Jeff Hensley 

Jeff Hensley has over 20 years of experience building the fiscal capacity of nonprofits, educational institutions, and churches. His fundraising expertise encompasses nearly all development activities including annual and planned giving, strategic planning, major gifts solicitation, corporate/foundation relations, international fundraising, crowdfunding initiatives and social media fundraising, proposal writing, and capital campaign planning and implementation. As a consultant, he specializes in development assessments, interim staff management, and leadership coaching and has served as fundraising counsel for a variety of campaigns from $1 million to $300 million. For five years, Hensley served as the development director of the Internet Society, an international nonprofit of 100 employees with a $40 million annual budget. He grew annual fundraising from $300,000 to over $10 million and helped conceive, implement, and manage the Internet Society’s first-ever $50 million capital campaign. Prior to working for the Internet Society, Hensley ran a development consultancy where he managed 13 consultants and worked with 64 higher education, K12, healthcare, and nonprofit clients. Hensley completed his undergraduate studies at Wheaton College and his graduate studies at Yale. Prior to becoming a development professional, Hensley taught theology/religious studies for nearly a decade at both the university (Baylor) and seminary (Virginia Theological Seminary) levels. He served as a fellow at the Erasmus Institute at the University of Notre Dame and has held fellowships from the Pew Charitable Trust, the Lilly Endowment, and the Wabash Center for Religion and Theology. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (CGP), and currently serves on two nonprofit boards. He is also a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). 

Phil Higginson 

Phil has served Ravenscroft School in Raleigh for more than 20 years. Currently the Associate Head of School for Philanthropy, he has helped establish 75 new endowments equating to nearly $14M raised in outright and deferred gifts. Phil began his career in 1987 at Washington International School, Washington DC. During his 36 years of independent school advancement work, he has also served at Sandy Springs Friends School, MD; Landon School, MD; St. Albans, Washington, DC where he collaborated on a $15 million campaign; and headed development programs at Norwood School, MD, including a $15 million campaign. Phil was a founding faculty member for ISM’s Advancement Academy and has served as a planning architect, instructor, and mentor for over 12 years. He teaches workshops related to the alignment of advancement objectives, institutional strategic planning, management of major gifts programs, roles and responsibilities of the Development/Advancement Committee, and effective use of advancement data. He holds the Leader Certification through ISM’s International Advancement Program (IAP−L). He will join ISM as a full-time Consultant in July 2023. Phil has presented at more than 30 local and national conferences for CASE, NAIS, NCAIS, AISGW, and NCPG. He served as Chair of the 38th annual CASE-NAIS national conference and has served on three planning committees for this event. He served as a member of the CASE District III Board. He chaired the CASE/NAIS conference in 2008 and is a member of the CASE Laureates. Phil graduated from Groton School, MA, and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Richmond, VA.

Tom Howell

Tom is a graduate of Elon University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history with a minor in religious studies. After graduation, Tom ran an office supply business in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which he sold in 1997 to pursue his career in education. He earned his master's degree in education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and has worked at Forsyth Country Day School since January 2000. Starting in the fall of 2020, Tom transitioned from two decades of teaching Social Studies to Director of Alumni Engagement, but still maintains his role as Forsyth Country Day School’s special events photographer.

Lorrie Jackson

With over 20 years of experience in the K-12 space, Lorrie Jackson is a frequent presenter on school marketing and web strategy. She previously served as a director of marketing, faculty member, and technology coordinator at independent and public schools, and was a contributor in the 2011 edition of The NAIS Handbook on Marketing Independent Schools. As an Education Sales Consultant at Finalsite, she works with schools across the U.S. South looking to improve their website and online communications.

Watson Jordan 

As Executive Director of The Resilience Initiative, Dr. Jordan is currently promoting resilience around the world and is known for his headstand to raise awareness. A lifelong educator, Dr. Jordan has developed and led programs in technology, safety, integrity, and wellness. His latest project, Ten10 Finance, promotes financial wellness and knowledge for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Brendan Schneider

Brendan is the founder and CEO of SchneiderB Media Inc. He has worked in boarding and day schools for 26 years. He has worn many hats, including Director of Technology, Director of Enrollment Management, Director of Admission and Financial Aid, and Director of Advancement. He is also a boarding school alumnus. Brendan began SchneiderB Media 12 years ago as a blog where he shared his school's journey with inbound marketing. What started as a blog has now become an agency dedicated to helping tuition playing school earn more inquiries.

John Sullivan  

John Sullivan specializes in people, leadership, and organizational health. His mission as a Generis Total Advancement Solution Strategist spans more than 17 years of Christian higher education, Christian PK-12 school, and church executive leadership. Partnership with John looks like integrating all facets of organizational leadership into a kinetic path leading to the fruition of God-inspired vision. He has worn departmental hats in enrollment and advancement, in vision and executive leadership, in operations and finance. In his career, John has doubled enrollment, cast God-sized vision, erased decades-old debt, wrote policy, raised millions of dollars for organizational growth, coached boards of directors, and partnered with Christian and community leaders all over the United States. Most importantly, the heart of John’s day-to-day leadership looks like walking through despair and grief with anxious high school students, celebrating admission acceptance with newly settled international students, and navigating the most difficult seasons of financial insecurity by remaining hopeful and encouraging of others. John has two degrees from Harding University: a master’s degree in professional counseling and a B.A. in ministry. He is continuing his education with a doctorate degree that will enable him to serve God’s people in a more meaningful way as they seek to advance God’s kingdom. John builds teams, grows volunteer bases, and seeks out stakeholders that are diverse and well-rounded. For John, leading diverse teams who collaborate well with one another is not a goal; it’s a priority.John and his wife, Brittany live on a small farm in Fairview, Tenn., where they are raising their young daughter. John is an outdoorsman, and if he doesn’t answer your phone call, he is probably on a small mountain stream fly fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Also, John enjoys playing keys and singing vocals for local worship bands. 

Chris Winter

Chris is in his 5^th year serving as President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Eastern North Carolina.  The chapter grants in excess of 200 wishes from the Triangle to the Coast and saw its most successful fundraising year ever this past year.  Prior to his time at Make-A-Wish, Chris directed Domestic Philanthropy at Living Water International.  LWI is a $25 million organization focused on the provision of clean, safe water in 16 countries around the world.  During his 13 year tenure, philanthropy increased each year; Chris’ focus was largely centered on Major Gifts and Leadership of the Philanthropy team.  Chris has long-standing engagement in the Independent school community.  He taught and coached at Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, coached at Georgetown Visitation in Washington DC, and graduated from Landon School in Bethesda, MD.