Kaplan's book, "Doing Good Well: Fishing, Philanthropy and Finding a Way",

is being published by the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors for release in Fall 2026. The 80-page monograph tells the story of the partnership between an Alaska banker and philanthropist, a lifelong Republican, Presbyterian, moderate conservative, and the Jewish girl from Brooklyn, New York, who fell in love with Alaska and its people. Together, they built the 49th state's first big philanthropy and, in a matter of years, established a huge social footprint in every corner of its territory. Their work together, guided by their respective families' commitment to public service and improving the world, and a shared appreciation for Alaska's people and places, resulted in fundamental change to Alaska. Working under an unconventional governance structure, with few rules, and little patience for bureaucracy, they transformed the dynamics of Alaska's nonprofit sector, initiated collaborations between government and philanthropy at every level, reinvigorated a declining arts and culture sector, and brought public attention to focus on the parks and trails of its home community, Anchorage. Their work together, in collaboration with a phenomenally connected and flexible board of directors and a staff with unusual passion and talent, inspired the creation of hundreds of tangible, lasting assets like health clinics, cultural centers, domestic violence shelters, recreational facilities, libraries, and public facilities. Their work together further set Alaska up for sustainability in the generations to come by lifting up nonprofit sector partners, incentivizing the creation of a sophisticated and widespread community foundation network, and changing Alaskans' attitudes and practices around individual and family giving. As Ambassadors for their beloved state, they served as vital links between national philanthropies and Alaska, literally putting the Rasmuson Foundation on the national philanthropy map and generating hundreds of millions of dollars for Alaska's benefit.