2026 Virginia Fund Raising Institute

Virginia Thumm is the Founder and President of Virginia Fundraising Consultants, where she has been responsible for designing and implementing dozens of successful, multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns for nonprofit organizations across the region.
Prior to launching her firm, Virginia served as Director of Development for several nonprofits in New York and Virginia. Over a four-decade career in philanthropy, she has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars to advance nonprofit missions through strategic planning, major... Read More →

Ken Miller, CFRE, is a best-selling author, dynamic speaker, and transformative business leader whose powerful life story continues to motivate professionals and communities across the country. As the author of Becoming Ken, he shares his riveting journey from addiction and adversity... Read More →

Kris’s path into philanthropy began with her study of medical anthropology, a field that deepened her understanding of human behavior, community health, and the structural forces that shape social outcomes. That academic foundation continues to inform her approach to fundraising... Read More →

Tommy M. Amal, MS, CFRE, is Chief Advancement Officer at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, where he leads strategy across major gifts, foundation partnerships, and enterprise development. He focuses on building sustainable revenue and advancing equity in education... Read More →

Doug Trout joined DRiWaterstone (DRiW), a leading executive search in 2020 and led the nonprofit search practice starting in 2022; he became Chief Executive Officer in 2024.

DRiWaterstone Human Capital is an ideally blended firm focused on purpose-driven organizations. DRiW unites executive search with leadership and culture advisory to build high-performing teams. Our approach: rigorous search, stakeholder alignment, inclusive practices, and measurable... Read More →

Julie is the VP, Individual Giving at Conservation International, where she leads the strategy for individual global philanthropy and engagement. A seasoned nonprofit executive, she is a frequent speaker at AFP ICON and has served as a co-chair for the Bridge to Integrated Marketing... Read More →