Now More than ever

Women’s Philanthropy

Association for the advancement of Women's Philanthropy Conference 2026

“Where the most influential professionals in higher education come to network, learn, share, & talk about philanthropy.”

March 4, 2026

1-5pm EST

on ZOOM

Association for the Advancement of Women’s Philanthropy Conference 2026

Location: Online/Zoom
Dates: March 4, 2026

Time: 1:00-5:00pm EST

Cost: $300 (Conference)

For more info on AAWP, please reach out to: womensphilanthropy2023@gmail.com

Join us for an unforgettable experience at the 6th Annual Association for the Advancement of

Women’s Philanthropy Conference, where higher education leaders gather to network, learn, and

shape the future of inclusive philanthropy.

What to Expect:

Inspiring Keynotes: Featuring Maia McGill, Mitchel Spearman, and Ovation Coaching: Amy Steindler, Sequoia Owen & Dorian Baroni.
Educational Panels & Workshops: Explore best practices, fundraising innovation, and inclusive giving models.
Networking & Community Building in an online format
Expert-Led Discussions: Learn from national leaders like Cannie Graham (JMU), Valerie Cushman (W&M), and Sallie-Grace Tate (UC Davis)

Be part of this transformative experience designed to inspire, educate, and connect women leaders in philanthropy.

What is the Association for the Advancement of Women’s Philanthropy (AAWP)?

The Association for the Advancement of Women’s Philanthropy is compromised of dedicated individuals committed to advancing higher education and fostering inclusive philanthropy practices within colleges and universities across the United States and internationally. This passionate group of professionals actively engages in initiatives that empower women, support educational opportunities, and promote diversity and inclusivity in philanthropic endeavors. Through their collaborative efforts, they strive to create positive and lasting impacts on education, ensuring that women's voices are heard and valued in shaping the future of academic institutions globally.

AAWP Co-Leaders

Cannie Graham – Associate Vice President for Collaborative Philanthropy & Volunteer Leadership, Executive Director for Women For Madison, James Madison University, Founder of Spark Women's Philanthropy
Valerie Cushman – Senior Director of Engagement and Inclusion Initiatives, William & Mary; Principal, V. Cushman Consulting
Sallie-Grace Tate – Executive Director for Women & Philanthropy at University of California - Davis; Principal of Tate Coaching and Consulting

About the conference

Mission & Vision: Advancing higher education and fostering inclusive philanthropy practices.

History of the Conference:

The Professionals in Women's Philanthropy (PWP) Conference is now in its 6th year, having grown steadily since its inception. Each year, the conference has welcomed an increasing number of professionals dedicated to advancing higher education through inclusive philanthropy. The event has become a cornerstone for networking, learning, and building a lasting community of philanthropic leaders. Participants collaborate on best practices, explore emerging fundraising trends, and develop innovative solutions to challenges facing higher education institutions worldwide!

The 2026 AAWP Conference is lead by higher education volunteers: Dr. Cannie Graham (JMU), Dr. Val Cushman (W&M), & Sallie-Grace Tate (UCDavis).

For more info on AAWP, please reach out to: womensphilanthropy2023@gmail.com

Any Questions?

Conference Schedule

March 4, 2026, 1-5pm (EST)

on zoom

TBD

Details to follow ASAP

Professionals in Women’s Philanthropy Co-leaders/Speakers

Cannie Graham

Dr. Cannie Campbell, MPH, MA/EdS, LPC is the Associate Vice President of Collaborative Philanthropy & Volunteer Engagement as well as the Executive Director of Women for Madison at James Madison University. With 27 years of diverse experience in higher education, leadership, and volunteerism, as well as her expertise in women’s philanthropy, Cannie is an accomplished higher education administrator, consultant, speaker, scholar, writer, and strategic thought partner. A leader in her field, she is relational, intuitive, and authentic and brings a spark to her work that is unmatched. Cannie is committed to changing the face of philanthropy and further engaging women and other affinity based groups as empowered, philanthropic change agents.

In addition, Cannie founded and operates her own consulting practice, Spark Women's Philanthropy. She is a proud and passionate founding member of the Women’s Philanthropy Alliance (WPA) and a co-leader of the Professionals in Women's Philanthropy group.
Val Cushman

Valerie Cushman, Ph.D. in higher education, Executive Director of Alumni Engagement & Inclusion Initiatives at W&M, a proud member of the Women’s Philanthropy Alliance, a co-leader of the Professionals in Women's Philanthropy group and has proven success growing women’s philanthropy.
With over 30 years of experience in public and private institutions, having served on the cabinet of two universities, she brings a depth of knowledge and experience in fundraising practices that convert high-capacity women into impactful donors. At W&M, she founded the creation and leads the sustained efforts of the Society of 1918, a collective of women philanthropists who contributed 55% of the donated funds to the $1 billion For the Bold campaign and raised a $5.4 million endowment that will forever support the growth of women’s engagement, leadership and philanthropy at W&M. As a consultant, using proven principles and practices she facilitates university advancement teams, inclusive of leadership, development officers and alumnae, as they together discover and engage in practices that grow women’s volunteer engagement and leadership that quickly drive growth in philanthropy.
Sallie-Grace Tate

Sallie-Grace Tate has over 25 years of experience as a trusted relationship-builder, major gift fundraiser, and program creator. Working for public and private universities and in secondary education, she has extensive knowledge of women as leaders, philanthropists, and volunteers, and is committed to growing women’s philanthropy. Recognizing that women are leading a new era in philanthropy, Sallie-Grace works with organization leaders and volunteers to build initiatives and programs that engage women to use their economic power and position for the greater good. As a certified 21/64 Advisor, Sallie-Grace partners with individuals, couples, and families by guiding conversations and utilizing tools helping to clarify their philanthropic goals.
Sallie-Grace is Principal of Tate Coaching and Consulting, a founding member of the Women’s Philanthropy Alliance, and a co-leader of the Professionals in Women's Philanthropy group. She also serves as the founding Executive Director for Women & Philanthropy at the University of California at Davis.

Featured Presenter Bios

Maia McGill

Maia McGill, CEO of Maia McGill Consulting, LLC and Founder of the Inclusive Philanthropy Institute, is a seasoned industry leader with more than 18 years of experience in the higher education and philanthropic sectors. She is considered a notable authority in inclusive philanthropy and co-founded the former Office of Inclusive Philanthropy at the Florida International University (FIU) Foundation, which was the first of its kind in the nation.

The FIU Foundation Office of Inclusive Philanthropy (FOIP) brought together development professionals with community and industry partners from diverse backgrounds to inform, implement, and evaluate philanthropic strategy and programming that promoted systemic change.

FOIP’s targeted initiatives included scholarships and wrap-around support services for students, increased faculty diversity, strong and inclusive advisory board governance, social equity research, cultural competence trainings, and improved health and education outcomes.

Within FOIP, Maia cultivated a fundraising team composed of individuals with diverse cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations – representation that was integral to the Office’s work and to understanding the needs of the university’s student body. By June 2023, more than $50 million dollars was raised to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives university wide.

Maia’s expertise has been featured in the “Focus Forward Wisdom” series of Marts&Lundy’s “What We Think” podcast. She has also presented on the topic of inclusive philanthropy at multiple conferences, including the Counsel for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Annual Conference for College and University Foundations, the African American Development Officers Network Conference on Diverse Philanthropy and Leadership; and more.

In February of 2024, Maia was awarded the CASE Opportunity and Inclusion Award for District III.

Maia is the former Senior Executive Director for Foundation Relations at Florida International University (FIU), raising more than $70 million dollars over her 6-year tenure. Prior to FIU, her roles in higher education included serving as the Director of Community and Multicultural Affairs at the University of Rochester Medical Center. In that position, she facilitated and guided proposals and white papers for diversity research grants and initiatives; and she directed several community-based programs and screenings serving underserved and vulnerable populations — impacting thousands of residents. She also successfully cultivated and maintained relationships with key leaders in both the public and private sectors, including foundations, healthcare providers, researchers, faculty and community-based organizations.

Sequoia Owens

Sequoia is the Founder & Chief Consultant of The Brilliant Lead and serves as a workplace culture strategist and leadership coach trained in trauma-informed care with over a decade of experience within the nonprofit sector.

Holding a Master's Degree in Mental Health Counseling, she leverages her expertise to guide organizations in implementing strategies that align leadership practices with a culture that fosters employee wellbeing and psychological safety.

The Brilliant Lead is a Black woman–owned training and organizational culture development company that equips leaders with the tools to build personal wellness and create positive, healthy work environments. With Sequoia as one of its key leaders, organizations gain access to a team of experts dedicated to fostering inclusive, trauma-informed, mission-driven workplaces where people can thrive.

Mitchell Spearman

Bio coming. In the meantime, check out Mitchell on LinkedIn.

Amy Steindler

BIO COMING!

Join the most influential professionals in philanthropy. See you there!

Cancellation Requests

To request a cancellation, you must submit a written request via email to womensphilanthropy2023@gmail.com. To be eligible for a refund, requests must be received no later than February 27, 2026.

Refund Schedule

Cancellations made 30 days or more before the conference:
You will receive a full refund, minus a $50 administrative fee.
Cancellations made 15–29 days before the conference:
You will receive a 75% refund of the registration fee.
Cancellations made less than 15 days before the conference:
Unfortunately, registration fees are non-refundable during this period.

Substitutions

If you are unable to attend the conference, you may transfer your registration to another individual at no additional charge. To process a substitution, please notify us in writing at least 7 days before the conference. Be sure to include the following details about the substitute attendee:

Full name
Contact information
Any dietary or accessibility requirements

Substitutions made within seven days of the event may not be accommodated.

Event Cancellation

In the unlikely event that the conference is canceled by the organizers, all registrants will receive a full refund of their registration fees. However, please note that the organizers are not responsible for any travel, lodging, or other personal expenses incurred by attendees in connection with the event.

Important Notes

Refunds will only be processed to the original form of payment used at the time of registration.
Allow up to 14 business days for refunds to be processed and reflected in your account.
Registrants who fail to attend the conference without providing notice as outlined above are not eligible for any refund or transfer.

Acknowledgment of Terms

By registering for the conference, you acknowledge and agree to comply with the terms outlined in this cancellation policy. These terms are designed to help us manage the logistical and financial requirements necessary for hosting a high-quality event.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at womensphilanthropy2023@gmail.com.

Thank you for your interest in our conference. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing an impactful, meaningful experience together!

This cancellation policy is subject to change. Please review it regularly to stay informed of any updates.