Through a year-long curriculum, 15 professionals gained the knowledge, resources, and tools necessary to help their clients reach their charitable giving objectives, while also helping them meet their estate planning and wealth management goals.

During the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) program, financial advisors, lawyers, and nonprofit professionals learn to help clients discover the legacies they will leave their families and community. By integrating the legal, accounting, financial services, and planned giving professions, the program promotes an interdisciplinary approach to most effectively achieve client goals.

At their recent graduation, the new CAPs discussed what meant the most to them during the year-long course. Several graduates mentioned the program’s emphasis on the full scope of knowledge – from tax law to community needs to working as a collaborative a team to accomplish big philanthropic goals, was fruitful for them.

“Talking with nonprofits meant a great deal to me,” Jack Holmes said. “We live in the world of wealth management, and we don’t understand the struggles of nonprofits, so learning more about the benefits of unrestricted gifts was important to me.”

Similarly, the CAP graduates who work for nonprofit organization said they benefited from learning more about the financial aspects of philanthropy and wealth management.

“It was a great opportunity from the nonprofit side to see the people in the CPA roles who also want amazing things for the community,” Dana Ryan said. “We in the nonprofit world can sometimes get trapped in the day-to-day (work) and it was a privilege to see it from a different perspective and to meet people in a different field who want to serve the community.”

With all new CAPS taking away more knowledge of the broad, vibrant, philanthropic local community, they all now have more to offer in their professional roles.

2023 CAP® Graduates
  • Abby Arcishewsky, Archway Strategy and Consulting
  • Allie Boulay, Deloitte
  • Ben Burton, Lutz
  • Elizabeth Donner, Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands
  • Matt Gerard, Creighton University
  • Jack Holmes, Bridges Trust
  • Kris Karnes, First National Bank of Omaha
  • Colin Kastrick, Kastrick Law
  • Laura Latka, FORVIS
  • Brett Lindstrom, Bridges Trust
  • Andrea Marshall, Andrea Marshall Consulting
  • Anne Meysenburg, Omaha Community Foundation
  • Nick Meysenburg, Dvorak Law Group, LLC
  • Dana Ryan, Methodist Hospital Foundation
  • Albert Varas, Latino Center of the Midlands

CAP® participants engage in a rigorous year-long course with 16 class sessions of graduate-level coursework through The American College of Financial Services. This year, several classes were held at various locations in the community to give participants the opportunity to see how philanthropy impacts local organizations and our community.

To learn more about CAP® program, visit our Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy webpage at OmahaFoundation.org/CAP.