Hali Lee, Co-Founder, Radiant Strategies

Hali has spent her career doing her best to democratize and diversify the field and practice of philanthropy. She is a co-founder of the Donors of Color Network, the first ever national project researching, engaging, and networking high net wealth donors of color across race, ethnicity, and life experience. She was a member of the co-design team that birthed PhilanthropyTogether in 2020, built to scale and strengthen the burgeoning collective giving movement nationally, and is a member of its inaugural advisory board. Hali is the founder of the Asian Women Giving Circle, which raises resources for Asian American women using the arts to bring about social change in their NYC communities. In fifteen years, the Circle has made grants of over one million dollars in support of eighty unique projects.

Hali was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Kansas City. She graduated from Princeton University, studied Buddhism at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, and received a Masters in Social Work from New York University. Hali has worked in many capacities and served on many boards, often combining a love of learning, the arts and equitable social change.

Hali lives in Brooklyn, NY along with her dear husband, three college-age children, two cats, and a big dog. In her free time, Hali loves to travel, read, play tennis and keep rooftop honeybees.

Stephanie Ellis Smith, CAP®, CEO & Principal, Phila Engaged Giving

Stephanie is a leader with 20 years of experience in the philanthropic sector. She has held every seat at the social sector’s table: non-profit CEO, social enterprise COO, trustee, mentor, and civic activist. Stephanie has held leadership roles that showcase her vision, dedication, and expertise at a variety of organizations, foundations, government agencies, and companies.

Stephanie is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) and a Certified 21/64 Advisor in multi-generational family philanthropy. She is the founder and former Executive Director of the Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas (CD Forum), an organization that presents and produces lectures, readings, and performing arts events rooted in African-American culture. Prior to the CD Forum, she worked with the Jacob Lawrence Catalogue Raisonné Project, a prestigious endeavor that located, catalogued, re-photographed, and published the entire 1,100 work oeuvre of the artist in a two-volume publication. 

She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Washington State Arts Commission, appointed by Governor Gary Locke; the Seattle Arts Commission, appointed by Mayor Greg Nickels; and the Central Waterfront Committee, appointed by Mayor Ed Murray. She is on the board of the International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy, YWCA King/Snohomish County, the outgoing Board Chair of Artist Trust, and an Advisor to the University of Washington Press and BlackPast.org. She has been a trustee for KUOW Public Radio, Leadership Tomorrow, and City Club. She lives in Seattle with her husband, a teenager, and a Doberman named Heidi.

Dien Yuen, JD/LLM, CAP®, AEP®, Assistant Professor of Philanthropy and holder of the Blunt-Nickel Professorship in Philanthropy, The American College of Financial Services 

Dien, JD/LLM, CAP®, AEP® holds the Blunt-Nickel Professorship in Philanthropy at The American College of Financial Services, where she teaches in the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) program.  

Before joining the College, Dien served as Managing Director and Fiduciary Advisor for a wealth management firm assisting high net-worth individuals, families, and charitable institutions. Her former positions include Chief Philanthropy Officer at Give2Asia, Vice President and Senior Trust Officer at U.S. Trust, Vice President of the Asian Pacific Fund, and Planned Giving Director of the American Cancer Society. She also founded a boutique social impact research and advisory firm serving clients in the U.S. and Asia.

Dien serves on the boards of the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA), The 1990 Institute, and Angel Island Immigration Station Foundation. She is on the advisory boards of GlobalSF, Asia Society of Northern California, Philanthropic Ventures Foundation, and Arowana Impact Capital Group. She holds the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designation from The American College of Financial Services and the AEP® designation from NAEPC. She received her LL.M. in International Law at Golden Gate University, Juris Doctorate (JD) from the University of Toledo College of Law, and Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science from Adrian College.