Kristen Bitzegaio
Engagement Manager
Kristen Bitzegaio
Engagement Manager
(317) 630-5200 x802
Before joining IPA, Kristen served as the executive director for Zionsville Alliance for Mental Wellness, where she advocated for mental health and wellness through community education. Kristen has also worked as a nonprofit and philanthropic consultant, and grantmaking and community leadership initiatives at a community foundation in South Carolina. While working in South Carolina, Kristen led philanthropic initiatives related to disaster relief & recovery, local journalism, placemaking through arts & culture, rural communities, nonprofit employee mental healthcare, and trust-based grantmaking.
Kristen has a bachelor’s degree in public relations and master’s degree in nonprofit management from Ball State University. She lives in Zionsville with her husband Ryan, their two sons, and a massive Saint Berdoodle named Muncie.
Lauren Daeger
GIFT Program Manager
Lauren Daeger
GIFT Program Manager
(317) 630-5200 x129
She was previously employed at Salesforce under the Customer Success Group. As part of the Nonprofit Cloud team, Lauren bolstered nonprofit customers’ mission-focused work by helping to streamline their behind-the-scenes operations.
She also developed E-Learning content at the training software company Lessonly by Seismic. Before that, Lauren had her professional start in the nonprofit sector in Indianapolis in different capacities.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in public affairs with a nonprofit emphasis from the IUPUI O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Outside the office, Lauren volunteers at a farm animal sanctuary in Brownsburg and has served as a summer apprentice at Growing Places Indy. She leads a very active lifestyle, aims to take at least one solo trip (preferably international) per year, and loves to dance bachata.
John Ferguson
Director of Member Programs
John Ferguson
Director of Member Programs
(317) 630-5200 x116
John develops and direct a comprehensive offering of IPA’s education, networking, and collaboration programming, including biennial conference, regional forums, peer communities, skill-building workshops and webinars, and cross-sector issue collaboratives. Additionally, he is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach and serves as the designer and instructor for IPA's new Unleash Your Strengths workshop series.
Prior to joining IPA, John was a fellow at The Patterson Foundation (TPF) based in Sarasota, FL. His dynamic fellowship consisted of collaborating within and/or managing multiple special projects across several different initiatives to provide strategic value and further innovation. His primary roles included serving as manager of the Digital Access for All initiative and being intimately involved with the creation of multiple offerings within TPF’s Nonprofit Thrivability initiative.
Previously, he spent three years with Indiana United Ways in a variety of roles dedicated to supporting all local United Ways throughout Indiana. Prior to that, John was in hospitality for more than 18 years in a myriad of roles, including trainer and manager. He is passionate about helping people and organizations thrive.
John received his degree in Philanthropic Studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the world's first school dedicated solely to the study and teaching of philanthropy. He was named Chancellor's Scholar for his graduating class and proudly served as chair of the Alumni Association's board of directors. He currently serves on the board of directors for Feedback Labs, an international organization dedicated to supporting philanthropy and nonprofits to listen and act on feedback in high-quality ways.
Julie Markland
Program Associate
Julie Markland
Program Associate
(317) 630-5200 x122
Before joining IPA, Julie spent four years with the Indiana Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) as the Student Series Campaign manager. Working with thousands of students at hundreds of Indiana schools, she raised more than $2 million to support blood cancer research and patients, and became a mentor to colleagues in other chapters. In 2018, Julie took on a more personal role as she managed her daughter’s LLS Student of the Year campaign, which raised $63,107 in seven short weeks. Julie began her nonprofit career as a chapter relations specialist with Sigma Theta Tau, International, the Honor Society of Nursing.
Julie earned a bachelor’s degree in public affairs, specializing in public policy, from Indiana University School of Public & Environmental Affairs in Bloomington, Indiana.
Maddison Miller
Vice President, External Relations
Maddison Miller
Vice President, External Relations
(317) 630-5200 x102
Maddison joins the team at IPA after a successful tenure as chief executive officer of the Brown County Community Foundation. Under her leadership, the organization achieved record fundraising, completed a successful GIFT campaign, shepherded its community through the pandemic response, administered hundreds of impactful grants and scholarships, and built new institutions to meet the socio-economic needs of its community. Those efforts included a preschool scholarship program, a high-quality early education center, a state-of-the-art student-run manufacturing facility, and a capacity-building program for small, undermanned nonprofit organizations.
Before becoming immersed in the ecosystem of Indiana nonprofits, regulatory landscapes, and cross-sector partnerships, Maddison spent a decade in state government. Her time at the Indiana Statehouse includes being a legislative staffer in various capacities, association lobbying, and driving advanced data analytics projects within Indiana’s government agencies.
Maddison currently sits on the boards of the Brown County Chamber of Commerce, Youth Enhancement & Training Initiative, and the South Central Community Action Program. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Ball State University and her Master of Arts in nonprofit management from Indiana University. She and her husband, Alex, live in Brown County with their daughter, Ruby.
JoAnna Ness
Director of GIFT Progams
JoAnna Ness
Director of GIFT Progams
(317) 630-5200 x115
JoAnna works with the GIFT Team to develop and deliver programming that provides resources and technical assistance to Indiana’s community foundations.
Previously, JoAnna was employed as the communications director at Steuben County Community Foundation (SCCF). In addition to managing donor communications and marketing, JoAnna participated in a variety of projects related to grantmaking and program development. JoAnna led the development of a regular nonprofit capacity building series to provide support and learning opportunities for nonprofit leaders in Steuben County. JoAnna also managed the intern program and served as a navigator for SCCF’s youth philanthropy program, FIST. Her appreciation for the community foundation sector began as a participant in youth philanthropy and later internships with the Community Foundation of Noble County.
JoAnna graduated from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management and earned her master’s in Philanthropic Studies through the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy in Indianapolis.
Keva Rop
Director of Finance and Operations
Keva Rop
Director of Finance and Operations
(317) 630-5200 x130
Keva recently served as an administrator at the Indiana University School of Medicine, including roles in geriatrics, internal medicine, global health, and pediatric neonatology. She renovated IU’s medical library, developed an emerging medical technology lab, and built an onboarding and training program for new hires in finance. She has presented at national events and volunteers on community boards, providing insight into operations and governance. She spent nearly a decade on the advisory board providing training and structure for emerging leaders transitioning into higher-level departmental leadership roles.
Keva’s commitment to public service extends her family’s legacy of community service, including family members in executive government positions and parents who invested in international literacy and education on two continents. Keva’s global projects include Kenya, Africa where Indiana University partners with a local medical school and hospital system in developing rural and urban healthcare interventions. She employed her music education at the American Pianists Association in Indianapolis, working in career advancement for classical and jazz pianists, and public arts education.
Her international education includes primary education in Brazil, South America, and study abroad during undergrad at Oxford University in England. She earned a Bachelor’s in Business with a minor in Music from Taylor University, a Master of Business Administration from Taylor University, and a Master of Jurisprudence from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. She holds a certification through the Society of Human Resources Management as a SHRM-SCP.
Alexandra Ross
Communications Manager
Alexandra Ross
Communications Manager
(317) 630-5200 x805
Alexandra joins IPA from Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic, a statewide nonprofit that provides no-cost legal services and education to Hoosiers in need. As the organization’s marketing and communications coordinator, Alexandra enhanced the brand identity by refining messaging, visual consistency, and tone across print, digital, and social platforms to increase brand recognition and engagement.
Alexandra graduated from Indiana Tech with a bachelor's degree in digital graphics & design and a Master of Business Administration in marketing. Outside of the office, she enjoys traveling, crocheting, going to historical sites and museums, visiting national parks, and trying new beers at local breweries.
Lissa Silotto
Interim Chief Administrative Officer
Lissa Silotto
Interim Chief Administrative Officer
(317) 630-5200 x113
In her role, Lissa oversees organizational communications and marketing strategy while also managing core internal systems, including CRM and website integrations, reporting and dashboards, and cross-functional workflows. She plays a key role in translating organizational priorities into operational plans and performance measures that guide decision-making and continuous improvement.
Lissa also helps lead Press Forward Indiana, a statewide philanthropic effort to strengthen local journalism as essential civic infrastructure. In this capacity, she supports strategy, coordination, and systems alignment across funders and partners working to rebuild sustainable local news ecosystems.
She currently serves as a member of United Philanthropy Forum’s Knowledge Management Collaborative, a national network advancing shared Salesforce- and Drupal-based CRM and website platforms for philanthropy-supporting organizations.
Prior to joining IPA in 2016, Lissa was instrumental in building the federal market practice at American Structurepoint, a nationally ranked design firm. In addition to supporting complex, regulated business development efforts, she helped stand up firm-wide wellness and community engagement initiatives that strengthened employee engagement, organizational culture, and social impact across multiple offices.
Earlier in her career, Lissa held communications and public relations roles with the Eskenazi Museum of Art and the IU Mathers Museum of World Cultures. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University, where she graduated cum laude.
Consultants
Sonya Hallett
Program Advisor
Sonya Hallett
Program Advisor
(317) 506-8076
Sonya has been in the philanthropic field for more than 25 years. Sonya has taught as adjunct faculty with the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, created and lead Franklin College’s nonprofit certificate program, directed Indiana’s I-GIVE program, and served on the Johnson County Community Foundation’s board of directors for ten years before becoming its president/CEO.
Sonya has compiled, edited, and published an extensive guidebook for families to consider charitable estate planning. She is also a longtime board member of JCCF, co-founder of the Youth Philanthropy Initiative of Indiana, president of Bowlingtown Heritage Association and Delta Delta Delta Alumnae Association, and volunteer for several other local and state organizations.
Sonya is an alumna of Franklin College, Leadership Johnson County, and the University of Indianapolis. She resides in Greenwood (Center Grove), Indiana, with her daughter Meredith.
Phil Purcell, J.D.
Counsel, Foundation Legal Help Desk
Phil Purcell, J.D.
Counsel, Foundation Legal Help Desk
Phil is counsel for the national Foundation Legal Help Desk, as well as for Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, Philanthropy Southeast, and Philanthropy Ohio. He has served as independent counsel for over one hundred community foundations throughout the U.S. He served as Director of Gift Planning for the Central Indiana Community Foundation, consultant for Kansas Association of Community Foundations, consultant for the Florida Philanthropic Network, and a legal and peer reviewer for the Community Foundations National Standards Board, Council of Foundations.
Phil teaches courses on law and philanthropy, nonprofit organization law and planned giving as adjunct faculty for the Indiana University Maurer School of Law (Bloomington, IN) and Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy and Fundraising School (Indianapolis, IN). He is a senior consultant for the Heaton Smith Group, a national legacy planning consulting firm. Phil serves as editor for Planned Giving Today, a national monthly publication, as well as a content editor for Giving USA.
Phil is an attorney and member of the Indiana and American Bar Association. He serves as Vice Chair of the Charitable Giving and Organizations Committee of the Real Property, Trust, and Estate section of the American Bar Association. He is president of the American Council on Gift Annuities board of directors, and formerly served on the boards of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners (secretary), Indiana Charitable Gift Planners (president), AFP – Indiana (president), and was AFP-Indiana Fundraiser of the Year.
Phil received his B.A. degree from Wabash College (magna cum laude) and his J.D. and M.P.A. degrees (with honors) from Indiana University. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Pi Alpha Alpha as well as a Truman Scholar.
Alisa Winters
Technical Assistance Advisor
Alisa Winters
Technical Assistance Advisor
(317) 630-5200 x100
Alisa provides technical support to Indiana community foundations, with input and support from GIFT staff and Experts in Residence.
Alisa most recently served as the executive director of the Rush County Community Foundation (RCCF) and is a graduate of the Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute. She led RCCF through growth in staff, assets, and two successful GIFT initiatives, and created innovative partnerships and grant opportunities to position the foundation as a recognized leader in Rush County. Alisa is on the board of the Rush County Economic and Community Development Corporation and is an active member of the Rotary Club and Glenwood United Methodist Church. She attained her BS in sales management from Purdue University and a master’s degree in public health from Indiana University.