Introducing Karyn Cilker
Professional Advisor Relations Officer

As professional advisor relations officer, Karyn Cilker is Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s main point of contact for advisors with questions regarding their clients’ charitable planning.  She works with attorneys, financial planners, accountants and other advisors as a resource in considering clients’ questions and needs when it comes to charitable giving. She also acts as a hub to strategically transition each person to the appropriate staff member within the foundation. 

Karyn’s expertise encompasses a variety of charitable contributions, including planned gifts, gifts of real estate, gifts of highly appreciated and restricted stock, outright gifts and other assets.  Individuals and families often consider a range of charitable vehicles in their financial and estate planning, such as donor advised funds, supporting organizations, endowed funds, memorial funds, scholarship funds or charitable remainder trusts.  Silicon Valley Community Foundation offers great flexibility in providing an array of philanthropic options.  Because of the numerous services provided by the community foundation’s departments, Karyn can help you and your client work with the best suited staff member for each specific situation.

Karyn manages educational and outreach opportunities for advisors as well as recognition events.  She is currently working with Stanford University’s Office of Planned Giving as it partners for the first time with the community foundation to co-host the Conference on Charitable Giving—2007 on May 16.  Future seminars will be announced through the community foundation’s e-newsletter, along with other events and groups for professional advisors.

Karyn is a graduate of Santa Clara University.  She worked previously at Community Foundation Silicon Valley before its historic merger with Peninsula Community Foundation.  Her work at CFSV was largely based in the development department working with professional advisors, individual donors, event coordination and managing a portfolio of current donors to advise them in their philanthropy. 

Karyn is the new membership chair of the Silicon Valley Rotaract Club.  Additionally, she is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Silicon Valley Chapter and is its chair for National Philanthropy Day 2007.  She holds memberships in the Silicon Valley Planned Giving Council, National Council on Planned Giving and the Financial Planning Forum.  Karyn’s roots are in the San Jose area and she enjoys giving back to her community.

For more information about Silicon Valley Community Foundation and its services, please contact Karyn directly at 408.278.2287 or kjcilker@siliconvalleycf.org.  She is also happy to meet with advisors and/or their clients at their offices or any of the community foundation’s locations.  Silicon Valley Community Foundation currently has offices in downtown San Jose, Palo Alto, Menlo Park and San Mateo.