Zac Kester

Zac Kester is the Managing Director of Advanta Management and the Manager of the Advanta Charitable Lending Fund LLC. This private credit facility provides bespoke charitable gift financing loans to individuals. He was promoted to this position within six months of joining the organization due to his expertise in complex charitable giving, personal tax planning, and pooled charitable investment funds. His professional background includes private placement accredited charitable pooled investing, private credit lending, and private debt fund management. The fund operates as a program-related investment (PRI). This advanced philanthropic structure prioritizes charitable purpose over financial returns while preserving appropriate returns, allowing capital to be recycled for future charitable initiatives. Its mission is to help address the nationwide decline in charitable giving by making complex charitable giving strategies more accessible. In 2025, Kester joined the fund as Executive Vice President and worked with accredited charitable institutional investors as they completed investment due diligence. During his first year in investment relations, he secured $50 million in new investments. During the second year, he and the organization anticipate more than $100 million in new investments, more than $100 million in loans funded, and more than $100 million in charitable gifts. As Managing Director, Zachary Kester oversees the lending and investment teams while directing the organization’s operations. His primary responsibility is ensuring the fund remains aligned with its PRI mission while appropriately managing lending and investment risks. He supports borrower evaluation, collateral valuation, loan performance monitoring, and ongoing education related to the specialized markets underlying loan collateral. He also encourages cooperation among sales, credit, and compliance teams early in the review process. Kester works closely with charitable and mission-driven investors to demonstrate how the lending programs support charitable purposes and measurable impact. He also helps structure loans using specialized collateral strategies designed to protect investor capital and preserve resources for future charitable and community-focused efforts. Kester's responsibilities include overseeing liquidity, financial stability, investor reporting, financial controls, audit preparation, collateral monitoring, stress testing, and risk management. Through collaboration across multiple departments, he helps maintain a disciplined and balanced operating framework. Outside of his professional responsibilities, Zac Kester serves as a Director of Advanta Philanthropic, a Director of a large charitable grantmaking organization, and remains active in his local church. He earned a Certificate in Fundraising Management and Philanthropic Studies in 2012, holds the Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy® (CAP®) designation, and is pursuing the Chartered Life Underwriter® (CLU®) and Chartered Financial Consultant® (ChFC®) designations.