Inspired to make their first gift to the Duke Lemur Center following a trip to Madagascar in 2017, Katy (pictured here) and her husband, John, recently named the Duke Lemur Center as a beneficiary of their estate.  

The Duke Lemur Center is thrilled to share the largest commitment in its history: a record-breaking $9 million legacy gift that will profoundly shape the future of lemur conservation and research. 

The story of this extraordinary act of generosity began in 2017 when Katy and John, an adventurous couple from California, embarked on a life-changing journey to Madagascar. Captivated by the island’s extraordinary biodiversity and the resilience of its people, they returned home determined to make a difference. 

“I’ve loved lemurs for as long as I can remember,” Katy shared. “When we visited Madagascar, I realized how fragile this ecosystem is—and how much work it takes to protect it. Someone needs to do it.” 

Katy began searching for organizations dedicated to protecting lemurs and Madagascar’s forests. That search led her to the Duke Lemur Center. After an inspiring conversation with Charlie Welch, then DLC Conservation Coordinator, Katy made her first gift to support reforestation efforts in the SAVA region of Madagascar. She included the following comment: 

“My husband and I appreciate what you are doing for Madagascar. All throughout my childhood, I’ve had an infatuation with lemurs. This year, I finally was able to visit for the first time and we spent three weeks traveling throughout Madagascar … not nearly enough time.  It is the most fabulous place on earth and dear to my heart. The work you are doing to save it is appreciated. The more poverty-stricken areas might not yet understand the importance of sustainability and saving their habitat, but one day they will. Wish I could donate more, hopefully at a later time.” 

Over the years, Katy and John became loyal supporters, contributing annually to the Madagascar Programs Fund and the General Fund, and even visiting the center to meet the people and lemurs behind the mission. 

Their commitment deepened recently when they updated their estate plans, naming the Duke Lemur Center as a key beneficiary of their wills and revocable trust. The result: a future gift now estimated at $9 million, the largest single commitment ever made to the Center. 

Katy’s vision is one that resonates with our mission: 

“If developing countries receive help to restore rainforests and learn sustainability, wildlife comes back, and quality of life improves. Protecting Madagascar benefits generations—and the world.” 

Greg Dye, Executive Director of the Duke Lemur Center, expressed his excitement upon learning of Katy and John’s record-breaking commitment: 

“This is incredible news for our future—and it couldn’t come at a more critical time. We’re facing devastating cuts in federal funding and the loss of essential resources needed to sustain our progress,” he said. “Bold generosity like this proves that we can do more than simply ‘power through’ challenges—we can ‘power forward’ with the support of friends and advocates who believe in our mission, our work, and the people and lemurs who are part of it all.” 

To learn more about our program and our wonderful lemurs, visit Duke Lemur Center 

Interested in a planned gift? For more information on how to create a lasting legacy at Duke through a planned gift, please contact us at (919) 681-0464 or giftplanning@duke.edu.  Duke’s Office of Gift Planning can prepare a personalized gift illustration and work with you and your advisors to explore your options. 

This story was originally featured on Duke Lemur Center’s website 

About the authors

Anne Bradley

Senior Associate Director and Philanthropic Advisor, Office of Gift Planning

anne.bradley@duke.edu

Anne has 20 years of nonprofit fundraising experience including grant writing, individual fundraising and gift planning. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame. For the past 15 years, Anne has served in roles of increasing responsibility in the Gift Planning Office at Duke University where she manages complex gift conversations for alumni and friends in the Midwest, Texas, Philadelphia, and New Jersey.  Anne also serves as the primary Gift Planning Liaison for Dukes Libraries, Duke Lemur Center, Duke Catholic Center, The Graduate School, Pratt School of Engineering and the Women’s Impact Network. In 2023 Anne earned the designation of Charted Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP) from the American College of Financial Services. 

Mary Paisley

Development Director, Duke Lemur Center

mary.paisley@duke.edu

Mary Paisley is Development Director for the Duke Lemur Center (DLC), where she engages individuals and organizations in advancing the center’s mission through research, conservation, and education. A lifelong animal lover, she is deeply committed to the Center’s work to learn from and protect lemurs and their native habitats in Madagascar. Before joining the DLC in 2017, she held fundraising and marketing leadership roles with North Carolina nonprofit organizations. With strong family ties to Duke University, she is proud to serve Duke in this role, furthering the Duke Lemur Center’s impact. She is always happy to talk with the center’s supporters about lemurs, science, and Madagascar: It will NEVER get old!