Presenter Bios

Megan Abbett has been the director of donor relations at Simmons College since 2004. Her 12+ years in the development field include working not only her current role at Simmons but she was also the director of annual giving there from 1996-2000. Megan has also worked as a major gifts officer at her alma mater Boston College as well as Facing History and Ourselves. She currently leads a five person team at Simmons that focuses on donor communications, events, endowed fund reporting, acknowledgments, and various other projects designed to engage donors in the life of Simmons in a meaningful and substantive way. Outside of work, Megan keeps quite busy with her three daughters, husband, dog, and home in Sherborn.

Deborah Blackmore Abrams is a nationally known consultant and educator in gift planning with more than twenty-five years of experience in the field.  Deb has been a featured speaker at more than 100 national conferences, including the National Committee on Planned Giving, the Planned Giving Group of New England, Women in Development and numerous national and chapter AFP programs.

Deb has served on the staff of Boston University, the University of Pennsylvania (where she was the first woman to hold the position of Director of Planned Giving at an ivy institution), Radcliffe College, Brown University and Boston College Law School.  Since 2001 she has had her own consulting firm, Abrams Associates, providing services in planned giving, strategic planning and executive search.

Sara Andrews has a BA from Simmons College. She joined Partners HealthCare System as Director of Development in May 2001, and moved to the position of Senior Vice President of Development, North Shore Medical Center in 2005. Andrews is responsible for the development of the strategic direction and tactical implementation of the Medical Center’s philanthropy program, working with senior leadership, the Board of Trustees, key volunteers and medical staff. Her previous positions have included Chief Development Officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, and senior development positions at Deaconess Hospital, the American Museum of Natural History in New York and Children’s Hospital, Boston. She is a recent past president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, and has served as a volunteer or board member for numerous community based organizations.

Craig Blake has spent the majority of his direct marketing career working for W.A. Wilde Company. During his first six years at Wilde, Blake helped clients manage direct marketing and fulfillment programs as an account executive. After being promoted to Wilde’s sales team, Blake helped Wilde expand its presence in the financial services and defined contribution marketplace. Blake’s clients benefited from his extensive experience in working with digital print, advanced fulfillment and mailing solutions. Blake holds a B.A. in Marketing from Castleton State College in Vermont and serves as the president of the New England Direct Marketing Association (NEDMA).

James P. Brogioli is an advancement professional with over 15 years of progressive experience in fundraising, volunteer management, communications, project management, program strategy and implementation, event planning, staff management, and community relations. Jamie is equally comfortable partnering with others in the field either in a corporate or non-profit environment. He has a strong client service orientation and is a strategic planner/thought leader who achieves targeted results towards the goals of the organization on time and on budget.

Amy Bronson, Director of Recruitment and Training, Boston College, is a self described talent scout, cheerleader and coach for the Office of University Advancement at Boston College, Amy works across the division in staffing, training and team building. Prior to Boston College, Amy was at Harvard Law School where she worked in executive education, special events, development administration and as a frontline fundraiser. A University of Michigan graduate, Amy also worked as a corporate account executive at Tiffany & Co. in Chicago and Houston, taught English in Athens, Greece and spent time mid-career at home with her two young boys and as an active volunteer in her community of Milton, MA.

Darrell Byers is the vice chancellor for university advancement at the University of Massachusetts Boston. During his 25 year career in non-profit administration and higher education fundraising he has held previous posts as vice president of development for Caritas Norwood Hospital, director of corporate and foundation relations at Georgetown University, major gifts officer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a corporate underwriter at WGBH. Active in the community, he serves as a director of the AFP Massachusetts Chapter and stewardship committee chair for the Old South Church. A former business owner, he is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross.

Erica Campbell brings ten years of legal and development experience to her projects at CCS, including assisting clients with feasibility studies, development audits, capital campaigns, and planned giving.  Erica’s areas of expertise include leadership and major gift solicitations, campaign planning and implementation, volunteer development, and annual fund growth and assessment.  A partial list of clients that Erica has served include: the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church in Massachusetts, Western Mountains Foundation in Maine, Christian Brothers Academy in New York, and the Maine Community College System. 

Gregg Chambers is the Major Gifts Officer at Mount Ida College in Newton, MA. Gregg has been a development professional for fifteen years. Prior to joining Mount Ida, he was the Director of Development at Willow Hill School in Sudbury, MA and the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE) in Boston. He has also held development positions at a number of independent schools and social service organizations. Gregg received his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Boston College in 1991 and he received his MBA from Babson College in 2002. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Massachusetts Chapter.

Brian Chapman, President of Grenzebach Glier Philanthropic Analytics, joined GG+A in 2006, bringing 20 years’ experience as a consultant, entrepreneur, and government official.  In this role, he is responsible for overseeing the firm’s Benchmarking Peer Analysis, Performance Analytics, and DonorScape Prospect Analysis services.  Brian holds a degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.  He serves on the board of several nonprofit organizations, and is a frequent speaker on topics ranging from nonprofit board governance to public sector operations transformation.

Kerri Cleghorn has worked for several of Boston’s most influential non-profits, including the Boston Public Library, UMass Boston, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. As the BPL’s Manager of Special Events, she was responsible for event fundraising and the Young Professionals group. She then served as Director of Development for a small non-profit launching its first sophisticated fundraising program. As UMass Boston’s Director of Stewardship, Kerri created the first corporate giving program and managed all endowment relationships and fundraising events. Currently, as Associate Director of Business Partners for the BSO, Kerri oversees both the Boston and Tanglewood corporate annual funds and works with her colleagues to leverage the success of the corporate giving program by helping to secure corporate sponsors.

Randi Cohen is the Executive Director of the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem, MA. In this capacity, she is responsible for community relations, development, accounting, shelter operations, and direct mail campaigns. She has had 16 years of experience with NEAS’s sustainer program.

Jeffrey Cruikshank is a graduate of Amherst College and the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School. In addition to helping shape key communications for dozens of public and private institutions, Cruikshank is the author or co-author of numerous books of interest to managers. His first murder mystery (Murder at the B School) was published in 2005.

Elyse DeGroot is the Director of Community Relations and Marketing for Duffy Health Center in Hyannis, Massachusetts. In her role, she has been working on a new branding and identity package for the Center, in preparation for an upcoming capital campaign. She has participated in several successful branding campaigns including ones for Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands and the Barnstable Senior Center. Elyse holds an MSW from Boston Universityy and an MBA from Simmons College.

André R. Donikian, JD, attorney and a member of the New York Bar, is a noted planned and major gifts expert with 35 years of service in the field. As founder, president, and editor in chief of Pentera Inc., a full-service planned-giving firm based in Indianapolis, he has advised thousands of nonprofit organizations—including the nation's top nonprofits—on all aspects of connecting organizations and donors.

Mr. Donikian has published and lectured extensively on philanthropic tax planning and has developed continuing education programs for state bar associations and accountancy boards. He has gained a reputation as a sought-after speaker who helps nonprofits further their missions and provides individual donors with vital information that might affect their ability to achieve their philanthropic goals.

Mr. Donikian has served on the board of NCPG and the Board of Advisors of Union College and is a founder and former board member of the Planned Giving Group of Indiana. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the David M. Donaldson Distinguished Service Award from the Planned Giving Group of New England in 1991, and The Spirit of Philanthropy Award from The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University in 2006.

Among his noted achievements: from 1989 to 1997 the organization now known as the Independent Colleges of Indiana Foundation retained Mr. Donikian under Lilly Endowment and Ball Brothers Foundation grants to act as gift-planning counsel to all of the independent colleges of Indiana, to train and educate their development staff, board members, and key volunteers and to conduct numerous seminars for prospects and donors.

Claudine Donikian, JD, MBA, is the director of marketing & consulting services at Pentera, Inc., in Boston. She has worked for Pentera for 7 years in marketing, consulting, and sales. Certified by the Direct Marketing Association and holding an MBA with a focus in marketing, she works with nonprofits' planned giving departments, advising them on direct marketing strategies, as well as creative design and messaging for direct mail marketing. Claudine speaks nationally on these topics and trains planned giving officers and directors from the nation’s top

nonprofits at Pentera Planned Giving Seminars. She also directs Pentera’s internal marketing department, overseeing the creative production and copywriting Pentera's internal marketing communications, as well as for select Pentera clients.

Claudine graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University, received an MA in French from New York University, and holds a JD and an MBA from Boston College Law School and the Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College respectively. She is an active member of NCPG, PGGNE, and PGGGNY; she has served on the planning committee of PGGGNY’s all-day conference since 2005 as co-chair of the Fundamentals Track; she is on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund; and she is on the steering committee of the Council at Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Claudine also teaches French at Boston-area colleges as an adjunct professor, at Adult Education Centers, and at corporations. 

Sarah Cardozo Duncan, based in Boston, Massachusetts, is a career strategist with an established national and international client base. As head of her consulting firm Career Strategist, Ms. Cardozo Duncan draws upon over twenty years of recruitment and career development experience to help clients define new or existing career paths, or to help them navigate successfully within their current companies. She previously served as president of the Alliance, an umbrella group of women’s associations with 13,000 members collectively in greater Boston. Sarah has been recognized by Boston Magazine as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in Boston and has also served as a Steering Committee member of MassGAP. Sarah is a Board of Director member for Women Entrepreneurs in Science and Technology.

Christopher and Anne Ellinger are nationally-known writers, presenters, organizers and counselors on issues of wealth and philanthropy. They are members of the 50% League (a network of those who give away 50% or more of their inheritance, income or business profits), founders of the national peer network More Than Money, and authors of the American Book Award winner We Gave Away a Fortune. Through their writing, counseling and presentations, they have helped thousands of people align their money and their values.

Ellen Fleming is the director of corporate and foundation relations at the University of Massachusetts Boston. Prior to joining the university in 2007, she worked in health care advancement as a development officer and assistant capital campaign manager at Caritas Norwood Hospital. She developed her fundraising skills at the University of Massachusetts Foundation in the mid-1990’s as the stewardship and communications coordinator. A past member of the AFP Massachusetts Chapter Conference Committee and the Irish Cultural Centre of New England’s Irish Connections Festival Committee, she volunteers with the Posse Foundation and the John F. Kennedy Library. Ellen earned her bachelor’s degree at Middlebury College.

Lori Friedman received a B.A. in economics and political science from the University of Pennsylvania and law degree from Suffolk University Law School. Following seven years of practicing civil and commercial litigation, she switched careers and entered the development field. Since 1994, she has raised funds from institutional donors for four educational nonprofits, including three institutions of higher education. She has been the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Wellesley College since October 2005. As of January 2008, she has taken on the additional position of the Director of Sponsored Research at Wellesley College.

Arlene Fortunato is the founder & president of Fortunato Consulting Group. In 1977, Arlene came to the Boston area as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps to work as a community organizer. She followed her year of service in the JVC with two years as a VISTA volunteer. After working for nearly 20 years as a nonprofit executive, Arlene served as Senior Advisor to Boston’s Mayor Thomas Menino in his first term.

In 2003 after a 26 year career that included leadership positions in the nonprofit sector as well as an executive position in the private sector as Senior Vice President and Director of Public Affairs for Citizens Bank, Arlene formed Fortunato & Associates. The growing consulting group specializes in building the capacity of nonprofit organizations. She is widely recognized for securing Kresge Challenge grants for community-based capital campaigns.

Arlene has taught in the Simmons College Graduate School of Communication Management and in the Graduate School of Social Work Urban Scholars program. Her advice is frequently sought by Democratic candidates, and she has been recognized for her contributions to the nonprofit sector as the AFP Development Professional of the Year in 2002, YWCA Academy of Women Achievers in 2006 and “Top 10 Professional Coaches” in Women’s Business Magazine. Arlene lives in Brookline, MA and has two children.

Alexandra Fuchs obtained an MBA in Marketing from Wharton and then worked in New York and overseas as Director of Global Marketing for Calvin Klein Cosmetics and Unilever Prestige. Fuchs grew up in a family of professional musicians and always aspired to work in an arts organization, but wanted to first gain skills and experience in a corporate environment; within six months of leaving Unilever, she began working in Development at the BSO where she has been for the past six years.

Nancy Gardiner is a partner and is Director of Select Client Services, with administrative responsibility for Hemenway & Barnes’ Family Office Services, Philanthropic Advisory Services and Personal Client Services. As part of her work with Hemenway & Barnes, lawyers and clients, she oversees the administration of The Jane’s Trust. She practiced tax law from 1981 until 1993, first at Herrick & Smith and then at Hemenway & Barnes where she focused on tax and corporate work for nonprofit organizations. From 1993 until 1997 Ms. Gardiner served as Executive Director of The Brookline Foundation, a local education foundation providing financial and professional development support to the Brookline Public Schools. She returned to Hemenway & Barnes in September 1997. In addition, from 1994 to 1998 she was a lecturer at the Carroll School of Management of Boston College, teaching Advanced Topics in Nonprofit Management. Ms. Gardiner has written and lectured on topics related to nonprofit management and family offices.

She has served on several boards of directors, including The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, where she was a member of the Executive Committee and Clerk, The North Bennet Street School and The Brookline Foundation. She currently serves as President of the Trustees of the Winsor School and is a member of the Board of Overseers of The Brookline Foundation. Ms. Gardiner graduated from Harvard College (magna cum laude) in 1978 and from the University Of Virginia School Of Law in 1981, where she was an editor of The Virginia Tax Review.

Chris Gasbarro is the Chief Creative Officer for C3 LLC, a meeting and event experience agency specializing in creative community connections. Through his work he has supported hundreds of events around the globe for a diverse client base including Timberland, Converse, Nike Bauer, Hanover Insurance and RedBull. From sales meetings to launching the brand of an international soccer team with 2 weeks notice, Chris brings his technical production expertise and creative ideas to produce impactful events that inspire both executives, attendees and his clients. He used to have a lot of free time on his hands, so he was a past president of both MPI New England and ISES New England, but now he is putting all his volunteer and leadership to use in managing his twin sons, Ryan & Sean - which you can hear him speak about in his session titled “Exit Strategy: How to get out of volunteering and organizations…have twins!!!”

Jason Geshelin founded Blackstone Productions, Inc., a total event management and production company, in 2005. His work at Blackstone builds upon his experience as a joint partner in a sound company and the skills he gained during his 10 years with a national staging and production firm based in the Boston area. Jason has honed his skills in order to become a well-respected and established producer, technical director and business executive. Jason’s extensive technical background, aptitude for project management and obsessive attention to detail allow him to deliver exceptional customer service to his clients. Visit www.blackstone-productions.net for more information.

Michael Gilbert has been a fundraising professional for over 20 years. He has held senior positions at several nonprofits, including Vice President for Development at Combined Jewish Philanthropies. He is currently Vice President for Development at Hebrew College in Newton, Massachusetts. Mr. Gilbert is an adjunct lecturer at Northeastern University where he teaches classes on leadership and organizational behavior. He also teaches at Hebrew College.

Laura A. Gingras is the Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Relations at Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough, NH. She earned her undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a CPA designation. Laura also holds a Master's Degree in Management from Emmanuel College. Laura has worked in the healthcare industry for 15 years and has been with Monadnock Community Hospital since 2000. She was previously employed as Director of Development for Memorial Hospital in Worcester, MA. Laura is past Chair of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce where she is still an active Board Member. She also serves on the Boards of the Monadnock United Way, the Peterborough Rotary Club, New England Association of Healthcare Philanthropy and the Rider’s Reader. Laura is on the Advisory Board of Giving Mondanock. Laura lives in Peterborough with her husband David Fish.

Robin C. Good. Director of Donor Relations, Lahey Clinic Medical Center Founded Donor Relations program at Merrimack College; founded Donor Relations program at Lahey Clinic Medical Center. Former board member Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP); current editor of ADRP's best practices e-newsletter, the Hub. Award-winning communications and marketing expert.

Les Gordon, President, MCS Direct has 34 years of development experience. He is responsible for the planning, implementation and analysis of direct mail fund raising and marketing programs for a variety of non-profit organizations nationwide. From 2002-2004, Les was President of Direct Response Solutions of Brockton, MA and for the previous 19 years, Les served as Vice President for Fund Raising and Direct Mail Services at Mail Communications in Everett, MA. Les was formerly Assistant Hospital Director for Community Affairs at Lawrence General Hospital, Lawrence, MA, where he had responsibility for development, marketing, public relations and volunteer services. He has also served as Director of Development and Public Relations at the Jewish Rehabilitation Center for the Aged and as Associate Director of Development at Boston University where he ran the direct mail annual giving and phonathon programs.

Les serves on the Executive Committee of the New England Association for Hospital Philanthropy. He was also President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals and served as a member of its Board of Directors for over 10 years. Les was named Fund Raising Executive of the Year (1991) by the MA Chapter of the AFP. Over the last 25 years, Les has presented at over 100 fund raising/development conferences including three national AFP, three national AHP and one national CASE Conference.

Peter L. Gosline attended Tufts in Boston for his undergraduate education and holds a Master’s Degree in Community Health from the University of Rochester. He earned his MBA with a focus on Business and Hospital Administration from Cornell University. Peter has more than 25 years experience in healthcare administration including executive level positions at Putnam Hospital and Arden Hill Hospital, both in New York. Peter has been the CEO at Monadnock since 1998. Peter is a past Chairman of the New Hampshire Hospital Association. Peter lives in Peterborough with his wife, Connie. Peter may be reached at Monadnock Community Hospital: 924-7191 x1110 Peter.Gosline@mch.crhc.org

Ben Grossman serves as the Director of Grossman Marketing Group’s Green Marketing & Sustainability Practice. In this capacity, he and his team work with clients to help them identify environmentally-conscious business practices as a way to differentiate them from their competition and establish a competitive advantage in their respective fields. Over the last year, Ben has spoken to a number of groups on green marketing, including Harvard Extension School’s Environmental Management program. Ben is a regular blogger on green marketing and green business, and his blog can be reached at www.sustainableink.org. Ben holds a BA from Princeton University and an MBA from Columbia Business School, where he graduated in 2006. Prior to Columbia, Ben worked as a strategy consultant to Fortune 500 clients, as well as started and sold a sportswear and marketing firm.

David Grossman is Senior Vice President and Owner of Grossman Marketing Group. For the past 8 years, he has worked with a number of GMG's most significant clients, both in Boston and New York, to develop more effective marketing communications materials of all kinds. Beginning with the Mass General Hospital for Children's Storybook Ball 5 years ago, David has worked with some of the city's most high-profile events to help create unique identities through their printed communications. Over the last 2 years, David has helped non-profit organizations of all sizes harness the power of green messaging to reach their audiences in a more relevant way. David holds a BA from Princeton University.

Blake Groves. With more than a decade of experience in technology solutions and consulting, Blake has focused the past eight years exclusively on Internet technologies. At Convio, he headed up their product management team for three years, helping to create solutions for nonprofits to attract more constituents, raise funds, drive action, and build loyalty. He now focuses his efforts full time on helping organizations understand how to best utilize online efforts to meet their particular needs. Prior to joining Convio, Blake served in both consulting and product management roles at IBM's eBusiness Unit, Netscape, Sun Microsystems, and America Online. Before entering the technology sector, Blake was a partner in a full service advertising, marketing, and public relations firm. He has a B.S. in Marketing from Texas A&M, and an M.B.A.– The American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird).

Kim Halliday  has been working with clients in higher education for more than 20 years. He has advanced the development and admissions efforts of many undergraduate, graduate, and secondary schools, including Harvard Law School, Harvard Business School, Boston College, Boston University, College of the Holy Cross, Trinity College, and the Peddie School. His work has been recognized by numerous organizations, including gold, silver, and bronze awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the AIGA/Best of New England.

Kim graduated from Hampshire College with a concentration in design and printing. He worked as a printer of limited editions at Tyler Graphics in New York, producing work for Josef Albers, Ellsworth Kelly, and Frank Stella. After moving to Boston Kim worked as a senior designer at Corey & Company before forming his own firm. He has served on the board of directors of the Boston chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts.

Peter H. Hansen serves as Vice President of Development at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, New Jersey—the nation’s sixth largest performing arts center. He directs all fundraising activities, including NJPAC’s current $180 million comprehensive capital campaign. Peter has also served in several other leadership positions at NJPAC and was a senior member of the development team that raised more than $187 million to build the center.

His previous positions include: Director of External Affairs for The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, Assistant Vice President of Development at Bowdoin College, Director of Development and Marketing for Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Director of Special Projects for the US Fund for UNICEF. Mr. Hansen graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut and is a Certified Fundraising Executive. He has lectured at New York University’s School of Continuing Education and Seton Hall University’s Museum Studies program. He is a member of the faculty for 2008 for the International Events Group’s Advanced Sponsorship Strategies seminar.

Regina Hoffman is Regional Account Executive at eTapestry where she consults with non-profit organizations to identify issues and recommend a customized donor management system to meet their specific needs. Regina has 25 years of experience working on staff at arts, educational, and religious non-profit organizations. Her specific functions have included public and community relations, sales and marketing, communications, newspaper and radio reporter, and customer service/call center management. Her experience also includes talking to customers and vendors at international and regional trade shows where her company’s product is showcased.

Regina’s public speaking experience includes presenting educational sessions as well as sharing her personal experience as a parent of a SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) baby. Her story was captured in the book When Life Doesn’t Turn Out the Way You Expect by Jerry Brecheisen and Lawrence W. Wilson. Because of this event in her personal life she has worked with planning committees for the Indianapolis SIDS Foundation, specifically Michael’s Walk, and spoken to health care workers to help them better assist parents, as well as other SIDS parents to help them deal with their tragic loss.

While working at the Midland (MI) Chamber of Commerce she volunteered her time to teach public speaking to upper elementary school students through its Partnership for Education program with the Midland Public Schools. She also worked with high school students in her church’s youth group to help them improve their speaking and leadership skills. Regina served as marketing and public relations coordinator for the Music Society of the Midland Center for the Arts working with donors/members and patrons as well as performers. She designed and implemented annual marketing/membership campaigns, planned member receptions and was instrumental in the layout and publication for the organization’s year-long 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Regina was honored with a "Leadership Midland Coordinator of the Decade" award for her efforts through the Midland Chamber to provide deeper knowledge and understanding of the work of business, community, government, educational, service and philanthropic organizations for the adult and youth leadership programs. She was a participant in the adult program prior to serving as its coordinator. She was also on the planning committee of the Leadership Midland Alumni to coordinate a “Celebration of the Century” gala to celebrate the city of Midland’s 100th birthday.

Regina earned a B.S. in communications with a minor in journalism from Western Michigan University. She and her husband, Rich, have been married for 25 years and have two “children.” Mandi is a sophomore at Indiana Wesleyan University studying nursing and David is a high school senior and hopes to enter Purdue University next fall to study engineering/industrial design. They also have two dogs, a yellow lab and a Jack Russell Terrier, and live in Fishers, Indiana.

Tanya M. Holton has devoted her entire career to nonprofit fundraising and management.  After cutting her teeth raising funds for the Boston University School of Education, she moved on to managerial and fundraising positions at smaller nonprofits.  During the last decade she has worked in small shops exclusively, ranging from a one person office on Beacon Hill to overseeing seven team members at the Park School in Brookline.  She now heads the development effort for National Braille Press, an internationally renowned braille publishing house headquartered here in Boston.

Lindsey Humes is a vice president with CCS, a leading firm providing fund raising, development services and strategic consulting. Lindsey's areas of expertise include major gifts, planned giving, development assessments, feasibility and planning studies, capital campaign direction, and board training and orientation. Some of the clients she has served include the American Cancer Society, the Marine Biological Laboratory, Mercy Hospital Foundation, North Yarmouth Academy, Partners In Health, and the University of Southern Maine.

Pam Hurd joined the staff of Facing History in September 1997. As the Director of Individual Giving, Pam provides leadership, vision and strategic planning for Facing History's individual giving program including major gifts, board governance and Facing History's multiyear gift program.

Maria Krueger Imbrogna is the Direct Marketing Officer and Pledge Partner Program Officer for Oxfam America. Her main responsibilities include managing a complex and challenging sustainer fundraising program of about 18,000 members. She is closely involved in executing initiatives to acquire, upgrade, and retain sustainers and provides leadership for a supporter care team at Oxfam. Previously, Maria was the Director of Marketing & Sales at Community Work Services, Boston’s first vocational rehabilitation center for people with disabilities. Maria holds a Masters of Science Degree in Leadership from Northeastern University, a member of the Honor Society, Sigma Epsilon Rho, and an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Maria enjoys sharing her knowledge about sustainer giving through industry presentations.

Bill Jaques founded Jaques & Company following 13 years of service in institutional development programs: including Associate Director of Development at St. Mark’s School (MA), 1974-1978; Director of Development at Noble & Greenough School, 1978-1983; and Senior Development Officer, Intra-University Consultant, and Director of Major Gifts at Harvard University, 1983-1987. Jaques & Company is a consulting practice providing strategic and tactical advice to non-profit organizations that are serious about institutional development. They help clients achieve new levels of excellence in planning, fund-raising, governance, and financial strategy/management. Bill is a graduate of St. Mark’s School and Harvard College. He and his wife Beverly have three grown children and are newly-minted grandparents.

Don Jones has served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at the New England Conservatory for the past six years, where he oversees development, alumni relations, board relations, public relations, and marketing. He managed NEC’s recently-completed highly successful Gift of Music campaign, raising $115 million, 15% over goal. Don’s prior experience was as Executive Director of Development at the national public radio affiliate WBUR, Assistant Vice President for Development at the Rhode Island School of Design; and he also held positions at Bentley College, the Association of Retarded Citizens, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Don is a graduate of UMass Boston and serves on the board of the Milton Foundation for Education.

Jim Kitendaugh, President of The Wayland Group, is a graduate of Andover, Harvard, and Tufts.  He has spent the last 25 years as a leader in non-profit management, marketing, and development, including assignments as General Manager of the Boston Ballet; as Campaign Director of a $145 million capital campaign for Tufts University; and, since 1984, as President of The Wayland Group.

The Wayland Group is a broad-gauge consulting firm offering long-range institutional planning, strategic development planning, Board and leadership development, and intensive campaign counsel.  The Wayland Group’s clients have included colleges and universities, health care institutions, independent schools, arts and cultural organizations, human service agencies, and scientific and environmental organizations.

Kimberly Emrick Kittredge. As Director of Online Communications at Perkins School for the Blind, Kimberly Emrick Kittredge is charge with creating and engaged online community to support the organization's growing mission on campus, in the community, and around the world. Perkins has been an innovative leader in serving individuals with visual impairments for 179 years. A professional in the field for the past 12 years, Kittredge develops online opportunities for constituents to become part of the Perkins community and uses consistent messaging to build awareness of Perkins as a valued provider of information and services related to the field of blindness and multiple disabilities.

Kassandra Kimbriel Jolley has recently assumed the position of Vice President for Development at Spelman College in Atlanta. With nearly 20 years of fundraising experience, Jolley brings a broad background in campaign design and management, annual funds, parent programs, alumnae relations, leadership and management. Most recently, Jolley was vice president of university relations at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island, as well as in leadership positions at Simmons College and Berklee College of Music in Boston. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and women’s studies, and is married and the mother of two young daughters.

Kathy Kingston, professional auctioneer and consultant, has raised millions of dollars for non-profit organizations across the country for over 22 years. Specializing in fundraising auctions, she consistently empowers non-profit clients to exceed their fundraising goals and offers a wealth of practical strategies for revenue enhancement. Ms. Kingston is featured in a one-hour television documentary about Benefit Auctions on the Auction Network. A popular speaker and consultant, she conducts innovative fundraising auction seminars and workshops throughout the country for both non profit organizations and auctioneers. Ms. Kingston is the author of “Record-Breaking Fundraising Auctions Tips Booklet Series.”

Kristina Lentz is a development professional with 15 years of major gifts fundraising experience in higher education. She has held positions of increasing responsibility at Colby College, The University of Maine, The University of Connecticut School of Law and presently at Harvard Medical School. Kristina began her development career at UMass Amherst in the Annual Fund and helped to launch “Campaign UMass: To Dream, To Lead, To Act” the first-ever comprehensive campaign in the University’s history. Kristina lectures widely on major gift relationship-building and major gift performance metrics at organizations such as the Association for Fundraising Professionals, Women in Development of Western Massachusetts, and CASE, The Council for Advancement and Support of Education where she also serves on the board. It is with pride that Kristina received two degrees from UMass, both in History.

Thomas P. Lockerby serves as Campaign Director at Boston College.  In these roles, he directs an emerging comprehensive campaign effort, which is likely to be launched with a goal of $1 billion or more.  In addition, Thom oversees BC's Capital Giving, School Development, and Organizational Giving areas.  Thom has spent his entire career working in or consulting with charities, primarily focusing on major and planned gift fund raising.  His expertise is advising donors and families about strategies to effectively maximize their philanthropy in concert with overall financial, estate planning, and wealth transfer goals.

Prior to joining BC, Thom served as Director of Gift Planning at Dartmouth College.  Previously, he was Relationship Manager at Kaspick & Company, an investment firm specializing in charitable trusts and endowments; Vice President at PG Calc Incorporated, a development software company; and Director of Development Relations at Harvard Business School.  Thom has made presentations to regional and national conference audiences and his articles have appeared in Planned Giving Today and the Journal of Gift Planning.  He serves on the board of the National Committee on Planned Giving, is a past President of the Planned Giving Group of New England, and is a graduate of Harvard College.

Steve MacLaughlin is the Director of Internet Solutions at Blackbaud and is responsible for leading how the company provides online solutions for its clients. Steve has spent more than 12 years building successful online initiatives with a broad range of Fortune 500 firms, government and educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Since joining Blackbaud, Steve has been focused on leveraging his experience to help clients develop successful integrated online solutions. Steve helped establish and grow Blackbaud Interactive into the leading Internet strategy and solutions agency serving nonprofits.

To read more about Steve’s thoughts on leveraging the Internet, read his chapter in the recently released book People to People Fundraising: Social Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities. Steve earned both his undergraduate degree and a Master of Science degree in Interactive Media from Indiana University.

Christina Maguire is an Institutional Advancement Professional, specializing in Major Gifts for Salem State College (SSC), the largest of the Massachusetts state colleges with enrollment exceeding ten thousand undergraduate and graduate students.  At the college, her primary responsibilities include cultivating alumni, friends, and corporate donors that provide financial and service support to the college. 

Prior to joining SSC, Ms. Maguire served as an Assistant Director of Capital Giving at Harvard University working with regional alumni in the southeastern US.  While a financial services professional, she served Fidelity Investments as the Director of Proxy Research working with Wilshire 3000 companies on corporate governance and executive compensation concerns.  As an entrepreneur, she owned and operated a service and retail sales container gardening business and holds a bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

George Maley is Director of Development, Noble and Greenough School. George has served in various capacities in Independent Schools for 15 years. For the last five years, George has served as Capital Campaign and Planned Giving Director at Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, MA, where he oversaw all facets of the nation’s first ever $100 million independent day school campaign. Before Nobles George was the Annual Fund then Major Gifts Director at the Peddie School (NJ) for eight years. George received his B.A. from Juniata College (PA) and M.A. in Business Communication from LaSalle University (PA). George is also proud to serve as the Offensive Coordinator for the 2007, undefeated 9-0, varsity football program at Nobles.

Susan Martin-Joy is Director of Leadership Gift Stewardship at Wellesley College. Susan joined Wellesley’s Leadership Gift program in May 2001 following her tenure as a stewardship officer at Brandeis University. Prior to entering the field of development, she served as a reference book editor in Boston. Susan holds an M.Phil. in English Studies and an M.A. in English and American literature.

Christine McCaffery freelanced in New York with several theater/production companies as a costume designer, stage hand/rigger, stage manager, and as part of the hospitality crew. She has served on various Boards and often chaired decorating committees for arts-related fundraising events. Christine’s penchant for all types of design work provided her with various opportunities to explore her many talents including surface/graphic design, photography, visual display and styling. Since 1999, Christine she has operated Creative Ventures, Inc. and, with the assistance of artist/metal fabricator/sculptor Wright Deter, Christine was inspired to create a specialty division of the company called MetalFleurgy. She defines MetalFleurgy as the art of harmoniously juxtaposing fragile organic matter with rigid, industrial materials.

Carol McLeod launched Carol McLeod Design in 1991. She has been intimately involved in branding major organizations such as: Excel Switching, Associates of Cape Cod and RSCI. She oversees all aspects of quality and design for her clients and her passion for creative, unusual designs can be seen in her concept-driven solutions. CMD offers a full range of creative services. Her website showcases her work at www.carolmcleoddesign.com. Carol holds a BFA in Visual Design from UMass Dartmouth.

Beth K. McNally Estate Administrator, has been active in the area of trust and estate administration for twenty-eight years.  Previously she managed the trust and estate department of a Washington DC area law firm and was a freelance consultant in the area of probate for a number of local attorneys, providing training and estate administration services.  Before moving to the non-profit world, she administered over 1000 estates, including the preparation of several hundred U.S. Estate Tax Returns.   Since joining The Nature Conservancy as Estate Administrator in 2001 she has managed over 6,000 estates. She received her B.A. from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.

Melissa Monahan manages the nonprofit and academic practice groups at Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications. She is responsible for designing and implementing communication strategies that integrate media, community and government relations tactics for clients such as The Museum of Science, Boston, Northeastern University and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

Melissa has agency, corporate and educational experience. Prior to joining Rasky Baerlein, Melissa worked in the public affairs division of Stop & Shop Supermarket Company. Also, for one year, she developed and implemented an enrichment program at an elementary school on the South Shore and oversaw the school’s before and after-school programs.

She is a member of Boston Women Communicators, a member of the Development Advisory Committee for Project Hope, and a volunteer for St. Mary’s Women and Children’s Center in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Melissa earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communication.

Jim Montague is currently a Senior Consultant for Organizational Development at Partners HealthCare System in Boston. A non-profit organization founded in 1994 by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Partners HealthCare is an integrated health care system that offers patients a continuum of coordinated high-quality care. The system includes primary care and specialty physicians, community hospitals, the two founding academic medical centers, specialty facilities, community health centers, and other health-related entities. Jim’s clients are the senior leadership of the corporate functions of Finance, Information Systems, Human Resources, Development and the Office of the General Counsel. Prior to joining Partners in March of 2004 he held a similar role in corporate human resources for the companies of MetLife. Jim is responsible for the design, development, implementation and evaluation of several human resources and organizational development initiatives. These include training interventions for entry level to senior level managers, performance assessments, team-building interventions and individual coaching for performance and career growth. Jim has a special interest in performance management. Jim Montague has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Liberal Arts and Philosophy from Boston College; a Master of Arts in Theology and a Master of Divinity degree from St. John’s Seminary in Boston.

Matthew Moore is Director of Rooms and Environmental Programs for the 426-room, Four Diamond Seaport Hotel, and is responsible identifying and implementing operational efficiencies and service improvements which enhance the guest experience. During his tenure at Seaport, Moore has spearheaded Seaport’s environmental program, Seaport Saves. Established in 2005, Seaport Saves is dedicated to increasing conservation and recycling throughout all aspects of the organization. The program includes over two dozen comprehensive initiatives including a first of its kind, in-room recycling effort, food composting, a linen and towel water conservation program, and Seaport’s extensive lighting, HVAC and mechanical energy conservation initiatives.

Christopher Mosher is the Vice President for Development at Mount Ida College in Newton, MA.  Chris has more than 25 years experience in development and public affairs.  Prior to joining Mount Ida, he was the Vice President of Development at Quincy Medical Center.  He has also held senior level development positions at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Northeastern University.  Chris is a graduate of Northeastern University and Suffolk University Law School. 

Randal Moss is the Director of The American Cancer Society’s Futuring and Innovation Center.  The center specializes in rapid prototyping of programs, in-depth analysis of environmental scans, and future scenario development.  He has been with the Society since 2002, and in this position he focuses his energies on analyzing and implementing Online Community Interaction, Social Network Analysis, and Virtual Online Engagement strategies into the society’s 2015 strategic plan. 

As part of his charge, Randal curates the National Voluntary Health Association Innovations workgroup. As the Curator of the NVHA Innovations group he strives to address the impact of new upcoming social, business, and management technologies on the industry’s business model. Randal is the Co-Founder of the Relay For Life in Second Life and has received awards for his work in the field from NYU Law School, The National Human Services Assembly, and the E-Philanthropy Foundation.  Randal is a Board Member of the Association of Professional Futurists, and The Future United, and is a participating member of The UVA Social Network Roundtable. He earned is MTA from George Washington University in 2002, resides in Cincinnati, OH with his wife and daughter and blogs at Http://www.como.typad.com

Brian Nevins, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, joined CCS in 1990 and has provided professional counsel to educational, environmental, religious,health and professional organizations throughout the eastern United States. He has extensive experience in raising funds for our many different client institutions and organizations and is manager of CCS’s New England programs.  Brian has firsthand experience in conducting capital campaigns, endowment campaigns and has extensive experience in the areas of major gift solicitation as well as feasibility and planning studies, campaign management, public relations, foundation, and corporate giving.

Scott Nichols joined Boston University in May of 2006 as Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations, after serving as chief advancement officer and Associate Dean at Harvard Law for 20 years. Nichols holds an undergraduate degree in economics from Bucknell and a Master’s and Doctorate degree in educational administration from the University of Pennsylvania. Nichols is co-author of 5 books on advancement, and is a trustee of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). A frequent speaker on the conference circuit, Nichols is recipient of the Steuben Award from CASE for excellence in presentations.

Jackie O’Connor has more than twenty-two years of senior level fund development and administrative/management experience with non-profit organization with particular emphasis and interest in women’s issues and the natural environment. She has an exceptional record of accomplishment in capital and annual fund raising, volunteer board development, community and press relations and strategic planning. She currently serves as Vice President for Institutional Advance, Crittenton Women’s Union.

Marjorie O’Malley has close to twenty years of development experience in higher education and other non-profit organizations in the greater Boston area. She has experience managing major gifts, corporations and foundations, annual fund, research and communications. Marjorie is the Assistant Vice President at Berklee College of Music that just launched the first capital campaign in its history, Giant Steps. Marjorie received a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh, a master’s degree in city planning from Boston University and a master’s degree in public administration from Northeastern University. She resides in Boston.

Liz Page launched Liz Page Associates, a fundraising and event production company, in 1994 after years of development success in the nonprofit sector. Liz and her staff in Boston have developed a reputation for producing special events that raise significant dollars and express the mission and message of an organization with unforgettable power and style.

Steven A. Patrick is the Vice President of Development at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Network, a non-profit member of Partners HealthCare System that provides a comprehensive growing rehabilitation network of inpatient and outpatient services with collaborative relationships throughout eastern New England.

Steven leads the fundraising efforts of New England’s top rehabilitation hospital by working closely with hospital and Partners’ leadership, clinicians, trustees, and overseers in cultivating, building, and maintaining a strong philanthropic relationship with a wide variety of constituencies for the institution. 

Prior to entering the development field, Steven worked over ten-years in healthcare administration at Spaulding, Joslin Diabetes Center, Children’s Hospital, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  Steven holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology and Psychology from Tufts University, and has a fellowship from the Emerging Leaders Program of the Center for Collaborative Leadership College of Management, University of Massachusetts.

Steven serves as a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, New England Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, and the Association of Multicultural Members of Partners Healthcare.  He also serves on the boards of Tenacre Country Day School and GLAD.

Ellen Plapinger was a manager and individual contributor in Corporate Banking at Bank of Boston and Fleet for over 20 years. Then during a much needed break she became very involved in the non-profit world, serving as Co-President of a $1MM community center, co-chairing several capital campaigns and serving as a board member on a private school and local Garden Club. After several years, Plapinger decided to go back to work in the non-profit world. She is currently at Career Collaborative as the first Director of Development for the organization.

Neil Policow is the owner of two companies, both of which provide services to the golf industry.  Following a 30 year career in sales and marketing, Policow purchased the local Metro Boston South region as the eleventh franchise partner in LTS LeaderBoard in 2004.  The company works with non-profits and corporations to help run more successful charity fundraisers.  In 2006, recognizing the need for an off-season, golf themed fundraiser, he launched Metro Mini Links, a completely portable, modular putting green system that may be delivered to a designated site and set up for play in several hours. In 2007 the two companies partnered in more than 50 events and helped to raise more than $2-1/2 million dollars for charity.

Dr. Katherine Stoddard Pope, serves on numerous boards in Maine (Hospice of Southern Maine, Maine Historical Society, Maine Cancer Foundation among others) and who along with her husband has been extraordinarily generous to numerous additional organizations (University of Southern Maine, Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society among others) and would have a unique perspective on her/their roles as volunteers and donors to these and other organizations. She has been actively involved in campaigns and ongoing fundraising activity and could relate first hand the challenges / opportunities she has seen in raising funds in a less than robust economy.

Larry G. Raff brings more than 26 years of accomplished leadership and entrepreneurial contributions to organizations including healthcare, biomedical research higher education, environmental, cultural and human services. He has participated in and directed many major gift campaigns, and has assisted many client organizations to design and execute major gift programs.

Bryan Rafanelli - Premier event designer Bryan Rafanelli is President and CEO of Rafanelli Events. Since 1996 he has perfected the art of concepting, designing, and executing events for clients in the non-profit, private, and corporate sectors. Rafanelli’s talents have attracted clients including President and Senator Clinton, Michael J. Fox, Dennis Leary, the Creative Coalition, the New England Patriots, and the Boston Red Sox, among others. He has earned accolades such as “Best of Boston” eight years running by Boston Magazine and “Man of the Year” from the New England Chapter of the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America. Rafanelli launched his career through his non-profit work and remains steadfastly dedicated in his charitable endeavors. He serves on a number of non-profit Boards in the Boston area and is actively involved with the strategic development of many local annual fundraising events, including the MassGeneral Hospital for Children “Storybook Ball”, The Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston “House Party”, the Camp Harborview “Beach Ball”, and the American Heart Association “Heart Ball Boston.”

Bart Reidy is director of development communications at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Inc., which includes the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, and Tanglewood.  He is responsible for strategic planning and execution of all external communications associated with the BSO's fundraising efforts, which bring in over $30 million in contributed support each year.  Prior to joining the BSO in 2005 Bart spent eleven years at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, where he held numerous positions, most recently serving as director of external affairs with oversight of all marketing and development programs.

Brenda S. Ricard is Associate Vice President for Advancement Operations and Planning at Boston College. In her current role within University Advancement, Brenda oversees administrative services, advancement information systems, gift and record systems, prospect development, recruitment & training, stewardship & donor relations, marketing & communications, and programs & events. Brenda has been a member of the Boston College community for 19 years. Prior to coming to University Advancement, she worked as an internal management consultant to the executive vice president. She served previously as the administrative officer for the Division of Student Affairs. Brenda received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and an M.A. and Ph.D., both in Higher Education Administration, from Boston College.

Betsy Rigby is currently the Director of Development at Partners HealthCare, working closely with the PHS Chief Development Officer to coordinate the services offered by PHS Development to the affiliated development programs. In partnership with each of these offices, the PHS Development Office fosters a community of philanthropy to maximize fundraising revenue across the entities. Partners Development designs and delivers programs that optimize affiliate performance by providing high quality, consistent, and well-defined services that support each of the 12 development offices in the system. Betsy joined Partners in 1991 to launch the coordination of recruitment and retention efforts across the system and created a professional development series for fundraisers. Betsy has worked exclusively in fundraising for non-profits since earning a Masters from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1989. She has worked with the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay, The Medical Foundation, and the League of Women Voters. Betsy has been active in professional associations throughout her career. She served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Association of Fund Raising Professionals for 12 years and on the Board of Directors of Women in Development for two years. She is currently a Board member of the Natick Education Foundation.

Miguel A. Rodriguez is the Chief Development Officer for Fuller Craft Museum. With over ten years of arts management and development experience, Miguel has successfully developed and implemented signature fundraising events for Fuller Craft Museum, Opera Boston, Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Scullers Jazz Club, Boston Musica Viva and Coro Allegro, among others. Prior to his work in development, Miguel worked as a professional opera singer, with a career based between Europe and the United States.

Shane Ruff, as an award winning event designer, has had the opportunity to work on many incredible events through his years with Party by Design. Being nominated for Event Designer of the Year 2005 from Event Solutions Magazine is only one of the highlights of his career. A passion for creating a unique event experience filled with details and extraordinary design keeps him filled with excitement for each project. As an artist, Shane looks at each event situation as creating a work of art, as a one-night installation for guests to enjoy. Taking all of his creative know-how into each project allows his imagination to run wild. From intimate dinners for 50 guests, to grand affairs for over 5,000 his clients have continually looked to him to create memories for them. Please visit www.ruffstudio.com to learn more.

Susan Low Saadat is a Senior Fundraising Consultant at Soft Trac.  Susan holds an MSB from Husson College and a BA from Wheaton College.  Susan has more than 10 years of experience with nonprofit marketing and fundraising as a consultant and practitioner. 

Gordon Sewall began his career at Lawrence Academy.  In the span of his 21 years at Lawrence he served as Head Football Coach, Director of Admissions, Director of Summer Programs and Director of Development.  He has also worked at Trinity College where he led the major gift portion of the college's successful $100 million capital campaign and rose to the post of Co-Vice President of Institutional Advancement.   Now in his 12th year at Milton, he oversaw the completion of the school's $50 million campaign in the 1990's raising a total of $60 million and is currently focused on the Academy's next campaign.  In the past 5 years, over $85 million has been raised for Milton.  He is a trustee at Lawrence Academy and serves as Chair of the Development Committee.

Kathy Sheehan was appointed Vice President for Development of Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston (BGCB) in April 2004. She joined the BGCB staff in May 2002. Kathy's development experience includes positions at Harvard University and Wellesley College. At Harvard, she developed a national network of non-alumni support for the Divinity School's Women's Studies in Religion Program. While at Harvard, she participated in the LEAD BOSTON program through NCCJ. At Wellesley College, where Kathy was Senior Development Officer, she had major gifts responsibility as part of the College's $400 million comprehensive campaign. She also served as Director of the College's Business Leadership Council (BLC). Kathy is a graduate of Smith College and earned a Master of Divinity from Boston University.

William N. Sirak is Vice President, Citizens Bank, Not-for-Profit Group. His responsibilities focus exclusively on non-profit institutional accounts.  He has more than twenty-five years of non-profit management and fund raising experience including the development of planned giving programs.  He received his B.S. and Masters of Arts Degree from Bowling Green State University, Ohio. Bill was President of the Northern Rocky Mountain Easter Seal Society, Goodwill Industries for the States of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming for seventeen years.  He joined Catholic Medical Center in 1988 as Vice President of Planning and Development and was a member of the senior management team for Optima Health and Optima Healthcare until joining Citizens in 1998. An active member of the community, Bill has served in numerous volunteer leadership positions on the local, state, and national levels.  He has served on the National Easter Seal Board of Directors; was the First Chair of the Manchester Community Health Center; is a Past Chair of the New Hampshire Association for the Blind; and is a former Member of the Manchester Economic Growth Development Board of Directors.

Katie Skoog, as Director of Development, oversees the Development department at Families First Parenting Programs, an organization that provides parenting education workshops and support to both parents and the professionals who work with parents. She helped Families First launch its first signature gala event, which attracted more than 400 people and raised more than $300,000. The following year she helped to increase the guest count to 500 and the event's revenue by more than $100,000. Families First has been successful in producing its large-scale special events by implementing a variety of time-saving tracking systems, choosing the right co-chairs, honorees, & speakers, and learning how and where to cut costs. Families First has learned from its own share of event blunders and bloopers over the years and uses these invaluable lessons to make the next event better than the last.

Alan Solomont is Chairman and CEO of Solomont Bailis Ventures, whose mission is to launch innovative health and eldercare ventures. He was formerly the founder and CEO of the A.D.S Group, a broad and innovative network of post-acute, eldercare services.

Active for many years in the Democratic Party, Mr. Solomont served as National Finance Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 1997, raising over $40 million. In 2000, he was appointed by President Clinton to the Board of Directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which oversees three national service initiatives: AmeriCorps, the National Senior Service Corps and Learn & Serve America.

Mr. Solomont serves on the boards of numerous organizations including the Boston Private Bank & Trust Company, Angel Healthcare Investors, LLC, Boston Medical Center, The Jewish Fund for Justice, The New Israel Fund, Israel Policy Forum, Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly, and the WGBH Educational Foundation. He chairs the Board of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston. He received an honorary degree from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Mr. Solomont received a B.A. from Tufts University in 1970 in Political Science and Urban Studies. He pursued independent studies abroad as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow and later earned a B.S. in Nursing from the University of Lowell. He is married to Susan Lewis, who is a Senior Advisor at The Philanthropic Initiative where she advises individuals, foundations and corporations on strategic philanthropy.

Norman Stein, CFRE, Vice President of Development, Boston Medical Center. Currently Vice President of Development for the Boston Medical Center, Norman has been a development professional for the last 24 years. During his ten year tenure at Boston Medical Center (BMC), their development results have grown from $500,000 to $28 million on an annual basis with a cost effectiveness among the best in the profession. BMC recently concluded its first major capital campaign, having raised nearly $60 million towards the construction of a major comprehensive cancer treatment center. BMC has raised $136 million in gifts and pledges during the last 5 years.

The rapid growth of the development program at BMC is a unique achievement as BMC serves as the “safety net” hospital for Boston, which demands that the philanthropy program be built without the foundation of grateful patient gifts typical for other outstanding academic medical centers. Several key constituency building endeavors have been launched under Norman’s stewardship including the Marketing Committee, the Leadership Council, and the Friends of Women’s Health. The BMC Exceptional Care Without Exception Trust was also launched in the spring of 2007.

Prior to joining BMC, Norman served for five years as Associate Director of Development and Director of Leadership Gifts for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston during their successful $137 million Campaign. In this capacity, all aspects of development activities with individuals from membership, annual funds, planned and major giving and development operations were under his direction. Norman also built the development program in support of the Nobel Peace Prize winning International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War.

Norman is a graduate of Boston College with dual Masters degrees from the University of California at Berkeley in Public Policy and Energy Resources. He served as founding President of the Alumni Board of the Goldman School of Public Policy at University of California at Berkeley and is immediate past president of the Massachusetts chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Norman served on the board of directors of the 21st Century Fund at Brookline High School and the Wellness Community of Greater Boston. Norman has been a certified fundraising executive since 1997.

As President of AFP Massachusetts, Norman has launched a collaborative endeavor with University of Massachusetts Boston to educate, train and certify a more diverse cadre of fundraising professionals. Entitled the Advancement Institute, undergraduate and graduate level concentrations will be available in fundraising and non-profit practice through the UMass Boston School of Management.

Claire Stern is the Director of Development and Capital Campaign at St. Francis House, the largest day shelter in New England for the poor and homeless. She overseas a $3 million annual fundraising budget and a $15.1 million Capital Campaign. She has been at St. Francis House for close to five years following seven years at Combined Jewish Philanthropies where she was the Director of Development for a $330 million Community Capital Campaign. She has taken St. Francis House from an organization almost exclusively dependent on Direct Mail Fundraising to an organization that now raises close to $1 million annually in $1,000+ gifts and has already secured four $1 million gifts for their Capital Campaign, one of which you will hear about in greater detail today. Claire is a career changer who spent a decade in higher ed administration and twenty years as a Speech and Language Therapist.

Sunny Stich is a veteran development professional with over fifteen years of experience in grant writing, fundraising, capital campaign organization, strategic planning, event planning, and public relations. Sunny has tremendous knowledge of the fundraising landscape and has a track record highly regarded in the industry. During her career, she has secured federal, state, private, corporate and foundation grants -- ranging from $2,500 to $1 million. Behind the scenes, Sunny has implemented systems to track campaign progress and established vital capital support programs for organizational sustainability. She has managed capital campaigns ranging from $3 million - $10 million. She has also staffed leadership giving campaigns, developed leadership giving societies and has managed solicitation of employee giving campaigns. She has worked with numerous regional and national organizations ranging from New England Hemophilia Association to the National Women’s Political Caucus. Her early career included key roles with Connecticut Public Television, the United Way, and Transition House, Inc. Sunny completed her Bachelor of Arts at Trinity College and her Masters of Science in Human Services at the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

Katherine Swank is an experienced consultant with Target Analytics. Through presentation and written materials she leads nonprofit staff and leadership through the appropriate steps to craft targeted fundraising campaigns that will generate maximum returns. Katherine authors white papers on planned giving topics that provide thought-leadership to Target’s extensive client base. She is currently based in Denver, Colorado.  With more than 20 years of legal and nonprofit management experience, Katherine has raised approximately $215 million for national healthcare and public broadcasting organizations, as well as an independent law school. Prior to joining Target Analytics in May 2007, Ms. Swank was the national director of gift planning at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, where she provided fundraising consulting services to the Society’s chapter leadership and development staff for six years. She is an affiliate faculty member of Regis University’s master of nonprofit management degree program in Denver, teaching classroom and online courses on wealth and philanthropy. She holds an independent studies degree from the University of Northern Colorado and a law degree from the Drake University School of Law in Des Moines, Iowa.

Deb Taft currently serves as Associate Vice President for Advancement at Simmons College, leading individual fundraising for the undergraduate college and all five graduate schools. She previously oversaw all fundraising at Tufts Medical Center/Floating Hospital for Children, created the fundraising marketing unit for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund, and spent fourteen years in independent school advancement. In addition to being a longtime volunteer for Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard, Deb was a founding member of City Year, the national youth service program that became a primary model for Americorps.

Rebecca Titlow received her M.B.A. from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University and then joined Development Guild/DDI, a consulting firm that works with nonprofit leaders committed to aligning vision and strategic priorities, building organizational capacity, and strengthening philanthropic support. Her focus is exclusively on the company’s executive search services, which enables her to connect with numerous individuals transitioning into non-profit work from the for-profit world.

N. Paul TonThat has led effective transitions for noprofits facing a variety of circumstances. Currently, Paul is managing the bi-coastal merger of two disease research, advocacy and service associations. As past board president of VietAID and member of the Mayor's Task Force on Elections, Paul is politically adept and well versed in the areas of housing, human services, community development, immigrant issues, elder services, and rural advocacy.

Stephanie Truesdell is the director of development at Milton Academy. In her current role, she is responsible for managing the day-to-day operation of the development effort and for implementing the expansion of the School's major gifts effort. During the 15 years she has been in the field, she has also worked at Brown University and Harvard Law School.  Stephanie holds a A.B. from Brown University and an Ed. M.from Harvard University.

Abbie J. von Schlegell has been in the development field for over 35 years, as a consultant for about half of her career with several national firms, and as a senior development officer with four institutions. She has held key development positions at Stanford University, where she was the Major Gifts director for Silicon Valley and at The University of Chicago in major gifts, capital campaigns and donor relations. Abbie also was the Chief Development Officer for the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C. and for Enterprise Community Partners in Columbia, MD. She was the 1990 recipient of the President’s Award from the Chicago chapter of National Society of Fund Raising Executives in recognition of her service to the profession. She is the editor of the first book on women’s philanthropy, Women as Donors, Women as Philanthropists, published by Jossey Bass, a best-selling handbook about women’s giving. In the summer of 2007, she moved her consulting practice to western Massachusetts. She has had significant experience in program planning, major gifts, capital and endowment campaigns, increased annual fund-raising efforts, prospect identification and research, interim management of development programs, leadership development and volunteer and staff training. In particular, she has had a large consulting practice with organizations and institutions involving women. In addition to her professional expertise, Ms. von Schlegell is an active volunteer who currently serves as a member of the Board of the Girl Scouts of Central and Western MA and as a member of the Board of Visitors of Miss Hall’s School in Pittsfield, MA. She is also an emerita member of the National Advisory Panel of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at Stanford University. She is a graduate of the ’03 Flagship Class of Leadership Anne Arundel in Maryland. Ms. von Schlegell holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, graduated from The Marlborough School in Los Angeles, CA and is a native Californian.

Deb Taft currently serves as Associate Vice President for Advancement at Simmons College, her graduate alma mater. Prior to this appointment she oversaw all aspects of fundraising operations at Tufts New England Medical Center and the Floating Hospital for Children where she was engaged in building a first-rate philanthropy operation to support the ambitious plans of this major academic medical center affiliated with Tufts University School of Medicine. In addition to being a longtime volunteer for Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard, Deb was a founding member of City Year, the national youth service program that became a primary model for Americorps.

John Terrio’s Auction Knights is the charitable side of JWT Associates, Inc., a full service auction company offering a comprehensive array of fundraising, entertaining and marketing tools for charities, non-profits, corporations and anyone looking to make their event special and memorable. John W. Terrio, President and Founder of Auction Knights, has been working with charities and non-profits since 1981, helping them inspire benefactors through his unique brand of auction entertainment. John's stage presence, attention to detail and constant energy are traits he brings to the planning and execution of every event, every performance, and the reason for the success of Auction Knights and their clients fundraising events.

Karen Voci, Executive Director, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. Karen Voci is executive director of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation. Ms. Voci most recently served as Senior Vice President for Program for The Rhode Island Foundation, one of the nation’s largest community foundations, where she worked for more than 16 years. There she was responsible for directing that Foundation’s grants and public policy initiatives, as well as leading successful efforts to expand health insurance and access to dental care to all of Rhode Island’s low-income children. Ms. Voci's work in education, institutional development, and philanthropy has been extensive and diverse. She directed community school programs in the Jamaica Plain and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston, where she created the first neighborhood day care program in a Boston public school. After directing the United Nations International Year of the Child observance for the state of Massachusetts, Ms. Voci headed the capital campaign for the Williamstown Regional Art Conservation Laboratory, expanding its capacity to provide services to small museums throughout New England. She has held program officer positions with the Max and Anna Levinson Foundation and the New Hampshire Charitable Fund, and has served as a consultant to the Mott Foundation and the J. Paul Getty Trust. Ms. Voci has served as a member of Rhode Island Oral Health Commission and on the board of Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island. She is currently on the Board of Grant Makers in Health, a national leadership organization for health philanthropies. Ms. Voci holds degrees in sociology from Simmons College and The American University. She has served as an elected representative to the school committee of East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

Rob Waldeck is the Founder and President of TPG Creative. TPG Creative is a full-service marketing communications and graphic design company working with professional communicators and marketers who seek to improve the messaging, creativity, quality and consistency of their organization's communication materials. Rob is an active member of the American Institute for Graphic Artists (AIGA), the Entrepreneur's Organization (EO), The Future Leaders of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and the Concord Housing Development Corporation in his hometown of Concord, MA.

William M. Weber, Ed.D., is President and co-founder of Development Guild/DDI. A frequent presenter at professional conferences, he focuses on the convergence of strategic planning, philanthropy, and leadership development. Bill has served on national and local boards of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. He earned his doctorate from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and served as Adjunct Professor at the Heller School, Brandeis University.

Bob Wesolowski founded Caring Habits, Inc. (CHI) in 1990, when it was one of only two companies dedicated to building and operating monthly giving programs. Over the years CHI expanded its services to include credit card processing, secure web giving and online event registration. Bob has more than 30 years experience in offering financial services. After receiving his MBA in 1977, he worked as an operations analyst at Citibank then moved to Bankers Trust where he managed a group of products used by the investment industry. He later moved to Chase Manhattan and led several groups responsible for the delivery of corporate cash management services, including electronic funds transfers, to Fortune 500 clients. Over the years Bob has given presentations and hosted roundtables on credit card processing, Payment Card Industry (PCI) security standards and monthly giving to groups as diverse as the National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) chapters in Connecticut and New England, the New England Automated Clearing House Association (NEACH), the River Network and the National Association of Treasurers for Religious Institutes (NATRI).

Frank White came to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1962 to attend Harvard College. With a communications career spanning more than four decades, he has experience with various media, including radio, television, print, and the World Wide Web. He has also worked in a number of disciplines, including journalism, public relations, and development communications. At Harvard, he leads a team that has primary responsibility for development communications for the University’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

A member of the Harvard College Class of 1966, White concentrated in Social Studies, graduating magna cum laude. He was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and attended Oxford University on a Rhodes Scholarship, earning an MPhil in Politics in 1969. He is the author or co-author of six books, ranging in subject matter from space exploration to climate change. White delivered the keynote address at a one-day event focusing on his work in the field of space exploration last summer. He teaches “Principles and Practices of Fundraising” and “Development Communications” at the Harvard Extension School, where he received the Fussa Distinguished Teaching Award in 2001. In that same year, White also received the Marion L. Anderson Award for his service to Alumni Affairs and Development. He is married to Donna White, and their blended family includes five children and three grandchildren.

Rebecca Yturregui employs quick wit, bold voice, and visionary skill in her award-winning marketing communications work. A graduate of Simmons College, Becka returned to Simmons in 2002 to help establish the College’s first centralized marketing team. Her 14 years of nonprofit and higher education experience include brand creation and management, marketing publications, new technologies, and development and alumni marketing. She has evaluated, created, implemented, and promoted numerous effective initiatives — from verbal and visual identity systems to multi-million dollar capital campaigns and complex multimedia communications plans for multiple audiences. Always on the ball, Becka balances strategic, practical thinking with an intuitive creative approach.

Jennifer Zaslow, Program Director and Senior Analyst. Jennifer directs the Development Learning Collaborative (DEV-LC), partnering with advancement leaders to improve their organizations’ performance, increase alumni and donor engagement, and support campaign and annual fundraising goals. Jennifer focuses on listening to and synthesizing members’ key strategic and operational challenges in order to define the DEV-LC’s Collaborative Research agenda – which in recent years has covered gift officer performance and productivity, transitioning donors to higher gift levels, and effective management of staffing and budget investments. She also manages the research team to design and conduct impactful Custom Research for individual member institutions. And, she has spoken at advancement conferences including the CASE Summit for Advancement Leaders, Big 10 and Big 12 annual development conferences, and Jesuit Advancement Administrators conference.

Jennifer has more than 12 years of experience researching management best practices and market trends, with a focus on generating actionable insights and decision support for executives. In roles with the Human Resources Policy Institute, a membership-based research center at Boston University's School of Management, consulting firm Zweig White, and the Corporate Executive Board, Jennifer has published dozens of reports and articles related to human resource strategy, organizational development, and process redesign. Jennifer earned an M.B.A. with high honors from Boston University and a B.A., magna cum laude, from Smith College.

Paul Zekos is president of The Zekos Group, based in Shrewsbury. A full time professional auctioneer, Paul is president of the Massachusetts Auctioneers Association. Well-known in the development community for his high-energy style, Paul has worked on a wide variety of the region’s most successful fundraising events. He once brokered a bid of $100,000 for a 2004 Red Sox World Series championship ring! The Zekos Group is a full-service firm that provides expert consulting services and auction management professionals to ensure successful fundraising auctions.

OUR SPONSORS

Presenting

Development Guild / DDI

Champion

Rafanelli Events

Boston Business Journal

Patrons

Blackbaud, Inc.

Copley Harris Company, Inc.

Grossman Marketing Group

Benefactors

Biondolillo Associates

Carter Halliday

Children's Hospital Trust

The Cruikshank Company

CCS

Graham Pelton Consulting

Lois L. Lindauer Searches

The Wayland Group

Supporter Level

Auctionpay

Boston Medical Center

Boston Private Bank & Trust

Convio