JENKINTOWN, PA — National Philanthropic Trust has appointed former Hershey Trust Company executive Jerel Hopkins as general counsel, adding senior legal leadership as the donor-advised fund sponsor expands its operations and governance functions.
Hopkins will oversee the charity’s legal team, manage day-to-day legal matters and advise executive leadership and the board of directors, the organization announced.
The appointment follows the recent expansion of Chief Administrative and Legal Officer Gil Nusbaum’s responsibilities, prompting the organization to create a dedicated general counsel role to support its continued growth.
National Philanthropic Trust is the nation’s largest independent public charity managing donor-advised funds, a philanthropic vehicle that has grown rapidly in recent years and attracted increased regulatory and public scrutiny over transparency and charitable distributions.
Hopkins joins the organization from Hershey Trust Company, where he served as vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary. In that role, he oversaw legal, regulatory, risk and governance matters and advised multiple boards and affiliated entities.
Before joining Hershey Trust Company, Hopkins spent nearly two decades at Macquarie Asset Management in senior leadership positions, advising executives and boards on transactions and strategic initiatives across global markets.
“As NPT continues to grow in scale and complexity, it is critical that our legal function evolves alongside the organization,” Nusbaum stated. He added that Hopkins brings experience in legal, compliance, governance and risk management that aligns with the organization’s mission.
Hopkins said he was “honored to join National Philanthropic Trust” and looked forward to providing strategic legal guidance as the organization continues to expand.
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