Brian Sagrestano

North Common Associates

Brian M. Sagrestano, JD, CFRE - Of Counsel

Brian M. Sagrestano is a nationally known legacy gift planning professional. As the Executive Director of Gift Planning at the University of Pennsylvania, Brian directs the University’s comprehensive gift planning program. Penn received over $130 million in legacy gift revenue during the last two years, and is slated to raise an additional $750 million in legacy gifts over the next five years.

Previously, Sagrestano worked with a variety of large and small non-profits in the higher education and health care fields, including Middlebury College and Clarkson University, playing an integral part in the $200 million Bicentennial Campaign and $70 million Campaign for Clarkson respectively. He has counseled a wide variety of charities on strategies for developing successful legacy gift programs.

Brian is a highly popular and sought after speaker on gift and estate planning topics. In over 100 seminars and presentations for development officers, professional advisors, boards and philanthropists across the country, Brian has counseled hundreds of staff, volunteers and donors. His expertise includes family wealth/values planning for high net worth individuals, complex gift structuring, innovative gift planning marketing, and strategies for start-up legacy gift programs.

Long active in the philanthropic community, Brian currently serves on the Board of the Gift Planning Council of New Jersey, and the Leave a Legacy Committee of the Planned Giving Council of Greater Philadelphia. He is an active member of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council, the Council on the Advancement and Support of Education and National Committee on Planned Giving.

A former statewide co-chair of Leave a Legacy New Jersey, Brian is the current co-chair for the Gift Planning Council of New Jersey’s Gift Planning Day, and serves on the Conference Committee and the Assembly of Delegates for the National Committee on Planned Giving.

At various times, he has also served on the Mentoring Committee of the Planned Giving Group of New England in Boston, coordinated the Middlebury Planned Giving Officers Conference and been a member of the Upper Valley Planned Giving Council in New Hampshire.

Born and raised in Bridgewater, New Jersey, Brian holds an A.B., cum laude from Cornell University, and a J.D., cum laude from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He holds the certified fund raising executive designation, conferred in 2003, is a member of the New Jersey and Federal Bars and is an Eagle Scout.

When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife, and three daughters. His other interests include barbershop quartet singing, furniture refinishing and baseball. Brian and his family reside in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.