FORMER VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT, JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE

FORMER VICE CHANCELLOR FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI AFFAIRS, DUKE UNIVERSITY HEALTH SYSTEM

FOUNDER, JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE PHILANTHROPY INSTITUTE

Steven Rum is one of the most accomplished fundraising leaders in academic medicine, with a 32-year career directing some of the largest and most complex medical development operations in the United States.

From 2005 through 2023, Mr. Rum served as Vice President for Development and Alumni Affairs for Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he led one of the nation’s premier medical fundraising enterprises. During his tenure, the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine—an organization of approximately 200 professionals—generated, on average, more than $1 billion every three years, including annual fundraising of approximately $380 million during his final five years. The operation encompassed four affiliated hospitals, sixteen clinical departments, the Institute for Basic Sciences, and a comprehensive alumni affairs program.

Across his career, Mr. Rum has led medical institutions that have collectively raised more than $6 billion—an achievement unmatched by any single individual in academic medicine. His leadership spans two of the country’s most prestigious medical centers: Johns Hopkins Medicine and Duke University Medicine.

Mr. Rum is widely recognized for his success in leadership and transformational philanthropy. Under his direction, the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine raised $475 million for the Sheikh Zayed Tower and the Bloomberg Children’s Center. He has secured individual gifts of $100 million, $75 million, $65 million, and $50 million to support major capital projects, the creation of interdisciplinary institutes, and scholarship support for medical students. He also directed the medical development effort for the Johns Hopkins University Knowledge for the World campaign, during which Johns Hopkins became the first academic medical center to surpass the $2 billion fundraising milestone.

In addition to his institutional leadership, Mr. Rum is the founder and director of the Johns Hopkins Medicine Philanthropy Institute (JHMPI). The Institute was established to elevate the professional practice of medical fundraising through executive education and applied research. Under his leadership, JHMPI produced the first research study on medical development published in a peer-reviewed medical journal (AAMC), later cited by Science and Nature. This landmark work on physician engagement has since been adopted as a best practice by academic medical centers nationwide.

Mr. Rum also launched a national summit on the ethics of medical fundraising involving grateful patients, physicians, and institutions. This effort resulted in a seminal publication in JAMA and AAMC journals in 2018—the only comprehensive set of guidelines of its kind governing grateful patient philanthropy. The JHMPI strategic plan and Summer Institute program reflect Mr. Rum’s enduring commitment to advancing medical development as a credible, ethical, and high-performing profession.

CO-AUTHOR, “TREATING PEOPLE WELL”

FORMER ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT AND WHITE HOUSE SOCIAL SECRETARY

FORMER WHITE HOUSE LIAISON TO THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

Jeremy Bernard is an author and served as White House Social Secretary and Special Assistant to the President from 2011-2015. He is co-author of Treating People Well: How to Master Social Skills and Thrive in Everything You Do. Jeremy has been interviewed on television and for print articles over the course of his White House tenure.

He lived in Paris and worked as the senior advisor to the US Ambassador in France before becoming the White House Social Secretary. Prior to that, he was the White House Liaison to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). 

Jeremy had his own consulting firm in Los Angeles, worked as Director of Government Affairs for a cable television company, and worked for a family foundation. He has worked on various political campaigns, including the 1992 Clinton for President campaign, and on the 1993 Presidential Inaugural Committee, the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee and was appointed by President Clinton to the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Arts of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, CDO, GEORGE WASHINGTON’S MOUNT VERNON

BOARD MEMBER, CASEY TREES

FORMER AVP, GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

Joe Bondi is Senior Vice President for Development at George Washington's Mount Vernon, the historic home, gardens, and presidential library of George Washington in Mount Vernon, Virginia. In this role, he sets the strategic direction for estate-wide fundraising including the annual fund, membership, and major and principal gifts — and leads the estate's $250 million Strengthening Our Foundations campaign.

Prior to Mount Vernon, Bondi spent 15 years at George Washington University in progressive development leadership. As Assistant Vice President for Development for University Programs, he managed a team of eighteen fundraising professionals supporting university-wide initiatives. For seven years prior, he served as Executive Director of Development for GW's New York operation — the largest population of GW alumni outside of Washington.

He holds a master's degree in politics and a bachelor's degree in political communication, both from George Washington University. He serves on the board of Casey Trees and has served as Chairman of the Board of the Alexandria Seaport Foundation. Originally from New London, Connecticut, he is an avid small-boat sailor.

VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD, PROMISE FUND

FORMER BOARD MEMBER, SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE

FOUNDING MARKETING TEAM MEMBER AND FORMER HEAD OF BRAND AND CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, JETBLUE AIRWAYS

Eric Brinker was recruited as the first volunteer when his mother, Nancy G. Brinker, founded Susan G. Komen in honor of Eric's late aunt, Susan. He went on to serve as a global ambassador, spokesperson, and national board member, helping establish many of the organization's most influential cause-related marketing partnerships. Since its founding, Susan G. Komen raised more than $3 billion for breast cancer research, education, and community health programs.

Eric is the CEO of Brinker 13, and currently serves as vice chairman of the board of the Promise Fund, which supports an innovative, community-based model connecting women—especially those in underserved communities—to screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Eric is executive producer of Promise Me, a feature-length documentary inspired by his mother's memoir and legacy, exploring how one promise helped ignite a global movement and how storytelling can continue to drive impact across generations.

CO-CEO, CARAVANSERAI-ALLIANCE FOR ENTREPRENEURS

MENTOR, DESERT VALLEY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION’S PROFESSIONAL WOMEN

Franzene Minott is the Co-CEO of Caravanserai-Alliance for Entrepreneurs, a Palm Springs based nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening local small business ecosystems. 

Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Franzene earned her MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, where she concentrated in strategy and organizational leadership, and a BA in psychology and political science. Her professional background includes several years of experience in nonprofit strategy, partnership development, and social impact initiatives.

She is deeply committed to expanding opportunities for small business owners, particularly historically underserved entrepreneurs, and has been actively engaged in social impact and early-stage investing ecosystems in both Atlanta and the broader Inland Empire and Coachella Valley region.

Franzene brings a passion for community-driven economic development and collaborative leadership to her work, helping build stronger networks of support for entrepreneurs and the organizations that serve them.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY, ADVANCEMENT, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

FORMER ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

Rob Spiller is the Smithsonian's Assistant Secretary for Advancement, directing a team of 300 professionals across the Smithsonian's 21 museums, National Zoo, libraries, and education, research, outreach and cultural centers, responsible for raising $300 million in private support annually. Under the leadership of Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, Spiller launched the Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future, the largest campaign in Smithsonian history with a goal of $2.5 billion that will culminate in 2026—an amount no other cultural institution has raised in a single campaign. Before joining the Smithsonian in 2018, Spiller was Associate Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations at Johns Hopkins University, where he was instrumental in the design and execution of the "Rising to the Challenge" capital campaign that raised more than $6 billion.

CEO, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY FOUNDATION

BOARD MEMBER, SEXTON CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF, CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY

Nicole Sexton has served as President and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) since 2017, leading the organization established in 1942 to unify Hollywood's charitable giving. Previously, she was Chief of Staff at the Central Park Conservancy, helped establish the FEED Foundation as its first Executive Officer (which has provided over 100 million free nutritious school meals globally), and served as Executive Outreach Director for DATA and ONE, organizations committed to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease. Sexton graduated with a B.A. from Southern Methodist University and completed graduate studies in Art History at Georgetown University and Public Policy at Yale University.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PHILANTHROPY CENTRE, JPMORGAN PRIVATE BANK

FORMER DIRECTOR, PHILANTHROPIC INITIATIVES, UNITED NATIONS FOUNDATION

Josh is part of The Philanthropy Centre team and provides clients with insights and services to help meet their financial and philanthropic goals through advice, thought leadership and learning opportunities.

Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Josh was at the United Nations Foundation where he served as Director of Philanthropic Initiatives. While at the UN Foundation, Josh led programs that brought together high profile philanthropists, CEOs, government officials, and nonprofit leaders to bring increased attention and resources to challenges such as gender equality, climate change, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable development. Josh also has a background in strategic communications working for Burson Marsteller and Direct Impact, both WPP companies.

Josh is an inaugural LGBT Global Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a Global Shaper with the World Economic Forum. He also served as head of the U.S. youth delegation to the G20 Summit in 2015 where he developed policy recommendations that addressed challenges facing youth in employment, education, and conflict zones.

Josh holds a M.Sc. in International Relations from the University of Edinburgh and a B.A. in Political Science from Butler University where he also spent an exchange studying international business at the Audencia École de Management in France.

SUMMIT CHAIR

CEO, TEAPOT MOUNTAIN ADVISORY

FORMER CDO, WHITE HOUSE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

As Chief Development Officer at the White House Historical Association, Rhett Wilson grew philanthropic revenues more than 20-fold in less than a decade and led an $85.5 million capital campaign — completed in 18 months — to build The People's House, a 33,000-square-foot interactive museum adjacent to the White House complex. He founded IIP because he believes the most important conversations in philanthropy aren't happening — and they should be.

Wilson is the founder and president of Teapot Mountain Advisory, where he serves as a strategy advisor to fundraising campaigns totaling between $250 million and $500 million cumulatively across clients at any given time.

Earlier in his career he held appointments as Associate Dean at Johns Hopkins University and Assistant Dean at George Mason University. He co-founded the Caravanserai Project and serves on the board of directors of the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute. He is an alumnus of Arizona State University and Mesa Community College.