The Development Debrief

Latest Episodes:

120. Maria Di Mento: A Conversation about The Chronicle of Philanthropy's Philanthropy 50 Feb 15, 2023

Show notes

Yesterday, the much-anticipated Philanthropy 50 by The Chronicle of Philanthropy went live. This list profiles America’s 50 largest donors including their location, wealth source, and top cause. Previously, I thought this list was for principal gift officers and Vice Presidents. Luckily, I was able to interview the reporter, Maria Di Mento and quickly learned that this list is for all of us. Maria has been writing about wealthy philanthropists and key trends and insights related to high-net-worth donors for nearly two decades and leads the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual Philanthropy 50. I hope this interview inspires you to think bigger and more broadly than ever. There is so much opportunity in our industry.

To learn more about The Development Debrief, connect with us on Linkedin or on instagram @devdebrief. I would love to hear from you! I’ll be back, same place, same time next week.

(Special shout out to Bob Lasher who made this interview possible!)

Here is the list: https://www.philanthropy.com/article/the-philanthropy-50/?cid=gen_sign_in#id=browse_2022

119. JD Beebe: The Origin Story of ThankView Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

If you are listening to this—it is likely you either have access to ThankView through your organization or have at least seen their unicorn logo. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, it’s the cloud-based platform that lets you easily create and send personalized videos to raise awareness, promote events, update stakeholders, and thank those who matter most.

Today, we will talk with JD Beebe, ThankView’s co-founder and CEO. JD tells us how and why he became an entrepreneur and shares the story of how ThankView was originally created to make completing his wedding thank you notes more enjoyable. ThankView now works with over 1,000 annual partners, including The Boys & Girls Club, Boston University, Cornell, Pepperdine, Miami University and Colorado State University. In November of 2021, ThankView merged with EverTrue, the top-rated data, software, and services solution for fundraisers. He now serves as President of EverTrue (www.evertrue.com).

Before founding ThankView, JD founded New Antisocial, a digital marketing agency, and Beebe's Buttcamp, a fitness studio that was named "One of the 9 Best New Studios in NYC" by Racked.com. He and his team built everything with no outside investment and have successfully generated millions of dollars while staying cash positive. New Antisocial worked with top global brands including Intel and Spartan Race as well as fledgling startups.

Prior to founding New Antisocial, JD was Creative Director for Noise, a digital advertising company in NYC. His work has appeared on CNN, NBC, AdAge, Fast Company, MTV and has won accolades including the Platinum Cannes Lion and top One Show awards.

118. Laurel Richie and Bob Lasher: The Inside Story of Dartmouth's $3.5 Billion Campaign Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

Today’s episode marks the beginning of Season 10! If you’ve been here from the beginning, thank you for sharing this journey—if you are new to The Debrief, we have been running for just over three years and have content with industry experts in nearly every corner of the fundraising profession.

One thing I have always been curious about is the dynamic between the Chief Development Officer and the Board Chair. How do they talk to one another? Who ultimately makes the call? But those conversations are often had in private. I am honored to open this season with Bob Lasher, Senior Vice President for Development at Dartmouth College and Laurel Richie, Marketing, Communications, and Management Executive as well as former Dartmouth Trustee and Board chair.

In the following 45 minutes, we will talk about wins, stalls, pain points, and women in philanthropy all during a multi-billion dollar campaign.

To Learn more-- follow us on instagram @devdebrief and connect on LinkedIn, I can't wait to hear from you!

117. Katy Herbert Kotlarczyk: Checking The Boxes Dec 06, 2022

Show notes

Hello! I want to close out this season with a heart-warming episode. Today’s guest, Katy, tells us about how she went for her dream job-- and got it. We talk about her rise to Vice Chancellor for Advancement and how this affected her career, family, motherhood, and leadership. She gives great tips for working professionals who are parents, and leaves you feeling inspired.

As Vice Chancellor for Advancement for the University of Colorado Boulder, Katy Herbert Kotlarczyk (cut-lar-chick) oversees all campus efforts related to private fundraising, philanthropic outreach, and alumni engagement. Under her direction, the CU Boulder Advancement team identifies and partners with constituents who contribute their time and talent to advance the university’s mission.

With CU Advancement since 2010, Katy previously served as Assistant Vice President for Central Advancement and led CU’s gift planning and annual giving efforts. Prior to her time at CU, Katy led fundraising for a scholarship program at Georgetown University that supported first-generation, low-income, and diverse undergraduate students. She also served as a director of Orr Group, a fundraising and strategy consultancy for nonprofit organizations.

A life-long learner, Katy is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education degree in leadership in educational equity, with a focus on higher education. She completed her MBA at DePaul University. She has both an undergraduate and master’s degree from Stanford University, where she served as captain of the women’s gymnastics team.

When she’s not working, Katy serves as a Boulder County court-appointed special advocate for youth struggling with truancy. She and her husband enjoy exploring Colorado with their three children.

116. Maddie Hansen: What is the impact? Nov 29, 2022

Show notes

Today’s episode is nostalgic I sit down with an old friend and fellow fundraiser, Maddie Hansen. We share a few memories from our time singing together in our College a cappella group and analyze what skills we learned there that we can apply to fundraising. We then learn from Maddie about her grateful patient fundraising and how she has built an authentic voice and path finding meaning in her work.

Madeleine Hansen is a Senior Associate Director of Development for Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center. In this role, Maddie works closely with physicians, scientists, and grateful patients to support diverse research and patient care programs for women’s cancers. This includes Penn’s Breast Cancer Program, 2-PREVENT Translation Center of Excellence (TCE), Ovarian Cancer Research Center (OCRC), and Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Research Unit. Maddie also serves as a point person for fundraising for diversity, health equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the Division of Hematology Oncology.

Maddie is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut where she received her BA in American Studies.

115. Adam Doyno: Who is "Frontline"? Nov 22, 2022

Show notes

Happy Thanksgiving! I am grateful for all of you this week. Thank you for listening, sharing, and supporting the Development Debrief! This week, Adam Doyno and I debate about the meaning of the term "frontline fundraiser". Should we continue to use it? Or is this a problematic term? We polled all of you on the @devdebrief instagram and learned that 63% of you identify as a frontline fundraiser, 29% of you do not, and 7% of you don't know. We asked you if the term was necessary and 46% of you said yes, 33% of you said no, and 21% of you weren't sure. Take a listen, and talk about it with your teams. We would love to hear your thoughts.

Please see Adam's article that inspired the conversation here: https://nycafp.org/News-Events/News-Blog/its-time-to-rethink-the-frontline-fundraiser

Adam M. Doyno, a Certified Fund-Raising Executive, is the Founding Executive Director of the CUNY SPH Foundation and Inaugural Director of Development for the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. Since 2018, he has been an essential catalyst in the graduate school’s achievement in becoming an independent, accredited, top-ranked public health authority in New York City and the nation. In his role, he is the architect of the school’s fundraising operations and drives forward development activities that support CUNY SPH students, the 500,000+ students and continuous learners within the CUNY system, and New York City broadly.

Active in the fundraising community, Adam serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Fundraising Professionals-NYC Chapter as co-Vice President of Member Engagement. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the 125th Street Business Improvement District in Harlem. In 2021 he was honored by NYNMedia Nonprofit as part of their annual 40 Under 40 Class.

Adam earned a BA from Hofstra University and an MPA from CW Post, Long Island University. He lives on Long Island with his wife and two young children.

114. Shanna Hocking: One Bold Move A Day Nov 15, 2022

Show notes

What if I told you, you can’t plan your life, but you can make small moves each day to ensure a strong, healthy, and authentic path? What if I told you that letting go is actually the way to realize your dreams? This is not my message, but it’s one that I believe in and it’s delivered by today’s guest.

This episode is close to my heart as it marks the launch of my dear friend, Shanna Hocking’s book, One Bold Move A Day. Shanna has been working tirelessly on this book and it shows as it has gained early praise from Adam Grant and several other influential leaders. This conversation gives a sneak peek into the book and shares the story of Shanna’s writing process as well as more about her career story. We talk momentum building, dreams realized, and lifestyle decisions.

https://www.amazon.com/One-Bold-Move-Day-Meaningful/dp/1264278071

Connect to continue the conversation on instagram @devdebrief

113. Connor Adams: Leadership From a Fresh Perspective Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

This week I talk with Connor Adams, Senior Director of Development- College of Engineering and School of Architecture at University of Miami about returning to his alma mater in a leadership position. Connor is re-imagining a team that supports two Deans. We talk about how he manages his goals and plans to build his team, ways he has stewarded donors, and his view on zoom vs. in-person relationship building.

As an experienced University and education fundraiser, Connor is passionate about the power of education as a key pillar of growth, success, and life, particularly its ability to serve as an agent for social change and the creation of collaborative communities. After earning his Masters degree in Student Affairs Administration from Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, and Bachelors of Science in Education from the University of Miami, Connor began his career at the Portland State University. From there, he moved to New Mexico to be a Director of Development at the University of New Mexico Foundation, then later on to the land grant institution of New Mexico State University. As of early 2022, Connor began as the Senior Director of Development for the College of Engineering at his alma mater, University of Miami and was recently promoted to oversee the School of Architecture in addition to Engineering. Connor professionally describes himself as trusted advisor, change maker, relationship manager and impact consultant. On a non professional side he is a father, husband, golfer, and a coffee aficionado.

Follow @devdebrief to learn more behind the episode! www.devdebrief.com

112. Karen Osborne: Board Diversification and Impactful Stewardship Nov 01, 2022

Show notes

Almost a decade ago, I met Karen Osborne at my first ever CASE conference. Today, I have privilege of picking her brain on two very important topics—board diversification and stewardship. Karen and I agree that the overall thread we continue to pull in this episode is about being planful with everything you do.

Karen believes in the power of philanthropy, generosity, and service. She built her career around these passions not only as a major and principal gifts officer, vice president, speaker, teacher, consultant, and coach, but also as a donor, volunteer, and board member.

For eighteen of Karen’s forty-four professional years, she held leadership positions–Director of Major Gifts, Director of Development, and VP for College Advancement–at colleges and universities. For the past 26 years, Karen served first as President and now Senior Strategist at The Osborne Group, an international management, consulting, and training firm.

Karen enjoys a rich volunteer life. The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) awarded her the Crystal Apple for Outstanding Teaching and Public Speaking, and the Ashmore Award for Outstanding Service to the Profession. In addition to volunteering for professional organizations,she serves on the governing board of Easterseals Florida.

Karen is a suspense and mystery writer. Getting It Right, Akashic Books,published in June 2017. Award-winning and best-selling Tangled Lies, Black Rose Writing, launched July 22, 2021. Reckonings, Black Rose Writing, released June 16, 2022. Her weekly video Vlog, What Are You Reading? What Are You Writing? showcases authors and other creatives.

111. Patrick Schmitt: Planned and non-cash Giving Strategies Oct 25, 2022

Show notes

This week’s episode is steeped in data thanks to Patrick Schmitt, co-CEO of FreeWill. I ask Patrick about bequests, effective stock giving, crypto—he tells us about ethereum, QCD’s, and some data points on inheritance and millennial giving trends. This conversation is face paced, exciting, and informative!

Patrick Schmitt is co-CEO of FreeWill, which he and fellow FreeWill co-CEO Jenny Xia founded at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business in 2016. FreeWill’s charitable giving platform makes it easier for nonprofit fundraising teams to unlock transformational gifts, and to date has generated over $6.6 billion in new gift commitments for thousands of nonprofit organizations. Patrick hosts FreeWill’s popular webinar series, educating thousands of nonprofit fundraising professionals each month about planned and non-cash giving strategies.

If you missed it, we did an "instagram live" with Patrick which you can find on my instagram @devdebrief. Feel free to find that and watch for more tidbits and information.

https://www.freewill.com/

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