Celebrating Excellence & Family Philanthropy at Our Professional Advisors Council Fall Luncheon
On November 12, we were honored to convene more than 80 advisors for The Community Foundation’s Professional Advisors Council Fall Luncheon. This annual gathering is the premier opportunity for the region’s leading wealth managers and estate planners to connect, exchange insights, and explore strategies to help clients maximize their philanthropic impact.
We extend our sincere appreciation to our sponsors, Chevy Chase Trust, Glenmede, and Pasternak & Fidis, for helping us bring this event to fruition, our dedicated Professional Advisors Council for their ongoing thought leadership and support, and to Dick Riley and the Foley & Lardner LLP team for their warm hospitality.
Created over 15 years ago by Nancy Fax of Pasternak & Fidis and Mary Pat Alcus, the PAC is a collective of professional advisors from some of the top wealth advising and estate planning firms in the DMV region, and its charge is to advocate for The Community Foundation among peers and to provide advice and guidance to staff.
Our program this year featured a dynamic conversation on “The Family Philanthropy Revolution: When Tradition Meets Innovation,” by an esteemed panel of experts: Jennifer Goode (Bernstein Wealth Management), Diana Heath (National Center for Family Philanthropy), and Wendy Moyers (Chevy Chase Trust). Together, they explored how led families can balance long-standing philanthropic values with emerging strategies that meet today’s needs.
This year, in recognition of the profound contributions of our advisory partners, The Community Foundation was proud to present Suzanne B. Simpson, Esq., with the Nancy Fax Professional Advisor in Philanthropy Award. This award celebrates advisors in our region who demonstrate exceptional support for The Community Foundation and help strengthen the culture of philanthropy throughout the DMV.
“Thank you so much for this wonderful recognition. I feel like [it] should really go to my amazing clients who took the opportunity, when it was presented to them, to leave a legacy through the Greater Washington Community Foundation.” – Suzanne Simpson, Esq.
Meet Our Honoree
Suzanne founded Simpson Law, PA in 2003, which provides comprehensive estate planning services for busy parents, professionals, and retirees in Maryland, DC, and Virginia. Suzanne counsels clients on strategies to reduce or eliminate estate tax liability and provides recommendations regarding asset titling, life insurance, and beneficiary designations. She assists families and friends with the administration of estates through probate or trust administration. Suzanne has been recognized by Super Lawyers in Maryland and the District of Columbia as one of the top five percent in her practice area.
As we reflect on another successful PAC Fall Luncheon, we remain deeply grateful for the professional advisors who partner with us to strengthen charitable giving across our region. Their commitment ensures that families, businesses, and communities can invest in meaningful change for generations to come. We look forward to continuing this shared work, and to celebrating even more leaders who help advance philanthropy throughout the Greater Washington region
Click here for more photos from the November 2025 Professional Advisors Fall Luncheon! For more information about the Professional Advisory Council, contact our General Council & Senior Philanthropic Advisor, Tiffanie Purvis at [email protected]