Educational Sessions
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Educational Session in Santa Barbara
Thursday, October 23, 2025, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM PST
Category: Events

Description:

This session highlights Jenny’s experience building out the gift planning program for the Botanic Gardens, with a focus on simplifying messaging to resonate with development professionals who are balancing many responsibilities. A light case study will walk through Jenny’s growth with Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), stock gifts, Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Day, and the cultivation of meaningful bequest stories, while also showcasing her expanding intentional stewardship efforts with donors. Complementing Jenny’s perspective, marketing best practices will be shared along with examples of how Crescendo’s toolset has supported her program’s growth.

Speakers:

Jenny McClure
Senior Donor Relations Manager, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

Jenny focuses on building meaningful donor relationships and inspiring legacy gifts to support native plant conservation. She brings deep expertise in donor stewardship, major gifts, planned giving, and donor-centered communications, with a passion for making philanthropy accessible and helping donors leave lasting legacies.

Jenny’s work bridges fundraising, conservation, and social impact—connecting people to causes they care about and empowering them to make a meaningful difference through strategic, tax-smart giving.

Ryan LaCanfora
Marketing Specialist, Crescendo Interactive, West Coast Region

Ryan LaCanfora serves as the Integrated Marketing Specialist for the West Coast Region at Crescendo Interactive, where he leads comprehensive gift planning integrated marketing services tailored for all non-profit organizations. With an expert touch, he guides nonprofits in harnessing the power of integrated marketing and building dynamic planned giving initiatives. Ryan is an active speaker and educator, sharing his expertise in eMarketing, gift planning, and fostering donor relationships through engaging seminars. Bringing a wealth of experience from the business arena, Ryan has a background of 5 years in project management coupled with specialized expertise in accounting. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management & Administration from Grand Canyon University.

Cost:

Members: $50 | Non-Members: $75
First-Time Attendees: $25

MEMBERS - Take advantage of our offer to register up to FOUR guests to accompany you for an additional $25 each!

Schedule:

10:30 AM - 11:00 AM | Registration/Check-in

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Networking & Lunch

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM | Presentation

REGISTER HERE

Do you have an idea for a presentation? SoCalCGP is always looking for members and colleagues to share ideas, strategies, and real-world stories. Complete this short form to submit your session proposal—we’d love to learn from you!