An Unplanned Journey into Philanthropy, with Stephanie Ellis-Smith

An Unplanned Journey into Philanthropy, with Stephanie Ellis-Smith

From Money Tales by Aspiriant

February 26, 2026 · 38 min

About this episode

Stephanie Ellis-Smith shares her journey from a medical career to philanthropy and founding nonprofits.

In this episode of Money Tales, our guest is Stephanie Ellis-Smith. Marriage caused Stephanie to face two hard truths at once. The medical career she had poured herself into did not fit the life she wanted to build with her husband. And perhaps even more unsettling, a career in medicine was not clicking the way she had always assumed it would. When she stepped away, Stephanie felt like she was walking out on an identity her family had invested everything in. Then, in the middle of that uncertainty, Stephanie said yes to a small volunteer opportunity. That single yes ended up rerouting her life into a decades long career in philanthropy, including founding three nonprofits and Phila Engaged Giving. Stephanie is the CEO and founder of Phīla Engaged Giving, a philanthropic advisory firm established in 2017 that works with donors who are ready to activate their assets for social change. As an advisor and social impact specialist, she works toward a world where philanthropy is a nurturing and equity-centered practice that connects wealth to the people and communities who need it most. Stephanie is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®) with extensive experience in advising…

People in this episode

Host: Aspiriant

Guest: Stephanie Ellis-Smith

Topics covered

  • philanthropy
  • career change
  • nonprofit leadership
  • social impact
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • philanthropy
  • nonprofits
  • career transition
  • social change
  • advisory

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Phīla Engaged Giving, Aspiriant

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