MIPGC Board of Directors

Eric Heininger is the founder and president of EDEN+, a Des Moines based consulting firm serving nonprofit organizations. He has fifteen years of fundraising experience in every sector and has provided professional counsel to numerous educational, human and social service, healthcare, cultural, civic, and religious institutions. Eric serves on the Iowa Medical Society Foundation board, Catholic Charities of Des Moines board, and was honored by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy as part of their 2019 40 Under 40 Class. Eric has been a member of MIPGC since 2016 and serves as the current Board Chair.

Allison Piazza is the Chief Development Officer for Easterseals Iowa and has served in multiple fundraising roles for the organization since 2012. She earned her BAS in Psychology from Drake University and attained the CFRE certification in 2024. Allison has previously served on the Board of Directors for AFP Central Iowa and joined MIPGC in 2023.

Erica Axiotis serves as the President of the UnityPoint Health Foundation and has nearly 20 years of experience in fundraising and healthcare. Her previous roles include Vice President of Development with ChildServe and Director of Development for the Mercy Foundation. Erica is a graduate of Simpson College and received her Masters in Public Administration from Drake University with an emphasis in health care resource development. She has been a member of MIPGC since 2009.

Christina Gayman joined Syverson Strege in 2022 as Director of Communications & Marketing after spending the previous 12 years in corporate communications roles at large companies in the grocery and construction industries, including Hy-Vee, Inc., and Caterpillar, and leading client accounts at marketing agencies Two Rivers Marketing in Des Moines and Zenzi in San Diego.

Writing is her passion, and the first seven years of her career were spent as a newspaper and magazine writer in Florida and Alabama near where she grew up. Christina has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Florida and has her master’s degree in journalism from the University of Alabama. She is also an Accredited Public Relations (APR) professional who loves to create and implement strategic communications and marketing campaigns. Christina joined the MIPGC board in 2023.

Robin Taylor is Assistant Director of the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. Joining the organization in 1999, Robin oversees the Foundation’s merchandise, volunteer and planned giving programs.

Raised in Perry, Robin graduated from Central College and has a Master’s degree in Russian and East European Studies from the University of Kansas. Prior to joining the Foundation, she spent 6 years with Youth For Understanding International Exchange as an Outreach Coordinator. Robin met her husband through her work at the Fair and they now have two active boys. Outside the office, much of her time is spent involved in her kids’ activities in sports and volunteering at their school as well as at Living History Farms. In her spare time, she relaxes with gardening and spending time with family and friends. Robin has been a member of MIPGC for over ten years.

Caleb Hegna is the Senior Director of Development for the Des Moines Art Center, and has a wealth of experience in planned giving, capital campaigns, and endowment creation. He previously served in a number of roles with the UnityPoint Health Foundation for over 15 years, including Senior Director of Development and Gift Planning. Caleb holds a BA in art from Simpson College and an MBA from the University of Iowa Tippie School of Management. He has been a member of MIPGC since 2010.

Amanda Nuzum serves as the Chief Development Officer at Mid-Iowa Council, Boy Scouts of America. Amanda has over 20 years of experience in fundraising, nonprofit management, planned giving, communications, and marketing. She has worked with a wide variety of organizations and sectors across central Iowa, including: The Blank Park Zoo, Easterseals Iowa, and Simpson College. Amanda earned her BA in Psychology from Central College and has been a member of MIPGC for the past ten years.

Lynn M. Gaumer, J.D., CAP® is the senior gift planning consultant for The Stelter Company and a board member of both the Mid-Iowa Planned Giving Council and the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, where she previously chaired the Leadership Institute. She is also a member of NACGP’s 2025 Government Relations Committee.

With over 25 years of experience in estate and charitable planning, Lynn has spent more than 13 years at Stelter, advising clients on technical planned giving matters and ensuring the accuracy of nonprofit marketing communications. She regularly presents technical webinars for Stelter, speaks at conferences nationwide on a variety of planned giving topics, and authors Stelter’s Expert Insights, a publication covering trends and research in planned giving. Her expertise has also been featured in Planned Giving Today, where she has published two articles.

Before joining Stelter, Lynn spent a decade as an associate attorney specializing in estate and charitable planning. She earned her B.A. in economics and communication studies from the University of Iowa and her J.D. from the University of South Dakota School of Law. Lynn has served on the MIPGC board since 2012.

Katie Vine currently serves as the Director of Philanthropy for the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa. Katie has nearly ten years of fundraising experience, having previously held roles at Junior Achievement of Central Iowa and Mercy Foundation. She received her BLS in Nonprofit Management from the University of Iowa and joined MIPGC in 2024.