Dzenan Berberovic is the Chief Philanthropy Officer at Avera Health, an integrated health system located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and the surrounding areas. As a health ministry rooted in the Gospel, Avera’s mission is to positively impact the lives and health of persons and communities by providing quality services guided by Christian values.

Prior to his time with Avera Health, Dzenan was the Executive Director of Principal Giving for the University of South Dakota Foundation and the Chapter Consultant for the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity. Dzenan held various roles at the University of South Dakota, where he received his bachelor’s degree and then earned his MA in philanthropy and development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

In this episode…

How can you communicate to donors in a way that emulates the challenges constituents face? What challenges did philanthropic teams encounter during the pandemic? 

When the pandemic hit, philanthropic organizations needed to pivot and position themselves to continue their work. Dzenan Berberovic’s heart and passion are in his work. With support from individuals and his positive attitude, his team continued providing crucial services to their constituents. How? Through employing a relationship model: reaching out to donors and having open communication. 

In this episode of Cornerstone Unplugged, JP Cavaliere sits down with Dzenan Berberovic, Chief Philanthropy Officer at Avera Health, to talk about implementing conversations to raise contributions. Dzenan discusses how to support employees during difficult times, why gratitude must be the driving force behind organizations, and including behavioral health in campaigns.