Contact the Office of Gift Planning to learn about ways to support Caltech that can make a bigger impact than cash donations, while also benefiting you and your loved ones.

Office of Gift Planning
(626) 395-2927
giftplanning@caltech.edu

Mail
Office of Gift Planning
California Institute of Technology
1200 E. California Blvd., MC 5-32
Pasadena, CA 91125

 

Your Caltech Gift Planning Experts

Jim Ehlers

Jim Ehlers
Executive Director
Phone: (626) 395-6810
Email: jehlers@caltech.edu

Jim came to Caltech in 2012 after directing planned giving at Claremont Graduate University, Harvey Mudd College, and Whittier College, where he was also director of leadership gifts. Jim is a past board member and president of the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning of Greater Los Angeles, now the Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners.

 

Natalie Piega

Natalie Piega
Deputy Director
Phone: (626) 395-6250
Email: npiega@caltech.edu

Natalie came to Caltech in April 2006; she worked as a trust officer for the charitable management group at Wells Fargo & Company. She is a certified specialist in planned giving and a member of the Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners.

 

rick

Rick Robertson
Senior Director of Development, Gift Planning
Phone: (626) 395-1758
Email: rick.robertson@caltech.edu

Rick joined the team in 2018. Prior to joining Caltech, he directed planned giving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and advanced gift planning efforts at George Washington University, Georgetown University, and Baylor University. He is a member of the Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners, and the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners.

 

lizzie

Lizzie Knol, JD
Senior Gift Planning Officer
Phone: (626) 395-3709
Email: eknol@caltech.edu 

Lizzie joined the Office of Gift Planning in July 2022. She returned to her native Los Angeles after receiving her law degree at the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and serving as Senior Associate Director of Development for the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center. 

 

mike

Michael Conover
Associate Director
Phone: (626) 395-8461
Email: mconover@caltech.edu

Michael has worked at Caltech for over 13 years and joined the Office of Gift Planning in April 2015. He administers the daily operations of the trusts and bequests program and he is currently a member of the Los Angeles Council of Charitable Gift Planners.

 

Janet

Janet L. Martin
Gift Planning Specialist
Phone: (626) 395-4950
Email: jlmartin@caltech.edu

Janet's work experience is varied and ranges from being an account manager for Skyhill Financial to working as a remote sensing design engineer on NASA's Galileo Mission Science Team at JPL.

 

 

Laura

Laura Elbaum
Development Assistant
Phone: (626) 395-6340
Email: lelbaum@caltech.edu

Laura joined the Office of Gift Planning in December 2021. She provides administrative support to the team, coordinates staff travel and Torchbearers events, and assists with marketing efforts. Prior to joining Caltech, Laura worked as a faculty assistant at UCLA School of Law.