Kathy Jordan
Director of Development,
WUSF Public Media

2022 Past-President,
Charitable Gift Planners of Southwest Florida

Kathy Jordan is the Director of Philanthropy at WUSF/NPR and Classical WSMR where she is responsible for planning and implementing fundraising strategies for major gifts / planned giving and serves as a liaison for WUSF Public Media in the Sarasota and Manatee communities. Previously, Kathy was managing director at the Sarasota Film Festival, a 10-day international film festival. Prior to moving to Sarasota, Kathy was a film producer and worked for Miramax, DeLaurentiis and Mahagonny Pictures in Los Angeles. Kathy is a graduate of the University of Texas with a B.S. in Radio-Television-Film and B.A. in Psychology. She is also a certified yoga instructor, an Alumni of Leadership Sarasota and a graduate of the Gulf Coast Leadership Institute. She has served on professional and community boards including Association for Fundraising Professionals, Sarasota Womens Alliance, and as Panel Chair and Policy Chair for Sarasota County Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Grants Program.

Jennifer Abbott
Director of Philanthropy,
Manatee Community Foundation

As Director of Philanthropy at the Manatee Community Foundation, Jennifer Abbott works with current and future donors, professional advisors, and community partners on transformational giving in Manatee County. Jennifer brings 30 years of experience to her role, in a career reflecting her commitment to building strong, respectful, long-term relationships with donors, volunteers, staff, clients and community leaders. Most recently, Jennifer spent ten years at Forty Carrots Family Center growing resources through philanthropy to further the mission of strengthening families. Her background includes development roles at the Center for Media and Public Affairs (Washington, DC), National Mental Health Association (Alexandria, VA) and United Way Capital Area (Austin, TX), as well as brand building roles with GSD&M and McGarrah/Jessee (Austin, TX) where she worked on everything from Superbowl spots to the redesign of Southwest Airlines plane livery. Jennifer was the president of the Southwest Florida chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) in 2019 and served 8 years on that board in a number of roles. A local native, Jennifer and her husband Mark enjoy time in Florida nature and traveling to Atlanta and Denver to visit their 2 children in college.

Kimberly Bleach, CFP®, CTFA
Managing Director,
Private Client Advisor,
Bank of America Private Bank

Kimberly Bleach is a Managing Director and Private Client Advisor with Bank of America Private Bank in Sarasota, Florida. She works closely with ultra-high-net-worth families and individuals, helping them to create wealth management strategies based on immediate, mid-term and long-term priorities. Her consultative approach underscores the value of listening and engaging in ongoing dialogues to understand each client’s evolving life and legacy goals. Kimberly is committed to providing a boutique-like service experience while delivering the extensive resources of a global institution. She leads a team of specialists who can offer strategies for philanthropy and investment management; trust and estate planning services; and structured credit solutions. The team’s experience includes helping clients design and implement strategies for managing private business interests, restricted stock, farm and ranch holdings, and real estate investments. Kimberly has over 20 years of financial services experience as a private client manager, regional credit advisor and trust officer. She joined Bank of America Private Bank (formerly U.S. Trust) in 2010. She is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional and holds the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor (CTFA) designation. Kimberly graduated from Stetson University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. In the community, Kimberly has had leadership roles with several organizations. Currently, she serves on the board of Charitable Gift Planners of Southwest Florida and the advisory council of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. Previously, she was board secretary of the Asolo Repertory Theatre and a board member of Pines of Sarasota. Kimberly is a member and past president of the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council. She is an active member of Sarasota Yacht Club, serving on the membership and SYC Cares committees.

Charla M. Burchett
Partner,
Shutts & Bowen, LLP

Charla M. Burchett is a partner in the Sarasota office of Shutts & Bowen LLP, where she is a member of the Private Client Services Practice Group.

Charla is one of only 296 attorneys in the State of Florida and one of only 26 attorneys in the Sarasota and Manatee counties who have been certified by The Florida Bar as a Board Certified Specialist in Wills, Trusts and Estates. She has more than thirty years of experience assisting clients through challenging decisions and difficult times to preserve their legacies across generations. She focuses her practice on estate planning, estate and gift taxation, estate administration, and trust administration.

A Martindale-Hubbell AV® Preeminent™ rated attorney, Charla has been recognized for her legal capabilities by SRQ Magazine’s “Elite Top Attorneys,” Florida Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers In America® and as a “Top Rated Lawyer” on Avvo.com®. She is actively engaged in her community, currently serving as an Advisory Task Force Member for Impact100 SRQ and a board member for the Sarasota Tiger Bay Club, in addition to previously serving as the 2021 Chair of The Pines of Sarasota Foundation. Charla earned her LL.M. from the University of Miami School of Law, focusing on Estate Planning, and received her J.D. from the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville, with her B.A. from the University of Kentucky.

Stevan Collins
Executive Benefits Consultant,
Professional Benefits (PBI)

Stevan Collins is an Executive Benefits Consultant at Professional Benefits (PBI) and works closely with physicians, executives, and other high earning individuals for their insurance needs. His specialty is customizing insurance to the client, which often includes discussions beyond traditional insurance uses, into charitable and legacy planning.

Prior to joining PBI he held several leadership positions in engineering and supply chain at PGT Innovations in Nokomis, FL. His responsibilities included capital planning, project management, budgeting, and leadership for several different teams. Prior to moving to Sarasota, Florida he worked on the railroad in England, leading teams of engineers responsible for producing training simulators.

He graduated in Industrial Engineering from the University of the West of England, and went on to graduate from Florida State University with a Master’s in Business Administration.

Richard R. Gans
Shareholder, 
Ferguson Skipper Attorneys at Law

Richard Gans is a shareholder in the Sarasota, Florida, firm of Fergeson, Skipper, Shaw, Keyser, Baron & Tirabassi, P.A. He received his preparatory education at Cornell University (B.A. 1980) and the University of Michigan (M.A. 1985). Mr. Gans received his legal education at the University of Washington (J.D. 1988) and the University of Florida (LL.M. in Taxation 1992). He was the Associate Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Law Review.

Mr. Gans was admitted to the Bar in 1988 in the State of Washington, and in 1994 in Florida. His Bar Association memberships include: The Florida Bar, Sarasota County Bar Association and Washington State Bar Association. Mr. Gans serves as the probate and trust column editor for The Florida Bar Journal. He is Chair of the RPPTL Section’s Estate and Trust Tax Planning Committee (where, as a committee member, he was primarily responsible for the drafting of Florida’s new disclaimer law, Chapter 739 of the Florida Statutes).

Mr. Gans also serves on the RPPTL IRA and employee benefits, asset preservation, and charitable organizations and planning committees, and is a member of the Section’s Executive Council. Mr. Gans is a member and past President of the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council, and currently serves as a Charitable Gift Planners of Southwest Florida board member. He is Adjunct Professor at Manatee Community College, where he teaches the wills, trusts and estate course in MCC’s paralegal certification program. He speaks Mandarin Chinese.

Mr. Gans is certified by The Florida Bar as a Board Certified Wills, Trusts and Estates Lawyer, and is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). Mr. Gans is named in the June 2007 issue of Florida Super Lawyers, a distinction awarded only to the top 5% of attorneys in the State of Florida.

Jacqueline House, MBA CFRE

Vice President, Communications and Community Engagement,
Safe Children Coalition

Jacqueline House, Vice President of Communications and Community Engagement  for Safe Children Coalition, Inc. is a native Floridian, and South Florida transplant by way of Fort Myers. She arrived in Sarasota and at Safe Children Coalition in October 2020. She brings with her over 10 years of leadership and fundraising experiences with non-profits in child welfare, education, and human services. Her background includes work with Children’s Home Society, St. Thomas University, Goodwill Industries, and Women In Distress of Broward County. She has previously served on various professional and community boards such as the Association of Professional Researchers, the Zonta Club of Miami Lakes, and Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida. She currently serves on the program committee of the Association of Fundraising Professionals -Southwest Florida Chapter.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Central Florida, a Master of Business Administration from Hodges University, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive.

Barbara A. Jones, CPA/CFP®
Shareholder,
Kerkering Barberio

Ms Jones joined Kerkering Barberio in 1997. She has 20 years of experience in the banking industry in senior management.

Education

• Hartwick College B.A. in Economics
• University of Hartford M.S. in Professional Accounting
• Licenses / Certifications
• Florida Certified Public Accountant
• Certified Financial Planner

Organization Involvement

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• Designing Women Boutique
• Easter Seals Southwest Florida
• Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA)
• Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance
• Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch
• Rotary Gift of Life of Florida, Inc.
• Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council

Ronald E. Koepsel
Principal, 
Sabal Trust Company

Ron Koepsel and his wife, Betsy, live in Sarasota. Ron is a Principal with Sabal Trust Company having joined the firm in 2007 when Sabal opened its newest office in the Sarasota market to provide Wealth and Investment Management services.

Ron is a graduate of Indiana University, received his Law Degree from Northern Illinois University College of Law and is licensed to practice law in both Illinois and Florida.

During his 30 years in the Wealth Management, Estate Planning and Trust Administration areas, Ron has served in a variety of roles providing counsel and expertise to individuals and organizations. He is a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association, Past President of the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council and is a Certified Trust and Financial Advisor. He has served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County as well as on the Board of Trustees of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Melodie Rich
Tax Partner,
Mauldin & Jenkins, LLC

Melodie Rich is a tax partner with Mauldin & Jenkins and has more than 25 years of experience in providing a wide range of both individual and business tax services. She specializes in Estate Planning, including income tax planning for trusts and estates. Melodie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Central Florida. She received her CPA license from the State of Florida in 1994.

Melodie is a strong supporter of the community. She serves many organizations in addition to being the Treasurer of Charitable Gift Planners of Southwest Florida her roles include, Treasurer of Realize Bradenton, Inc.and board member/past President for the Estate Planning Council of Manatee County, Inc.,County, Inc., and past Treasurer of Children’s Guardian Fund and the Literacy Council of Sarasota. She is also a member of the Southwest Florida Estate Planning Council, FICPA, and the AICPA. Melodie is graduate of Leadership Manatee and Sarasota and she is a native of Manatee County, where she resides with her husband and two children.

Lee Ann Rodriguez, MA, MBA, DBA
Director of Philanthropy,
Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast

​Lee Ann Rodriguez is an accomplished bilingual (English & Spanish) professional with over 20 years of combined experience across the non-for-profit, higher education, government and private sectors. Her expertise consists of resource development, including fundraising, proposal writing and grant management, research administration and strategic planning for operations, programs, and research. Lee Ann’s comprehensive experience and knowledge include philanthropic gifts from individuals and grants from national, community, private and family foundations as well as restricted grants, agreements, subawards and contracts from federal and state agencies.

Lee Ann is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Southwest Florida Chapter, and National Council of University Research Administrators in addition to serving as a board member for the Charitable Gift Planners of Southwest Florida. Currently the Director of Philanthropy at Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast, Lee Ann is charged with securing the organization’s fundraising revenue required to protect land and water in southwest Florida forever. Among others, her past organizations include New College of Florida, Florida’s public liberal arts honor college, and Para la Naturaleza of the Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico, where she received the Citizen Science Champion of Change 2013 award from the President of the United States.

Lee Ann received her Doctorate of Business Administration at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. At the State University of Puerto Rico she earned three degrees – a Master’s in Business Administration, a Master’s in Translation and a Bachelor’s in Modern Languages.

Declan J. Sheehy
Chief Development Officer,
Senior Friendship Centers

​Declan J. Sheehy is currently Chief Development Officer at the Senior Friendship Centers. His past roles include Director of Philanthropy at New College of Florida, Senior Advancement Officer at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, Associate Director of Development at The Ringling and Assistant Director of the Smith Fund at Smith College. He has been involved in the nonprofit world for over 15+ years and has raised significant funds for a number of organizations. Declan has served on the board of Association of Fundraising Professionals for Southwest Florida, Tanglewood Business Partners and co-founded the successful Berkshire County, Mass., Women's Financial Empowerment series and was state president of the Massachusetts Jump$tart Coalition. He is currently state president of Florida Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.

Dan Vigne, CFP®, CPWA®

Senior Managing Director, Northwest Florida,
Northern Trust

Dan Vigne is a Senior Vice President of the Northern Trust Company and serves as the Senior Managing Director for the Northwest Florida Region encompassing Sarasota, Manatee, Tampa Bay and the surrounding communities. He is responsible for leading all aspects of the firm’s Wealth Management business including the delivery of investment management, trust and fiduciary planning, and private and business banking for clients across the region.

Dan has over 30 years of experience working with ultra-wealthy individuals and families, foundations, endowments and privately-held businesses. Most recently, he served as a Senior Wealth Strategist and was responsible for leading the delivery of comprehensive advice to new clients through a multidisciplinary team of wealth advisors.

Dan received a B.S. degree in Economics from Florida State University. He holds the designation of Certified Financial Planner and Certified Professional Wealth Advisor along with his Series 7 and 63 licenses.

Dan is also a graduate of Leadership Florida class XXXI. Dan is married to his wife Jennifer of 25 years and has three children. Dan is an avid golfer, enjoys exercising, hiking, reading and traveling.

Tom Waters
President & CEO,
Easterseals Southwest Florida

Tom Waters, longtime local philanthropy leader and president and CEO of Easterseals Southwest Florida, has extensive work experience in nonprofit management, fundraising and community partnerships. Waters leads one of Southwest Florida’s oldest and most successful nonprofits serving children, teens and adults with developmental disabilities. He recently added comprehensive autism services with over thirty community collaborators, leveraging the power of partnership and positive impact regionally and across the state.

As chief advancement office at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Waters led the organization’s 2020 vision and strategic plan. He was responsible for surpassing initial fundraising goals and executing the successful beginnings of a $50 million comprehensive fundraising effort.

Throughout his noteworthy career, Tom has held leadership positions at several nonprofits, including Mile High United Way in Denver, Colorado and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. In his twelve years as Vice President of Philanthropy at the Community Foundation of Sarasota, he led a team whose fundraising efforts help grow to over 200 million in assets, with another $200+ million in future commitments.

Waters is a third-generation Sarasota “snowbird” and has been a permanent resident of Florida for the past twenty-five years. He carries on a family legacy of community engagement and commitment to serving others.

Jay Young
Vice President of Philanthropy,
Community Foundation of Sarasota County

Jay Young is Vice President of Philanthropy at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County. As a member of senior staff, Jay oversees all facets of the philanthropy team, working with prospective and current donors to connect them with the causes they are most passionate about to ensure their philanthropic goals are accomplished in our community.

Jay has more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, providing solutions for investment management, employee retirement plans, and custodial needs. Jay most recently oversaw a regional team covering the state of Florida and portions of the Southeast at Fifth Third working with large for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. He previously held positions at Fidelity Investments and SunTrust Bank (now Truist).

Jay received his bachelor’s degree from American University in Washington, DC, and throughout his career has served as a volunteer on the board of various arts and human services organizations.