Birgit Smith Burton is a respected leader in the fundraising profession having raised more than $500M during her 30-year career. As the executive director of foundation relations at Georgia Tech she led her team in raising $309M toward the institute's most recent successful $1.8B capital campaign.

Burton is a well-regarded speaker on the topics of fundraising and diversity. She has authored articles on diversity in the fundraising profession and co-authored the book, The Philanthropic Covenant with Black America. She was proud to be selected by Georgia Tech leadership to participate in the first cohort of Leading Women @ Tech, which identified the next community of leaders who will guide the institution in the 21st century.

She serves on the boards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals International, the A.E. Lowe Grice Scholarship Fund, and Hosea Helps. She is chair of AFPs IDEA committee, which is working to address issues around inclusion, diversity, equity and access. She is an advisor for the Aspen Leadership Group and founder and chair of the African American Development Officers Network, which for 18 years has supported diversity in the fundraising profession by promoting professional development and facilitating interaction among its members.

Burton earned a bachelor's degree in media communications from Medaille College.

Jeanelle Chang is the senior associate officer, development operations & strategy for the Obama Foundation. Jeanelle comes to the Foundation with over ten years of non-profit experience, working in a span of span of diverse NPOs, including arts organizations, cultural institutions, health and medical association, social service entities and higher education. Before joining the Foundation, Jeanelle was at the University of Chicago and worked for Theaster Gates as the associate director, major gifts for arts + public life and the Arts Block. She executed a breadth of development skills through multiple fundraising avenues at the Asian Art Museum, the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Sinfonietta, SkyART, AsianWeek Foundation and International Anesthesia Research Society.

Jeanelle was the 2016 Young NonProfit Professional of the Year; and is a member of the Young Nonprofit Professional Network (YNPN), Association of Fundraising Professionals and AADO. She has a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego and M.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Daniel J. Montoya, MBA, walked on the campus of San Diego State University as a non-traditional student after serving four years in the U.S. Navy. He completed his bachelor of science degree in business administration management in 2004. He later went on to complete is MBA from Webster University, School of Business and Technology.

Dan has been in higher education fundraising for the last 15 years, raising support for Student Affairs, the College of Business Administration, and the College of Engineering. Dan has also helped to build regional councils in Austin, Dallas, Seattle and San Francisco Area. Dan currently serves in leadership roles for the President’s Cabinet, the Shared Governance Committee, Equity Council and is the Chair of both the President’s Latino Advisory Council and the Aztec Culture Education Committee.  His 21 years of non-profit, higher education and development experience extend across many areas of campus and he brings a well-rounded knowledge of alumni, parents, corporate, foundation and community partners. He is a connector and bridge builder and his life motto is to help people learn, grow and get them where they need to go.

Dan is an avid golfer, sports enthusiast and loves to travel with his wife and their children.

Dr. Alyssia Coates is the Senior Director of Development, Inclusive Philanthropic Engagement, and a major gift fundraiser for Brown University's Advancement division. In this role, Dr. Coates is charged with increasing donor engagement and participation within HUG populations and overall giving to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) priorities. She serves as the academic liaison for the Centers for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America and the Study of Slavery and Justice and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity at Brown University for the Advancement Division. She is an active member of Fabulous Female Fundraisers, Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the National Association for Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). Dr. Coates served in various leadership roles for 25 years at the University of Notre Dame. Regional Director of Development, Senior Leader and Director of Admissions Office for Outreach and Engagement and Office of Pre-College Programs for the Enrollment Division, Director of Trio Upward Bound and Educational Talent Search Programs, and Recruiter for the National Consortium for Minorities in Engineering and Science.

Christal M. Cherry is a nationally recognized nonprofit executive and professionally trained fundraiser. Christal also served as a Senior Consultant at the GA Center for Nonprofits and is currently the CEO of The Board Pro, a consulting firm designed to transform leaders through board service. She is contributing author in Collecting Courage, a documenting of racism and survival by 15 accomplished Black fundraisers working across the United States and Canada. She founded F3: Fabulous Female Fundraisers, a network of women of color in fundraising in the Atlanta, GA metro area. She also enjoys her membership in the African American Development Officers Network and Toastmasters.