2025 Speaker Biographies

Carol Eames
Gift Planning Officer,
American Red Cross

As a Gift Planning Officer at the American Red Cross for more than 10 years, Carol Eames has experience working with simple and complex gifts, providing gift planning training to other relationship managers, talk about the importance of estate planning as part of being Red Cross Ready and partnering with professional advisors like attorneys and financial planners. She works with many organizational partners providing gift planning coverage in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Southwest Washington. Carol is a graduate of Washington State University and started her career in marketing before moving into the nonprofit sector. She has a broad background in fundraising prior to joining the Red Cross including major gift program development, special event fundraising and development operations. She put that background to use while serving as the Interim Chief Development Officer for the Alaska Region from January to June of 2020.

Teri Patapoff, CFRE, CSPG
Director of Development,
OHSU Foundation

Teri Patapoff is a Director of Development at the OHSU Foundation, advancing the mission to improve health and well-being for Oregonians and beyond. With more than 15 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising, she has championed causes across healthcare and higher education—including Portland Community College, Cedar Sinai Park, and ORBIS International in New York City, where she supported blindness prevention efforts in the developing world.

A proud University of Oregon alumna, Teri holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential, the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving (CSPG) designation from the American Institute for Philanthropic Studies at CSU Long Beach, and a Professional Certificate in Nonprofit Fundraising from Portland State University and the Willamette Valley Development Officers (now the People’s Nonprofit Accelerator).

Teri is an active member of the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable and the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Young Men’s Service League West Linn, is a member of the National Charity League Blue Heron Chapter, and mentors future female leaders as a volunteer leader with the Girl Scouts of Oregon & Southwest Washington.

Outside of work, Teri enjoys road trips, trivia nights, karaoke, paddleboarding, birding, and watching horror movies—all while keeping up with her busy family life.

Liz Arrington, CSPG
Senior Director of Principal Gifts,
OHSU Foundation

Liz Arrington joined the OHSU Foundation in 2015 and is the Senior Director of Principal Gifts. She works with donors who want to solve human health problems. Together with donors’ professional advisors, Liz designs charitable plans for cash and non-cash assets to make an impact today and an enduring philanthropic legacy. She holds a B.A. from Willamette University, the Certified Specialist in Planned Giving designation from the American Institute of Philanthropic Studies and is pursuing the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College of Financial Services. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband, Michael, baking and is learning to play the drums.

Sharon Benson
Founder,
SB Strategies

Sharon Benson is a certified, independent philanthropy advisor and senior development professional who motivates donors, nonprofit staff, and volunteers to be their best selves by using a social justice lens in fundraising. Sharon works directly with philanthropists coaching them to donate using a fairness lens and to use money to level playing fields. Sharon has over 35 years of experience guiding donations to educational and social service nonprofits as a major and planned giving officer, including 14 years at Lewis & Clark College and 11 years at SMART Reading, where she is the senior development officer. Sharon is certified by 21/64, a leader in multi-generational philanthropic advising and training; a graduate of the Beegle Poverty Immersion Institute and Resolutions NW anti-racism seminar; a student of community centric fundraising; and a graduate of the University of Oregon School of Journalism.

Rebecca Bibleheimer, JD, LLM, CAP
Senior Complex Gifts Officer,
Oregon Community Foundation

Rebecca Bibleheimer is the Senior Complex Gifts Officer for the Oregon Community Foundation. She provides gift planning assistance to donors who are interested in supporting charitable initiatives throughout Oregon and serves as a subject matter expert on all types of giving vehicles and funding charitable donations with non-cash assets. Rebecca is a public speaker who enjoys educating, empowering, and supporting others in their work in the fields of gift and charitable planning. Prior to joining OCF, Rebecca worked as a philanthropic advisor and planned giving consultant for U.S. Bank Charitable Services Group and as a trusts and estates attorney for a tax boutique law firm. She has over twenty years of experience in these fields. Rebecca is a member of the California State Bar and the Oregon State Bar and holds a Legal Letters Master (LLM) in tax law from the University of Florida, Levin School of Law. Rebecca served on the Board of Trustees for the Oregon Humane Society for 6 years and currently serves on a number of planned giving and investment related nonprofit committees in Portland, Oregon where she lives with her family. She is the Past President for the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable and has served on their executive committee for over ten years. Rebecca also served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and as their 2022 conference chair.

Kendall C. Blunt, CLU
Founder,
Requisite Resources LLC

Kendall is the founder of Requisite Resources LLC, located in Portland, OR. Requisite designs, implements, and manages life insurance portfolios. They specialize in designing insurance portfolios to satisfy needs for ultra-high net worth planning, business continuation, business succession, and charitable giving.

Kendall started his career in 1990, soon after his graduation from Lewis & Clark College in Portland. His resume includes serving as the Oregon Region Estate Planning and Business Insurance Specialist for Merrill Lynch in the 1990’s, and managing a 9 state distribution channel delivering products into national banks, wire houses, and brokerage agencies for Mass Mutual in the 2000s.

In 2007, Kendall became a managing principal for CFP Inc. in Salem, OR, one of the most prolific independent life insurance agencies in Oregon. Kendall worked closely with Richard “Dick” Carney. Dick was nationally known for his planning expertise in agriculture and heavy industry. Between them, they managed more than $2B of in-force coverage. Dick passed away unexpectedly in late 2019.

Requisite Resources is associated with NFP, a national marketing organization that provides large independent agencies with robust resources and access to many specialty products for niche needs of their advanced market clients. NFP is a subsidiary of Aon, trading on the NYSE with the symbol AON.

Scott Claeys, CAP, CFRE, FCEP
Senior Director of Gift Planning,
The Salvation Army

Victoria Bejarano Muirhead advises nonprofit organizations on a range of matters, including formation and tax exemption, governance and related corporate matters, charitable giving, and regulatory compliance. Victoria also has experience guiding mission-driven companies in the creation of perpetual purpose (stewardship) trusts. Prior to becoming an attorney, Victoria worked in academic medical fundraising at Stanford University and later Oregon Health and Science University Foundation. Victoria was also the inaugural Director of Development (later Director of Strategic Initiatives) at Innovation Law Lab, a national nonprofit organization engaged in advocacy and litigation around immigrants’ rights. Victoria is on the boards of Stanford Association of Oregon and Janus Youth Programs, and is a member of the Oregon Public Broadcasting Planned Giving Advisory Council. Victoria holds a BA in English from Stanford University and JD, summa cum laude, from Lewis & Clark Law School.

William Dolan, JD
Vice President, Senior Philanthropic Advisor
U.S. Bank Charitable Services Group

As a Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Bill works exclusively with nonprofit organizations, families and businesses to help maximize the impact of their charitable goals. He advises public charities in the areas of governance, management, fundraising and gift planning. For individuals and business owners, he focuses on developing and implementing strategies that help work towards their philanthropic objectives through a customized approach, which may include donor advised funds, private foundations, charitable trusts and/or other complex giving techniques.

Bill began his career in the charitable services industry in 2005. Prior to joining U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management, Bill worked as an attorney at the DuBoff Law Group. His professional background includes certification as a 21/64 Trainer for facilitating discussions around wealth and philanthropy, and he has been published in the Portland Business Journal and several legal journals.
Bill is a member of the Board of Directors for the Willamette Falls Trust. He volunteers for the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable and the Nonprofit Law Section of the Oregon State Bar.

Bill resides in Portland with his wife and two children. When he is not at work, he enjoys playing various stringed instruments.

J.D., Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, Oregon
B.A., University of Portland, Portland, Oregon

Amy Easton
Development Director, Gifts and Communications,
ALS Northwest

Amy Easton is a seasoned nonprofit fundraiser with over 15 years of experience building thoughtful, sustainable development programs across the Pacific Northwest. As Development Director for Gifts and Communications at ALS Northwest, she leads major and planned giving strategies, donor engagement, grants, and multi-channel communications—often juggling multiple priorities with creativity and heart.

Amy is especially passionate about contributing positively to her community and making meaningful connections in her work. Her career has spanned grassroots advocacy, education, affordable housing and healthcare, always with a focus on relationships, stewardship, and inclusive philanthropy.

Originally from Bandon, Oregon, Amy now lives in Vancouver, Washington. She enjoys golf, Spades, and exploring new places near and far.

Elena Fracchia
Founder & CEO,
The Good Philanthropist

Elena Fracchia is an author, facilitator, coach, and photographer dedicated to helping individuals and organizations define, build, and capture their legacy. She believes in living a life full of &’s—philanthropy & art, structure & spontaneity, deep work & deep rest.

A former wealth strategist, she combines her expertise in financial strategy with a passion for community success and values-driven leadership. In 2024, she launched The Good Philanthropist, a dynamic platform offering training, coaching, and facilitation to help professionals make informed, purpose-aligned decisions for GOOD. Through personalized coaching, she guides clients in clarifying their values, developing strategic giving plans, and building a strong financial foundation for lasting impact. In addition to her philanthropic advising, Elena brings stories to life through photography, capturing the passions, projects, and people that inspire her.

Pat Green, JD
Principal,
TruNorth Partners

With 40+ years of experience as a former attorney in private practice, Pat is direct, compassionate and innovative in seeking a true course for business growth, succession and exit strategies. Pat seeks to understand his client’s needs first before responding with an action plan to implement goals and objectives.

Pat has been recognized multiple times as “Lawyer of the Year” by Best Lawyers, a peer-reviewed publication, in advising closely held businesses, trusts and estates, assisting tax exempt charitable organizations and acting as an expert witness in trust and estate litigation.

Pat speaks and writes for professional groups locally and nationally and has served since 1995 as an ACTEC Fellow (American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel). He also serves in a variety of leadership roles, in both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, including serving on the ACTEC Business Planning Committee.

Pat’s Take on the TruNorth Difference: While a business succession or sale may be a first-time event for our clients, the TNP experience will provide the structure and insight to facilitate a smooth process.

Outside of the Office, you’ll find Pat creating photography, serving on the board of trustees at Portland Art Museum, traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Jan Jacobs, CAP
Philanthropic Client Manager,
Bank of America

Jan Jacobs is Philanthropic Client Manager with Bank of America Private Bank serving the Pacific Northwest. Jan has led fundraising for organizations in Seattle and across the country, including PATH, The Chrysler Museum of Art, Yellowstone Art Museum, Make-A-Wish Alaska and Washington. In addition, she directed planned giving programs at Seattle Symphony and capital and endowment campaigns for several cultural organizations. Jan is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP)®, past president of AFP Advancement Northwest and a board member of Leave 10, which works to inspire individuals to aspire to leave at least 10% of their estate to charity.

Kim Kono, MPA, CFRE, CAP
Senior Philanthropic Partner,
Oregon Community Foundation

Kim describes her role as Senior Philanthropic Advisor at Oregon Community Foundation as a collaborative partner to donors. “My vital job is to listen and learn about donors’ priorities, so that I can share OCF resources and effective ways that they can give back to their communities and favorite causes.” While a development generalist at heart, Kim is thrilled and honored to do donor-centered gift planning at OCF, where she has been for three years.

Kim accidently discovered philanthropy while job hunting in Ithaca, NY and ended up working for Cornell University in development communications and major gifts. This kicked off a development career serving diverse organizations, including Oregon State University Foundation, Portland Community College Foundation, Portland Lan Su Chinese Garden, and Catlin Gabel School. Kim holds certifications in CFRE and CAP.

Mary Lago, CFP, CTFA
Chief Wealth Strategist, Principal Shareholder,
Ferguson Wellman

Mary Lago, CFP®, CTFA, is chief wealth strategist and principal shareholder at Ferguson Wellman. With more than 25 years in wealth management, she offers strategic financial and investment guidance as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor. She supports individual and multigenerational families on investments, estate planning, and philanthropy, and advises nonprofits on endowment and planned giving strategies.

Mary earned her B.S. in business administration from Linfield University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. An active community leader, she serves on the boards of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, Linfield University, and chairs the Gift Planning Council for the OHSU Foundation. She has appeared as a guest expert on CNBC’s Closing Bell and Yahoo Finance to discuss topics related to multigenerational wealth, investing, and philanthropy. Mary has been named one of Portland’s “Forty Under 40”, “Women of Influence”, and received the Joyce Manougian Lifetime Achievement Award from Albertina Kerr Centers.

Liz Lawrence
Philanthropic Advisor,
Oregon Community Foundation

Liz Lawrence is a Philanthropic Advisor with Oregon Community Foundation, based in OCF’s Eugene office and serving Lane, Lincoln, and Douglas counties. She loves that her job takes a mix of technical savvy in gift planning and getting to know and understand people, their vision for the world, and the impact they want to make in community. Liz has worked in development for 15+ years and joined OCF in 2021 after over a decade with the McKenzie River Trust, a conservation land trust based in Eugene. She is a board member of Lane Arts Council and the Professional Women’s Forum of Eugene-Springfield and previously served on the boards of the Coalition of Oregon Land Trusts and MECCA: the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts. Liz is a proud alum of the PPPM program at the University of Oregon (Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management). She holds a B.A. in sculpture and Latin American studies from St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Liz grew up on the border of Washington DC and has lived in Eugene since 2008.

Monica Long
Executive Director of Planned Giving,
Providence

Monica Long, a seasoned philanthropy leader, joined Providence Health System in 2023 as Executive Director of Planned Giving. Here she’s leading the charge of centralizing planned giving efforts across Providence foundations in six states. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Monica brings a unique blend of legal expertise, fundraising acumen, and a commitment to ethical practices. Previously, she served as Senior Director of Legacy Services at Seattle Children’s Hospital, proactively overseeing $20-$40m in planned gifts annually.
Monica’s fundraising career began at the University of Portland, where she rose from phonathon coordinator to major gifts officer before leaving to pursue her law degree in Chicago. Following law school Monica honed her planned giving expertise at Loyola University Chicago and the American Red Cross.

When not strategizing impactful giving, Monica enjoys exploring the vibrant culinary scene and breathtaking landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

Rochelle Makela-Goodman
AVP of Gift Planning,
OHSU Foundation

Rochelle Makela-Goodman leads the strategy for deferred, life income, and estate gifts that advance the mission of OHSU. In her previous positions at Princeton University, Lehigh University, and Centenary University, Rochelle led and oversaw the strategy and execution for comprehensive fundraising campaigns, major and planned gifts, and grants. She is an experienced principal gifts officer with a passion for matching a donor’s philanthropic goals with university priorities in ways that advance education, research, and the human condition. She has held previous positions as director of Corporate & Foundation relations at Centenary College in NJ and as director of Foundation Relations at Lehigh University where she led task forces to develop novel solutions to address societal needs.

Ryland Moore, MCRP
Business Development Officer & Wealth Manager,
Coldstream

Ryland Moore, Business Development Officer and Wealth Manager at Coldstream, has a love for forging genuine relationships and helping people achieve their goals, whether focused on investing, philanthropy, finances, or other life pursuits. Ryland joined Coldstream in 2024, bringing with him more than 17 years of experience in the financial services industry. Most recently, as Managing Principal, Business Development, and Investment Advisor at Arnerich Massena, Ryland served as an investment advisor and relationship manager for high-net-worth individuals and families and non-profit organizations.

Ryland earned a Master of Community and Regional Planning degree from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Science degree in natural resources with a concentration in economics from the University of the South (Sewanee).

He is on the Board of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Oregon Wildlife Foundation, Thriiive Economic Development for Warm Springs (Tribe), on the Investment Committee for Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon, a member of the Headwater’s Council for the Freshwater Trust, and is a Hood River County Planning Commissioner. Ryland also serves as an Endowment Committee member of Boy Scouts of America – Cascade-Pacific Council, and he is an Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America.

Jessie Myers
Senior Coordinator, Gift Planning,
Oregon State University Foundation

Jessie Myers is a Senior Coordinator for the Office of Gift Planning, and is integral to the team’s success in marketing, pipeline development, portfolio enrichment, the OSU Legacy Society, and more. Jessie joined the OSU Foundation in 2018 supporting the Division of Health Sciences, but quickly transitioned to Gift Planning. She earned her B.S. in Psychology from Oregon State University.

Scott Phillips
Managing Partner and Founder,
TruNorth Partners

With 30+ years of diversified experience in business leadership, Scott is recognized as an action-oriented leader. His strengths lie in family business transitions, strategic management, business coaching, succession planning, leadership development, employee engagement and productivity, culture, acquisition integration, executive coaching, and revenue generation.

Scott has successfully worked with over 500 companies and coached 300+ CEOs to better their businesses and pilot smooth transitions. Scott’s greatest joy in business is seeing transformation in the individuals, teams, and companies that TruNorth works with. In Scott’s words, “Every business is unique, but they all have needs, desires, and wishes. My greatest joy is enabling them to succeed.”

Scott’s take on the TruNorth difference is that the flexibility of doing the ‘hard’ (tangible) transformation along with the ‘soft’ (intangible) transformation. We help change the business, which also helps people change.

Outside of the office, you’ll find Scott creating fused and stained glass art, traveling, reading, golfing, and spending time with family… not necessarily in that order though!

Jim Pittman, CLU, CFP, CLTC
President,
Insurance Consulting Services

Building upon his extensive insurance career, Jim Pittman founded Insurance Consulting Services, Inc. (ICS), in 2000. For more than 40 years, Jim’s philosophy has been to educate his clients, helping them make informed decisions about their risk management issues.

Jim is one of a handful of Licensed Insurance Consultants in the State of Oregon. In 2009, Jim was honored with the prestigious Bud Horn award from the Oregon Association of Insurance and Financial Planners. This award is presented periodically to a professional who has shown dedicated commitment and has made a significant positive impact on the insurance community.

Jim has been a sought after speaker, both domestically and internationally, for lawyers, CPAs, financial planners, and other industry groups on the structure and proper use of life, disability, and long-term care policies.

Jim graduated from the University of Oregon and received his MS in Tax and Financial Services from The American College in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He is the past President of The Estate Planning Council of Portland, The Portland Chapter of CLU and ChFC, The OHSU Foundation Advisory Board, and he has served on the Planned Giving Committees of The Oregon Ballet Theatre and Loaves and Fishes.

Jim lives in Portland, Oregon, and has been married to his wife Karon since 1970. They have three grown children: Cameron, Morgan, and Reagan. Jim and Karon enjoy skiing, running, traveling, and spending time at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Jim is particularly involved in bicycling and can often be found riding his bike many miles from home. CA Insurance License #0B06934

Jenna Proctor
Associate Director, Relationship Insights,
Oregon State University Foundation

Jenna Proctor is an Associate Director of Relationships Insights at the Oregon State University Foundation. In this role she partners closely with development leadership to ensure proposal pipelines and portfolios are robust and well positioned to meet organizational fundraising goals. Jenna joined the OSU Foundation in 2016 and previously worked as a Research Analyst. She earned her H.B.A. from Oregon State University and is currently pursuing a M.S. in History from Oregon State University.

Jeffrey C. Thede, JD
Partner,
Thede Culpepper Moore Monroe & Silliman LLP

Jeffrey C. Thede began his legal career with Miller Nash LLP in 1979 and was with the firm until December 2007, when he left Miller Nash to form Thede Culpepper Moore Munro & Silliman LLP with four of his partners. Jeff’s practice emphasizes estate and trust planning and administration, charitable planning, and tax-exempt organizations. He is admitted to practice in Oregon and Washington. Jeff is a member and past president of the Estate Planning Council of Portland, a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, the Chair of the ACTEC Charitable Planning and Exempt Organizations Committee, and a member of the Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable. Jeff volunteers with a variety of charitable organizations, including colleges, foundations, and land trusts. He has served on the boards of Portland Opera Association, the Oregon Cascades Chapter of the American Red Cross, and the ACTEC Foundation. He is also a member of the planned giving advisory committees of Oregon Health & Science University Foundation and Providence Foundations—Oregon. Jeff is a past president of Oswego Lake Country Club. He earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Oregon and his law degree at Willamette University College of Law. Jeff has been married to his wife Jan since 1979 and has two children. He enjoys golf, traveling, thinking about learning a foreign language, thinking about learning to play the piano, and the occasional game of cards.