Name:  Wendy Davison
Title & Organization: Assistant Director of Annual Giving, Salem State University (SSU)
WID Role: Current WIDGB member and on the Membership Committee
Hometown: Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Lives Currently: Salem, Massachusetts
Education: BA in Business Administration from The George Washington University, MBA in Business from Salem State University
Hobbies: Exploring the North Shore and beyond! There is always something to do. We have great beaches for long walks and reflection and a variety of events. In my downtime, I like to read and do puzzles – crossword or jigsaw.

Welcome to our newest members:
Johane Alexis-Phanor, Beyond words
Joanna Cacciola, JVS Boston
Wendy Cadge, Brandeis University
Abbie Cavalier, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Kerry Feltner, MIT
Stacey Flanagan, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Foundation
Jillian Hebert, Pine Street Inn
Cathi Ianno, Global Arts Live
Angela Lett, The Eliot School of Fine and Applied Arts
Danielle Lurie, UMASS Boston
Angela Molloy, Beyond Booksmart
Jennifer Villandry, WestBridge
Ceclia Wright, Museum of Fine Arts

"Anyone can be a volunteer, so be creative and ensure you are connecting with as many volunteers as possible." - Nibal Awad, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships                                                                                                                                On May 9, 2023, more than 40 WIDGB members gathered at the first in-person Lunch-and-Learn since February 2020! The event featured an excellent panel discussion featuring Nibal Awad, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Donor Impact at Positive Tracks, Carly Churchill, Associate Director of Advancement at Cotting School, and Ginny Fuller Marinaro, Senior Director of Development at Brigham & Women's Hospital.

Mental Health Awareness in Fundraising
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, May’s Pulse of Fundraising highlights articles that discuss burnout in our profession and provide some strategies to address it. Make sure to take some time to check in with yourself this month and reach out if you need help: https://namimass.org/resources/. 

 

Fundraising During Challenging Financial Times
Recession and inflation loom large over our work these days. How can we, as fundraisers and nonprofit leaders, prepare our organizations and our donors to weather economic challenges? These four articles offer insights, tips, and some much-needed reminders of the importance of our work, especially in uncertain economic times.

Four Landmark Studies that Development Professionals Should Cite for Women’s History Month
March marks Women’s History Month, a time for us to champion the diverse contributions that women have made to the charitable ecosystem and to the larger movement for equality, justice, and power. The following primary sources examine non-profit as a space increasingly belonging to women and offer several citable insights about the philanthropic sector.

 

Welcome to our newest members:
Jill Black, Boston Medical Center
Kim Carvalho, St. Francis House
Jeanne Goswami
Jane Kokernak, Northeastern University
Rebecca Kovrlija, Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
Eva Maynard, Junior Achievement of Greater Boston
Libby McLaughlin, Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
Anne Melvin, Harvard University
Emma O'Leary, Union of Concerned Scientists
Kristine Otto, Boston Medical Center
Elsbeth Pratt
Sandra Publicover, Ethos
Tiffany Roca, Cradles to Crayons
Helen Sturm, Museum of Fine Arts

"The way to prepare for a successful future—whether you know what it is or not—is to keep acquiring skills, so you are ready when luck, opportunity, or clarity about your future strikes.” ­­­— Anne T. Melvin, JD, principal of Dynamic Fundraising Training                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          On Thursday, March 30, an impressive group of development professionals gathered virtually to share their expertise during the Symbiotic Relationship Between Frontline Fundraisers and Development Operation Roles. The program kicked off with a keynote by Anne T. Melvin, JD, principal of Dynamic Fundraising Training, and was followed by a panel discussion moderated by senior talent acquisition consultant Maureen Pena. Panelists included fundraising and communications consultant Johane Alexis-Phanor of Beyond Wordz; Emily Donohue, senior director of prospect management and research at UMass Boston; Rosie Martel-Foley, vice president of development strategies and governance at United Way; and Sarah Robinson, executive director of advancement at the Van Wezel Foundation.

 

“In order for a planned giving initiative to be sustainable, it has to be integrated into an organization's culture." 

                  - Arlene Schiff, Senior Advisor, Life & Legacy

 

 

On February 7th at 12 noon, Women In Development of Greater Boston hosted Lori Kranczer; Founder and CEO, Link Elevating Philanthropy; Jill Ng; Director, Planned Giving, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Arlene Schiff; Senior Advisor, Life & Legacy for an informative discussion about planned giving trends this year, how to steward your planned giving donors and ways to approach the conversation with donors of all ages.

 

Name: Patricia Gil-Casares
Title & Organization: Director of Learning, Engagement & Inclusion at Boston University
WID Role: Member since 2017
Hometown: Madrid (Spain)
Lives Currently: Newton, MA
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology at Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (Madrid). I am also a certified coach by International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Gallup Strengths Certified Coach.
Hobbies: Travel (to new places and -as much as I can- to Spain), hiking, biking, enjoying nature, and playing sports with my two sons. Overall, spending time with my family and friends; it’s what makes me feel fulfilled and recharges me the most.

Congratulations to our member who has changed positions:
Meredith Grabek O'Connell, formerly Senior Manager of Individual Giving at Thompson Island Outward Bound now Director of Individual Giving with Avodah.
Welcome to our newest members:
Elizabeth Ackerson, Cambridge Community Foundation
April Hannon, The HiPo Network
Lindsey Hummer, Boston Architectural College
Heather Johnston, Cambridge Health Alliance Foundation
Leah Lindsay, Seeding Labs
Theresa Lynn, United Way of Central MA
Kelse Petersen, New England Historic Genealogical Society
Emily Reiling, Charles River Watershed Association
Kelly Simone, Museum of Fine Arts
Seryna Warren, The Trustees of Reservations
Lorita Williams, Accelerated College Experiences, Inc.

Name: Karen DeTemple
Title & Organization: President, Workwonder
WID Role: Member since forever
Hometown: Champaign, IL
Lives Currently: Brookline, MA
Education: BA in Communication Arts and Sciences from DePauw University
Hobbies: tennis, weightlifting, pickleball, scuba diving, hiking, traveling, tequila and mezcal tasting

Congratulations to our member who has changed positions:
Bryanne Mahoney Bowen formerly Director Of Development, New England, Facing History and Ourselves now Director of Development Women's Foundation of Boston
Welcome to our newest members:
Naya Bricher, Fine Arts Work Center
Emily Brown, United South End Settlements
Margaret Burns, University of Southern Maine Foundation
Brenda French, Catholic Charities NH
Mary Gage, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Lee Gagen, Foundation for Metrowest
Regina Garland, Boston University
Melissa Gonzalez, Everyday Boston
Kelly Majewski, Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center
Priya Murali, Rian Immigrant Center
Denise Ozturk, Community Teamwork, Inc.
Arlene Schiff, Life & Legacy, The Harold Grinspoon Foundation
Samantha Simons, Women's Lunch Place
Marion Westgate, Handel & Haydn Society
Barbara Whalen, Malcolm Weiner Center for Social Policy- Harvard Kennedy School

Navigating Difficult Conversations

As development professionals, we’re no strangers to having challenging, sensitive conversations­—with donors, organizational leaders, board members, co-workers, and others. The events of recent years have brought increased attention to a host of complex issues surrounding race and racism, inequality, reproductive rights, politics, and more. These articles offer useful tips on navigating conversations that veer into difficult topics. 

Name: Melany Duval, Chief Philanthropy Officer
Organization: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & The Jimmy Fund
Hometown: Suburbs of Los Angeles
Lives Currently: Chestnut Hill/Newton
Education: Loyola Marymount University
Hobbies: Photography, swimming, yoga, hiking, and travel

 

Early EOY Giving Results

As we kick off the new year, fundraisers around the country are reviewing their end of year results and evaluating where there was success – and where there are opportunities for growth.  Data shows that most nonprofits, although seeing a slight increase in revenue, are noticing a drop in donor retention.  These articles delve deeper into this idea of “dollars up, donors down” and encourage nonprofits to consider how to innovate in order to retain – or win back – their donor base.

 

Name: Patricia D. Keenan
Title & Organization: Vice President of Advancement, Community and Equity, Ellis Early Learning
WID Role: Current WID Member, former WID Board member
Hometown: Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Lives Currently: Sharon, Massachusetts  
Education: BA in Urban Studies from the College of the Holy Cross
Hobbies: Sharing movies and books with family and friends, spending time with our grandchild, walking in the woods, traveling anywhere and everywhere
 

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR MEMBERS WHO HAVE RECENTLY CHANGED POSITIONS:
Ruth Maffa formerly  Senior Regional Development Director at Brandeis University now  Executive Director of Development at Brandeis University
Kimberly Thomas formerly  Operations Manager at the Jeremiah Program, now  HKS Fund and Alumni Relations Coordinator at Harvard Kennedy School.
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS:
Amil Amin, Reach Out and Read
Kristina Capano, Boston University
Angela Cavallo, Horizons, Dedham Country Day School
Tara Goodman, Harvard University
Anne Gotfredson, Harvard Medical School
Kerry Keohane, St. Francis House
Kristin, Macek, Action, Inc.
Sarah Shakeri, Boston Center for the Arts
Katheryn Shanahan, The Allo Hope Foundation
Kelsey Tabela-Baxter,  Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro South
John Zamagni, Mount Auburn Cemetary

Developing a Case for Support

A case for support is a key document for any nonprofit - a straightforward, engaging, and inspiring way to communicate the most important aspects of your work with your donors, trustees, employees, and funders. Whether it is developed for a specific campaign or to support an annual fund, a case for support helps to communicate your mission, vision, values, and goals. If you are ready to jump in to write (or perhaps update) a case for support, here are some resources to get you started.

Congratulations to our member who recently changed positions:
Raeann Whalen, formerly Chief Operating Officer, Housing Families, Inc, now Special Projects Director, Action for Boston Community Development
WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST MEMBERS:
Anuradha Desai, EdVestors, Inc
Madison Kelleher, Cristo Rey Boston High School
Abigail Norman, Eliot School of Applied and Fine Arts
Louisa Pena Lyons, Bridge Forward Fund
Haley Rodgers, Plummer Youth Promise