Shayne Doty: Shayne Doty is Vice President, Development for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. He has developed the narrative of how the Symphony helps complete the fulfillment of Charlotte, beyond a finance center, as a major American City. In this role, he is reaching out into the communities, such as the financial sector, with which he has worked in much of his career while in New York. Prior to coming to Charlotte, he served as Chief Strategy Officer for the New-York Historical Society, New York’s first museum, and Vice President of The Paley Center for Media. He has been a leader in the arts field working with and advising top arts organizations and collaborating on projects with soprano Renée Fleming, composer Huang Ruo, the Aga Khan Museum and others.

He served as Managing Director, Philanthropy at Asia Society, where he ran the successful campaign and gala for the Indian Progressives Exhibition, worked with the Nominating and Governance Committee in building the Board of Trustees, and increased 5-fold the highest level individual giving program at Asia Society. In addition, he was involved in programming and restructuring of the arts programs at Asia Society. He regularly advises board members and staff members of arts organizations and other non-profits on board development, fundraising, and strategic planning.

In 2004, he started as Director of Development at Washington National Opera, including relations with embassies, the US Department of State, and the White House. He moved to New York in 1998 as Senior Major Gifts Officer at The Metropolitan Opera, where he staffed the President of the Board of Trustees. He previously worked with Harriet Mayor Fulbright and the Fulbright International Center as Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at The University of Maryland. As an organist, he has played recitals throughout the United States, France and Canada, made a recording, and performed with ensembles such as The National Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, Les Arts Florissants, the Theatre of Voices, and others. In the Charlotte area, he has given concerts at Covenant Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church.

Shayne Doty holds degrees from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Duke University, Southern Methodist University and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Lyon. He is a Senior Advisor to the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts and a former member of the Board of Visitors of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Kate Earnest: Kate Earnest is currently the Director of Annual Giving at Burgundy Farm Country Day School. Prior to focusing on fundraising in education, Kate built a robust fundraising portfolio in the arts. Kate spent nine years at the Smithsonian American Art Museum where she served as Director of Special Projects and before that was a Senior Corporate and Foundation Relations Officer, helping to secure between five and seven figure gifts. Previously Kate held positions at the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design and Sotheby's in both their New York and London offices. Kate holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from James Madison University.

AMGT Q&A with Fundraising Experts