Mapping the Legacy: A Planned Giving Panel
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
$20 for Young Professionals & Students
$30 for Members | $40 for Non-Members
Registration Closes September 16th at 5:00 p.m.
Space is Limited
The Center
LGBTQ+ Community Center
208 W 13th St, Room 310
New York, NY 10011
From first conversation to lasting legacy — three experts map out how planned gifts really come together.
Join Women In Development, New York for a panel discussion that traces that journey from start to finish, featuring a nonprofit planned giving officer, a financial planner, and an estate planning attorney — each playing a critical role along the way.
Together, they'll walk through how a planned gift takes shape: from the donor's first spark of intention, through the financial and legal planning that gives it structure, to the moment it becomes part of an organization's legacy. Attendees will leave with a 360-degree, holistic understanding of the planned giving process and the professionals who help bring it to life.
Featured Panelists
Katherine Pooser, Director of Planned Giving at the Cancer Research Institute and President of the Planned Giving Group of Greater New York (PPGGNY)
Katherine is a results-driven fundraising professional with nearly two decades of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her career demonstrates a consistent track record of providing strategic and visionary leadership across a diverse portfolio of organizations, including youth development, performing arts, health care, medical research, and civil rights. She is currently the Director of Planned Giving at the Cancer Research Institute and President of the Planned Giving Group of Greater New York (PPGGNY).
Katherine is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) and holds degrees in Economics (BS) and Public Administration (MPA). She is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer whose service was in West Africa. Committed to improving the nonprofit sector, she hosts Asking for Good, a podcast dedicated to launching and navigating nonprofit careers.
Ola Aladenika, CFP, Bridgewater Advisors
Ola graduated from The City College of New York in 2014 with a degree in Psychology. After college, he moved to New Hampshire to work with a non-profit ministry focused on community service. When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the non-profit to shut down, Ola decided to pivot into a new field where he could continue making a difference: personal finance.
Ola started his career at Bridgewater Advisors, a fee-only wealth management firm. During his time there, he earned the CFP® designation. At Bridgewater, he’s had the chance to not only work closely with clients (individuals, families, and non-profit organizations), but also share his knowledge with the community, helping others improve their financial well-being. His passion for helping others remains a key motivator in both his professional and personal life.
Lisa Lager (Event Moderator), Planned Giving Consultant and Coach, Lisa Lager Consulting
Lisa Lager is the Principal of Lisa Lager Consulting, a nonprofit and philanthropy consultancy. She is a nationally recognized philanthropy and planned giving expert, consultant, speaker, trainer and coach with four decades of comprehensive fundraising experience and a history of building and growing high performing planned giving, legacy and endowment programs at some of the country’s largest nonprofits through current and after-lifetime giving. She raised nearly one billion dollars during her senior development roles at Weill Cornell Medicine, American Cancer Society, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Society and the Anti-Defamation League. She is a renowned leader in finalizing agreements for transformational 6-,7- and 8-figure blended and legacy gifts. Lisa helps organizations secure their futures by diversifying and maximizing revenue streams and leveraging the power of planned giving. She provides consulting services, acts as a C-suite advisor, board educator, as well as staff leadership trainer, thought partner and presenter. Lisa also coaches, mentors, trains and empowers development professionals who want to thrive and advance in their careers.
A graduate of Cornell University, Lisa serves as a board member of Women In Development NY and co-chair of its President’s Council, a member of the AFP-NYC Mentorship Committee, and a member of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater NY Philanthropy Committee. She lives in NYC and enjoys sailing, dancing and watercolor painting.
Laura J. Fischer, Esq., Founder and Principal, Fischer Harbage
Laura founded Fischer Harbage more than two decades ago with the belief that excellent estate planning requires more than sound legal documents. It requires understanding the people, relationships, responsibilities, and concerns behind them. She helps individuals and families protect what they have built, plan for incapacity and death, and make thoughtful decisions about the people and causes that matter most to them.
The firm handles matters ranging from foundational estate planning to sophisticated trust and tax planning, as well as probate and estate administration. Laura has intentionally built a team-based practice that allows clients to develop trusted relationships with multiple members of the firm and receive continuity of care over time.
Laura began her legal career as a patent attorney specializing in molecular biology and microbiology. That work required her to master technically complex subject matter and translate it into precise, practical legal solutions. Those skills remain central to her trusts and estates practice, particularly when advising clients with complex assets, business interests, intellectual property, or competing family considerations. She was drawn to estate planning by the opportunity to build more personal relationships with her clients and take a more holistic approach to legal counseling.
Laura studied Chinese medicine at Pacific College of Health and Science and received certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. This broader perspective informs the way she counsels clients: estate planning is not simply a collection of legal documents, but an opportunity to care for the people we love, communicate our intentions, and ease future transitions.
Laura is admitted to practice law in New York and is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association. She also studied mediation at the New York Peace Institute and trained in the Civil Court of the City of New York, experiences that inform her approach to family dynamics and conflict prevention.
Laura lives in Brooklyn with her two children.
Women In Development, New York (WID) accepts refund requests made in writing at least five (5) business days prior to the event. Registration fees are not refundable after this date. Nonrefundable ticket purchases may not be used as credits towards future WID events.
By registering for this Women In Development, New York event, I give consent for my photograph to be taken and possibly used on the organization’s intranet, internet, newsletters, board reports, and other organizational materials as needed. I understand that I am not eligible for compensation for use of my photo and I may not be informed in advance of the specific use of those images.
Finance for Fundraisers: Part 2
Nonprofit Financial Statements
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. | Virtual
Young Professionals & Students: $15
Members: $25 | Non-Members: $35
Registration Closes on Monday, September 21st at 4:00 p.m.
A Zoom link will be sent one day prior to the event.
Join our upcoming WID Workshop: Finance for Fundraisers — Nonprofit Financial Statements and build the confidence to read, interpret, and use your organization's financial statements with clarity.
Missed Part 1? Register today and receive access to the recording so you can catch up before Parts 2 & 3.
Led by Joanne Curry, Head of Client Success & Principal at Creative Fundraising Advisors, this session explores nonprofit financial statements and the key information they contain — from grant applications and budget narratives to annual reporting. You'll learn how to read a Statement of Financial Position and Statement of Activities with confidence, identify the numbers funders and boards care about most, and translate financial data into clear, compelling narratives.
If financial statements have ever felt like a foreign language, this workshop will help you speak it fluently.
Joanne comes to CFA with over 10 years of nonprofit experience in operations management, development, and accounting. Her career began with serving as Director of Operations and Rehearsal Assistant for two contemporary ballet companies in Missouri: Missouri Contemporary Ballet and Owen/Cox Dance Group. There, she managed operations for fundraising and donor management, communications and marketing, and performance and educational outreach programs. She then went on to work as a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor Accountant with Support Kansas City, providing accounting, support services, and training to nonprofits throughout Kansas City.
Joanne served as the Head of Revenue and Interim Head of Development at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, TX. There, she oversaw strategy for earned revenue and development, and was responsible for the database, Membership, Special Events, Visitor Services, and Museum Store. During her time at the McNay, Joanne launched a monthly membership program and developed and implemented a prospect management system.
As CFA’s Head of Client Success & Principal, Joanne leads the Client Success team, ensuring that all aspects of CFA’s client partnerships are grounded in the company’s core values of collaboration, transparency, integrity, creativity, and change.
Joanne provides CFA’s clients with counsel on campaign planning and management, prospect development and strategy, and fundraising programs. She serves as an accountability partner for clients, grounded in her expertise in mentoring development staff and team leadership coaching.
A native of Port Jefferson, New York, Joanne holds a BFA in Ballet Performance and Teaching from the University of Utah. She currently resides in New Jersey with her husband and rescue dog.
Impact, Innovation & AI: The Future of Nonprofits
October 1, 2026 | 8:15 - 10:00 a.m. | Uncommon Schools
Discover how generative AI is opening new possibilities for the nonprofit sector from field experts. During this panel, guests will learn practical ways to harness AI to deepen relationships, craft compelling narratives, and approach organizational challenges with fresh perspective. The discussion will also consider the larger implications of AI, from evolving strategies and workflows to the policies and ethical questions nonprofits must begin to navigate.
Hosted By
Uncommon Schools
100 Church St., 9th Floor, New York, NY 10007
Rate Registration (Closes September 30th)
$25 for Young Professional & Student Members
Sarah Pita is Director of Development at the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY), where she runs a one-person development team. She raised $5.5 million in her first 18 months at CIDNY in grants, appeals, sponsorships, and events, using AI as a daily tool in her workflow. She speaks regularly on practical AI adoption for nonprofit fundraising, including at AFP Greater Philadelphia and the 2025 Women In Development, New York forum, and moderated two roundtables on “AI Changed My Job” at Fundraising Day New York in 2026. Her first brush with AI was in 2012, in the improbable but awesome role of part-time "metaphor analyst," teaching AI to understand figurative language.
Anna Goula is a Manager of Business Development for corporate partnerships at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), where she runs the end-to-end pitch process for new partner prospects contributing to $1.5M in new business revenue. She also serves as an Associate Instructor at Columbia University, working with students across the nonprofit sector. Previously, she worked in nonprofit development consulting at Hudson Ferris. Anna recently completed NYU's "AI for Impact" workshop, focused on applying generative AI to stakeholder engagement, digital storytelling, and organizational strategy. She brings a cross-sector view of how AI is reshaping the nonprofit landscape: from hands-on tool adoption to broader questions of strategy and policy.
Stay tuned for more information!
Finance for Fundraisers:
Development Budgets
Part 3
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Registration Closes on Tuesday, September 19h at 4:00 p.m.
Join our upcoming WID Workshop: Finance for Fundraisers — Development Budgets, a session designed to give you the tools to lead your department's budgeting process from the ground up. Missed Part 1? Register today and receive access to the recording so you can catch up before Part 3.
Led by Joanne Curry, Head of Client Success & Principal at Creative Fundraising Advisors, this session shares practical tips for initiating your development department's budgeting process — from incorporating historical data and determining realistic assumptions, to setting expectations for your fundraising team in the coming fiscal year. You'll leave with a clear framework for building an achievable budget and a strong story to tell finance and leadership about how your team plans to get there.
If budgeting season has ever felt overwhelming or reactive, this workshop will help you approach it with a plan.
WID Connect: Conversations That Count
Thursday, October 22, 2026 | 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Robin Hood
826 Broadway 9th Floor, New York, NY 10003
Registration Fees
Member: $45 | Non-Member: $55
Young Professional & Students: $35
Join Women In Development New York for a structured networking event focused on building authentic connections and community. This October, we're digging into the conversations shaping our field right now — from preparing for the greatest wealth transfer in history, to fundraising under new pressures around free expression, to making the case for the arts when budgets and attention are stretched thin.
Connect with fellow WID members, share experiences, and gain fresh perspectives to navigate today's evolving nonprofit landscape—together. Ready to be part of the conversation?
You will have the opportunity to participate in two engaging roundtable discussions led by a facilitator, including…
The Handoff: Preparing Donors, Heirs, and Ourselves
Trillions of dollars are expected to change hands over the next two decades as wealth passes to younger generations. This table explores what that means for fundraisers: How do we build relationships with next-gen donors and heirs? How do we steward multigenerational family giving without losing the original donor's intent? What does it take to be ready when that transfer happens on our watch?
The Quiet Part Out Loud: Fundraising When Words Are Risky
As political and cultural pressures increasingly shape what organizations can say — and who they can serve — fundraisers are being asked to navigate new constraints around messaging, mission, and public voice. This conversation digs into how development professionals are adapting their language, donor conversations, and public communications while staying true to their organization's mission.
Culture Under Pressure: Funding the Arts in Crisis
When budgets tighten and urgent needs dominate the headlines, arts and culture organizations often find themselves fighting for relevance and dollars. This table is a space for arts fundraisers to share strategies for articulating why the arts matter, even (especially) when the world feels like it's on fire.
Proving It: Impact, Perception, and the Story We Tell Donors
As public trust in institutions wavers and donors increasingly want to see that their gifts matter, fundraisers are under growing pressure to demonstrate impact in real time. This table explores the gap between what our organizations actually do and how donors perceive that work: How do we communicate impact honestly without oversimplifying complex outcomes? How do we handle donor skepticism or the perception that nonprofits are inefficient or opaque? And how do we tell a compelling story without overpromising results we can't guarantee?
Love the One You’re With: The Value of Donor Stewardship
The most sustainable path to increased giving is not always finding new donors: it is deepening relationships with the donors you already have. This discussion will explore the importance of donor stewardship as a strategic and meaningful practice that keeps supporters connected to an organization’s mission over time. By “loving the one you’re with,” organizations can shift from transactional fundraising to relationship-centered engagement. This conversation will examine how intentional stewardship fosters long-term partnerships, enhances donor retention, and ultimately creates a stronger culture of philanthropy.
Redefining Relationship Labor: The Warmth Tax in Major Gifts
Major Gift Officers often find themselves balancing the art of relationship-building with the challenge of navigating complex interpersonal dynamics. This can mean having their professional expertise subtly underestimated, managing over-familiar or personal behavior from donors, or feeling an unspoken expectation to provide "relational glue" that keeps partnerships warm and productive. By naming these dynamics openly, fundraisers can share strategies for setting respectful limits, reinforcing professional authority, and ensuring that relationship labor is recognized, valued, and equally shared with their organizations.
Please select two roundtables that you would like to participate in. We will make every effort to accommodate your choices. Priority will be given to early registrants.
To ensure participants have an opportunity to learn and ask questions SPACE WILL BE LIMITED.
For security reasons, tickets are not transferable, and onsite registration
will not be available.
SAVE THE DATE
WID Virtual Career Fair
Join WID to learn about exciting opportunities in the Development field. Attendees will be able to connect and network with recruiters and hiring managers.
Thursday, December 10, 2026
9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
FREE for WID Member | $25 for Non-Members
Attendee Registration Closes on December 9th at 2:00 p.m.
LOOKING FOR A JOB?
Join us at WID's Virtual Career Fair to learn about opportunities listed in WID’s exclusive Job Bank. Register Today to chat with the individuals who are filling those positions.
LOOKING TO FILL A POSITION?
List your position in the Job Bank and share information about your organization and the open position with the WID audience. Then, host a Zoom room to speak directly with potential candidates about the position.
Participation as a site requires that at least one showcased position be posted on the WID Job Bank.
