Zac Kester is the Managing Director of Advanta Management and the Manager of the Advanta Charitable Lending Fund LLC. This private credit facility issues 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 expertise 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 return while preserving appropriate returns, enabling capital to be reused for future charitable endeavors. Its mission is to help reverse the nationwide decline in charitable giving by making complex charitable giving strategies more accessible.

In 2025, Kester joined the fund as Executive Vice President, working with accredited charitable institutional investors as they completed investment due diligence. During his first year in investment relations, he achieved $50 million in new investments. During the second year, he and the fund anticipate securing more than $100 million in new investments, funding more than $100 million in loans, and generating more than $100 million in charitable gifts.

As Managing Director, Zachary Kester oversees the lending and investment teams, aligns operational activities with the fund's strategic goal of maintaining a PRI structure, and ensures effective risk management. His role includes guiding borrower evaluation, overseeing collateral, monitoring loan performance, and providing industry education, which collectively support the fund's mission and stakeholder interests.

Kester works closely with charitable and mission-driven investors to demonstrate how the lending programs support charitable purposes and the fund’s mission. He also assists in structuring loans with specialized collateral strategies designed to help protect investor capital and preserve resources for future charitable initiatives.

Kester's responsibilities extend to overseeing liquidity, financial stability, investor reporting, financial controls, audit preparation, collateral monitoring, stress testing, and risk management. Through coordination with lending, underwriting, treasury, and risk management teams, he helps maintain a disciplined approach to operations.

Outside of his professional work, Zac Kester 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. These credentials demonstrate his commitment to excellence in philanthropic and financial management, enhancing his ability to serve the fund and its stakeholders effectively.