American Heart Association Welcome to the Professional Advisor Network
Welcome to the American Heart Association’s Professional Advisor Network! This community is united by a shared dedication to being a powerful advocate for clients while also making a difference in the lives of others.
Professional Advisor Network members play a vital role in advancing our mission to create a world of longer, healthier lives by helping us provide individuals with the opportunity to participate in future funding and lifesaving research initiatives through philanthropic planning. With the help of your great work, we are making a profound difference in communities across the country.
Our goal is to provide our members with reliable, easy-to-use resources to help your clients make informed and empowered decisions regarding their financial and estate plans. On this site, made exclusively for our members, you will find a wide variety of tools, resources and connection opportunities to help you with your client work and expand your professional reach.
Our team of dedicated advisors are available at any time to support you as you work with your clients. We look forward to working with you! Thank you for your dedication and admirable work.
John M. Hayes
National Senior Vice President, Charitable Estate Planning
Tools & Resources
Tax support and charitable gift resources to help your clients plan.
We provide our members with trusted resources for you and your clients to create the best opportunities for charitable planning.
Tax and Gift Planning Guides
Professional Advisor Network Members receive exclusive printed tax and charitable gift planning guides. 2025 guides are coming soon with the latest strategies and figures!
Federal Tax Pocket Guide
This guide features the most updated income tax and estate tax figures and is an ideal planning aid for attorneys, trust officers, financial planners, accountants and other centers of influence.
Charitable Gift Planning Guidelines
This essential resource includes updated figures for 2024 and covers the latest strategies for maximizing income tax deductions and charitable distributions.
Financial Guidelines
Keep up to date with the latest numbers for your clients’ planning needs. Key tax numbers, RMD amounts, sample deductions and payout rates for charitable remainder unitrusts and gift annuities, as well as inflation history, mortality figures and annual investment growth rates are all at your fingertips in a convenient guide.
Gift Tools
Access complimentary tools and resources to help empower your clients to make informed decisions about planning their legacy.
One-Page Gift Guides
From bequests and beneficiary designations to gifts of real estate and more, we have the informational guides you need to help your clients find the charitable solution that best fits their needs.
- Beneficiary Designations (PDF)
- Beneficiary Designations - Spanish (PDF)
- Charitable Gift Annuities (PDF)
- Charitable Trusts (PDF)
- Donor Advised Funds (PDF)
- Qualified Charitable Distributions (PDF)
- Real Estate (PDF)
- Revocable Living Trust (PDF)
- Stocks and Mutual Funds (PDF)
- Will Bequest (PDF)
Member Resources & Community
Network and share ideas with advisors who share your passion.
The American Heart Association Professional Advisor Network is nearly 4,000 members strong. This diverse community is united by a shared dedication to being a powerful advocate for your clients, helping them achieve their financial and philanthropic goals while making a difference in the lives of others.
Network with other members, share your expertise, find your local Charitable Estate Planning representative, and more.
Expand Your Professional Reach
Share your expertise with donors and other advisors. Submit an article to be featured in an American Heart Association newsletter. We accept donor-facing and advisor-facing articles. Publication opportunities include:
Legacy of the Heart – a donor newsletter featuring health tips, charitable planning information, and recipes. The Ask An Advisor column features articles written by advisors for donors.
Advisor Perspective – a monthly article series featuring articles written by advisors, for advisors. Advisor Perspective articles are published on heart.org.
Connect on LinkedIn
Join the member-exclusive Professional Advisor Network group on LinkedIn.
Download the Professional Advisor Network digital badge to display on your LinkedIn profile.
Download Digital Badge (PNG file)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)
Resources for Clients
We offer complimentary resources to help your clients achieve their philanthropic goals and plan for their future. We invite you to share our guides and webinars with your clients to use them as a starting point for conversations about charitable giving and legacy planning.
Planning Guides
Impact Guide
Giving is very personal. This guide is designed to help individuals understand all of their options for giving in a way that is both meaningful and beneficial for your clients and their loved ones.
Spanish Resources
Request complimentary estate planning resources in Spanish. These materials are designed to help guide your Spanish-speaking clients through the estate planning process.
Client Webinars
Is a Charitable Gift Annuity Right for You and Your Retirement Plan?
Wednesday, March 19 | 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CT
Speakers:
Andrew Fussner, Esq.
Vice President of Estate Settlement
American Heart Association
Pamela D. Leonard, CFRE, CAP®, CGPP
National Executive Lead, Charitable Estate Planning
American Heart Association
Learning Center
Access free continuing education to help keep your knowledge and credentials current.
Our goal is to provide our Professional Advisor Network members with the latest information and resources. We strive to help you stay current so that you can continue to guide your clients in making informed and empowered decisions regarding their financial and estate plans.
Find upcoming webinars and peer-written articles featuring the latest charitable gift planning solution news.
Webinars
The American Heart Association partners with other organizations regularly to provide advisors with education on charitable giving solutions and strategies for guiding philanthropic conversations with clients. Check back often to find registration for upcoming webinars.
Charitable Planning with 2025 Tax Reform and Expiration of TCJA
Wednesday, February 19 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT | Webinar
Join the American Heart Association and industry expert, Lawrence Pon, to explore the proposals in 2025 Tax Reform and highlight those that have the best chance of passing. The session will equip advisors with essential insights to share with your clients as we approach the sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We’ll also uncover the most impactful charitable planning techniques to spotlight in 2025 and strategies to consider for 2026. Don't miss out on staying ahead of the game!
On-Demand Learning
View past webinar recordings hosted by the American Heart Association and the Financial Planning Association (FPA).
Advisor Perspective
Learn about charitable gift planning solutions, techniques for approaching philanthropic and legacy conversations with clients, and more from fellow advisors in this article series. Explore past articles.
Why Donor-Advised Funds Continue to Gain Momentum: 5 Key Advantages to Share with Your Clients
Using a Charitable Gift Annuity in a Client’s Financial Plan
What is the Meaning of Life? Going Beyond the Numbers to Discuss Client Legacy
Essential Decisions: Choosing the Right Trustee
Less House, More Purpose: Downsizing and Its Impact on Estate Planning
New Year, New Estate Plan: 5 Strategies for Helping Your Clients Update Their Estate Plans in 2024
Upcoming Events
Charitable Planning with 2025 Tax Reform and Expiration of TCJA
Wednesday, February 19 | 1:00-2:00 p.m. CT | Webinar
Join the American Heart Association and industry expert, Lawrence Pon, to explore the proposals in 2025 Tax Reform and highlight those that have the best chance of passing. The session will equip advisors with essential insights to share with your clients as we approach the sunset of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We’ll also uncover the most impactful charitable planning techniques to spotlight in 2025 and strategies to consider for 2026. Don't miss out on staying ahead of the game!
Trusts & Estates: New York Conference
Tuesday, April 29 | 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. ET
Register for the Trusts & Estates: New York Conference
Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in becoming a sponsor for the New York Conference?
Trusts & Estates: Virtual Summit
Wednesday, May 7 | 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. CT
Join the American Heart Association’s Professional Advisor Network for Trust & Estates: Virtual Summit. Attend to gain valuable insights into the latest estate and tax planning topics and discover innovative strategies for charitable giving.
This complimentary continuing legal education event will offer 2 CLE credits upon completion. Don’t miss this opportunity to advance your expertise and network with colleagues across the country!
Register for the Trusts & Estates: Virtual Summit
Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in becoming a sponsor for Virtual Summit? Limited sponsorship opportunities are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Learn more today!
The Impact of Your Work
Diane and Tom Taylor
“We have 10 children between us and always strive to showcase the importance of giving back and leaving a meaningful legacy. Advancing community health and research are our top priorities. We value sharing our time and resources with our community to make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most. The scope of the impact of the organization is tremendous, and we are lifelong advocates of the mission. We have faith the AHA will make a positive impact on individuals, families and communities for years to come.”Bonnie Fauerbach
“I’ve made two gifts to the American Heart Association from my IRA, and it couldn’t have been easier. My financial advisor helped me through the process, and it even helped me avoid taxes on my required distributions. I feel like there’s a lot of people out there that have heart problems, and I know that I can help.”Meet Our Team
John Cullum, CFP®
Senior Charitable Estate Planning Advisor
Southern States
[email protected]
John Cullum is a Certified Financial Planner® and a Senior Advisor with Charitable Estate Planning at the American Heart Association. John works with advisors to connect the philanthropy of their clients with the mission of the American Heart Association. John is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Young Executive Institute.
After a 35-year Private Banking and Trust career, John took early retirement and decided to do something that would make a difference. He has worked in the college fundraising setting and has been with the American Heart Association for nine years, where he works with professional advisors to connect the philanthropy of their clients with the mission of the American Heart Association. He has served on numerous philanthropic boards.
John has two grown children, an 8-year-old granddaughter and is an avid gardener.
John is based in Birmingham, Alabama and serves AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, and PR.
Jeff Gilchrist, CAP®
Senior Charitable Estate Planning Advisor
Western States
[email protected]
Jeff has worked with planned giving prospects, donors and their advisors for more than 13 years. Prior to the American Heart Association, Jeff served on the planned giving team at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He was also the executive director for a small nonprofit based in Washington state aimed at raising awareness of the therapeutic needs of individuals with spinal cord injuries.
Jeff received his undergraduate degree from the University of Idaho and earned his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) designation from the American College of Financial Services. When Jeff is not with his wife and twins you can find him on the golf course trying to maintain his single digit handicap.
Jeff is based in Phoenix, Arizona and serves AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, and WA.
Ed Rodbro, CAP®
Senior Charitable Estate Planning Advisor
Northeastern States
[email protected]
Ed has worked with planned giving prospects, donors and their advisors for more than 20 years. Ed worked for the American Cancer Society on their planned giving team in Chicago and was the national head of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society’s planned giving department before joining the American Heart Association in 2004. In his work with professional advisors, Ed promotes gifting strategies and tools that support the life-saving mission of the American Heart Association and help fulfill the heartfelt needs and desires of donors and their loved ones. He currently focuses much of his attention on two continuing education programs for trust and estate professionals in New York City and Long Island.
Ed received his undergraduate degree from Trinity International University and earned his Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) designation from The American College. An avid runner, Ed has completed 45 marathons and ultra-marathons, and is eager to talk about health and financial well-being with donors and their advisors.
Ed is based in New York City and serves CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, and WW.
Gunnar Crowell, J.D.
Senior Charitable Estate Planning Advisor
Midwestern States
[email protected]
Gunnar has over 11 years of experience in trust and estate planning, planned and major gift fundraising, and non-cash asset acceptance. Before joining the American Heart Association, Gunnar served as Vice President of Legal Services at Renaissance Philanthropic Solutions Group, where he was responsible for facilitating and managing due diligence for planned and complex asset gifts. Gunnar also previously held planned giving roles with the University of Utah and Purdue Research Foundation.
Gunnar holds a BA in Sociology and Business from Hanover College and a JD from Indiana University. In his free time, Gunnar enjoys playing with his kids, spending time outdoors, watching college sports, and enjoying the local restaurant scene.
Gunnar is based in Whitestown, Indiana and serves IA, IL, IN, KY, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI.
Pamela Leonard, CFRE, CAP®, CGPP
National Executive Lead, Charitable Estate Planning
Southwestern States
[email protected]
Pam Leonard is a seasoned professional with 24 years of non-profit fundraising experience with the last 17 years serving the lifesaving mission of the American Heart Association. With a Bachelor of Arts in Management of Nonprofit Organizations and another in Communications from Salem University, Pamela's educational foundation is as strong as her commitment to the field.
As a Certified Fund Raising Executive, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy and a Certified Gift Planning Professional, she has continuously demonstrated her expertise in charitable estate planning.
Pam serves AR, CO, NM, OK, TX, and WY.