Maia McGill, Founder and CEO of the Inclusive Philanthropy Institute™ is a seasoned industry leader with more than 18 years of experience in the higher education and philanthropic sectors. She is considered a notable authority in inclusive philanthropy and co-founded the former Office of Inclusive Philanthropy at the Florida International University (FIU) Foundation, which was the first of its kind in the nation.

The FIU Foundation Office of Inclusive Philanthropy (FOIP) brought together development professionals with community and industry partners from diverse backgrounds to inform, implement and evaluate philanthropic strategy and programming that promoted systemic change. FOIP’s target initiatives included scholarships and wrap-around support services for students, increased faculty diversity, strong and inclusive advisory board governance, social equity research, cultural competence trainings, and improved health and education outcomes.

Within FOIP, McGill cultivated a fundraising team composed of individuals with diverse cultural, racial and religious backgrounds, gender identities and sexual orientations – representation that was integral to the Office’s work and to understanding the needs of the university’s diverse student body. By June 2023, more than $50 million dollars was raised to advance diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives university-wide.

McGill’s expertise has been featured in the “Focus Forward Wisdom” series of Marts&Lundy’s “What We Think” podcast. She has also presented on the topic of inclusive philanthropy at multiple conferences, including the Counsel for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Annual Conference for College and University Foundations, the CASE–African American Development Officers Network Conference on Diverse Philanthropy and Leadership; and more.

Prior to FIU, her roles in higher education included serving as the Director of Community and Multicultural Affairs at the University of Rochester Medical Center. In that position, she facilitated and guided proposals and white papers for diversity research grants and initiatives; and she directed several community-based programs and screenings serving vulnerable populations – impacting thousands of residents. She also successfully cultivated and maintained relationships with key leaders in both the public and private sectors, including foundations, health care providers, researchers, faculty and community-based organizations.

Dr. Jay Jefferson has joined the Inclusive Philanthropy Institute as Consulting Partner, Curriculum Development. Dr. Jefferson served as the Assistant Director for the Department of Access, Compliance, and Equal Opportunity (ACE) at Florida International University (FIU). Prior to this appointment, he served as the data analyst for FIU DEI and a former postdoctoral researcher within FIU's School of Universal Computing Construction, and Engineering Education (SUCCEED). Dr. Jefferson led the launch, analysis, and dissemination of FIU's first ever Belonging Survey dedicated to assessing campus climate as well as served as co-founder and lead for the FIU DEI Doctoral Fellowship, which provided 15 FIU doctoral students with community support programming and professional development opportunities. Dr. Jefferson's published research has centered on investigations of 1) the underrepresentation of Black women in engineering bachelor’s degree attainment (with emphasis on the critical role of HBCUs in graduating Black women within this field), 2) the experiences of HBCU engineering students sense of belonging during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 3) how undergraduate experiences at HBCUs contribute to successful graduate pathways for STEM students. He is committed to topics of U.S. and global race relations, intersectionality of social identities, MSI (specifically HBCU and HSI) campus climate and culture, as well as topics of power, privilege, mental health, and overall student experiences in STEM. Dr. Jefferson is a certified affirmative action professional as well as a McNair Scholars alumni of FIU, having also received the honor of FIU's Worlds Ahead graduate. He received his PhD in Animal Behavior from the University of California, Davis in 2020.

Jacob Lewis is a Financial Consultant with a passion for guiding individuals and businesses towards financial prosperity. Armed with knowledge and experience, he assists clients in making informed decisions and devises strategic plans to achieve their financial goals.

Jacob's expertise lies in providing personalized financial solutions that align with the unique objectives of each client. With a commitment to excellence and a results-driven approach, Jacob is dedicated to empowering clients on their path to financial success. Jacob has joined the team as our Financial Controller, ensuring our financial health while maximizing profitability and mitigating risks.

Frantz is a mission-forward leader with more than ten years of experience in a variety of fundraising positions within nonprofit organizations and higher education. He is a proven collaborative partner who combines intellectual curiosity, and strong analytical and interpersonal skills to advance mission awareness, advocacy, and philanthropic support. The Institute is pleased to have him serve as a Consultant, guiding content, and research.

Currently, Frantz serves as the Director of Development, Special Initiatives at Boston University (BU). He conceptualizes and executes a comprehensive development strategy on behalf of the Center for Antiracist Research, ensuring a coordinated and thoughtful approach to all activities meant to engage BU’s leading prospects and donors for the Center.

Most recently, he served as the Director of Development for Breakthrough Miami and managed a diverse portfolio of individual and corporate donors. Previously, Frantz worked for five years at Florida International University (FIU), first as development manager at the university’s Frost Art Museum, followed by three years of service as a gift officer for the FIU Foundation. Notably, Frantz was the primary researcher and lead for Black Male Initiatives under the former Office of Inclusive Philanthropy at the FIU Foundation. The Office served as a university platform for creating equitable systems, inclusive communities, and authentic belonging with university and community stakeholders. In 2020, Frantz volunteered to take part in the Initiative, supporting long-term planning, implementation, and training for Foundation staff members to be empowered to promote scalable diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives.

Frantz’s community-driven volunteerism extends to civic projects and service to the field of professional fundraisers. He has been an active executive volunteer for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District III, Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee for Men of Color in Development (MOCID) national network, a member of the National Forum for Black Professional Administrators (NFBPA), and a graduate of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Miami program (Cohort 41). In 2021, Frantz was recognized as one of Legacy Miami’s “40 Under 40” Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow.

Frantz graduated magna cum laude with Bachelor of Arts degrees in both English and Sociology from the University of Florida. He earned a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University.

Charlie Crespo has joined the Inclusive Philanthropy Institute as Consulting Partner, bringing his passion about the written word and its power to affect change to our Grant and Proposal Writing division. He is a firm believer that the keys to any great written piece are conducting thorough research, listening to field experts, and crafting a narrative that is clear, dynamic, and eloquent. Charlie is a communications and marketing professional with more than 9 years of experience in education, online media, agency, and public relations environments. As a key member of Florida International University Foundation’s communications and marketing team, Charlie played a vital role in advancing Next Horizon, FIU’s $750 million-dollar fundraising campaign. Charlie is proud to have worked on teams that have won multiple CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education) Awards, which recognizes best practices in advancement and outstanding individuals who contribute to the growth and understanding of the advancement profession.

Mandy Heath is a Consulting Partner with the Inclusive Philanthropy Institute, specializing in DEI Data Analytics and Prospect Development. Prior to her current role as Vice President of Services at a national healthcare philanthropy firm, she served as the Senior Director of the Prospect Development & Data Management teams at Florida International University (FIU) Foundation. In that role, she oversaw all aspects of prospect development and data management in support of FIU’s $750M Next Horizon campaign. Mandy was also actively involved with the former FIU Foundation Office of Inclusive Philanthropy (FOIP), serving as lead for Indigenous initiatives and for DEI Data Analytics & Prospect Development. With over 15 years of prospect development and advancement operations experience, Mandy has worked and consulted with various non-profit and higher education organizations to build successful and efficient relationship and database management systems.

Prior to FIU, Mandy held a variety of positions with the City of Tempe/Tempe Center for the Arts, Arizona State University, Ballet Arizona, Dignity Health, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Barrow Neurological Institute.

Mandy is a very active volunteer and member of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement (APRA) and has served in various capacities on the Awards, Curriculum Planning, Education and Professional Development, and Advocacy committees. She also served as Apra’s Hospitality and Volunteer Co-Chair, was past President of the Apra Arizona chapter and served as a CASE District III and CASE Circle of Excellence judge. Additionally, she is a member of Apra Florida, and currently serves as a member of Apra’s Ethics & Compliance Committee and is also a member of the Association of Advancement Services Professionals (AASP) DEI in Advancement Data Task Force, where she was a contributing author of the DEI For Advancement Services Best Practices Guide.

Additionally, she is a founding board member of the Waking Women’s Healing Institute, a place of learning and healing that works to address the pandemic of missing and murdered Indigenous Women and the prevention of acts of sexual violence against Indigenous women, girls, and two spirit individuals.