Episodes

  • This week we talk about management and leadership. Elizabeth has developed training materials to help managers at all levels increase the performance and retention of their teams.

    Elizabeth Keppel is the Senior Director of Annual Giving & Digital Strategy at Johns Hopkins University, where she leads a comprehensive, university-wide annual giving program. Prior to joining the Hopkins team in 2020, Elizabeth served in several roles at the University of Florida, most recently as the director of development for annual giving and strategic initiatives. In that role, she led UF’s leadership annual giving program which served as the organization's talent pipeline for major gift fundraisers. At the outset of her fundraising career, she worked as an assistant director on the advancement team at her alma mater, the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Elizabeth has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from William & Mary and a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.

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  • This week we hear from Heather who just relocated to Houston, Texas for a new role as Executive Director, Annual Giving at Rice University. She talks to us about how we can get started using AI in our work and she suggests a few places to start. She equates learning new systems like training for a marathon--start small.

    A few places to start include but are not limited to: Google Gemini, Microsoft co-pilot, learning how to write prompts, developing an awareness of bias within what AI creates, and large language models.

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  • This week, we continue to drill down into the burning questions about AI and how it will change our work. What comes up again and again with Mark is, how do we work alongside this? Listen to discover the answer to that overarching question.

    Mark Koenig is the vice president for technology and chiefinnovation officer for the OSU Foundation. In this role, he serves as the Foundation’s technology strategist, including oversight of relationship insights, pipeline development, analytics, data and CRM operations, and technology services.

    Mr. Koenig is the past chair of the Ellucian Advancement Executive Advisory Committee and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District VIII.

    In 2019, he received the Distinguished Service Award from CASE District VIII recognizing his many years of service to the organization and in 2018, he received the Ellucian ‘EllumiNation’ Community Award recognizing his dedication to infusing innovation throughout the advancement profession.

    Mr. Koenig earned his bachelor’s in history and economics from the University of Houston and a master's in adult education and organizational capacity from OSU.

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  • This week, Deb shares her perspective as a corporate andfoundation relations professional. In the second episode on this topic, we compare it to individual giving and learn more about how the space is unique. Deborah Lin is the Director of Corporate, Foundation, & Association Relations at Stanford Medicine, leading the team closing and facilitating organizational philanthropic support to the School of Medicine and Stanford Healthcare. She has built over a decade of experience in academic research fundraising and programmatic strategy and operations.
    Before Stanford University, Deborah was the Associate Director of Corporate Relations at UCLA Engineering, spearheading engagement and partnerships for the school with industries such as tech, aerospace, and energy. She was a founding team member of Partnership UCLA, a department that engages alumni in helping student career development, creating and launching campus-wide programs supporting thousands of students' professional and academic development. In addition to academia, she has also worked in the media and tech industries. Before UCLA, Deborah worked in the Television and Film industry for companies such as Disney ABC Studios and 20th Century Fox, managing global marketing partnerships, production, talent management, and television comedy development.

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  • This week we get some AI forecasting from Andrew Gossen. He reflects on how much technology has developed over the past six years, and shares predictions about ways our work will change and evolve. Andrew outlines the risks and rewards of keeping up with artificial intelligence and how we should think about the use of human time verses machine time.

    Andrew Gossen is the executive director for communications, marketing, and participation in Cornell University's Division of Alumni Affairs and Development. He joined Cornell in 2010 to integrate emerging digital technologies – among them social media and crowdfunding – into the division's strategic plan. Previously, Gossen spent eight years at the Alumni Association of Princeton University in a number of diverse roles. His focus is using digital technologies and approaches to engagement to build audiences and mobilize them on behalf of a range of causes and organizations.

    In addition to speaking frequently on this topic to domestic and international audiences, he has served CASE Commission on Alumni Relations, co-chaired the CASE Joint Commission Task Force on Social Media, and received a CASE Crystal Apple Award for Teaching Excellence in 2018. Gossen holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton and adoctorate in social anthropology from Harvard University.

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  • This week, I get the opportunity to talk with Stephanie Cookabout her career journey and most recent experiences with the National Audubon Society. We talk about how her broad higher education experience prepared her to work in a more niche area with a non-natural constituency base.

    Stephanie Cook brings over 20 years of experience to her work as a fundraising executive for the National Audubon Society—leading operations, donor services, and fundraising teams on behalf of the international conservation NGO.

    Prior to joining Audubon, she led NYC-based regional advancement teams for Syracuse University and Villanova University, where she led teams of development professionals charged with building relationships with and securing philanthropic support from alumni, parents, and friends.

    Her early career included service as a major gift officer for Columbia University and the Wildlife Conservation Society as well as in support of the fundraising efforts on behalf of the Central Park Conservancy. She is a native of Madison, Wisconsin and holds a BFA from the University of Kentucky in acting/theatre and an MS from Columbia University in fundraising and non-profit management.

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  • Hello and welcome to Season 13! This season is different because ½ of the 8 episodes are going to be focused on AI. However, there are a few episodes that aren’t focused on AI including today’s. While understanding AI is important, we also need the EQ that occurs in between skilling up and one of those huge skills is navigating difficult conversations. As Jennifer says, contact and context before content! This episode is the pep talk you perhaps didn’t even know you needed. Jennifer empowers us to tackle our challenges head on, eliminate negative self talk, and take care of ourselves throughout the process. We go through three real life examples and Jennifer talks through how she would handle them. These examples were submitted by real life listeners with their real life challenges.

    Jennifer Zaslow is an Executive Coach who believes that harnessing your full potential begins with finding your voice. She began her professional life in New York as an aspiring opera singer, an experience that led to a twenty year career as a leader and senior fundraiser in the non-profit sector. Today, as Partner at Clear Path Executive Coaching, Jennifer’s signature mix of intuition, directness and humor enables her to work successfully with clients ranging from CEO’s to young leaders, helping individuals to reach their full potential, and organizations to achieve their strategic goals.

    Jennifer has worked with leaders and teams from a wide variety of sectors, including higher ed (Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania), arts and culture (The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New York Public Library, The Metropolitan Opera, New York City Ballet, BAM, The High Line), sports/media/entertainment (The NFL, Sundance Institute, BuzzFeed, WNYC, KCRW) and tech/startups (Google, CHIEF, Angi, and TodayTix).

    Prior to coaching, Jennifer held the chief development officer role at three New York City cultural institutions: Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City Opera, and The New York Public Library. There, she successfully completed a $500 million capital campaign during the 2008 recession and grew the Library’s endowment to over $1 billion.

    Jennifer holds a B.A. cum laude from Wesleyan University and a CPCC coaching certification from CTI. She is certified in the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, is a Gallup Clifton Strengths Coach and is a recipient of Harvard Law School’s PON certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution. She is also Director of the Floria Lasky Institute for Arts Leadership, sponsored by The Jerome Robbins Foundation. She lives and practices in New York City.

    Resources:

    1. Getting to Yes by Roger Fisher and William Ury

    2. Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen

    3. Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, Al Switzler, Emily Gregory

    4. How to Work with Anyone (even difficult people) by Amy Gallo

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  • This is a two-part episode but the two parts are inextricably linked. The first is looking back at the past six months—and the second is looking forward and creating visions of an ideal future.

    Part 1 is a six month update on my time in New Haven and at Yale!

    Part 2 is a 5-step process at creating a vision board, a tradition of mine...

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  • First and foremost, Happy Birthday to today's guest, Chad Paris!

    Ever wondered how a campaign is born? How firms get started? What matters most with communications? Chad Paris tells us about his firm, Parisleaf and how it has grown into an international brand and digital partner working with a wide array of non-profits.

    With over 15 years of experience in brand, digital, andfundraising, Chad is the CEO of Parisleaf, a branding agency that helps nonprofits fund progress through branding their major fundraising campaigns. His passion is in making connections - between humans, or between seemingly disparate pieces of a puzzle. Chad has dedicated his career to brands that are changing the world. As CEO, he supports the firm's ultimate ambition - to help their partners raise $25B by the end of the decade.

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  • Liz comes from a family of story tellers. This week we learn about how she found her voice as a communications specialist, a trustee, and so much more. Liz tells us how her education impacted her and lead her to write about her great uncle and philanthropist, A.G. Gaston. His investment is his family and ultimately her- is an inspiring story. Liz sights “movement moments” and her mentors along the way.

    Throughout her career, Ms. Hines has dedicated herself to helping non-profits grow, in part by serving on the boards of a wide variety of organizations, including: The Third Wave Fund, The Women’s Media Center Advisory Board, LIFT (Legal Information for Families Today), People’s Production House and The Independent Media Institute. In 2018, Hines was named a fellow of the New World Foundation, where she oversaw the organization’s research on the state of local media, investigating opportunities to support local journalism and journalists in the face of widespread media corporatization.

    Ms. Hines holds a B.A. from Yale University and conducted her graduate studies at Harvard University. She lives in New York with her partner and their three children.

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  • This weeks episode explores what is looks like to work for a younger institution and realize exciting potential, the way that our guest combined a variety of skills for his current role, and the critical aspect of leadership along the way.

    Brandon Baker is the associate senior vice president for University Advancement at the University of Southern California (USC) where he works across campus on principal and transformational gift opportunities. Baker has experience in launching and leading campaigns and prior to joining USC, Brandon spearheaded the $400 million Tomorrow Demands Today Campaign at the RAND Corporation.

    Baker previously served as assistant dean of external affairs at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering. He and his team were responsible for a $250 million goal as part of the school's campaign, a component of UCLA's $4.2 billion effort.

    He has more than sixteen years of experience in both public and private higher education institutions. He also served as a development director at Villanova University and Columbia University Graduate Business School. Baker holds an M.A. in higher education administration from New York University and a B.S. in biology from The University of Tennessee Southern.

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  • This week, my guest and I explore the concept of academic research in the field of fundraising. We dig into donor motivation and ways in which scholarly research can help provide framework and clarity of thinking.

    Frontline fundraiser, researcher of donor inclinations, and status quo breaker, Anna Schlia is an expert in philanthropy research, principal and major gifts, program building, and executive leadership coaching. Relentlessly inquisitive about nonprofit institutions and the donors who support them, Anna is an emerging philanthropy scholar. She is pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Rochester studying philanthropy for higher education.

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  • This week, I talk with Anna Dugan about her work with next generation donors at Carnegie Hall. Since I knew her there, she has moved on to work at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Anna talks about building a pipeline program, answers why younger donors want more metrics and data, and explains why creating a feeling with events must always go back to the mission.

    Anna Dugan is a frontline fundraiser with a passion for helping people actualize their philanthropic goals. She is currently Senior Associate Director of Development at the Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, working with a variety of specialties, including Alzheimer’s Disease, Geriatric Psychiatry, Community Psychiatry, Acquired Brain Injury, and DEIB initiatives.

    Prior to joining Johns Hopkins, she spent seven years at Carnegie Hall in a variety of roles, including individual giving fundraising, stewardship, and events. She attended Columbia University, The Juilliard School, and Manhattan School of Music and performed for many years as a professional musician.

    Follow along for more on linkedin and instagram @devdebrief

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  • Hello! Today you are in for a treat. The following episode will explore themes of being put on the spot, networking, and sparking connections. Listen to learn how to start and stop event conversations, make a cogent pitch, and understand a tough audience.

    Matt Abrahams is a leading expert in the field of communication. As a Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business, he teaches popular classes in strategic communication and effective virtual presenting and has received the school’s Alumni Teaching Award. Matt also teaches public speaking and co-teaches Improvisational Speaking in the Stanford Continuing Studies Program.

    When he isn’t teaching, Matt is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and communications consultant and coach. He has helped numerous presenters prepare for high-stakes talks, including IPO road shows, Nobel Prize award presentations, and appearances at TED and the World Economic Forum. His online talks garner millions of views and he hosts the popular, award-winning podcast Think Fast, Talk Smart, The Podcast. His book Speaking Up without Freaking Out: 50 Techniques for Confident and Compelling Presenting has helped a wide audience manage speaking anxiety and present more confidently and authentically.

    To relax and rejuvenate, Matt enjoys hiking with his wife, talking and watching sports with his kids, hanging out with his friends, and being continually humbled at the karate dojo.

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  • Welcome to Season 12. In today's solo episode, I talk about the process I took to plan our team retreat. Special thanks to Lisa Alvarez-Calderon for guiding me through the planning and execution.

    Planning tips:

    1. Set your intention- what is the goal?

    2. Space

    3. Timing

    4. Outside inspiration- mentor, volunteer, or donor can share their expertise!

    5. Order of information

    6. Follow up plan

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  • This episode is the last conversation of Season 11. The episode took place in NYC with a live audience of over 1,000 people. AFP-NYC puts on a fundraising day for fundraisers every year-- we were lucky enough to be the morning keynote. Enjoy the live format featuring Wendy Sealey and thank you AFP-NYC!

    Wendy Sealey has over 20 years of non-profit management and fundraising experience, overseeing teams in the areas of leadership gifts, campaign fundraising, annual fundraising, and special events. Currently, she currently oversees a $30 million fundraising program as Vice President for Development at the Guttmacher Institute, a leading research and policy organization committed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) worldwide.Wendy is a sought-after fundraising coach, advisor, and speaker who has worked with a variety of nonprofits in New York City. Prior to joining the Guttmacher Institute, Wendy raised funds for the ACLU's Centennial Campaign, East Harlem Tutorial Program’s capital campaign, Bank Street College of Education’s strategic initiative campaign, and the Astraea Lesbian Foundation’s multi-million-dollar grant-making program.

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  • Emily and I talk about preparing for fiscal year end, annual giving trends and changes, and her passion for leadership.

    Emily Kernan is the Executive Director of The Penn Fund at the University of Pennsylvania, where she oversees all annual giving efforts primarily engaging undergraduate alumni. She previously led the annual fund team at Rice University and started her career in development at Lafayette College. Emily has remained committed to annual giving throughout her professional life because she loves building relationships with donors and volunteers at every level as well as collaborating with almost every other team across development in some way. She is a volunteer herself as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Philadelphia Ballet and the outgoing Chair of the Annual Giving Directors Consortium (AGDC). Emily holds a BA in English from Binghamton University (SUNY) and an MS in Nonprofit Leadership from Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice. Her instructional experience includes presenting for AGN, CASE, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), teaching about annual giving at Rice's Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, and being a course assistant for a class on human-centered design through Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice. She lives in Philadelphia with her two cats—Alvin and Simon.

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  • The Wells Collective was born out of both necessity and the right amount of mimosas. After six Black women, who worked individually as public and private school educators, researchers, educational administrators, and psychologists, gathered together for a bubbly brunch, the kinetic energy that manifested itself at their table confirmed that by coming together, they could have a greater impact in promoting inclusion in their communities. These women rallied together to identify ways in which they could leverage their individual talents to develop a unique framework that would equip organizations with the tools to be successful as change agents and architects for liberation. I was lucky enough to hear them speak at a conference last March at Mohonk Mountain House. I knew immediately, that I wanted to share their message on the Debrief. If you want to work with them or learn more, please reach out!

    Kalea Selmon, Areas of Expertise: Restorative practices, teacher coaching, social-emotional wellness, assessing school culture for inclusion and anti-racist practices. Kalea hails from the Washington DC area. She is a proud alumna of Howard University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology. After undergrad, she began her career teaching and facilitating a youth employment program. Kalea returned to school attending Johns Hopkins University where she earned a Master of Science in Counseling. Later, she transitioned into Independent Schools where she served as a school counselor and then a Director of Diversity and Inclusion where she focused on developing equity programming, providing professional development, curating curriculum, and hiring and retention of diverse staff.

    Jenifer Moore, Areas of Expertise: Anti-racist & anti-bias curriculum, teacher coaching, assessing school culture for inclusion and anti-racist practices. Jenifer is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Key School in Annapolis, MD. Previously, she has served as the Head of School and Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Sela Public Charter School. Jenifer has served children of Washington, DC since 2003 as a teacher, tutor, and school leader. She earned a Master’s degree from Trinity Washington, DC in Educational Administration and a Bachelor’s degree from Howard University.

    Akailah Jenkins McIntyre, Areas of Expertise: Anti-racist & anti-bias practices, employee and teacher coaching, assessing organizational culture for inclusion and anti-racist practices, public speaking. Akailah is a native of Charleston, SC who began her career in education at Vanderbilt University. She went on to contribute to multiple education research projects at the institution, resulting in two published works. In this time, she discovered that her areas of interest were racial justice in education, and exploring Black girl joy and freedom in educational spaces. She earned both her Bachelor’s degree, and Master’s Degree from the institution. She now serves as Chief of Staff at a nonprofit.

    Dr. Shari Baker, Areas of Expertise: Anti-racist & anti-bias curriculum, teacher coaching, assessing school culture for inclusion and anti-racist practices Shari began her career in education at Duke University. While there, she joined a women’s scholarship group, the Baldwin Scholars, in which she continues to be an active member. Dr. Baker obtained her social studies teaching certificate and went on to teach social studies in Prince George’s County Public Schools for a decade. She has also had extensive training on cultural responsive/sustaining pedagogy and restorative justice in schools. Dr. Baker also has experience implementing and measuring DEI initiatives at both large and small independent schools, notably including her most recent position as Director of Diversity & Inclusion at one of the largest independent high schools in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

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  • This week, I speak with Marcela Hahn about her role as president of the Board of Directors of Women in Development (WiD). We explore the importance of community and tradition. Marcela Hahn is the Vice President, Development at Bank Street College of Education. For eight years, Marcela Hahn served as the AVP for Strategic Partnerships at CARE, a leading humanitarian organization. In this role she focused on corporate and foundation partnerships. Prior to CARE Marcela was the fundraising lead for Americans for UNFPA, Grand Street Settlement, and Project Reach Youth.

    Marcela served as a Peace Corps volunteer and employee for four years in Senegal; she received an MPA from New York University and a B.A. from Cornell University. Marcela is the president of the Board of Directors of Women in Development (WID), NY. She lives with her family and two cats in Brooklyn and loves to hike, x-country ski and read mysteries in her free time.

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  • This week, we learn from Andy Rathmann-Noonan from the perspective of a non-profit CEO. Andy talks to us about changes his organization made to expand their mission and therefore grown their fundraising needs and goals.

    Andy is the President of the National Science and Technology Medals Foundation. Over the last ten years, he has been responsible for various leadership and oversight responsibilities, including management of staff and programming, development and fundraising efforts, and ensuring that the Foundation’s mission is evident in all of its work. Andy has a deep personal connection to the foundation and its broader effort to build a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable future in STEMM. He recognizes his privilege and his responsibility as an ally to empower, enable, and serve his team, its mission, and the communities that can be positively affected by the NSTMF’s efforts. Andy earned a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College (Hartford, CT) in 2009. He resides in Silver Spring, MD, with his better half Julia, their son Nolan, and their dog Lulu.

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