Speaking Engagements
LOOKING FOR AN INTERACTIVE PRESENTER AT YOUR NEXT EVENT?
UPCOMING SPEAKING EVENTS
Exponent Philanthropy Annual Conference, Austin, TX
Friday, November 15, 2024
Don’t leave your foundation’s future to chance. Learn how to unlock the power of succession planning for stability, sustainability, and a lasting legacy. One foundation’s outgoing and incoming executive directors, along with the board chair and consultant, will candidly share experiences of their successful executive transition and offer invaluable advice. Explore pitfalls to avoid and engage in polls and small group discussions. Whether or not you are currently anticipating transitions, you’ll walk away with best practices and the ability to initiate productive conversations.
A 60-Minute Guided Workshop for Foundation CEOs
Date: November 21 or December 4, 2024
Time: 9am PT / 12pm ET / 5pm GMT
Kris is hosting a free virtual event to share some of the lessons and hard-won insights from advising hundreds of philanthropies for the over 25 years. You’ll gain a flight map of all the places to look for unnecessary, headache-inducing complexity that adds friction and slows down your path to impact. She will also walk you through her North Star process for creating focus, aligning your stakeholders, and making smart, fast decisions. And you’ll gain some new tips on how to lead your philanthropy so it accomplishes its goals like clockwork.
A 60-Minute Guided Virtual Workshop Exclusively for Foundation CEOs and Trustees
There are no more dates for 2024.
Please sign up for our mailing list to get the 2025 dates.
In this dynamic virtual session, you’ll gain invaluable insights and practical strategies to navigate the complexities of succession planning with simplicity and speed. Don’t let the fear of unexpected departures or the guilt of unfinished business hold you back. It’s time to empower your foundation with a simplified approach
An Exclusive, Virtual Workshop for UHNW Donors and Family Philanthropy Leaders
There are no more dates for 2024.
Please sign up for our mailing list to get the 2025 dates.
Family offices are pivotal in shaping the philanthropic landscape for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) families. This 60-minute workshop is meticulously designed to furnish you with the latest strategies to optimize the impact of your clients’ philanthropy. Craft tailored philanthropic plans aligned with your clients’ values, navigate family dynamics expertly to ensure a harmonious philanthropic journey, and sharpen your focus on impactful giving. Tailored specifically for UHNW donors, family office executives, and leaders of family foundations, this workshop offers a unique platform for peer connection and insights sharing.
PAST SPEAKING EVENTS
Philanthropy Forward ’23 Conference | Philanthropy Ohio | Columbus, OH
October 10, 2023 from 2:30-4:00pm
If you are attending the Philanthropy Ohio conference, please join me and your peers as we navigate the often-daunting process of succession planning. Transition from being “overwhelmed” to confidently declaring, “I’ve got this!” while learning how to sidestep the costly pitfalls of procrastination. In our session, we’ll not only demystify and simplify succession planning, but you’ll also learn how to leverage succession planning to tackle larger organizational challenges and maximize your philanthropic impact.
CONTEMPORARY ISSUES FORUM
Saturday, July 15, 2023 | 3:00pm – 4:15pm | Hall of Philosophy
Join leading global philanthropy expert Kris Putnam-Walkerly for a thought-provoking conversation on delusional altruism in philanthropy. While the most well-intentioned donors may strive for social change, hidden pitfalls in giving can prevent them from achieving real impact. Putnam-Walkerly’s groundbreaking book “Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving” offers practical guidance for avoiding these pitfalls and becoming more effective in philanthropy. With the world facing unprecedented challenges, it’s more important than ever to ensure that our philanthropic efforts are effective and efficient. This conversation will be a wake-up call for philanthropists and charitable organizations of all sizes, revealing misguided beliefs and deceptive thoughts that can derail the most well-meaning donor. Whether you donate hundreds, thousands, or millions of dollars annually, Kris will help you make the most of your giving and create lasting, sustainable change in the world. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to learn from a leading expert and transform your giving today.
Book signing for “Delusional Altruism” will be immediately after.
Q&A with Kris Putnam-Walkerly, Global Philanthropy Advisor
Saturday, July 15 | 5:00pm – 6:00pm | CWC House
Ticket Price: $30 per person
Unlock the secrets of effective philanthropy with an exclusive “Ask Me Anything” reception with Kris Putnam-Walkerly. This is an opportunity to ask any burning questions you have about philanthropy, nonprofits, or volunteerism.
July 21 at 1p ET
Kris will be speaking on “Delusional Altruism” for the City University of London Bayes Business School, Centre for Charity Effectiveness. This is for a virtual Master’s course on grantmaking.
September 27, 2022
Kris is delivering a keynote for the Indiana Philanthropy Alliance 2022 Philanthropy Leads Conference and will explore the question of how to accomplish change in an ever-changing world, leaving you with renewed optimism for your work ahead.
May 17, 2022 | 12:30 – 1:30 PM | 1.0 Hour of CLE via Zoom Only
In this webinar, you will learn what “delusional altruism” is, the top five philanthropy mistakes your clients make, and how you might be inadvertently contributing to them. You’ll also learn practical steps you can take to grow your business across generations by increasing the clarity, impact, and joy your clients experience with their charitable giving.
May 19, 2022
Kris will provide real-world advice and practical guidance to help philanthropists avoid common delusional thoughts and practices that prevent them from achieving transformational social change. During this interactive session, in addition to helping participants uncover self-limiting fallacies and how they may be manifesting in your giving efforts, Kris will share proven strategies to avoid and overcome these pitfalls to realize your goal for impactful, sustainable change.
June 10, 2022
Kris will be speaking on “Delusional Altruism” for the City University of London Bayes Business School, Centre for Charity Effectiveness. This is for a virtual Master’s course on grantmaking.
October 13, 2021
Title: CEO Retreat
Description: Kris will be co-facilitating a retreat for community foundation CEOs.
October 5, 2021 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Description: Kris will facilitate a workshop for nonprofit leaders in this joint event sponsored by the Iowa Non-Profit Summit, Cedar Valley Non-Profit Association, and Association of Fundraising Professionals.
July 15, 2021
Kris will be giving a guest lecture about best practices in philanthropy advising.
Delusional Altruism
June 11, 2021 10:00am ET
City University of London’s Cass Business School, Centre for Charity Effectiveness
Kris will be giving a guest lecture on “Delusional Altruism” for the Charities Masters Programme.
May 26, 2021 12:00 pm ET
Philanthropists want to create dramatic impact with their giving. But too often they suffer from “Delusional Altruism.” They cling onto deceptive beliefs and misguided practices that prevent them from achieving the impact they seek. What does this mean for funders who want to change the world? And what is the impact on nonprofits seeking funding, and the advisors and the advisors and philanthropy-serving organizations trying to help funders increase their effectiveness? Join us for a lively conversation with Kris Putnam-Walkerly, award-winning author of Delusional Altruism, where she will share real-world, practical guidance for avoiding mistakes that hamstring impact — and creating transformational change.
May 14, 2021 – Multi-Region, Co-Hosted, Hybrid, Virtual Event
Title: Delusional Altruism
Description: Kris will share insights from her new book to help funders avoid “delusional altruism” and transform their giving.
April 14th 11:15 AM EST
Kris will join Gabe Cooper, CEO + Founder of Virtuous, to kick off the summit with a fireside chat about generosity.
March 10, 2021 at 12:00 PM EST
Did you know that even the most generous, philanthropic families and businesses suffer from “delusional altruism”? They genuinely want to make a difference with their giving – but they hold onto deceptive and misguided thoughts and behaviors that prevent them from achieving their charitable goals. In this thought-provoking webinar, you’ll learn what “delusional altruism” is, the top five philanthropy mistakes families and family firms make with their giving, what they can to increase their philanthropic impact, and how their advisors can help them. Join Kris Putnam-Waverly and the Family Firm Institute for a lively webinar and discussion about her new book Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving (Wiley). You’ll leave with practical insights and tips you can implement immediately.
2021 20th Anniversary Global Impact Conference
March 2-4 2021
Description: Does constant change have you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure how to plan ahead? As a philanthropist, you want to create a dramatic impact with your giving. But you can’t do that by clinging to misguided beliefs and delusional practices, or by feeling paralyzed by constant change and uncertainty. Join global philanthropy advisor and award-winning author Kris Putnam-Walkerly to learn how to shed anxiety about the future so you can do the most good possible right now. She’ll share practical tips from her new book, Delusional Altruism, to help you create a powerful plan, even in radically uncertain times. So you can stop playing crisis whack-a-mole, and instead focus on what truly matters.
Generation Impact: How Next Gen Donors Are Revolutionizing Giving
February 24, 2021 at 1:30 PM EST
Join me for a lively conversation with Sharna Goldseker and Michael Moody, authors of their newly updated book, Generation Impact. Did you know that next gen philanthropists are at the forefront of a historic generational wealth transfer – estimated at $59 trillion dollars in the U.S. alone, with nearly half estimated to support charitable purposes?
February 17, 2021 at 11:00 AM EST
Host Kev Khayat speaks to Kris Putnam-Walkerly, whose newest book is Delusional Altruism – why philanthropists fail to achieve change and what they can do to transform giving. Join to listen live, ask a question, share your story and/or liven up the chat with fellow listeners.
February 3-5, 2021
Does constant change have you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure how to plan ahead?
As a funder, you want to create a dramatic impact with your grantmaking. But you can’t do that by clinging to misguided beliefs and delusional practices, or by feeling paralyzed by constant change and uncertainty. In this keynote Kris Putnam-Walkerly will help you shed anxiety about the future so you can do the most good possible right now:
- Evaluate and clarify your priorities to make the most of your time.
- Ask the right questions to maximize your resources.
- Recalibrate your timeline to take advantage of every opportunity.
- Avoid indecision, over-strategizing, and inaction, and move forward with clarity.
- Create a powerful plan, even in radically uncertain times.
Kris will share practical tips from her new book, Delusional Altruism, to help you make a lasting impact, no matter the circumstances. So you can stop playing crisis whack-a-mole, and instead focus on what truly matters.
December 3, 2020 at 12:00 PM EST
As an advisor, you want to attract, grow, and retain your clients—or risk losing them when wealth transfers to the next generation. You know that supporting your clients’ philanthropic goals is a great way to build and deepen relationships across generations. But you don’t always know how to have conversations about charitable giving. You worry you might not have all the answers and often feel “out of your element.” What’s even worse, your clients suffer from “delusional altruism.” They hold on to scarcity versus abundance thinking, which prevents them from achieving their philanthropic goals.
Join Kris Putnam-Waverly and the Family Wealth Library for a lunchtime (or late morning) discussion about “Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving.”
As part of your registration fee, you will receive a copy of “Delusional Altruism.”
November 25, 2020 at 10:00 AM EST
Learn how an intentional approach to giving can help seed and deepen Colombia’s culture of giving and the philanthropy sector’s ability to make a meaningful change now and into the future. Kris will share practical advice to help Colombian Foundations increase their philanthropic effectiveness.
November 17, 2020 at 3:00 PM EST
As an advisor, you want to attract, grow, and retain your clients — or risk losing them when wealth transfers to the next generation. You know that supporting your clients’ philanthropic goals is a great way to build and deepen relationships across generations. But you don’t always know how to have conversations about charitable giving. You worry you might not have all the answers and often feel “out of your element.” What’s even worse, your clients suffer from “delusional altruism.” They hold onto deceptive and illogical thoughts that prevent them from achieving their philanthropic goals.
In this webinar, you will learn what “delusional altruism” is, the top five philanthropy mistakes your clients make, and how you might be inadvertently contributing to them. You’ll also learn practical steps you can take to grow your business across generations by increasing the clarity, impact, and joy your clients experience with their charitable giving.
November 10, 2020 at 1:00 PM EST
Kris gives a keynote on Transformational Giving, to help funders and nonprofits identify common mistakes and “delusional beliefs” that hold you back; increase your impact and agility; stop feeling overwhelmed; and create a plan you can count on in a constantly changing world. The first 50 participants who register and attend will receive a free copy of Delusional Altruism.
October 15, 2020 at 10:00 AM EST
As a funder, you want to create dramatic impact with your grantmaking. But you can’t do that by clinging to misguided beliefs and delusional practices, or by feeling overwhelmed. Instead, achieve dramatic impact by transforming how you give — for good.
Access Passcode: PCG!DA1020
October 7, 2020
Learn six mistakes philanthropists make during a crisis. Kris will share practical advice to help you to increase your philanthropic efforts even during COVID.
September 17, 2020 at 12:00 PM EST
Kris will share insights from her latest book, including how philanthropists can change the world (even when the world keeps changing).
September 16, 2020
Join Kris at “Table 14” to learn how to create a plan you can count on in a constantly changing world, the top 3 mistakes most funders make (and how to avoid them), and how to maintain the new best practices you adopted while responding to COVID-19 — long after the crisis is over.
September 4, 2020 at 12:00 PM EST
Kris gave a webinar for African family businesses and philanthropists about how to avoid a scarcity mindset, the right questions all funders should ask, how stop feeling overwhelmed, and practical tips for quickly creating an agile strategy.
July 1, 2020 at 1:00 PM EST
This panel discussion will offer insights and practical guidance for family offices that want to leverage philanthropic resources to support COVID-19 response and recovery. Sponsored by Opal Group.
June 25, 2020 at 2:00 PM CT / 3:00 PM ET
Between the COVID-19 global health crisis, pain and protests fueled by racism, mass unemployment, and more, 2020 is shaping up to change societies and systems for good. In the social good space, funders, philanthropists, nonprofits, and government agencies are all in the midst of operating through multiple crises and beginning to look ahead to the next phase for the social sector. This is a tipping point in our history when leaders across the social sector have an opportunity to make both simple and powerful changes in the ways each side of the funding equation interacts with the others.
This webinar will offer funders, philanthropists, nonprofits, and public sector agencies a timely blend of thought leadership practical guidance, focused on the ways organizations can “flip the script” or partner in new ways to increase social sector resilience and maximize shared impact.
June 4, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET
Don’t just respond to this crisis — seize it as an opportunity to transform how you give!
In a crisis that touches every funder’s mission, strategy, and geography, many philanthropists are rapidly adapting, transforming how they give, and leading into the recovery. At the same time, many in the sector find themselves scrambling, overwhelmed, and unsure of their top priorities. Across this spectrum, where does your philanthropy sit? Behaviors that hold funders back often get magnified in times of trouble. Recognize these “delusional” blind spots and increase the effectiveness and impact of your giving.
In this webinar, Kris Putnam-Walkerly will share insights from her recently published book, Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail To Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving. Participants will learn how to:
- Identify common “delusional” beliefs that hold you back
- Increase your philanthropic agility
- Stay focused on your top priorities
- Increase your effectiveness and impact during the crisis
- Maintain momentum AFTER the crisis
May 26, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET
In this webinar, philanthropists will learn how to:
- Prevent fear and overwhelm from holding you back
- Increase your philanthropic speed and agility
- Stay focused on your top priorities
- Increase your effectiveness and impact during the crisis
- Maintain momentum AFTER the crisis
This webinar is for all types of philanthropists – individual donors, foundations, corporate giving programs, giving circles, family offices, and donor-advised fund holders – who are looking for ways not only to navigate through this crisis, but increase their philanthropic effectiveness.
May 5, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET
In this webinar hosted by Kris Putnam-Walkerly, Author of Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail to Achieve Change and What they Can Do To Transform Giving, nonprofit leaders will learn how to:
- Prevent fear and overwhelm from holding you back
- Increase your speed and agility
- Stay focused on your top priorities
- Increase your effectiveness and impact during the crisis
- Maintain momentum AFTER the crisis
April 21, 2020 at 1:00 PM ET
In a crisis that touches every funder’s mission, strategy, geography and focus area, many philanthropists are rapidly adapting, transforming how they give, and providing immediate relief.