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Michelle Cohen, President and Co-Founder of Mitch-Stuart, Inc., is featured twice in the October/November/December 2026 issue of Desert Charities News: once in the magazine's Women in Philanthropy listings and again with a full-page Spotlight profile.
For anyone who has bid on a dream trip at a charity gala, there is a good chance Michelle's work was behind it. For decades she has helped nonprofits turn travel into one of the most reliable revenue drivers at their fundraising events. This recognition from the Coachella Valley's leading philanthropy publication puts that work in front of the donors, board members and nonprofit leaders who shape giving in the desert.
Here is a closer look at both appearances and why they matter.
Desert Charities News is celebrating 16 years as the Coachella Valley's news magazine dedicated to philanthropy and charitable giving. Over that time it has built what it calls the largest database of charities in the region, covering more than 700 nonprofits.
The fall 2026 issue is built around a Philanthropist Spotlight special section themed "Preserving the Legacy of Giving in the Coachella Valley." Alongside it runs Women in Philanthropy, a recurring feature subtitled "Industry Leaders and Influencers in the Nonprofit Industry."
The section opens on page 13 of the magazine. Its editors describe it as a tribute to women who serve the desert's philanthropic community through leadership, vision and generosity. Being included places Michelle among executive directors, CEOs, founders and board leaders from across the valley.
Michelle's first appearance is her "Making A Difference" listing on page 3 of the Women in Philanthropy section. It sits alongside leaders from Shelter From the Storm, Guide Dogs of the Desert, the 4ShayJ Foundation and others.
The listing credits her with helping shape modern nonprofit fundraising. Its central claim is striking: the travel and loyalty-based giving strategies she pioneered have generated more than $1 billion for charitable organizations.
The listing highlights three milestones:
The nation's first frequent giving program, co-created with business partner Stuart Paskow, which opened a new channel for donor engagement through travel rewards.
The American Airlines AAdvantage® Fundraising program, which she helped develop and consulted on, along with similar initiatives across the airline industry.
Ongoing work at Mitch-Stuart, Inc., where she helps nonprofits strengthen donor participation and fundraising results with experience-driven travel programs.
Michelle's second appearance is a full Spotlight profile on Women in Philanthropy page 15. It expands the listing into the bigger story of how she changed the way nonprofits raise money. The profile describes her as someone who redefined charity fundraising by combining innovation, strategy and memorable travel. As co-founder of Mitch-Stuart, she has spent decades helping organizations get more out of their events with one-of-a-kind travel packages. Those packages are built to inspire generous bidding while giving donors memories that last a lifetime.
The Spotlight also revisits her partnership with Stuart Paskow and the frequent flyer fundraising concept they pioneered with American Airlines. According to the profile, that expertise has since helped thousands of nonprofits make their auctions more exciting and more profitable.
The profile closes on her core idea: the right travel experiences are more than vacations. Offered to the right donors, appealing travel packages become a fundraising tool that helps organizations raise money for their missions and the communities they serve.
Mitch-Stuart's portfolio is built to appeal to nearly every interest and budget. The Spotlight names several examples:
A round of golf on the legendary courses of St. Andrews in Scotland
A farm-to-table pasta-making class with wine pairings in Florence
A cruise through the Galápagos Islands
A night safari in Singapore
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting in New York
A private island jungle home with a personal chef and staff
A four-bedroom home on a working sheep farm in Ireland, with a whiskey tasting
That range is the point. A Scottish golf trip draws a different bidder than a Florence cooking class or a Galápagos cruise. When a nonprofit offers a variety of experiences, it gives couples, families, groups of friends and sports fans each a reason to raise their paddles. The Christmas tree lighting suits holiday travelers, while the Irish farmhouse has room for a family or a group of friends.
The business model matters as much as the destinations. Mitch-Stuart packages are no-risk for the nonprofit: the organization pays nothing for any package that does not sell.
For small and mid-sized charities, that removes the main barrier to including premium travel at a gala. There is no upfront cost and no unsold inventory to absorb. Organizations can select travel packages for their auction that match their donors' interests, and the bidding raises funds to support their missions.
The same issue shows how full the desert's fundraising calendar is. It previews events such as the 4ShayJ Foundation's Cards for a Cause Casino Night on February 27, 2027, and the Palm Springs International Piano Competition's annual benefit, A Journey Through Time, on March 1. Events like these depend on auction items that excite donors, and nonprofits plan them months in advance.
Michelle's inclusion in Women in Philanthropy signals that her approach is valued by the people running those events. It also fits the issue's theme of preserving the legacy of giving. Her model helps charities raise more without taking on financial risk, and that keeps more dollars flowing to programs.
Michelle's influence also reaches well beyond the desert. Her work with American Airlines and similar airline programs opened a new way for donors to give through travel rewards. The Spotlight credits her expertise with helping thousands of nonprofits strengthen their fundraising events.
You can read both appearances in the online edition of Desert Charities News. The full Spotlight is on Women in Philanthropy page 15, and the magazine lists contact information for every featured woman at desertcharities.com (search by company name).
If you are planning a gala, auction or donor event, Michelle and the Mitch-Stuart team can help you select a variety of travel packages that appeal to different bidders. Reach them at mitchstuart.com, by phone at (800) 574-9991 or by email at mcohen@mitchstuart.com. Mitch-Stuart, Inc. is based at 29982 Ivy Glenn Drive, Suite 200, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677.
Michelle Cohen is the President and Co-Founder of Mitch-Stuart, Inc. Her company provides travel experiences that nonprofits use to raise money at auctions and fundraising events.
She appears in the October/November/December 2026 issue's Women in Philanthropy section. Her listing is on page 3 of the section, and her full Spotlight profile is on page 15.
With Stuart Paskow, she co-created the nation's first frequent giving program. She also helped develop the American Airlines AAdvantage® Fundraising program. Her strategies have generated more than $1 billion for charities.
The packages are no-risk. Nonprofits select travel packages for their auction and pay nothing for any package that does not sell.
Visit mitchstuart.com or call (800) 574-9991.
