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Please join the CPGC Board as we continue our long-standing educational lunchtime series with this important program. The series will continue online via Zoom Webinar for the first half of 2021 with hopes of returning to in-person luncheon meetings later in the year.
The business case for diversity is as compelling as the moral imperative—research clearly shows that diverse teams create smarter and more innovative work. The challenge for both managers and team members is to chart a more accessible career path for charitable gift planners so that people of all backgrounds can flourish. In this session, you’ll learn to recognize and change attitudes and actions that undermine collaboration. Then you’ll discover ways to create a sense of psychological safety and trust within the team. Our goal is to turn the buzzwords “diversity,” “equity” and “inclusion” into practical operating principles, so that we can unleash the full potential of individuals and the team.
- Review research that shows how diversity impacts organizational performance.
- Identify specific behaviors that encourage or discourage expression of diverse viewpoints in the workplace.
- For managers, implement best practices that increase retention and foster career progression.
- For team members, navigate your career toward increased creativity and collaboration.
About the Speakers
Aquanetta Betts, J.D., CAP® Senior Executive Director of Planned Giving
World Vision, Eastern Region of the U.S.
Aquanetta was drawn by the opportunity to join a team that helps people make an important impact for the most vulnerable children around the world. Aquanetta holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University and a law degree from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law. She is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy®.
Prior to joining World Vision, Aquanetta worked for 11 years as an estate planning attorney, helping clients draft planned giving and estate agreements that reflected their charitable intent. Her practice was focused on wills, trusts, and estates.
Along with having served as a pro bono attorney for several nonprofit organizations in the Baltimore, Maryland, area, she is a member of the National Bar Association, Maryland State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Baltimore Estate Planning Council. She is also a member of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, where she serves on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Taskforce, and she currently serves as the President of CPGC.
Trina S. Olidge, J.D.
Director of Gift Planning
Georgia Institute of Technology
Trina brings depth and understanding to a changing academic landscape with nearly 20 years of experience in both public and private institutions, including minority serving and large research organizations. In her current role as, she educates donors on charitable gift planning vehicles and tax strategies to help achieve their philanthropic goals. Olidge came to Georgia Tech from Georgia State University, where she was senior director of development for the College of Arts and Sciences. Previously, Olidge served as assistant vice president at Morehouse School of Medicine, and has held major gifts positions in both law and independent schools. Her career in higher education began at Tulane Law School as assistant dean of external affairs & diversity. She has also worked in industry as an investment analyst with Goldman Sachs and G.E. Capital, before returning to Atlanta to join a boutique international consulting firm following law school.
Olidge earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Howard University and a juris doctor from the University of Georgia School of Law. She serves on the DEI task force of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners and chairs the Advocacy, Policy & Ethics Committee for the local chapter of Association of Fundraising Professionals. Olidge loves to travel and spend time with her husband and two teenage children in Atlanta. Inspired by the example of her parents, she brings authentic passion and commitment to the pursuit of excellence in education.
Kelli Smith, CFRE
Chief Development Officer
John Ball Zoo, Grand Rapids, MI
Kelli's career in philanthropy spans more than two decades in health care and academia, serving in organizations whose missions closely align with her own passions to serve and invest in the needs of the community. In her new role at John Ball Zoo, she is responsible for designing and directing strategies for fund development, marketing, membership, and government affairs, and assisting in shaping organizational and board philanthropic goals. She previously served as Director of Development at Saint Mary's Foundation, where she led the major and planned gifts programs. Kelli is active in her community serving on several boards East Grand Rapids Schools Foundation, Children's Advocacy Center of Kent County, Grand Rapids Chamber Council, a Past Board Chair of the Western Michigan Planned Giving Group, and she is the Chair-Elect for the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners Board.
Kelli is working on her Chartered Advisor of Philanthropy (CAP) certification and holds a master's degree in Health Services Administration.
Thank You to our Chapter Gold Sponsors
Thank you to our
Special Communications Sponsor
Sponsorship Opportunities
Event Sponsorship includes one complimentary registration, listing as Event Sponsor with logo in event promotion and event program, recognition as Event Sponsor from the podium, and one exhibit table, as event space permits.
