November 2024 Education Program

FREE TO FPA MEMBERS ($65 for non-members)

TOPIC: DAFs and the Charitable Giving Landscape
SPEAKERS: Katie Collin and Ginger F. Mlakar, Esq.

About the presentation: Join senior philanthropic strategy team members from the Cleveland Foundation as they discuss the trends in charitable giving, impact of the 2024 election results for the charitable sector, as well as the choices donors have when selecting the best sponsoring organization for their DAFs.  They also will discuss some exciting opportunities available for DAF holders including social impact investing and the utilization of complex assets.

About the speakers:

Katie Collin returned to the Cleveland Foundation at the end of July 2024 as the Director, Philanthropic Strategy. In this role she will guide the team that introduces donors, families and organizations to the multitude of philanthropic tools the Foundation has to offer, and partner with the team that works with donors and organizational fund partners to help them achieve their philanthropic objectives. She first served with the Cleveland Foundation from 2016-2019 as a Gift Planning Advisor.​ Since graduating from law school, Katie has gained extensive experience at the intersection of the legal, financial and charitable sectors through gift planning, non-cash assets, alternative investments and estate planning roles at Ren, American Endowment Foundation, Schneider Smeltz Spieth Bell, LLP, and The Cleveland Clinic Katie is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, the Northern Ohio Charitable Gift Planners, and the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, where she serves on the membership committee. She is a dedicated community member, currently serving her second term on the board of the Cleveland Public Library Foundation, co-chairing the development committee, and as a member of LakewoodAlive’s development committee in her hometown of Lakewood.​ Katie earned her Bachelor of Arts in art history, with minors in economics and Italian language & literature from Smith College, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Akron School of Law. She completed training through the 21/64 Program to provide multigenerational advising, facilitation and engagement, so that multiple generations can work, give and serve together more effectively. Katie received her Certificate for the Fundamentals of Alternative Investments from CAIA in 2023. ​

Ginger Mlakar serves as in-house legal counsel and manages the Foundation’s legal affairs. Additionally, she oversees the teams that works with current donors, individuals, business owners, and their professional advisors to identify their charitable objectives and implement simple to complex strategies to accomplish their philanthropic goals. At the same time, Ginger connects non-profits to partnership opportunities with the Foundation. She came to the Cleveland Foundation in July 2009 after 16 years practicing law in estate, trust and charitable gift planning and administration. Her previous positions include partner in the personal succession and planning practice group at Thompson Hine LLP and of counsel in the estate planning and probate practice group at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP. She is also a certified public accountant. Ginger has served on the boards of several area organizations and is currently on the board for the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils and is an AEP® Accredited Estate Planner. Ginger has been named among the Best Lawyers in America and the Top 50 Female Ohio Super Lawyers List by Law and Politics magazine. She was a member of the Leadership Cleveland Class of 2014. Ginger has received the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Women in Law Making a Difference and President’s Awards, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation’s Outstanding Leadership Award, the Estate Planning Council of Cleveland’s 2019 Distinguished Estate Planner Award, and the 2022 Women of Professional Excellence from the YWCA of Greater Cleveland. She graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration and earned her juris doctorate from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Continuing Education: FPA NEO will request credit for this program, which will total 1 hour of CE from the CFP® Board of Standards for CFP® designation holders. A general certificate of completion and one for CPA designees who feel the program satisfies their continuing education requirements will also be available.

Reservation Policy: All attendees are encouraged to register in advance before noon 11/20/24 and walk-in reservations will be accepted on a space-available basis only. In person meeting cost is free for FPA members and $65 for non-members. If you reserve and are unable to attend, please call the office or email admin@fpa-neo.org to cancel by noon 11/20/24 to avoid a no-show reservation billing of $10.00.