwound and Explained (2022).
David is a sought-after speaker, having presented for a variety of audiences over the years such as the American Bar Association, Florida Bar, Ohio Bar, World Captive Forum, Casualty Actuarial Society, Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning, and the American Law Institute. He has also been quoted in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, TaxNotes, Bloomberg, Captive International, the International Risk Management Institute, and Law360.
Chief Development Officer, The Washington Times
Wayne Olson is an author, planned giving mentor and speaker and trainer to nonprofits and for-profit organizations worldwide. Wayne is the Chief Development Officer for The Washington Times and the Washington Policy Institute.
He has served as the head of planned giving for the Shriners Children’s Hospital system as well as Intermountain Healthcare Foundation, two of the largest healthcare systems in the world.
He has served as a consultant to corporations and charities where he advised them on fundraising, sales, customer service and building stronger relationships with customers and constituents. He is a leading expert on planned giving and donor relations. An attorney with more than 25 years’ experience, he has worked with donors on hundreds of millions of dollars in donations and helped countless nonprofits build effective and dynamic fundraising and planned giving programs.
He is a sought-after trainer, consultant and speaker on motivation, customer service and leadership. In 2014 Fundraising Success Magazine honored him by awarding Wayne “The Most Inspirational Speaker of the Year.”
Wayne is the author of six books including: Fundraising for Nonprofit Board Members, which is available on Amazon and at Wayneolson.com. His other works include: The Disney Difference, How to Give a Great Speech or Presentation, Big Gifts, Small Effort, and Think Like a Donor. His newest book, Words of Encouragement, is now available.
Wayne has worked as a consultant or trainer for dozens of charities in Canada and the U.S. Hundreds of charities depend on Wayne to broaden and grow their fundraising. They use his writing in their websites, magazines, brochures and newsletters. He has been published in many periodicals including Planned Giving Today, Advancing Philanthropy, Nonprofit Times, 256 Magazine, and has twice been featured in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
Wayne has spoken to AFP International Conferences, Mensa, NASA, AFP Congress Toronto, Space and Missile Defense, Synovus Bank, Leadership Huntsville, Rotary conferences, Nonprofit University, National Philanthropy Day and many more.
Wayne has served on the boards of three charitable organizations and volunteers for several more. Wayne earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from Stetson University College of Law. He is an Eagle Scout and the father of two Eagle Scouts.
To contact Wayne:
Wayne Olson
wayne@wayneolson.com
wayneolson.com
(656) 789-0000 (cell)
AFP Tampa Bay recognizes the importance of personal connection, but your health is our priority. We continue to monitor the community level for our area and follow CDC recommendations.
We ask that you not attend if:
The Greater Tampa Bay Area is home to more than 14,000 nonprofit organizations. In today’s challenging environment, raising money to support those organizations is not for the faint of heart. Over the past 10 years, fewer people are donating but those who do are giving more. How do you focus on raising funds to support your mission in this environment?
Brian Butler will challenge you to plan, collaborate, strategize, and develop a community focused approach to your fundraising efforts. He believes that connecting dots helps ensure that the community stays at the center of your fundraising efforts.
The program will only be offered in-person. Please indicate when registering your meal choice for meal planning purposes.
Brian Butler is President and CEO of Vistra Communications, a Tampa, FL based communications and consulting agency.
Founded in 2007, Vistra is a full-service marketing, communications and consulting agency with offices in Tampa and Northern Virginia and provides services to nonprofit, government and commercial clients. Vistra’s portfolio includes higher education, healthcare, transportation, associations and early learning advocacy clients. Vistra supports over twelve federal government agencies and several Fortune 500 clients.
Brian is a combat decorated, retired career military officer. Prior to founding Vistra, he provided strategic communications counsel to senior leaders at U.S. Central Command and served as a policy director on the Homeland Security Council in the White House. He also served as a Spokesperson for an Army Secretary and on the Communications Team for a Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon and worked in the Washington, DC office of FleishmanHillard. Brian is a frequent guest speaker, panel member and moderator on topics including leadership, entrepreneurship, diversity, and service.
Recognized for his leadership, Brian was named on the inaugural list of Most Admired CEOs by the Tampa Bay Business Journal and has been one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Tampa Bay, Florida 500 Most Influential Business Leaders, Tampa Bay Chamber Outstanding Leader of the Year among other awards. He received the Service to America Award from Freedom Alliance, a national nonprofit focused on supporting injured service members and their families.
Brian holds master’s degrees from the National War College and Central Michigan University, a bachelor’s degree from Hampton University and certificates from leading universities and programs including the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program with Babson College.
An active and avid community supporter, Brian serves on local and national boards including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Veteran Owned Businesses, Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council, Tampa Bay Partnership and WEDU Public Broadcast Television. Brian is a past Chairman of the Board of the Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce and served on the Board of Directors of Encore Bank, one of the fastest growing banks in the United States. Brian founded the CEOs in Schools initiative with Hillsborough County Public Schools and co-created the Advancing Racial Equity on Nonprofit Boards Fellowship program with the Nonprofit Leadership Center of Tampa Bay. Brian is Life Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated.
AFP LEAD is AFP’s leadership conference designed to enhance your leadership skills and organizational impact, all with a nonprofit/fundraising focus.
Join AFP in Atlanta, GA this October 16-18 for three days of fundraising-focused leadership training!
Headshots, Networking
Welcome - Opening Remarks
Lunch Service
CFRE Panel Discussion
Moderator: Mandy Cloninger, CFRE, CFRE AmbassadorCEO & Owner, Relentless Partner Consulting
Jessica Fugate, PhD, CFRE, CFRE Ambassador Director of Development Academy at the Lakes
Julia Crawford, CFRE, CFRE Ambassador Senior Manager, Individual Giving Straz Center for the Performing Arts Zoltan A. Karpathy, ACFRE, ACFRE Credentialing BoardVice President of Philanthropy Circus Arts Conservatory
Honing your Executive Presence
Karen E. Osborne
Executive presence is about projecting an image of capability and competence that inspires trust and respect, ultimately contributing to your ability to influence, inspire, and succeed.
The Enduring Power of Asking Strategic Questions and Listening to Understand
How can the right question unlock a major commitment? This workshop, aimed at CEOs, board members and gift officers, draws on Karen E. Osborne's exceptional expertise in major gifts and donor satisfaction, and explores how well-crafted, strategic questions can deepen donor engagement, uncover motivations, and lead to lasting and generous commitments. Learn how to lead discussions with purpose, strengthen trust, and build relationships that go beyond the gift. A practical, interactive session to refine your approach and elevate every major donor exchange.
Senior Strategist of The Osborne Group, Inc.
Author and Podcast Host
Karen believes in the power of philanthropy, generosity, and service. She built her career around these passions not only as a major and principal gifts officer, vice president, speaker, teacher, consultant, and coach, but also as a donor, volunteer, and board member.
For eighteen of Karen’s forty-seven professional years, she held leadership positions–Director of Major Gifts, Director of Development, and VP for College Advancement–at colleges and universities. For the past 29 years, Karen served first as President and now Senior Strategist at The Osborne Group, an international management, consulting, and training firm. For seven years, Karen was an adjunct faculty member at Johns Hopkins University, teaching in their graduate nonprofit management program.
Karen enjoys a rich volunteer life. She presented at the IFC in The Netherlands for 11 years. Provides international webinars including recent sessions for AFP Quebec and AFF France. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awarded her the Crystal Apple for Outstanding Teaching and Public Speaking, and the Ashmore Award for Outstanding Service to the Profession. A founding member, she’s on the faculty of The CASE Academy for emerging leaders. In addition to volunteering for professional organizations, she’s a member of the governing board of Easterseals Florida, volunteers in her community and is an Elder of her church.
Karen is an award-winning, and Kindle best-selling suspense, historical, and mystery writer of five published novels -- Getting It Right, Tangled Lies, Reckonings, True Grace, Justice for Emerson. Her weekly Vlog, What Are You Reading? What Are You Writing? showcases authors and other creatives.
www.TheOsborneGroup.com
Karen@TheOsborneGroup.com
www.KarenEOsborne.com
WriterKarenEOsborne@gmail.com
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10 STAR SPONSORS:
The Shining Light in Philanthropy is an additional benefit that can be added to any sponsor level (Table Partner and above) to honor an individual or organization that exemplifies generosity through their contributions of time, talent and treasure. This is a wonderful way to recognize those who illuminate the path for others, demonstrating extraordinary leadership and vision in support of your organization's mission. By celebrating their impact, we not only acknowledge their dedication but also inspire others to give back and strengthen the Tampa Bay community.
Does not include event tickets
Florida’s premier fundraising conference—happening June 15–17 in sunny Naples, Florida!
This must-attend event brings together nonprofit professionals, fundraisers, consultants, board members, and changemakers from across the state for three power-packed days of:
✨ Cutting-edge education
✨ Motivating keynotes
✨ Meaningful networking
✨ And fun, fresh ideas, and meaningful connections by the beach!
Snag VIP Early Access to full conference registration for just $550—includes a ticket to the Planet Philanthropy social event!
This exclusive early bird deal is only available through August 1, 2025!
