Stephen Mally, CFRE, FFIA
CFRE International Chair
Director
FundraisingForce
Sydney, NSW
Australia
Stephen Mally brings over 35 years of fundraising and non-profit consulting experience. Having served as a fundraiser in the United States, Stephen transitioned to consulting in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America in 2008. He is the CEO and Director of FundraisingForce, a consulting firm based in Sydney, Australia and Rancho Mirage, CA. As a consultant, he has worked with hundreds of schools, universities, and charities gaining a vast amount of exposure to diverse organizations and fundraising programs.
Stephen acquired his CFRE credential in 2012. Stephen was named a Fellow of the Fundraising Institute Australia (FIA) in 2017. In addition to CFRE, he serves on the board of Pink Elephants Support Network. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin.
Phillip Rothwell, MBA, CFRE
CFRE International Vice Chair
Director of Development
King’s College
Taunton
United Kingdom
Phillip has worked in fundraising for 18 years: First, in higher education at the University of Warwick and London Business School; then, leading development in independent schools including the Warwick Schools Foundation and King’s College, Taunton. He has served as a trustee of the Institute for Development Professionals in Education (IDPE) and as a Governor at a state academy school.
Phillip gained his CFRE in 2015, has served as UK CFRE Ambassador, and is a regular speaker and contributor about best practice in the UK fundraising sector. Phillip holds a BA in Theology and Religion from the University of Durham and an MBA from Durham University Business School.
Scott Sandison, CFRE
CFRE International Secretary/Treasurer
VP Community & Legacy Giving
WWF-Canada
Vancouver, BC
Canada
As an Olympic athlete Scott knows what it takes to succeed and has transferred his dedication for achievement on the playing field to making a difference beyond it. Whether it’s through philanthropy, sport, or partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, he drives positive change through a holistic approach to problem solving that is both innovative and effective.
After two decades in the non-profit sector Scott has experienced a wide spectrum of activities in the industry. In his most recent role of Vice President, Community & Legacy Giving for WWF-Canada, Scott is responsible for leading the data-driven national strategy for fundraising and focuses on fostering relationships with donors. By approaching every challenge and relationship with the same inquisitive and open-minded lens, Scott has made a habit of following his passions and going above and beyond expectations.
Scott obtained his CFRE credential in 2017, his MBA from Queens University in 2021, and founded RealPath to help charities understand supporter motivations and improve donor connection to the cause, leading to an increase in lifetime giving.
Rich Basler, CAP®, CFRE
Vice President for Advancement
Keuka College
Keuka Park, NY
United States
Rich is currently the Vice President for Advancement at Keuka College in Keuka Park, New York, where he leads dynamic teams in development and alumni relations. Prior to joining Keuka College, he was the Executive Director of Advancement Operations at St. Lawrence University.
Rich received his CFRE certification in 2019 and became a CFRE Ambassador in 2020. Since that time, he has mentored dozens of aspiring CFREs. In 2022, Rich also earned the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy designation from the American College of Financial Services. Rich most recently served on the Board of Directors of The Orchestra of Northern New York and six years on the Board of Trustees of Kinnara, one of Atlanta’s premier professional chamber choirs, most recently as Vice President.
Rich has a degree in Music Performance (viola) from Mansfield University and lives in Canton, New York, with his husband D. Jason Bishop, a conductor and composer.
Catherine Bays, CAP®, CFRE
Director of Development
Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts
Little Rock, AR
United States
With almost two decades in the nonprofit sector, Catherine’s experiences include leadership in arts, education, and healthcare philanthropy. She gained her CFRE in 2012 and actively supports individuals interested in the CFRE process. She earned her Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) certification in 2021. Catherine’s strengths include creating strategic platforms to support an organization’s fundraising goals, relationship building, and board/volunteer management.
Catherine’s involvement and passion for the arts stems from her past experiences as a professional ballet dancer, teacher, and arts supporter. Her life experiences in funding the arts education have culminated in a rewarding career in nonprofit management and fundraising. Catherine remains very involved in the arts community, serving as an appointed member of the Arkansas Arts Council Executive Board since 2016 and an artist on the state’s art roster since 1996.
Catherine graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.A. in English, with secondary education certification. She also holds numerous certifications in dance education training and is an accomplished public speaker. Catherine’s community volunteerism includes board positions with organizations that align with her interests in supporting literacy, children in need, and women’s leadership.
Deniz Tasdemiroglu Conger, MPA, CFRE
CEO and CoFounder, Illumeworks
Principal Consultant, GoMavi
Portland, OR
United States
Recently honored among the Top 40 Over 40 national nonprofit executives in 2022 by NonprofitPRO, Deniz Taşdemiroğlu Conger, MPA, CFRE, has 25+ years of direct experience leading nonprofits and collaborating with Boards and teams through successful campaigns, and helping organizations raise over US$500M in philanthropic commitments.
She has been a CFRE since 2015. Her experience includes work at Henry Ford Health System, Oregon Health & Science University, and Pacific Northwest College of Art, and she also worked in federal government agencies and constituent relations for a U.S. Senator and recently served as interim head of school and executive director roles. Deniz is the founder of illumeworks, a social impact tech startup launching in 2023, to build nonprofit capacity and a collaborative community of nonprofits and consultants to problem solve for our world’s biggest challenges.
Her interests in community building, cultural engagement, and volunteering started early in her life as a first-generation Turkish American growing up in a cultural community of Metro Detroit. Deniz is a University of Michigan and Oakland University alumna with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science, environmental policy, and public and government administration.
Jeff Norris, MBA, CFRE
President & CEO
Royal Columbian Hospital Association
New Westminster, BC
Canada
Jeff Norris’s career in nonprofit organizations spans more than two decades and includes experience in healthcare and post-secondary sectors in Canada. Currently serving as President and CEO of Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, Jeff is leading fundraising efforts as the hospital undergoes an unprecedented $1.3 billion redevelopment and expansion.
Jeff achieved the status of CFRE in 2003. He has advocated for the fundraising profession for many years as a lead instructor in post secondary fundraising programs and as a guest lecturer and keynote speaker within a variety of venues.
Jeff’s professional achievements include a University of Saskatchewan Alumni Achievement Award, a Giving Hearts Award for Outstanding Professional Fundraiser by the Vancouver Chapter of AFP and a Business in Vancouver “Forty Under 40” Award for his business accomplishments. He holds an MBA from the Edinburgh Business School at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland and a B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
Mark Stuart, CFRE
President & CEO
The San Diego Foundation
San Diego, CA
United States
Mark Stuart is a fund-raising and friend-raising professional with more than 30 years’ experience in all aspects of advancement operations and leadership.
For 14 years, Mark Stuart led San Diego Zoo Global’s (SDZG) Development and Membership Department. SDZG has the world’s largest membership programs with 450,000 individual members–all up for renewal each year. Stuart also oversaw government and community relations for SDZG.
Mark served as Associate Dean of Development and Alumni Relations for the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. During his tenure, the school prepared, launched, and executed a five-year $100 million campaign, which was the largest fundraising effort for any veterinary school at that time.
Mark received a master’s in educational administration from McDaniel College and a bachelor’s in English, political science, and public service from Albion College.
In 2012, Mark received the Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals-San Diego Chapter. He has led or presented at regional and national CASE and AFP conferences.
Mark and his husband, Tim, live in the Village of Point Loma in San Diego, California.
Art Taylor (Public Member)
President & CEO
BBB Wise Giving Alliance
Arlington, VA
United States
As head of the Alliance, he oversees all aspects of the organization’s work, which includes: setting standards for soliciting organizations, evaluating charities in relation to these standards, publishing the Wise Giving Guide, assisting local Better Business Bureau charity review programs, promoting charity accountability, and providing a variety of materials on informed giving to individual, institutional and business donors and to government.
Appointed to his position in July 2001, the Wise Giving Alliance Board of Directors selected Mr. Taylor for his record of accomplishments in the non-profit arena and his business, professional, and volunteer background.
Mr. Taylor is a respected and sought-after voice in the non-profit sector on charity accountability, transparency, governance, impact, and strategy. Since spring 2018 he has held the position of Lecturer, teaching students at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies on ethics in the non-profit sector. He is a regular guest lecturer at the Georgetown McDonough School and the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration at George Washington University.
Astrid Von Soosten, CFRE
Partner
Brakeley Fundraising Consultants
Munich
Germany
Of her more than 25 years in fundraising, Astrid has worked as a frontline fundraiser on both sides of the Atlantic, working initially for a private school and later as Senior Development Director for the University of California. For many years, she has specialized in major donor fundraising and strategy development. She obtained her initial CFRE certification in 2008, and is trained as a Somatic Coach, offering leadership coaching and training to executives in the for- and non-profit sectors.
Currently, Astrid is a partner at Brakeley Fundraising Consultants GmbH in Munich, Germany, as well as a leadership coach at Week53 Executive Leadership Development. Previously, she served as a board member at Deutscher Fundraising Verband and the European Fundraising Association’s board. In addition to her current mandate at CFRE, she is also a board member of the Resource Alliance.
Her education includes a master’s degree in Chinese Studies (sinology) from the Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München, as well as a certificate in Modern and Classical Literature/Chinese Studies from Fudan University.
