Cost:

Members $15  |  Non-Members: $25

 

Registration closes at 11:59 pm EST on Oct. 7, 2025.

 

Description: 

 

What story will your wealth tell? What legacy will you leave behind? Join us for an empowering conversation for women with purpose.

 

This dynamic panel of experts for an engaging conversation that demystifies legacy giving and shows you how to make a meaningful impact … on your terms.

 

Whether you're just beginning to think about philanthropy or refining an existing giving strategy, you can make choices today that shape the legacy you leave tomorrow. This event is your opportunity to:

• Understand the “why” behind impactful giving
• Explore smart, strategic ways to give, now and in the future
• Learn how charitable giving vehicles work and how to use them effectively
• Get ahead of key changes in the 2025 tax legislation that could affect your giving
• Ask questions, gain clarity, and connect with others who share your commitment to purposeful giving.

 

Agenda:

6 pm – Welcome, introductions, and a brief look at the FWA

6:10 pm – Dialog among the moderator and panelists, with time for Q&A from participants

7:10 pm – Closing reflections and farewell

 

 

Bios:

 

Moderator: Mary Jean Barnes, JD, Director of Charitable Giving, MJM Financial Advisors

 

With 25+ years of leadership in philanthropy, law, and nonprofit management, Mary Jean Barnes brings deep expertise in strategic giving, community impact, and legacy-building. Currently Director of Charitable Giving at MJM Financial Advisors, she has led transformative initiatives at organizations like the NJ State Bar Foundation and Dress for Success Northern NJ. A passionate advocate for women, service, and access to opportunity, she also serves on several nonprofit boards and holds appointments from the NJ Supreme Court to the IOLTA Fund Board and the Committee on Character.

 

 

Jeremy Schiff, Associate Regional Director, US East, National Philanthropic Trust 

 

Jeremy Schiff is the Associate Regional Director of Development for the Mid-Atlantic at National Philanthropic Trust (NPT). In this role, Jeremy partners with financial advisors and bankers across the Mid-Atlantic region, offering consultative support to help their clients achieve meaningful philanthropic goals. He is based in Caldwell, NJ.

 

Before joining NPT, Jeremy served as the Director of Strategic Development at Good Grief, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering resilience in children, strengthening families and empowering communities to navigate loss and adversity. He remains actively involved with Good Grief as a volunteer, contributing to its vital mission.

 

Earlier in his career, Jeremy spent a decade at JPMorgan Chase, where he held multiple roles within the Commercial Bank, most recently serving as Treasury Management Officer. Jeremy earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Political Science from Rutgers University.

 

 

Pandora Thompson, Esq., Of Counsel, Coughlin Midlige & Garland, LLP

 

With over 20 years of experience in estate planning, taxation, and nonprofit advising, Pandora J. Thompson is a trusted legal expert in legacy-building and charitable giving. Of Counsel at Coughlin Midlige & Garland LLP, she guides individuals, families, and tax-exempt organizations through complex trust, estate, and business matters. A former law clerk to the NJ Appellate Division and alum of NYU Law (LL.M., Taxation), she is admitted to practice in New Jersey and New York.

 

 

Stephanie Hauge, FWA Board Member, Principal, The NonProfit Helper 

 

Stephanie Hauge is a principal in her consultancy, The NonProfit Helper, where she assists non-profits, especially faith based organizations. Her career has spanned the non-profit sector serving as the Director, Corporation and Foundation Relations for Seton Hall University, South Orange, New Jersey, the Director of Finance and Administration for the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and Related Entities and nine years on the Board of Caldwell Univeristy.  Her corporate career spanned 30 years from senior accountant to financial leadership and executive roles, such as Controller, CFO, Treasurer, Financial VP in pharmaceutical (Warner Lambert, now Pfizer), medical devices (National Medical Care, now Fresenius Medical Care), telecommunications (AT&T, VirginMobile, USA) and internet media (theglobe.com) industries. 

 

Stephanie was the 2009-10 President of the Financial Women’s Association. She has served on the FWA Board in various capacities since 2001, including as Treasurer, Chair of Development, and as a member of the Finance Committee. She is currently on the Board as a member of the ORC, and serves on the FWA Leadership Council as the Co-Chair of FWA in NJ committee.

 

She has enjoyed immensely being a champion and mentor for others, especially women seeking success in financial careers.