DAF Insights for Advisors: Meet Our Expanded Team

From the time we were founded, National Philanthropic Trust’s greatest strength has always been its people. We are committed to making sure that when you call with a question, you are connected with someone who will help you find the best solution for your charitable goals.

That human touch becomes critical as we approach Giving Season, when you and your client have pressing questions about how to use an NPT DAF before the year ends.

As Chief Development Officer, I’m proud to have expanded our team to ensure even more robust support for you and your clients. Read on to learn more about how we’ve worked to enhance your charitable experience.

Our Newest Regional Directors

NPT’s team of Regional Directors is located across the country to reach our donors’ advisors wherever they are and to help them find creative solutions for philanthropic planning. I’m proud to introduce to you three of our newest team members.

Meghan Clifford
Regional Director, New England

“To be able to facilitate impactful philanthropy through DAFs allows me to continue my goal of bringing good into the world through meaningful work.”

Meghan Clifford is our newest Regional Director in the Northeast. Stationed in Boston, she is the dedicated support person for donors and their advisors in the New England region. Meghan has more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, particularly with donor-advised funds—most recently, she held the role of Senior Vice President, Senior Relationship Manager at Bank of American Charitable Gift Fund. She has also worked in grants management at nonprofits such as the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and The American Ireland Fund—but she got her start in social work.

Early in her career, after earning her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work at the University of Vermont and getting licensed in both the State of Massachusetts and the Republic of Ireland, she managed children’s programming with Aoibhneas Women’s Refuge in Dublin. She credits this experience with giving her a new perspective on philanthropy. “I relied on grants from generous donors to run our programs, so I know the impact philanthropy has in improving the lives of others,” she says. “While I’m building on years of DAF experience, there is so much to learn here—and I’m excited for the opportunity to expand on my knowledge and experience.”

Rudy Flesher
Regional Director, West

“Most organizations simply don’t offer the range of complex solutions that we do, with an attitude of ‘how can we get to yes?’”

As a Regional Director, West, based in Los Angeles, Rudy Flesher cultivates relationships with advisors across Southern California. He signed on to this role in March 2022, but Rudy’s relationship with NPT didn’t start there; he worked as a Seasonal Donor Relations Associate for three years prior to joining the team full-time in 2021, first as a Development Manager and now as a Regional Director. “What drew me most to NPT’s mission and culture is the enthusiasm, curiosity and diligence required to solve complex philanthropic problems,” Rudy says.

Rudy’s diverse work experience across the nonprofit sector gives him a fresh perspective on the job. As a social impact consultant prior to his work with NPT, he trained more than 250 individuals in fundraising and mission-oriented storytelling. He has also managed a robust annual grantmaking portfolio in his former work as a Program Officer with the Philadelphia Foundation and has served as a volunteer and board member with various grassroots nonprofits. The way he puts it: “I have sat on every side of the table when it comes to nonprofit fundraising.”

Matthias Mackay
Regional Director, Midwest

“NPT has provided me with the opportunity to leverage my financial and relationship-building expertise to help donors fulfill their philanthropic visions.”

Matthias Mackay joined NPT in March 2022 as Regional Director, Midwest. Based in Chicago, Matthias provides consultative support to help donors and their advisors work to achieve their philanthropic goals. He attributes his interest in the role to a long-held core value of giving back, instilled in him by his family. While his siblings pursued work in healthcare, Matthias says that his work in finance is also a labor of love, which has been geared toward empowering clients with the financial tools they need to better their—and others’—lives.

Prior to joining NPT, Matthias was Branch Manager for TD Ameritrade, with a range of responsibilities from managing award-winning teams and regional sales strategies to conducting large educational seminars. Previously, he was Manager, Financial Services at Prudential, and he provided research and software solutions for Morningstar. In his years of experience in financial advising, he has focused on developing strong client relationships built on follow-through and customized solutions—a practice he is excited to continue in this role. “The cases I work on are also really interesting and span the entire spectrum of financial services,” he says. “And the best part is that when we succeed and make something work, the money all goes to charity, which I find very rewarding.”

With the addition of Matthias, Rudy and Meghan, our Regional Director team is now ten people strong, offering even more reliable support across the country. To learn how to contact the Regional Director serving your area, visit our For Advisors page to find a coverage map.

NPT Guidance at Home: Advisor Services

While NPT’s Regional Directors are out in their respective regions serving donors, NPT’s Advisor Services team is stationed at NPT headquarters to support and expand the work that the national team can do—with a particular focus on serving the needs of financial advisors who are working to achieve donors’ visions.

Advisor Services is an internal development support group that delivers personalized and expedited service and proactive outreach to elevate the advisor experience.

Over the past two years, NPT assembled this team of nine professionals to provide financial advisors with assistance they need to help their clients contribute more to the causes they care about.

Advisor Services can assist with DAF account opening and transfers, provide direction for legacy planning, offering demonstrations of the donor portal and more. To get acquainted with our Advisor Services team, reach out to advisorservices@nptrust.org.

Institutional Support

Our efforts to build out the team also apply to the central office, where staff members focus on making sure our financial service partners have the support they need. I’m delighted to introduce the Institutional Relations team’s two newest additions just in time for Giving Season.

Patricia Boutiette, CAP®
Vice President, Partner Management

“I have worked in or alongside the nonprofit world for over 20 years and truly believe in the power of philanthropy.”

Patty Boutiette’s career with NPT began in August 2022 when she joined as Vice President, Partner Management. From her home in Bridgewater, MA, Patty ensures that NPT’s financial partners have a world class institutional service experience. A Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®), she continues to seek new ways to bring her 20+ years of financial service and charitable gift planning experience to bear.

Most recently before her work with NPT, Patty served as the Director of Gift Planning at Northeastern University. Drawn to NPT’s mission, she says she hopes to make broad impact from within the team: “I am most excited to positively increase market share with our partners—which ultimately translates to more dollars designated for philanthropy.”

Keita Matsumoto, CAP®
Vice President, Partner Management

“I’m excited to bring my deep experience in both finance and philanthropy to help achieve NPT’s mission.”

Keita Matsumoto joined NPT in September 2022 as Vice President, Partner Management. Based in Fort Worth, TX, Keita provides NPT’s partner firms with resources and support to help each firm’s advisors and their clients achieve their philanthropic goals. Though he began his career in financial services more broadly, he soon focused in on charitable planning—and brings over 16 years of experience in strategic philanthropy to this new role.

In his work prior to joining NPT, he got comfortable working with a diverse portfolio of donors, advisors and institutional-level partners—a skill set he believes will serve him well as VP of Partner Management. “I’m excited to help clients achieve optimal growth and impact,” he says.

With the addition of Keita and Patty, our Institutional Relations team now has eight members working on behalf of NPT to deliver a donor-advised fund program offering to our institutional partners.

Ready for Giving Season

With our new team members on board, we stand ready to serve you. To reach us with any questions about Giving Season, reach out to npt@nptrust.org or (888) 878-7900.