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Visionary Voices

Authors & Contributors to philanthropy.org

Visionary Voices features original work from experienced fundraisers, nonprofit executives, advisors, and practitioners writing from direct responsibility.

This is a curated forum. Contributors are selected for depth of experience, operational credibility, and demonstrated results.

Visionary Voices is intentionally limited and does not publish: early-career professionals, academic commentary without applied responsibility, vendor marketing content, trend-driven opinion pieces, or personal brand publishing.

If your work has not been shaped by accountability, consequence, and execution, it does not belong here.

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Authors List

  • Pablo Waissbluth Panzer has spent twenty-five years building business systems that work. When a complex autoimmune illness forced him into a healthcare system that didn't, he faced years of fragmented care and misdiagnosis. When he finally received a correct diagnosis (Common Variable Immunodeficiency), the clear gap between what he was able to access versus the resources most patients have became the foundation of his work. Vivo Crónico Foundation was built to bring equity and hope to people navigating chronic healthcare needs.

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  • Patty McIlreavy is president and CEO of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, the only full-time resource dedicated to helping donors maximize their impact in response to disasters. Her leadership emphasizes strategic planning, fiscal responsibility, and advancing recovery efforts that center communities and address inequities exposed by disasters.   

    Since joining CDP, Patty has led six consecutive years of record growth, strengthened and diversified the board, and helped secure major unrestricted philanthropic investments, expanding CDP’s reach and mission-driven impact.  

    With more than 30 years of experience in relief, recovery and post-conflict development, including 17 years living in Africa and the Middle East, her career has centered on strengthening systems, listening to communities, and improving how aid is delivered across domestic and global contexts. 

    Before joining CDP, she served as vice president of the humanitarian team at InterAction. She is a frequent speaker and media contributor, a member of the Forbes Nonprofit Council, and a recognized voice in disaster philanthropy. She believes good intentions are not enough and that communities recover with dignity when power and partnership are shared.

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  • Patrick O'Donnell, Editor, PlannedGiving.com

    Patrick is PlannedGiving.Com’s Senior Editor of Content, Communications, and Storytelling. He is also the Executive Editor of GIVING magazine, where he helps bring you powerful, inspirational, and educational stories from the nonprofit sector. An author, editor, and marketing communications professional with deep roots in journalism, Patrick works closely with nonprofits to craft compelling, mission-driven narratives that inform, inspire, and drive action. Learn more at Patrickfodonnell.com.

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  • Ramona Ramadar is Director of Gift Planning for The Salvation Army Greater New York Division, where she leads planned giving initiatives that support the organization’s mission of serving communities, fighting poverty, and transforming lives. With nearly 20 years of experience in nonprofit and corporate sectors, including more than a decade specializing in charitable gift planning, she is a recognized leader in philanthropy and estate planning. 

    Before joining The Salvation Army, Ramona served as Regional Director of Gift Planning at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, managing a portfolio of more than 800 planned giving donors while providing strategic support and training nationwide. 

    A dedicated advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, Ramona has held several leadership roles with the Philanthropic Planned Giving Group of Greater New York and received its Emerging Leader Award in 2022. 

    She is a frequent speaker on charitable gift planning and nonprofit leadership. Ramona holds a B.S. from The City College of New York, an MBA from Adelphi University, and credentials as a Fellow in Charitable Estate Planning (FCEP) and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP). 

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  • Rebecca White brings two-plus decades of nonprofit leadership experience as an executive director, program director, board member, and fundraiser to her consulting work. She has led change, launched successful programs, and raised millions. Today, she equips nonprofit leaders to lead well, leave well, and manage transition with confidence.

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  • Robert C. Clothier

    Bob is the founder and principal of Clothier Governance Consulting, advising nonprofit boards — including independent schools and colleges — on governance, fiduciary duty, and board effectiveness. He spent a decade as Vice President and General Counsel of Ursinus College and was previously a partner in the higher-education practice at Saul Ewing LLP. A longtime trustee himself, he served nearly twenty years on the board of The Haverford School, including ten as chair of its trusteeship committee. A graduate of Princeton University, he holds a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School.

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  • Director, Grants & Scholarships, ULM Foundation

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  • Russell James II, JD, PhD, CFP®, Texas Tech University

    Dr. Russell James is a professor at Texas Tech University specializing in charitable financial planning. A former college president and planned giving director, he has published extensively on philanthropy. His research is widely recognized, earning him induction into the Charitable Gift Planners' Hall of Fame.

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  • Sanjay Bindra

    Dr. Sanjay Bindra led the creation of India’s first perpetual endowment for medical education with no paid staff, no gift officer, and support from 400 households. He is a board-certified cardiac electrophysiologist and President, Co-Founder, and Board Chair of GOSUMEC Foundation USA, which funds medical scholarships in Mumbai.

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  • Sanjukta Shams

    Shama Shams, CFRE, is the founder of Case for Support Consulting, a nonprofit strategist with over 20 years of experience, and a published author. She specializes in fundraising, strategic planning, marketing, and board development. Shama has led million-dollar campaigns, built high-performing teams, and secured transformational gifts for nonprofits of all sizes. She is also the host of the podcast From Passion to Purpose, where she amplifies the voices of nonprofit leaders and changemakers. Shama also teaches at North Seattle College and Edmonds College, on nonprofit board development, storytelling, and fundraising. She presented at various conferences and webinars throughout the country. Through her work, Shama empowers mission-driven organizations to grow sustainably while honoring the communities they serve with dignity, equity, and purpose.

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