Director of Philanthropy, Evangelical Homes of Michigan Foundation

Kathryn Brennan is a seasoned fundraiser with 10 years of experience. Beginning with the American Cancer Society, she wanted to help people but found her stomach too weak for medicine. Instead, Katie redirected her heart to fundraising for cancer survivor victims which she found to be "tremendously rewarding." She knows asking people to give is always appropriate because, "every worthy organization needs donor loyalty to keep their mission alive."

Katie originally came to the Planned Giving Roundtable through work with two men she respects greatly, Rob McGregor and Steve Moore. Through the confidence she gained from these mentors, and others at PGRT, she is no longer intimidated when talking to donors about planned gifts; it is "an excellent way" she says, "to support a mission while leaving a personal legacy."

Katie has become so seasoned in planned giving she closed a gift to her current charity, EHM Senior Solutions, of almost a quarter million dollars through a donor's trust. She attributes her confidence in closing that magnitude of gift to the information she gleaned from her PGRTSEM membership.

Katie's love for her husband and family flows over into her charitable work. At a very young age, she watched her mom and dad be helpful to those in need in her community. Her highest values are honesty, happiness and faith in God. She wants to live her life according to the philosophy, "do not sweat the small stuff," but admits she does not always succeed in that.