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Ginger F. Mlakar

Chief Philanthropy Officer

Ginger Mlakar has worked at the intersection of law and philanthropy for more than 25 years, helping individuals and families turn their charitable goals into lasting impact. She is a CPA, an Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®), and a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).

As Chief Philanthropy Officer at Western Reserve Trust Company, Ginger leads the firm’s charitable giving initiatives and guides client families in integrating philanthropy into their trust, estate, and wealth plans. Working alongside clients’ attorneys, accountants, and investment advisors, she helps families choose charitable vehicles, design governance structures, engage the next generation, and carry out gifts through trusts, donor-advised funds, and private foundations.

Ginger previously spent 17 years at the Cleveland Foundation, where she became its first-ever general counsel in the foundation’s more than 110-year history. She recently served as General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Philanthropic Strategy and as a member of its Senior Leadership Team. Earlier, she practiced law as a partner in the Personal Succession & Planning practice group at Thompson Hine LLP and as of counsel in the Estate Planning & Probate practice group at Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP.

Ginger and her husband, Tom, live in Bay Village and have three children. She enjoys cycling, movies, and spending time with extended family.

Education

  • The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Accounting)
  • The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (Juris Doctor)

Bar Admissions and Certifications

  • Ohio
  • Florida
  • Certified Public Accountant, Ohio
  • Accredited Estate Planner (AEP®)

Professional and Community Organizations

  • American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), Fellow
  • Ohio State Bar Association - Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Section Council, Member
  • Estate Planning Council of Cleveland, Member; former Board Member
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Member; former Treasurer
  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation, former President
  • National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC), former Board Member
  • LGBT Community Center of Greater Cleveland, Board of Directors (2017 - present)
  • Cleveland Leadership Center, Board of Directors (2018 - present)

Awards and Recognition

  • Women of Professional Excellence, YWCA of Greater Cleveland (2022)
  • Distinguished Estate Planner Award, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland (2019)
  • President's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (2015)
  • Women in Law Making a Difference Award, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (2014)

Recent Speaking Engagements

  • Navigating the Current Charitable Landscape: Tips for Professional Advisors, Baltimore Estate Planning Council (2026)
  • 2025 Giving USA Report, panelist, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Cleveland (2025)
  • Connecting the Generations: Experiential Giving Through the Family, panelist, Estate Planning Council of Cleveland (2024)
  • Next Gen Philanthropy, National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC) national webinar (2023)
  • Charitable Landscape: Popular Techniques, Trends and Legislative Updates, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) (2023)

Recent Publications

  • The View from Rhodes Tower: Working with the Ohio Attorney General on Charitable Matters (co-author), Probate Law Journal of Ohio (January/February 2023)
  • Donor Advised Funds are a Valuable Tool for End-of-Year Giving, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Journal (December 2022)
  • Adding Value for Your Client in the Creation of a Donor Advised Fund (co-author), Probate Law Journal of Ohio (November/December 2019)
  • Finding the Right Charitable Giving Option and Private Foundation Exit Strategies (co-author), Probate Law Journal of Ohio (July/August 2017)

 

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