Past Western Conferences on Tax-Exempt Organizations
The UCLA School of Law Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits and Loyola Law School have jointly hosted the Western Conference on Tax-Exempt Organizations. The conference attracts lawyers, accountants and in-house professionals representing a broad range of nonprofit organizations. Government officials will give federal and state updates, and prominent nonprofit practitioners, academics, and other experts from the sector will speak on current topics in nonprofit tax, state law, accounting and other compliance matters. Topics have included gifts of business interests, the implications of recent Supreme Court decisions, and advocacy in an election year. The tax press covers this event extensively, and material from the conference continues to be cited as authority in articles and books.
Save the date for the 29th Annual Western Conference on Tax-Exempt Organizations to be held March 12-13, 2026.
Past Conferences
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28th Annual WCTEO (2025)
February 27-28, 2025 at The California Endowment
Schedule
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Power Hour +
- Ofer Lion, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Jean Tom, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- Moderator: Karl Mill, Mill Law Center
The Challenges of For-Profit/Nonprofit Structures
- Rob Wexler, Adler & Colvin
- Mary Beckman, Massachusetts Attorney General's Office (*former)
- David Shevlin, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
- Moderator: Rose Chan Loui, UCLA School of Law
Data Protection and Privacy Law
- Tenaya Rodewald, Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
- Lynn Sessions, BakerHostetler
- Arun Baheti, The California Wellness Foundation
- Moderator: Terri Wagner Cammarano, Cedars-Sinai
Lunch and Keynote—When Should Universities Speak Out?
- Steve Poskanzer, Carleton College
- Moderator: Jill Horwitz, UCLA School of Law
Loper Bright - The End of Chevron Deference for Treasury Regulations?
- Michael Desmond, Miller & Chevalier Chartered
- Steve Toscher, Hochman Salkin Toscher Perez P.C.
- Moderator: Ellen Aprill, UCLA School of Law
International Hot Topics: What in the World is Going On?
- Ruth Madrigal, KPMG US
- Atiqua Hashem, Conrad M. Hilton Foundation
- Jennifer Becker Harris, Clark Nuber PS
- Moderator: Ingrid Mittermaier, Adler & Colvin
Friday, February 28, 2025
Accounting Updates: What All EO Practitioners Need to Know
- Tonetta Conner, Harrington Group CPA, LLP
- Nanaz Benyamini, SingerLewak LLP
- Yulia Murzaeva, GHJ Advisors
- Moderator: Debi Heiskala, Ernst & Young LLP
One-Hour Breakout Sessions
Private Foundation Hot Topics
- Emily Fan, The David and Lucille Packard Foundation
- Rosemary Fei, Adler & Colvin
- Lizbeth Nevarez, Green Hasson & Janks
- Moderator: Michael Berry, Michael Berry, CPA
Advocacy in a Post-Election Year
- Nona Randois, Alliance for Justice
- Eric Gorovitz, Adler & Colvin
- Moderator: Gene Takagi, NEO Law Group
Executive Compensation Hot Topics
- Nanci Hibschman, SullivanCotter
- Erin Bradrick, NEO Law Group
- Moderator: Helen Cheng, Withersworldwide
The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence
- Gerry Griffith, Jones Day
- Robert Homchick, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- Moderator: LaVerne Woods, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Planning Committee
Co-Chairs
- Ellen Aprill, Professor Emerita, Loyola Marymount School of Law
- Jill Horwitz, Faculty Director, UCLA School of Law Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits
- Rose Chan Loui, Executive Director, UCLA School of Law Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits
Members
- Michael Berry, Owner, Michael Berry, CPA
- Terri Wagner Cammarano, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Cedar-Sinai
- Helen Cheng, Partner, Withersworldwide
- Debi Heiskala, Partner - EY Americas Exempt Organization Tax Sevices Leader, Ernst & Young
- Ofer Lion, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Douglas Mancino, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Karl Mill, Founding Attorney, Mill Law Center
- Ingrid Mittermaeir, Principal, Adler & Colvin
- Gene Takagi, Principal, NEO Law Group
- LaVerne Woods, Partner - Chair, Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Sponsors
PLATINUM
GOLD
SILVER
-
27th Annual WCTEO (2024)
February 29 and March 1, 2024 at The California Endowment
Schedule
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Day 1 Welcome
- Ellen P. Aprill, Professor Emerita, LMU Loyola Law School
- Brietta R. Clark, Dean, LMU Loyola Law School
- Michael Waterstone, Dean, UCLA School of Law
The Latest from Washington
- Lynne Camillo, Deputy Associate Chief Counsel, IRS Office of Chief Counsel
- Christopher Hyde, Attorney, IRS Office of Chief Counsel
- Amber MacKenzie, Attorney Advisor, U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Alexander Reid, Partner, BakerHostetler
- Moderator: Ellen P. Aprill, Professor Emerita, LMU Loyola Law School
Gifts of Businesses: Failing to Plan Is Planning to Fail
- Reynolds Cafferata, Partner, Rodriguez Horii Choi & Cafferata
- David Shevlin, Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
- Robert Wexler, Principal, Adler & Colvin
- Moderator: Karl Mill, Founding Attorney, Mill Law Center
Power Hour
- Ofer Lion, Attorney, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Jean Tom, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- Moderator: Helen Cheng, Partner, Withersworldwide
Luncheon Talk: Can Nonprofits Save Journalism?
- Meghan Biss, Member, Caplin & Drysdale
- In conversation with Kai Ryssdal, Radio Host, National Public Radio
- Introductions: Rose Chan Loui, Executive Director, Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits, UCLA School of Law
Watt’s Up with Energy Credits
- Ruth Madrigal, Principal, KPMG LLP
- Amber MacKenzie, Attorney Advisor, U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Moderator: Gene Takagi, Principal, NEO Law Group
Every Number Counts – Nonprofit Accounting Update
- Nanaz Benyamini, Tax Partner, Singer Lewak
- Tonetta Conner, Managing Partner, Harrington Group
- Donella Wilson, Partner, GHJ
- Moderator: Debi Heiskala, Partner, EY Americas
Take-Aways from Recent Supreme Court Decisions
- Roger Colinvaux, Professor of Law, Catholic University of America School of Law, currently visiting at George Washington School of Law
- Kimberly Eney, Partner, Loeb & Loeb
- Miguel Santana, California Community Foundation
- Moderator: LaVerne Woods, Partner, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Topics covered on day one included:
Federal Government Update, Gifts of Businesses, A Power Hour on Nonprofit Topics, Luncheon Keynote: "Can Nonprofits Save Journalism?", Energy Credits, Accounting Update, Implications of Recent Supreme Court Decisions.Friday, March 1, 2024
Day 2 Welcome
- Jill Horwitz, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law
Good Governance When the Board Is in Discord
- Rosemary Fei, Principal, Adler & Colvin
- Elizabeth Kim, Senior Assistant Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General
- Jeffrey Margulies, Partner-in-Charge, Norton Rose Fullbright
- Moderator: Jill Horwitz, Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law
Breakout Sessions:
Paying What They’re Worth – Current Trends in Compensation
- Diara Holmes, Partner, Loeb & Loeb
- Thomas Schroeder, Partner, Davis Wright & Tremaine
- Moderator: Terri Cammarano, Chief Legal Officer, Cedars-Sinai
Breaking News for Private Foundations
- Lizbeth Nevarez, Managing Director, GHJ
- Jane Searing, Managing Director, Deloitte Tax LLP
- Moderator: Michael Berry, Owner, Michael Berry CPA
Nonprofits with a Global Reach
- Rose Chan Loui, Executive Director, Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits, UCLA School of Law
- Catherine Livingston, Chief Legal Officer, American Institutes for Research
- Moderator: Ingrid Mittermaier, Principal, Adler & Colvin
Advocacy in an Election Year
- Joseph Guardarrama, Attorney, Kaufman Legal Group
- Nona Randois, General Counsel, Alliance for Justice
- Moderator: Ellen P. Aprill, Professor Emerita, LMU Loyola Law School
Topics covered on day two included:
Governance Issues, Breakout Groups on Hot Topics in Compensation, Private Foundations, and International, Advocacy in an Election Year.
Planning Committee
Co-Chairs
- Ellen Aprill, Professor Emerita, Loyola Marymount School of Law
- Jill Horwitz, Faculty Director, UCLA School of Law Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits
- Rose Chan Loui, Executive Director, UCLA School of Law Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits
Members
- Michael Berry, Owner, Michael Berry, CPA
- Terri Cammarano, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Cedar-Sinai
- Helen Cheng, Partner, Withersworldwide
- Debra Heiskala, Partner - EY Americas Exempt Organization Tax Sevices Leader, Ernst & Young
- Ofer Lion, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Douglas Mancino, Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
- Karl Mill, Founding Attorney, Mill Law Center
- Ingrid Mittermaeir, Principal, Adler & Colvin
- Gene Takagi, Principal, NEO Law Group
- LaVerne Woods, Partner - Chair, Tax-Exempt Organizations Practice, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
Sponsors
PLATINUM
GOLD
- Davis Wright Tremaine LLP
- Deloitte
- Green Hasson Janks
- The Law Firm For Non-Profits
- Loeb & Loeb LLP
- NEO Law Group
- Simpson Thatcher & Bartlett LLP
- SingerLewak LLP
SILVER
