Heather Foss Thomas serves as the Assistant Vice President for Central Development at the University of Maryland. In this role, she oversees key areas including the Office of Gift Planning, Broad Based Campaigns and Strategic Engagement, Corporate and Foundation Relations, and the central frontline fundraising team which represent fundraising for student affairs, libraries, undergraduate and graduate studies, regional fundraisers, parent and family philanthropy and affinity specific fundraising. Heather is an accomplished advancement professional with extensive experience in higher education, known for her collaborative leadership and success in building high-performing teams. Before her current role, Heather was the Executive Director of Development for Constituency Units, where she managed central and campus-wide fundraising, supervising Chief Development Officers and Directors across various units. Her previous positions include Associate Dean for External Relations at the UMD Francis King Carey School of Law and Assistant Dean for Development and Alumni Relations. Heather began her career at Ohio University and gained further experience at The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. A first-generation college graduate, Heather holds a degree from Ohio University, where she discovered her passion for fundraising. 

Durriyyah Jackson is the Director of Planned Giving at George Washington University, where she helps donors create meaningful, tax‑smart philanthropic legacies. With fifteen years of advancement experience spanning planned giving, major gifts, and board engagement, she is known for her people‑first approach to relationship building. Durriyyah is a Fulbright Scholar and double GW alumna, holding PMP, CFRE, and CAP® certifications. She is an active member of CASE and the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, and a frequent conference speaker passionate about empowering others to reach their fullest potential.

Dr. R. Fleming Puckett joined CASE in 2025 as Principal Research Faculty, coming from many years in higher-ed. and philanthropic work that included consulting & speaking roles at CASE educational partners:  Huron, the Advisory Board, and EAB.  Fleming’s areas of specialization involve working with academics, Board members, and Advancement leaders to increase collaboration, develop stronger donor pipelines, surface transformational giving opportunities, and improve fundraising production to support the educational missions of schools, colleges, universities, and university systems. As part of our Insights Solutions team, Fleming presents at conferences and on college campuses to help our members turn CASE’s global & institutional data into actionable strategies. Fleming’s background includes academic degrees from the University of Virginia, Cornell, Boston, Columbia, Cambridge, and Oxford.  Outside of CASE, Fleming serves on the Board of the Kalahari Peoples Fund, a non-profit organization that helps to identify and fund cultural & livelihoods projects in communities across southern Africa.  Fleming’s publications to date have highlighted the power of philanthropy to help bridge the gap between community aspirations and government resources.

Since 2023, Christen Wilson has served as the Chief Advancement Officer for The John Cooper School, a co-ed independent school of 1370 students in The Woodlands, Texas. In her current role, she is building the School’s major gift program as it advances through its first comprehensive campaign. Prior to joining Cooper, Christen was Vice President at Grenzebach Glier & Associates (now Huron), a global philanthropic consultancy, where she served independent school and higher education organizations in various stages of campaign fundraising. Christen has served in a variety of advancement leadership roles in independent schools and higher education institutions in Texas and her native Pennsylvania including roles leading major gift programs and campaigns. She is a graduate of Bucknell University (BA Economics) and resides in Spring, TX with her husband and three children.