81: Robert Shepard (GG+A) on Philanthropy
Fri Feb 06 2026
On this episode of Deans Counsel, hosts Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry speak with Bob Shepard, a true veteran in philanthropic circles with a storied career spanning roughly 40 years, much of that running Duke University's philanthropic efforts.
Today, Bob is a consultant with Grenzebach Glier & Associates, a full-service philanthropic management consulting firm (and now a part of Huron Consulting Group), where he continues to help shape philanthropic efforts at a variety of universities.
In this episode, we take a deep dive into this area of philanthropy and glean some incredibly helpful observations and advice from a true pro in the field, covering topics such as:
- Different approaches to dealing with the Ask
- The necessity of having a solid development officer
- Private or public organizational structure
- Navigating conflict between athletics and academics units
Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note.
Thanks for listening.
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Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts
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DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership.
James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019)
David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016)
Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry
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On this episode of Deans Counsel, hosts Jim Ellis and Dave Ikenberry speak with Bob Shepard, a true veteran in philanthropic circles with a storied career spanning roughly 40 years, much of that running Duke University's philanthropic efforts. Today, Bob is a consultant with Grenzebach Glier & Associates, a full-service philanthropic management consulting firm (and now a part of Huron Consulting Group), where he continues to help shape philanthropic efforts at a variety of universities. In this episode, we take a deep dive into this area of philanthropy and glean some incredibly helpful observations and advice from a true pro in the field, covering topics such as: - Different approaches to dealing with the Ask - The necessity of having a solid development officer - Private or public organizational structure - Navigating conflict between athletics and academics units Comments/criticism/suggestions/feedback? We'd love to hear it. Drop us a note. Thanks for listening. - Produced by Joel Davis at Analog Digital Arts -- DEANS COUNSEL: A podcast for deans and academic leadership. James Ellis | Moderator | Dean of the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California (2007-2019) David Ikenberry | Moderator | Dean of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado-Boulder (2011-2016) Ken Kring | Moderator | Co-Managing Director, Global Education Practice and Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry DeansCounsel.com