Gift Planning Restructuring

Dear Colleagues,

As I referenced at our March Blueprint gathering, we have been exploring how to best position our talented and dedicated Gift Planning team to deliver even greater success for Notre Dame. I am pleased to share a newly structured Gift Planning team, which we are confident will optimize the time and talent of this high-functioning team and enable efficient and strategic growth.

Effective this week, Gift Planning will consist of two teams: Gift Planning Operations and Strategy, and Gift Planning Advancement.

Gift Planning Operations and Strategy

Responsibilities will include drafting proposals and illustrations (in collaboration with gift planning officers), creating planned gift agreements, oversight of the CRT, CGA, and DAF programs, executing distributions, processing gifts, and partnering with the Gift Planning Advancement team on training and educational efforts.

Rich Naponelli will serve as the Sr. Director of Gift Planning Operations and Strategy team. In addition to leading this team, Rich will also:

● serve as a key collaborator on complex gifts across the development team, including with the UR exec team, in a similar fashion as Greg Dugard;
● remain assigned to Tom Molnar, Kim Biagini, and Michael McLaughlin (even though he will transition off of other RD assignments, he should remain involved with the cultivation of planned gift conversations that are in process);
● maintain responsibilities with key University partners and processes including the Transformational Gift Committee, General Counsel’s Office, Gift Acceptance Committee, and the Fiduciary Committee.

RaeLee Rea has been promoted to Program Director, and will oversee a team consisting of Carolyn Hardman, an additional staff attorney (priority hire), and a development associate.

Gift Planning Advancement

Responsibilities will include engaging in donor-facing gift planning cultivation, oversight of our Gift Planning Advancement Committee (GPAC) and LTND2, and partnering with Gift Planning Operations and Strategy team on training and educational efforts.

TJ Pillari has been promoted to the Sr. Director of Gift Planning Advancement, and will lead a team consisting of our gift planning officers and Anne Wieber. TJ will be reviewing GPO-RD assignments over the next couple of weeks to determine where strategic adjustments are needed.

Please join me in thanking our gift planning team for their steadfast commitment, professionalism, and patience as we determine our path forward. Finally, thanks to our entire development team for your partnership with our gift planning colleagues as we advance the impactful mission of Notre Dame.

Gratefully,
Marty

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