Symposium 2026 Resources

Mainstage Speakers

Sam Smartt

Chairperson, Covenant College Foundation

Scott Rodin

Chief Strategy Officer & Senior Consultant, The FOCUS Group

Ken Elzinga

Robert C. Taylor Professor of Economics, University of Virginia

Aaron Abramson

CEO, Jews for Jesus

Brad Layland

CEO & Senior Consultant, The FOCUS Group

Cindy Brinker Simmons

Author, Businesswoman, and Philanthropist

Julie Wilson

President, Women Doing Well

Breakout Sessions

Healthy Boards, Healthy Fundraising: Integrating a Culture of Philanthropy Into Your Board

Dr. Jay Barber & Dan Tymann

Staying Biblically Grounded as a Fundraiser

Dr. Scott Rodin & Jason Smith

Graduated, but Not Forgotten: Engaging Alumni

Dr. Hector Cruz, Mike Manning, & Mallory Billings

Navigating the Real Life of a Capital Campaign – “The Messy Middle”

Jan Stump & Mark Paulson

Maximize the Moment: Leveraging Campaign Energy to Strengthen Annual Giving

Tom Macadam & Chad Borgestad

Strategic Planning in Uncertain Times

Vince Burens & Tracy Prall

Asset Giving University

Chris Chancey

Unlocking Gen Z and Millennial Generosity

Evangeline Pattison & Audrey Reeves

Growing Your Ministry Through Legacy Giving

Ted Rodgers & Brian Miller

What Makes a Capital Campaign Work (and Why Some Don’t)

Amy Karjala & Jason Smith

Cultivating Seven Figures, Creating Lasting Impact

John Ranheim & Ralph Veerman