Thompson & Associates

You don't want to miss this inspiring episode of Conversations with Industry Leaders featuring Susan Doliner from Maine Medical Center. In this 12-minute podcast, Sue shares:The priceless key to making a tremendous impact;Where the spirit of philanthropy shows up;The most important ingredient in philanthropy;How to overcome imposter syndrome; and more!Sue's insights are inspiring for all in the fundraising world; from the new gift officer to seasoned leaders. Take a listen! 

There's no better way to kick off the relaunch than with experienced charitable gift planner, Grant Whitney. Previously with Harvard for 21 years, Grant is celebrating his first anniversary at Mass General Hospital. In this 19-minute podcast, Grant shares what inspired his work in philanthropy; what he's learned to appreciate about the work; what he learned from mentors and what ingredients led to his success, and more! He also shares a donor story from Harvard that continues to remind and inspire for excellency in all we do.

There's no better way to kick off March, Women's History Month, than to feature the National Association of Charitable Gift Planner's new Chair, Kelli Smith! In this 14-minute podcast, Kelli jam-packs three critical lessons she's learned and how she’s achieved them:Be fearless;Have solid relationships; and,Be fully present.Don't miss this insightful podcast!  Kelli also shares how she overcame the imposter syndrome. 

We're humbled and grateful to have some of the country's leading specialists in the area of estate planning on our team.  We want to highlight a wonderful new resource becoming available on February 1!  Vice President Paul Hood releases his second book in his trilogy Planning Your Future series. Yours, Mine & Ours: Estate Planning for People in Blended or Stepfamilies is written for the lay audience to provide these families with a comprehensive guide to estate planning for people in blended or stepfamilies.  As a member of a blended family himself, Paul has pooled his personal and professional knowledge to create this resource.Grieving children are often left drowning in paperwork and tough decisions.  It's even more demanding and grueling for stepchildren and members of blended families to sort through these estates. In this short 9-minute podcast, Paul shares his passion and intention behind this series, including a sneak peek into book 3.

Eddie is joined by this month's industry icon, Rebecca Locke, Executive Director, Gift Planning for the American Red Cross, a role she's held for 22 years. In this 8.5 minute podcast, Rebecca shares:What she's learned from donors;How to serve both your donors and the mission you're trying to fund;What pressure to take off yourself when fundraising;And, Eddie shares a great response to use when you're asked a question you don't know the answer to!

Eddie sits down with Cindy Atmar, Executive Director of Trusts, Estate and Gift Planning, at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the largest cancer center in the United States. In this 9-minute podcast, Cindy shares:A perfect reminder as we approach year-end on what to keep at the forefront of your donor giving goals;What she wishes she would have learned early on in her career; and,What bit of advice she would give someone who's beginning their career.

Join us as Eddie sits down with Art Ochoa, Senior Vice President, Advancement, Chief Advancement Officer, at Cedars-Sinai. In this 9-minute podcast, Art shares:What aspect(s) of your job description to focus on to be successful and receive promotions;A caution, and encouragement, for individuals who are ambitious and creative;What trap not to fall into to maximize donor gift potential.

We're delighted to talk with Laurie Kelley this week from Providence, a large health care provider across seven western states.  In this 7-minute podcast, Laurie shares: Where she finds the bigger dollars, and ultimately donors who want to stay with the organization through the years; Where to give yourself grace; How to open the giving doors among reluctant donors; And, how to be a better person and leader by making these kinds of "waves."

Eddie talks with Randy Varju from Advocate Aurora Health, the 10th largest health system in the nation.Randy jam-packs a multitude of invaluable wisdom in this 12-minute podcast, such as:The true purpose behind philanthropy, beyond metrics and dollars raised;The danger, and lesson learned, in focusing too much on metrics;Not to underestimate the reluctance that others have around joining solicitation calls and how to overcome it;Defending philanthropy in different ways depending on your audience; and, so much more!

Join us as Eddie sits down with Susan Dolbert, Senior Vice President with City of Hope. In this 9-minute podcast, Susan shares insightful wisdom she's experienced in her fundraising career, such as knowing when to say no to a gift; keeping the relationship healthy and positive between a benefactor and the organization; and, learning to trust your gut - your gut is based on experience!