2026 NPD Awards Committee

Co-chair - Kathryn Fernandez, Chief Executive Officer, Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence
Co-chair - Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake, MGA, FAAN, Former President of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation and Vice President, Community Affairs, Independence Blue Cross
Jory Barrad, Director of Development & Communications, Pathways School
Neil Batiancila, Chief Advancement Officer, Philadelphia Museum of Art
Jessica Brookstein, Divisional Director of Gift Planning, Salvation Army Greater Philadelphia Area and Immediate-Past President, Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia
Jonathan Burton, Director of Development, Independence Historical Trust
Garlen Capita, Director of Community Engagement – McNulty Leadership Program at Wharton, The Wharton School | University of Pennsylvania
Michael Criscuolo, Vice President, Development, The Wistar Institute
Tricia Eget, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Villanova University
Liz Marafino Fiola, President/Senior Major Gift Officer, AFP-GPC/Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Liz Hefner, President-Elect/Senior Consultant, AFP-GPC/Schultz & Williams
Beth Shalom Hessel, Ph.D., Executive Director, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Tisha Hyter, Senior Vice President, Senior Nonprofit Strategist, PNC
Tynetta T. Brown, Principal Consultant, Thumbprint Strategies

2026 NPD Planning Committee

Chair - Doris Parent, MBA, Chief Culture and People Officer, The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts
Co-Chair - Dawn Elyse Warden, Director of Individual Giving, Gesu School
Co-Chair - Nicole Snyder, Assistant Director of Donor Relations, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Kristen Barber, Director of Development Operations, Gesu School
Alim Young, Director of Individual Giving, Heights Philadelphia

National Philanthropy Day Celebration

2026 National Philanthropy Day Honorees

AFP Greater Philadelphia Chapter

Lifetime Achievement Award Carole Haas Gravagno Nominated by Philadelphia Zoo The award honors an individual or family with a proven lifetime record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles in the community.	Multigenerational Family Achievement Award Richard & Angela Clark and Family Nominated by Penn Medicine Doylestown Health This award honors a family who has demonstrated outstanding philanthropy across multiple generations, through gifts of both resources and time to one or more charitable organizations.
New Generation Philanthropist Award Emma Moretzsohn Nominated by Maternity Care Coalition The award honors an individual under the age of 55 with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take philanthropic leadership roles in the community.	Outstanding Corporate Foundation Award Sixers Youth Foundation Nominated by Variety – The Children's Charity of the Delaware Valley This award honors corporations or corporate foundations that demonstrate outstanding commitment through financial support and through encouragement and motivation of others to take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement.
Outstanding Foundation Award James and Agnes Kim Foundation Nominated by The Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts This award honors foundations that demonstrate outstanding commitment through financial support and through encouragement and motivation of others to take leadership roles toward philanthropy and community involvement.	Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award Anne Standish Nominated by Woodmere This award honors an outstanding individual fundraising professional who practices his/her profession in an exemplary manner by bringing honor, dedication, and distinction to the profession, as well as having demonstrated a significant contribution to the profession. The recipient is required to be a member of AFP at the time of nomination and should have considerable experience and tenure in the fundraising field.
Outstanding Galvanizer in Philanthropy (Individual) Award Mary Thomas Nominated by Acting Without Boundaries The award honors an individual with a proven record of exceptional generosity of service who, by leading grassroots efforts within their community that successfully leverage resources at their disposal, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity inspires and encourages others to take on philanthropic action in the community.	Outstanding Galvanizer in Philanthropy (Institutional) Award Allan Schimmel Nominated by MANNA The award honors an individual with a proven record of exceptional generosity of service who, by leading grassroots efforts within their organization that successfully leverage resources at their disposal, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity inspires and encourages others to take on philanthropic action in the community.
Outstanding Individual Philanthropist Award Jeremy Siegel and Ellen Schwartz Nominated by Independence Historical Trust The award honors an individual or family with a proven record of exceptional generosity who, through direct financial support, demonstrates outstanding civic and charitable responsibility and whose generosity encourages others to take on philanthropic leadership roles in the community.	Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award (co-honoree) Edward H. Bedrossian Jr., MD, FACS - Teddy Bedrossian Ski-A-Thon Nominated by Elwyn This award honors an individual or family who demonstrates exceptional skills in coordinating and motivating groups of volunteers for a fundraising project for the benefit of charitable institutions.
Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser Award (co-honoree) Dr. Gail Morrison Nominated by College of Physicians of Philadelphia This award honors an individual or family who demonstrates exceptional skills in coordinating and motivating groups of volunteers for a fundraising project for the benefit of charitable institutions.	Outstanding Volunteer Fundraising Group Award Southeast PA Golf Tournament Fundraising Committee Nominated by Valley Youth House This award honors a group of volunteers who demonstrate exceptional skills in fundraising projects for the benefit of charitable institutions. The recipients must have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in coordinating groups of volunteers who accomplish major fundraising projects benefiting at least one nonprofit organization. Include in the narrative the gross amount of money raised in a year.
Outstanding Young Leadership Award Young Leadership Alliance Nominated by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation This award recognizes service by an individual or group of young people who demonstrate outstanding commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering, and leadership in Philanthropy.	Planned Giving Legacy Award John G. DeMaio, MD Nominated by The Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia This award recognizes a person or family with a documented history of significant philanthropic vision and commitment through their charitable gift planning, whose leadership inspires further investment in our local community.
PNC Brilliant Nonprofit Award Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial Accepted by the Connelly Foundation Nominated by Independence Historical Trust This award honors a nonprofit institution that showcases exceptional philanthropic commitment and achieves significant, quantifiable results within the regional community.	President's Award The Nelson Foundation, Jenny Snyder Nominated by Liz Marafino Fiola, AFP-GPC President The Chapter President personally identifies the recipient of this award to recognize a foundation, organization, or individual whose contributions have achieved a significant and lasting transformation within the philanthropic community of Greater Philadelphia.