Keynote Speaker · STRATEGIC ADVISOR · teacher & coach

Governance built on curiosity, strategy, and collaboration.

Eileen R. Heisman is a strategic nonprofit leader who scaled a single organization into one of the largest donor-advised fund providers in the world, and now brings that governance depth to the board table.

$63B

Charitable assets RAISED AT npt

10 Times

named to NonProfit Times Power & Influence Top 50 in us

$29B

Grants distributed worldwide
ABOUT ME

A leader driven to build.

I joined National Philanthropic Trust as Vice President in 1996 and was named President and CEO in 1998. Over the course of my tenure, I directed NPT's growth from a start-up public charity into the largest independent sponsor of Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) in the United States, placing me at the center of relationships with the financial institutions, family offices, and advisors that shape charitable giving nationally.

What I am doing now.

Advisory & Board Leadership

Keynote Speaking

Teaching & Coaching

Advisory & Board Leadership

I work with private company boards, paid advisory committees, private equity firms, and family offices on philanthropy matters. I coach CEOs navigating leadership transitions, both incoming and outgoing.

GOVERNANCE · ENTERPRISE RISK · GLOBAL SCALING

Advisory & Board Leadership

Keynote Speaking

Teaching & Coaching

Advisory & Board Leadership

I work with private company boards, paid advisory committees, private equity firms, and family offices on philanthropy matters. I coach CEOs navigating leadership transitions, both incoming and outgoing.

GOVERNANCE · ENTERPRISE RISK · GLOBAL SCALING
Advisory

Governance, strategy, and institutional expertise.

As CEO, I was the driving force behind NPT's introduction of the first national private-label Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) programs for large financial firms and its concierge donor services, both later adopted as standards across the sector. I also launched the first annual industry report on donor-advised funds, which continues to draw data from more than 1,000 entities and is recognized as the definitive resource on DAF activity. As a qualified financial expert responsible for investment oversight, risk management, and regulatory compliance, including anti-money laundering matters, I built the governance infrastructure required to steward tens of billions of dollars in charitable assets through a period of rapid scaling.

Awards & recognition

DAF Trailblazer Award

DAF Giving Summit · 2024

A textured surface with undulating waves and small, repeating geometric patterns in warm brown

Power & Influence Top 50

NonProfit Times · 10 consecutive years

Outstanding Fundraising Professional

AFP · 2014

Woman of Distinction

Philadelphia Business Journal · 2003

Fundraiser of the Year

AFP Greater Philadelphia Chapter 2003

KEYNOTE & CONFERENCE SPEAKER

Experienced speaker, teacher and coach.

"I love inspiring others. And I love traveling and meeting new people in places I've never been before. I am engaging and real when I speak."

— Eileen R. Heisman

BUILDING FROM ZERO

GLOBAL GROWTH

International Expansion

CEO Transitions

WOMEN & LEADERSHIP

DONOR-ADVISED FOUNDS

MENTAL HEALTH & FAMILY

PHILANTHROPIC STRATEGY

Recurring

Association of Fundraising Professionals · National Conferences

University of Michigan School of Social Work

2025

CGP Conference · Opening Dinner Keynote

National Association of Charitable Gift Planners

2024

2024

Ask the Experts · Keynote Speaker

AFP Greater Houston Chapter

2013

Emerging Nonprofit Leaders · Keynote Speaker

Invited by the Chinese Government · Beijing

featured in.

PODCAST

March 2025

The PM Podcast — Philanthropy Masterminds, Episode 100

PODCAST

March 2025

The Painful Things Podcast

PODCAST

July 2020

Women@Work — Wharton Business Radio · SiriusXM

MY MEMOIR IS COMING
MY MEMOIR IS COMING

Can I Hug You Now?

Can I Hug You Now?

A memoir about a mother, her son, and the kind of grief that has no casseroles on the doorstep.

A memoir about a mother, her son, and the kind of grief that has no casseroles on the doorstep.

TEACHING & COACHING

Nearly twenty years
bringing the real world
into the classroom.

I’ve taught graduate philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania since 2006. My former students work across the country and around the world.

Courses.
GRADUATE SEMINAR
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Advanced Topics
in Philanthropy

GRADUATE COURSE
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Philanthropy & Fundraising
for Nonprofit Leaders

Current academic roles.

Senior Fellow

2025–Present

Center for High Impact Philanthropy · University of Pennsylvania

Graduate Lecturer

2006–Present

School of Social Policy & Practice · University of Pennsylvania

Dean-Appointed Governance Committee

2014–Present

Nonprofit Leadership Master’s Program · University of Pennsylvania

Periodic Lecturer

2007–Present

School of Social Work · University of Michigan