The Painful Things: A Conversation with Eileen Heisman

Karyn Grossman Gershon is CEO of Project Kesher and the architect of its international network of feminist Jewish leaders. She has helped raise over $40 million to support Jewish women and girls across Eastern Europe and Israel, advancing gender equality, public health, and Jewish life. Most recently, she’s helped shape a gendered response to the war in Ukraine. We begin the conversation with her earliest memories of social activism.

Eileen Heisman is one of philanthropy’s most influential leaders. As the founding President and CEO of National Philanthropic Trust, she grew it into a global powerhouse, facilitating over $63 billion in charitable giving. A ten-time honoree on the NonProfit Times Power & Influence Top 50, she’s advised world leaders, taught at Penn, and shaped the future of donor-advised funds. In this conversation, we trace her journey—from childhood lessons in inclusion and innovation to her early years in politics, and through more than three decades at the helm of one of the nation’s leading engines of giving.

A former attorney who walked away from law to find his true calling in philanthropy, Tony Martignetti has spent over 27 years helping organizations grow and thrive. He’s the founder of Martignetti Planned Giving Advisors and the host of Tony Martignetti Nonprofit Radio, where he’s been sharing expert insights and candid conversations with nonprofit leaders since 2010. In this conversation, we hear his journey from the AV club to a nuclear missile silo and from the comedy stage to podcasting and activism today.

Maya Kupperman has spent her career building organizations that drive innovation in philanthropy. As co-founder and CEO of Temelio, she’s using AI to make grantmaking faster and more efficient. Before that, she helped grow MainStreet from a seed-stage startup to Series B and advised The Farmlink Project, which connects surplus farm produce to food banks. With a background in tech, nonprofits, and software development—and a degree in Human Biology and Education from Stanford—she brings a unique perspective to the space. But her passion for impact started much earlier. We begin our conversation with the story of A Chance to Dance, the organization she founded at 12 to bring free dance classes to children in migrant farmworker communities where she was born.

James Misner is committed to building systems that create lasting impact. Growing up near Philadelphia in the 1990s, he was struck by his community’s negative attitudes toward refugees from the Balkans and Rwanda. This led him to study political science, work in resettlement, and dedicate his career to helping nonprofits secure the resources they need to drive change. After roles in refugee resettlement at Wheaton Bible Church and McLean Bible Church, he spent a decade at World Relief as Senior Vice President of Strategic Engagement, leading partnerships and revenue strategy. Now, as Founder and CEO of The Kipos Group, he helps small and mid-sized nonprofits overcome fundraising barriers and grow sustainably. In this conversation, we explore his journey—from hands-on refugee work to rethinking nonprofit fundraising—beginning in the neighborhood where it all started.

Jim Langley is a leading voice in philanthropy. As President of Langley Innovations, he’s helped hundreds of institutions rethink fundraising through research-driven strategies. A former advancement leader at Georgetown, UC San Diego, and Georgia Tech, he’s led groundbreaking campaigns and shaped best practices in donor engagement. Through his books, articles, and seminars, he continues to guide organizations in navigating the evolving world of philanthropy. In this conversation, we traced the arc of his life and work, starting with a visit to his hometown. 

Sara Lomelin is a philanthropy disruptor and the founding CEO of Philanthropy Together, a global movement advancing collective giving. She’s the creator of the Latino Giving Circle Network, the largest network of Latinx philanthropists in the U.S., and a TED speaker recognized on Forbes’ 50 Over 50: Impact List. Sara is passionate about shifting power in philanthropy and proving that everyone can be a philanthropist.

Sharise Harrison is the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Services and Prospect Management at California State University-Sacramento. A leader in philanthropy and data equity, she’s spent over a decade redefining how nonprofits approach prospect research to reduce bias and build more inclusive fundraising practices. Sharise also serves as President-Elect of Apra.

Natalie Silverstein is an author, speaker, and podcast host whose work is all about inspiring kindness and service in families and teens. Natalie is the founder of the New York affiliate of Doing Good Together and the host of the award-winning podcast Simple Acts, Big Impact: Celebrating Teen Changemakers, where she highlights incredible stories of young people making a difference. She’s also the author of two nationally recognized books, Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back and Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference.

Heidi Johnson is a nonprofit founder, storyteller, and the creator of Charity Matters, a platform and podcast highlighting everyday heroes who make the world better through service. After a personal tragedy in 2002, Heidi founded the Spiritual Care Guild at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, which became a national model for pediatric chaplaincy. Today, she inspires others by sharing stories of purpose, resilience, and the transformative power of giving. Heidi is also the author of Change for Good: The Transformative Power of Giving as the Ultimate Cure.