2026 Summit Plenary Conversation

Join aasp President Mark Walcott and Lily School of Philanthropy Doctoral Candidates in a conversation surrounding philanthropy, storytelling, community voice, power, technology, organizational systems, and decision-making. In this discussion, panelists will share what they’re studying, why it matters to philanthropy, and how their research connects to advancement services and the work practitioners do.

 

Mark Walcott, aasp President

Dr. Mark Walcott has more than 20 years of experience in technology-related and advancement services roles focused on Data Analytics, Data Management, and technological innovation. He serves as the Assistant Vice President of Advancement Systems & Reporting Advancement and Alumni at the University of Houston. Dr. Walcott actively speaks on a variety of topics and has served on Blackbaud Higher Education Executive Advisory Board, Multicultural Leadership Institute (MCLP) Board, and other organizations focused on community and technological Advancement. Dr. Walcott is focused on continuing to build the profession through the strategic growth of aasp.

 

Imoleayo Adeyeri, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University

Imoleayo (Ayo) is a research scholar at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University, focusing on participatory practices and shifting power in community foundations. Previously, she spent 17 years in nonprofit program management and fund development across Africa, the US, and Canada. Ayo holds a PhD and MA in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University, an MSc in Finance from the University of Leicester, and a BSc in Accounting and Management from Nigeria. A 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal recipient, former AFP Canada board member, and GivingUSA co-author, she reviews for the Mandela-Washington and Fulbright Exchange Programs for IREX. 

Megan Hillier-Geisler, Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University

Megan Hillier-Geisler, Ph.D., is a recent graduate of the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and her work is informed by a background in folklore, religious studies, nonprofit management, and public administration. Her research uses folklore theory to explore how individuals’ philanthropic identity is created and managed via the artistic communications of small groups. Her dissertation –Spirits of Charity: Personal Experience Narrative and the Philanthropic Tradition—set forth a method for investigating the seemingly normal, everyday tales we tell one another. Before Megan became an academic researcher, she spent over 10 years working for nonprofit organizations, including Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, where she helped corporate partners develop meaningful stories into fundraising campaigns as the Director of Innovation. Megan is a principal for Sixth Woman Consulting, an adjunct at IU Indianapolis, researches good ghost legends, writes a Substack about sports philanthropy, and roots for all her favorite teams from her home in Indianapolis.