Marian Johnson
Executive Director of Donor Experience
Western University

Marian Johnson has more than 20 years of experience in Canadian Philanthropy and found her forever home in donor relations in 2012. She has also been a member of ADRP since 2012. Currently, Marian leads the donor relations and stewardship team at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. In this role, Marian provides strategic and operational leadership to a high-performing team of donor relation professionals with the aim to ensure a consistent, intentional and equitable experience for donors at all levels across the University. Marian deeply believes that meaningful donor engagement, underpinned by best practices, is the cornerstone of the philanthropic industry. She strives to help connect donors to the impact they are creating and create meaningful experiences for donors along the way. Marian holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from McMaster University and a certificate in nonprofit and voluntary sector management from Toronto Metropolitan University.

“Wear gratitude like a cloak. It will feed every corner of your life.” ~ Rumi

Katie Kutney
Associate Director of Advancement
Berkshire School

Katie Kutney serves in the role of associate director of advancement at Berkshire School, an independent boarding and day school in Western MA. With two decades of experience in fundraising, she is committed to sparking and sustaining authentic, meaningful connections between donors and the communities they support. Currently secretary/treasurer of ADRP's Board of Directors, Katie earned a bachelor's degree in Religion from Princeton University and holds an MPA with a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Rutgers University-Newark. 

Brie Aguila 
Assistant Vice Chancellor for External Relations and Operations
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

Brie Aguila has worked for the University of Colorado for 16 years, starting at CU Denver in frontline fundraising and over time transitioning to CU Anschutz in donor relations. Brie is currently the Assistant Vice Chancellor for External Relations and Operations overseeing her team of 37 that is focused on stewardship, events, communications, alumni engagement, administrative support, human resources, and budget. Their mission is to ensure that CU Anschutz benefactors feel like their gift has made a difference through timely and personal acknowledgment and recognition that connects them to their philanthropy. They seek to recognize and appreciate, inform, and engage current and prospective benefactors through meaningful and consistent contact. She is motivated by every day being a new and different day bringing new successes and challenges. Brie joined ADRP as a member in 2013 and has served on the board since 2019.  When not working, Brie enjoys spending time with her husband, Jeff, and three amazing children, Kinsey (9 years), Brooklyn (6 years), and Caden (4 years). 

Guycaelle Vaval
Director of Stewardship
Pace University

Guycaelle is the Director of Stewardship at her alma mater, Pace University in New York, where she brings over 15 years of experience in building relationships, managing projects, and enhancing donor experiences. A dedicated member of ADRP since 2017, she has also contributed through volunteer work, supporting northeast regional sponsorship efforts.

Sara Moïse 
Chief Stewardship Advocate
Mythos

After graduating from the University of Southern California believing (incorrectly) that she was destined to become an attorney, Sara Moïse began her career in philanthropy as a jill-of-all-trades at the Bogart Pediatric Cancer Research Program in Los Angeles. She then specialized in stewardship at Keck Medicine of USC, running an acknowledgment and recognition program during a $6B campaign. After stretching her wings at cultural and advocacy organizations, she led a best-in-class stewardship and donor relations program for Tulane University. Today, Sara serves as Chief Stewardship Advocate for Mythos, bridging her deeply nerdy love of technology with her lifelong passion for philanthropy, gratitude, and impact. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English from USC and a Certificate in Fundraising and Institutional Development from UCLA.

Mitra Keykhah

The Philadelphia Orchestra and and Ensemble Arts

Mitra joined The Philadelphia Orchestra as Senior Director of Stewardship Programs after nearly ten years with Princeton University as Assistant Director of Donor Relations. She received her AB from Princeton University and master’s degrees from the London School of Economics and the University of Southern California. She has also worked for WETA-FM, the classical music/NPR station in Washington, DC, and StoryCorps, the national oral history nonprofit. She has been a member of ADRP since 2012, focusing on DEI topics and issues, and most recently served as chair of ADRP’s DEI Committee.

Analisa Gama Aguilar is the Manager of Donor Relations and Stewardship at Rotary International. With over a decade of donor relations, stewardship, and events experience, she leads a team of 15 staff across three of Rotary's international offices. Her team is responsible for Rotary’s giving societies, individualized stewardship plans, endowment, and restricted fund reporting, as well as stewardship events and activities for top-tier donor groups. Passionate about curating an outstanding donor experience, particularly for those from different cultures, Analisa works extensively with donors from over 50 countries and has produced donor events on five continents. Before focusing on donor relations, Analisa spent several years working directly with gift officers supporting major gift initiatives. Before joining Rotary, she was part of the development operations team at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Analisa received her BPS in Psychology from Roosevelt University and her MS in International Public Service from DePaul University. In 2023, Analisa earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive certification. She has been a member of the Association of Donor Relations Professionals since 2013 and served on the Midwest Regional Planning Committee since 2016. In 2021, Analisa joined the Board of Directors for the Association of Donor Relations Professionals, where she proudly serves as the board liaison to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Jessica Veitch
Manager, Donor Recognition
Mount Sinai Hospital Foundation

Jessica has spent her professional life collecting skills and knowledge that have translated into her forever career: being a donor relations professional. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has gone from working primarily in healthcare and community organizations, to starting her own consultancy specializing in strategic planning and execution of donor recognition programs, with an emphasis on drawing connections between the donor, the organization and the community. This has allowed her to continue to do what she loves: Learning about wonderful organizations and helping them find effective and unique ways to build and celebrate their communities of supporters.

As a long-time member and volunteer, (2008), Jessica cites her service to the Association of Donor Relations Professionals as one of the most fulfilling aspects of her career.

 

Senior Director, Donor Engagement and Stewardship
MIT

Corey Smentek is in her 18th year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), beginning her career in trustee relations before moving into advancement. After supporting the efforts of MIT’s highest-level volunteer fundraising committee, Corey joined donor engagement and stewardship in 2014 performing a wide array of functions, from acknowledgments to reporting, recognition, and engagement. Today, she leads the team as senior director to drive strategic initiatives in donor engagement and stewardship, ensuring MIT’s relationships with its supporters are both impactful and enduring.

Corey has been a member of ADRP since 2015 and served as co-chair of the marketing committee from 2021-2024. Under her leadership, she significantly enhanced ADRP’s visibility and influence on social media, driving engagement and elevating ADRP’s online presence.  

Holden Scheidel
Donor Events Planner, Donor Relations
Rotary International

Holden Scheidel is the Donor Events Planner at The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. In this role, he develops and executes various in-person and virtual donor engagement opportunities, focusing on Rotary’s most generous donors. Holden is dedicated to enhancing the donor experience and fostering a culture of gratitude across Rotary’s different business areas and international offices.

Holden is a proud “Double Demon,” having earned both his BA in Political Science and Peace Studies and his Master of Nonprofit Management from DePaul University in Chicago, IL. He joined the Association of Donor Relations Professionals in 2021 and has co-chaired the Education Committee since 2022, where he leads the development of the Fundamentals of Donor Relations curriculum among other Education initiatives. In 2023, he was invited to serve as an ex officio board member.