Rosalyn (Missy) Ham-Cross

Director, Gift Planning 
Rosalyn.ham@umaryland.edu
410-706-6918

Missy joined UMB as Director of Gift Planning in 2024 with over 25 years of experience in planned giving and major gift fundraising, and a proven track record of success in building and managing donor relations. She served for 18 years as a gift planning officer for the American Red Cross, raising over $23 million in new planned giving commitments and an additional $1 million in outright gifts. Her extensive experience included developing and executing comprehensive gift planning strategies, providing technical support to regional staff, and managing relationships with key stakeholders such as board members, volunteers, and donors. Prior to her tenure at the Red Cross, Missy held various roles at the Smithsonian Institution where she managed a prospect pool of 200 potential donors and successfully closed nearly $4 million in planned gifts. Her work in building and maintaining the Smithsonian Legacy Society and overseeing the bequest and charitable gift annuity programs has been instrumental in the intuition’s long-term fundraising success.

Missy is an active member of the National Capital Gift Planning Council (NCGPC) and the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. In 2022, she was honored with the NCGPC’s Distinguished Service Award in Planned Giving, recognizing her significant contributions to the field.

Liz Connors

Senior Associate Director, Gift Planning
esconnors@umaryland.edu
410-706-5911

Liz has been at UMB since 2006, providing outreach for the central planned giving office throughout campus, as well as managing its marketing and administration. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her MS in Marketing and MBA from the University of Maryland Global Campus.