Member Spotlight: Tracey Wilson

Tracey Wilson
Tracey Wilson
Development Officer, Grant Medical Center
OhioHealth Foundation

Q:       Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?   

A:      OhioHealth is a nationally recognized, not-for-profit, charitable, healthcare organization with Methodist roots.  Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is an integrated, regional health system with a presence in Ohio for over 100 years.  Serving patients since 1891, OhioHealth’s mission is “to improve the health of those we serve.”  Each year, OhioHealth has over three million patient visits at our hospitals and care sites spanning a 40-county area and affords each patient high-quality healthcare, wellness, and prevention and education services – regardless of their ability to pay.

I’m proud to represent OhioHealth Grant Medical Center and find working with our patients and their families the most rewarding part of my role. 

 

Q:       How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:        I joined AFP beginning in 2005 but due to working outside of Columbus let my membership lapse until I rejoined in 2014. 

 

Q:       What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:        I find the opportunity to network with colleagues in the fundraising profession to be one of the best aspects of joining AFP.  I also enjoy the monthly educational luncheons and the opportunity to learn and gain new insights into philanthropy which enhance my skills.

 

Q:       How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?       

A:        I started my development career in 2005 after leaving The Longaberger Company as their Director of Corporate Giving where I was responsible for working with non-profit organizations in the communities where our associates lived and worked.  I found the passion and commitment that non-profit leaders needed to be successful was a motivating factor to transition to this very rewarding career in development.  

 

Q:       What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:        I love working in Columbus because of the diversity and entrepreneurial spirit where businesses and the community as a whole thrives.  Columbus is a big city, but still has that small town feel that makes living here and raising a family here so enjoyable.

 

Cooper’s Hawk is one of my favorite restaurants.  I love the wine tastings and the food is always great!

Q:       Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:        I’m the proud Mom to 4 young men, Taylor – 23, Spencer – 21, Hunter – 21 and Jared – 17.  If I can raise 4 boys as a single-parent, I figure I can do just about anything!!

 
Posted: July 2016

Member Spotlight: David Weaver

David Weaver - Photo
David Weaver
Executive Director
Ohioana Library Association

Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?   

A:         Ohioana collects, preserves, and celebrates Ohio literature. It was founded in 1929 by an Ohio First Lady – Martha Kinney Cooper – who was an avid reader. In addition to a collection that includes more than 75,000 books and other items, we produce an annual book festival, give out literary awards, and publish a magazine. I have always loved reading and am a writer myself – so the Ohioana Library Association is a great fit for me.

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         I attended the second organizational meeting of the Central Ohio chapter of the National Society of Fundraising Executives, which preceded AFP. That was in 1981! Except for a few brief periods, I’ve been a member ever since. I have served on the board four times since 1982, most recently in 2011-14, during which I served as National Philanthropy Day Co-Chair in 2012 and 2013.

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         Great educational programs, wonderful opportunity to mix and mingle with your colleagues, whom you often do not see except for AFP luncheons and events, since everyone is so busy back at the shop!

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?       

A:         I began my career as Development Assistant at the Columbus Symphony in 1980, soon after Ralph Goettler and his firm, Goettler Associates, organized the CSO’s first professional development operation. Within a year I was Assistant Director of Development. My first job as a Development Director was in 1981, at The Breathing Association. A job I learned about, by the way, at an NSFRE meeting!

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite restaurant?

A:         I was born in Columbus and, except when I went to college in Cincinnati and spent a year studying music in California, I’ve lived here all my life. Columbus is a great place to live and work because the people here are warm and friendly. And the nonprofit community here is fantastic – so many dedicated people and organizations. As for favorite restaurant – it’s Haiku, in the Short North.

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I played Kermit the Frog once on “Alive at the Fair.” It was on the old Warner QUBE service, in 1980.

Posted: July 2016

Member Spotlight: Sarah Edwards

Sarah Edwards
SarahSLPicture01-001(1)

Executive Director
Simply Living


Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

A:         Simply Living is entering its 25th year. The germination of the idea came when its founders were participating in Earth Day 1991 at Whetstone Park. People were expecting about 2,500, and instead 25,000 people showed up! Clearly it was time to create an organization that honored the Earth year round and Simply Living was created! Our vision has remained the same: Creating a compassionate and sustainable world through personal, community and cultural transformation.

The vision has remained the same, but how we work toward manifesting the vision has grown with the times as the interests of the community have changed: Simply Living is a largely volunteer, community organization celebrating and promoting sustainability and the power of localism through educational outreach and partnerships within our community. We connect people to learning opportunities that promote environmental, economic and social justice.

Always believing in the value of accessible education, our major initiative is Simply Living Sustainable U. We are taking a major step forward to optimize our efforts by creating a virtual hub that aggregates local courses, workshops and training opportunities related to environmental, social and economic justice. The campus is the community, the instructors are from the community and the learners are our neighbors, family, friends, and those who want to learn about and activate a sustainable lifestyle. (www.university.simplyliving.org)

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         I moved to Columbus in 2014 from a rural state whose entire population is smaller than the City of Columbus! One of the first people I met was a current board member of AFP. So, I have been a member since 2014. My involvement began with becoming a mentee of a terrific director of another small non-profit. He helped me learn the ropes of the City and introduced me to the AFP community.

Since then, I have been participating in the BeThe Cause campaign, which is a membership fundraiser the raises dollars for scholarships. I expect that my involvement will increase over time.

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         So far, the most valuable part of being a member of AFP has been the educational component. The monthly lunch series has been very instructive on a number of levels, especially helping me to stay on top of the latest thinking in philanthropy and expanding my knowledge of the field in general. It has also provided an invaluable review of the basics. There was a 10-year hiatus in my career and I enrolled in the Fundamentals of Fundraising course. As the director of a small organization, it is not unusual to have to wear all the hats! AFP has helped me fill in the gaps.

I am also part of the Small Shop affinity group. This group is comprised of small non-profits that have many challenges in common. We brainstorm solutions or someone in the group has met with the same issue and can offer practical solutions that you might not have thought of. An added bonus: it is lively and there is always a healthy dose of laughter. A great networking opportunity!

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?

A:         I began working for non-profits (equals fundraising!) as a grant writer. Believe it or not, I find the grant writing process rewarding. How often do you get to take a thought, develop it and see it through to the end? Of course it is always more fun when the effort results in a funded proposal! Thanks to AFP I am now learning to become a better fundraiser in general.

           

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         My favorite part of living in Columbus is the vibrancy that is exhibited everywhere from community food gardens, to a lively arts and food scene, to a strong community of collaborative non-profits doing great work. I also like that rivers run through it which allows for kayaking, reverie and scenic walking.         

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I love swimming in biologically active ponds!

 

 Posted June 2016

Member Spotlight – Kerry Shaw

Member Spotlight – Kerry Shaw

 Kerry Shaw - Photo

 

 

Kerry Shaw

Director of Development and Communications

Local Matters

 

Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

A:         Local Matters was founded in 2008 in response to projections at the time that the current generation of children would have a shorter life expectancy than their parents, largely due to diet-related diseases. Our mission is to improve the health of people and communities through food education, access and advocacy. Local Matters works to address issues related to chronic disease and food insecurity by delivering critical hands-on cooking, nutrition and growing education, working with everyone from pre-schoolers to seniors, at over 80 sites throughout the city and state, supporting almost 12,000 people annually.

 

I have been working in the non-profit sector for almost 20 years and I have never worked at a place like Local Matters. The passion and commitment that I see carried forth from the staff and leadership is indescribable. Our food educators are teaching over 40 classes a week all over the city. When you go to a class and see how connected the children and adults are to what our food educators are teaching and how excited they get to interact with healthful food, it changes you. In 2015, we embarked on a capital improvement campaign of sorts to relocate our offices and build a culinary classroom, the first one in the organization’s history. The foresight shown by the leadership of the organization and the support we received from funders and partners was exceptional. Local Matters now has a Community Kitchen where we teach cooking, nutrition and gardening classes to the public, regardless of ability to play, where we train satellite partners from across the state and where we will be instructing culinary medicine to second year pediatric residents from Nationwide Children’s Hospital. I was honored and humbled to be a part of such a legacy-setting endeavor. I love working at Local Matters because everything about it is real.

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         I have been an AFP member for almost two years. I have attended numerous education sessions, networking events and have met with members who have helped me grow in the development world. I realized I had a lot to learn about development when I joined Local Matters and AFP has helped tremendously with that learning curve. I also participated in the mentorship program in 2015.

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         I find the most valuable part of AFP to be the other members that I meet. Some I have known for years in my past roles in the non-profit world but being exposed to such a brain trust around fundraising and development is invaluable. I also found the mentorship program to be extremely beneficial. It was helpful to be paired with a mentor who was running a small shop type of non-profit, similar in size to Local Matters. My mentor had years of experience in fundraising and imparted not just wisdom but also practical tools to use in further defining development at Local Matters.

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?      

A:         I have been in fundraising for two years, although I have been in the non-profit world for many years as a grant writer, program manager, and most recently as a program officer with a foundation. The position at Local Matters appealed to me, first, because of the people, the mission and the culture, and second, because it was an opportunity to grow my skill set. I have learned so much in the past two years because of on-the-job exposure and because of resources such as AFP.

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         My favorite part of living and working in Columbus is being close to my family, friends and my two nephews. My husband and I recently moved to Clintonville and it truly feels like home. My current favorite restaurants include Gallo’s Kitchen, Harvest Pizza and Brassica.

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I am a dual citizen of Ireland and the United States. All four of my grandparents were born in Ireland and immigrated to the US in the 1920s and 30s. I had the opportunity about 20 years ago to apply for citizenship because of my grandparents. I haven’t necessarily done anything with it yet but who knows…there is still plenty of time.

Posted June 2016

 

 

Organization Spotlight: Kaleidoscope Youth Center

Kaleidoscope Youth Center

KYC

www.kycohio.org

As told to us by Siobhan Boyd-Nelson, Development & Marketing Associate

Mission, Vision & Population Served

The mission of Kaleidoscope Youth Center (KYC) is to work in partnership with young people in Central Ohio to create safe and empowering environments for LGBTQ and Ally youth through advocacy, education, support, and community engagement. Our vision is for youth across the spectrums of sexual orientation and gender identity to live healthy, whole lives with acceptance and freedom from oppression.

Kaleidoscope’s programming focuses on building resiliency and reducing risk factors for LGBTQ+ young people ages 12-20. KYC engages young people in inclusive, affirming, and empowering positive youth development programming. Our staff, volunteers, and participants work together to cultivate a safe and supportive community in which our participants can thrive.

The Center primarily serves youth from Columbus and surrounding communities, while the GSA Network spans the state.  Youth from more than 48 zip codes participated in KYC programming during calendar year 2015.

During 2015, KYC’s after school programming served 413 youth who made a total of over 4,000 visits to the Center to participate in programming.

Kaleidoscope serves hundreds of additional youth through the Ohio GSA Network, a program providing education, consultation, events, and organizing for our local Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) network and youth-serving professionals.

 

Involvement with AFP

Kaleidoscope has become more involved with AFP over the last few years as we have dedicated more time and resources to fundraising.   AFP has been a great resource as I evolved into the position of Development and Marketing Associate, the first development position established at KYC.  I completed the Fundamentals of Fundraising Course in 2015.

 

Special Events

Kaleidoscope moved to a new, bigger facility this year, opening our doors on February 29.  We will be opening our doors to the community for a second housewarming celebration on Thursday, June 9, 2016, from 7pm – 9pm.  Kaleidoscope will also be celebrating the Columbus Pride holiday by marching in the parade, hosting a Teen Tent, and participating in the festival, all on Saturday, June 18. 

 

Kaleidoscope Youth Center - Photo 

Left to Right: Michelle Jordan, MSW, LSW (Center Program Coordinator), Siobhan Boyd-Nelson, JD (Development & Marketing Associate), Amy Eldridge (Executive Director), Michael Eblin (Prevention Specialist), Danielle Boyd, MSSA (GSA Network Coordinator)

Posted June 2016

Member Spotlight: Evan Kleymeyer

Evan Kleymeyer

 Evan Kleymeyer - Photo

Foundation Director

 Ohio Bankers League

 Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

 A:         The Ohio Bankers League (“OBL”) is the trade association for the Ohio banking industry focused on meeting the needs of all banks and thrifts in the Buckeye State. For more than 125 years, the OBL has been the voice of the Ohio banking industry fostering a cooperation that has made it one of the strongest and most reputable financial trade associations in the country. By linking banks, bankers, and industry experts – and by pooling their intellectual and capital resources – the OBL serves as a powerful creator of knowledge and collective resources. The non-profit association is comprised of 200 FDIC-insured financial institutions including commercial banks, savings banks, and savings and loan associations ranging in size from just over $13 million in assets to more than $2.5 trillion.

The Foundation is my favorite part of working at the OBL. Our focus is bringing financial literacy to every school in the state, as well as providing scholarships to college.

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         I have been a member of AFP for almost three years. I am the public policy chair on the AFP Board of Directors, as well as a mentee in the AFP mentor program.

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         I appreciate the network opportunities that AFP provides me. It is incredibly beneficial to have relationships with individuals that I can bounce ideas off of.

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?      

A:         My fundraising career started 5 years ago when I was doing political fundraising for candidates all over the state. I made the switch over to nonprofit fundraising a year and a half ago, and have been loving it ever since.

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         Columbus, in my humble opinion, is the perfect city. (Ok, it could be a little warmer.) There is so much to do, however it is not as much of a hassle as a larger city. You can get anywhere in 20 minutes.  I am a huge fan of anything Cameron Mitchell, number one probably being Marcella’s.

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I enjoy running and at the end of this month will be running my third half marathon.

Posted May 2016

 

Member Spotlight: Ariane Bolduc

Ariane Bolduc
Ariane Bolduc - Photo

Development Writer

COSI

Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

A:         COSI’s mission is to inspire interest in science and encourage people to want to know more about their world. I love the collective talent and dedication of my amazing co-workers, and I feel extremely proud to be part of the COSI Team.  Also, it’s meaningful to me to be part of an organization that encourages critical thinking, teaches science inquiry skills, and supports a larger culture of curiosity—which, I believe, are all essential to a healthy society. COSI offers so many programs that support the development of these habits of mind. Whether through outreach to 280,000+ students a year or bringing students onsite to our Teen Tech Studio— to me, it’s about supporting the innovators and scientists of tomorrow, yes, but also (equally important) supporting the development of informed and engaged citizens, the problem-solvers of tomorrow. It’s about asking questions, testing solutions, and sharing ideas… whether programming a robot or creating a more fair democracy. I love contributing to that!

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         I became an AFP member four years ago. I completed the year-long Mentorship program under the guidance of the fabulous Ruth Watkins and also completed the Fundamentals of Fundraising Course. Especially for those starting new in the profession, AFP is an amazing resource to gain practical knowledge, a nurturing circle of colleagues, and practical steps for advancing a career path in the field.

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         I would say the supportive colleagues. When I took on my first Development Director position, I felt no hesitation whatsoever in picking up the phone and calling a much more established AFP colleague for advice (for some random, elementary database issue, if I recall) — not someone I knew particularly well, just someone I’d run into along the way. I felt very comfortable and confident that I would receive a warm and helpful response (I did!)— simply because it feels like that’s the kind of community the central Ohio AFP has built over time. The veterans are so helpful to the newbies and give (both formally and informally) of their talents and expertise for the good of the profession and the success of our collective central Ohio non-profit base.

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?      

A:         I began my fundraising career over ten years ago, when I joined the Columbus Symphony as the Associate Director for Grants and Foundations. I had just completed an MFA in Creative Writing and wanted to use my writing skills in a non-profit setting. Grant writing seemed the ideal fit. Over time, I’ve used writing to help build donor relations, communicate impact, and advocate for my organization’s value among many different stakeholders. 

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         I have an enduring love affair with everything German Village, which is where I first lived when I moved here from California… 15 years ago! I also love our Metro Parks and library systems. Restaurant-wise, I would never turn down a meal at Hunan Lion on Bethel— always delicious, always peaceful.

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         In an earlier version of me, I was studying to be an opera singer. That was my first major in college, before I switched to poetry. It’s still a dream of mine that one of my poems will be set to music for some soprano to perform from the bend of a grand piano!

 
Posted May 2016

Member Spotlight: Steve Miller

Steve Miller
Director of Development
The First Tee of Central Ohio

Steve Miller - Photo 1

 

Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

A:         The First Tee of Central Ohio’s mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that are designed around teaching the game of golf, as well as helping them understand and develop The First Tee Nine Core Values: Honesty, Integrity, Sportsmanship, Respect, Confidence, Responsibility, Perseverance, Courtesy and Judgement. We serve 5 Central Ohio Counties and have programs in over 40 Columbus Public Schools as well as KIPP and Afterschool All Star’s.

I love working with young people and I love Golf!

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         I have been an AFP member since 2010. I started out as a member of the Membership Committee and then was asked to start and Chair our Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         I consider the most valuable part of my AFP membership to be the educational information that I get from the programs and from the members who have been in philanthropy for a while. I want to always be learning and growing professionally and my membership is the best value and opportunity for me to stay informed on all aspects of philanthropy.      

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?      

A:         After over 20 years of contract sales and sales management in Columbus and Atlanta, I started fundraising in 2010 at St. Charles Preparatory High School. I was asked to help professionalize their Annual Fund in the development department and to also help with diversity recruitment and retention.

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         I love being back at home in Columbus where I grew up and to be able to help out with my aging parents. Columbus has grown so much and it is a great place to live and work. No Real Traffic!

My favorite restaurant is Ms. Ena’s Caribbean! I love Jamaican Food!

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I was a DJ for 15 years.  I love Music!          

 

Steve Miller - Photo 2

 
Posted: April 2016

Member Spotlight: Dana Ward

Dana Ward
Donor Relations Coordinator
Mid-Ohio Foodbank

Dana Ward - Photo

 

AFP Member Dana Ward accepting a donation from the Sweetheart of Queens on behalf of Mid-Ohio Foodbank


Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

A:         Our mission is to end hunger one nourishing meal at a time and co-create a sustainable community where everyone thrives.  We serve people who have a hard time providing food for themselves or families – which can be anyone!  Hunger does not discriminate.

My favorite part about working at the Foodbank is building relationships with our donors and clients.  Our donors are so generous and care about the well-being of people in their community.  The stories people share when they need to ask for help are so moving – it keeps me passionate about the work I do every day.

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         This is my first year as an AFP member.  Before I was a member, I took the AFP Fundamentals of Fundraising course and really enjoyed it.  I am currently the NextGen affinity group chair and was paired with Ann Snider (OhioHealth Foundation) as part of the AFP mentor program. 

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         Networking.  At one of the first luncheons I attended, I was called out for sitting with a coworker and that lesson really stuck with me.  I want to branch out and meet people in the fundraising world, and it won’t happen if I stay in my Foodbank bubble.  I have so much to learn in the profession and there are many people I can learn from through AFP.  A lot of people I’ve met through AFP have turned into genuine friendships which was not something I anticipated.  It’s great having a group of people that you can count on in both a professional and personal sense.

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?      

A:         I’ve been working in development for the last three years, but got into fundraising accidentally.  I was an AmeriCorps VISTA at Mid-Ohio Foodbank working on nutrition education and my program was at a standstill because we didn’t have a registered dietitian on staff.  I moved onto our Operation Feed team to help with campaign research and various different fundraising events.  I loved it.  The pace of the events kept me on my toes but working with campaign coordinators and building relationships with people made it worthwhile (along with the amazing mission of Mid-Ohio Foodbank). 

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         My favorite part about Columbus is the livability of the city.  I’m originally from Chicago and moved here a little over five years ago.  Chicago is expensive and a little too big for me, but Columbus is affordable and has a bigger city feel but is easy to manage.  I recently moved to the south side and the community is fantastic!  There is a large revitalization happening there and it feels great to be part of it.

I love to eat – my favorite restaurant is either Harvest Pizzeria (their kale Caesar salad is something I dream about) or Akai Hana (salmon skin hand-roll!!). 

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I ran the Chicago Marathon in October.  It was my first ever and I ran to fundraise for Marathoning for Meals (a fundraising program for Mid-Ohio Foodbank).  After I hit mile 17, I basically cried the entire way (man, was it painful!).  I told my friends to remind me how horrible I felt after and that I would never do it again…  Now, I’m thinking about signing up for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Marathon!  I may be a quick forgetter.

 
Posted: April 2016

Member Spotlight: Jessica Gelin, CFRE

Jessica Gelin, CFRE

Director of Development

The Ohio State University, College of Medicine

 Jessica Gelin - Photo


Q:        Tell us a little about your organization. Mission? Population you serve? What do you like most about working there?  

A:         The OSU College of Medicine is a top-notch public medical school, creating a future of medicine through innovation in education, research, and collaboration.  We educate future physicians to care for our communities here in Ohio and throughout the country.  We train medical scientists and researchers to discover cures for disease.  In my role, I help to make medical education affordable by connecting our alumni to the College through philanthropy.  It’s rewarding to help students realize their dreams of becoming doctors.  The future looks bright in the hands of Buckeye trained physicians.

 

Q:        How long have you been an AFP member, and what has your involvement been?

A:         As a newbie to Columbus, I joined the Central Ohio AFP chapter.  I got involved immediately, making a new network for myself. I am a current board member as Chair of AFP HQ Education, leading our Fundamentals of Fundraising and CFRE Courses.  I’m an active member for the Monthly Education Course and Scholarship Committees. I’ve met some great new colleagues through NextGen, served as a mentor for the Collegiate Chapter and have learned a great deal as a mentee to a seasoned development pro in the area. 

 

Q:        What do you consider the most valuable part of your AFP membership?

A:         The most valuable part(s!) of my AFP membership are 1) the incredible network of fundraising professionals, 2) continued education opportunities for professional growth and CFRE credentials, and 3) learning from mentors who teach, encourage, and empower members.

 

Q:        How long have you been in fundraising, and how did you get into it?      

A:         I’ve been in fundraising eight years, starting as a communications and development intern in college.  I quickly transitioned from PR to development, realizing a donation in the mail was an exciting fruit of my labor.  I spent most of my development career as a Jill of all Trades with small nonprofit shops and am learning every day in my current major gift role in higher education.

 

Q:        What is your favorite part about living/working in Columbus? Favorite Restaurant?

A:         My favorite part about living and working in Columbus is the size of the city.  Columbus can be anything you want, a happenin’ city or cozy neighborhood town.  My favorite restaurant is Hudson29.  (Jeni’s Ice Cream and Giant Eagle Market District Bakery are close seconds.)

 

Q:        Tell us a fun fact about you that other AFP members wouldn’t know.

A:         I’ve been yelled at by a Supreme Court Justice and survived to tell the tale.

 
Posted: March 2016