November 20, 2025

Mentorship in Fundraising: Building Confidence, Connection, and Career Growth

12 minutes

In this episode of Rising Voices of Fundraising: The AFP Emerging Leaders Podcast, our host Emily Leitzinger takes her turn being a guest, alongside her mentee Ellen Heydon. They discuss their recent participation in the AFP/Alford Group Women’s Impact Initiative (WII) Mentor Program—why they decided to apply, how they overcame imposter syndrome, what they learned from one another through this process, and the impact that mentorship has had on their careers.

Guests:

Ellen Heydon, CFRE is an established development professional driven to support nonprofit organizations in establishing their fundraising programs while also growing the visibility for fundraising professionals. She discovered her passion for developing annual campaigns to meet the needs of the organization while at the same time educating and empowering the board of directors to drive the growth of the organization. While earning her master’s degree, Ellen began her own business to support small nonprofits to develop a strategic plan for successful fundraising growth. Her capstone investigated factors nonprofit leadership should consider when hiring their first development professional. This research furthered her passion for supporting nonprofits that are unable to hire staff into fund development roles.

Active in her local community, Ellen is the President-Elect of a Ten Star Gold AFP Chapter - Southern Minnesota and a mentee in the Alford Group Women’s Impact Initiative. She is a member of The Rotary Club of Rochester and a proud mentor of the STRIVE program through the Rochester Public Schools ALC.

Emily Leitzinger, CFRE, CNP, Director of National Leadership Giving, Cure SMA: Emily Leitzinger is a fundraising executive with over 15 years of experience driving organizational growth and sustainability through innovative fundraising strategies and donor engagement. She currently serves as the Director of National Leadership Giving at Cure SMA and is particularly proud of launching the first-ever Legacy Society for the organization. Emily is dedicated to advancing equity and inclusion in philanthropy, as noted in her Master's capstone. In this project, she examines the effects of donor influence on nonprofit operations and proposes frameworks for more balanced and ethical donor engagement. A chartering member and past president of the Mid-City, New Orleans Rotary Club, Emily is affectionately known as the Deputy Governor of "Yes" and is set to become the District Governor of District 6840. In addition to her professional achievements, she enjoys traveling, long-distance running, and craft beer, and is a huge fan of The Office. She lives in New Orleans with her Elvis-impersonating husband, Mike.

Hosts:

Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier, CFRE, ACNP, GPC, CAP, Founder & CEO, AQP Consulting & Executive Director, ENP: Dr. Allison Quintanilla Plattsmier has fourteen years of experience in the nonprofit sector and has collectively raised approximately $5 million for over 75 organizations. She serves as Executive Director of ENP and runs her own nonprofit consulting firm, AQP Consulting, where she helps grassroots nonprofits with fundraising strategy, strategic planning, board development, and grant writing.

Allison is a vocal advocate for gender parity, closing the wage gap, and ending the motherhood penalty. With accolades such as AFP’s Outstanding Young Fundraising Professional, NBJ’s 40 Under 40, NBJ’s Women of Influence, a National Latino Leader, and the Women Who Rock Nashville Social Justice Award, Dr. Quintanilla Plattsmier strives to serve and better her community every day. A dedicated AFP member for the last seven years, Allison currently chairs the Women's Impact Initiative (WII) Mentorship Program and serves on the LEAD Education Advisory Committee. When she is not out serving her community, she is spending time with her three kids, Quintan, Karina, and Kamren.

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