The Development Debrief

Don’t Assume Anything. Our guest, Sara Sargent says this term at one point in the conversation, but I wanted to highlight it by using it as the title. I speak with Sara, a bright activist and scholar…who also happens to be a child of wealth…5 generations of it. 

Sara (Resource Mobilization Director at United for a Fair Economy) speaks candidly about how she manages her inherited wealth and how she gives it away. Sara talks us through her relationship to her money, how is has cumulated, and her plans for the future.

https://resourcegeneration.org/

https://www.faireconomy.org/

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In Part 4, we hear more from Karim Kafray and Kelley Morris. They will share some stories about donor work they have done both in person and remotely. Plans continue to change as we look into the fall but I am hoping this episode encourages you to stay positive during a time where so much is unknown. 

This episode is sponsored by BWF. BWF is a full-service philanthropic consulting services firm. BWF serves large- and medium-sized nonprofits in the areas of campaign management, high-net-worth fundraising, organizational consulting, data science, digital marketing, and technology. Clients include universities, health systems, arts & culture organizations, and NGOs throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and the Pacific Rim. As a truly comprehensive fundraising consulting firm, BWF has a team of consultants with expertise in every facet of philanthropy. For more information please visit bwf.com.

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Kris Putnam-Walkerly wrote the book, Delusion Altruism as a way to help funders make better decisions about their philanthropy. I talk with her about how fundraisers can learn from her book and the donor experience through her writing and teaching. 

For over 20 years, top global philanthropies, ultra-high net worth donors, celebrity activists, foundations, wealth advisors, and Fortune 500 companies have sought Kris Putnam-Walkerly’s philanthropic advisory services to dramatically increase the clarity, speed, impact and joy of their giving.

As a sought after philanthropy advisor, expert and award-winning author, she’s helped hundreds of foundations and philanthropists strategically allocate and assess over half a billion dollars in grants and gifts. 

Kris also contributes expert philanthropic commentary to the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Forbes, Variety, Thrive Global, Worth Magazine, and other media. She was recently featured on NPR’s Marketplace Morning Report, and she co-edited The Foundation Review’s themed journal on philanthropy consulting. Kris is the author of her second book, Delusional Altruism: Why Philanthropists Fail to Achieve Change and What They Can Do To Transform Giving (Wiley 2020).

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This week I talk with Dee Robinson about coaching, her training course T.R.U.E leadership, and her personal opinions on diversity and potential. Dee says, “We’ve got to expand the field of qualified leaders in order to get more women.” Dee is passionate and experienced on her views of leadership within our field.

Dr. Deborah “Dee” Robinson has developed The T.R.U.E.™ Leadership Path Project to provide training in becoming a T.R.U.E. Leader (www.robinsonleaders.com). An online program and network of women leaders, it is designed to meet the need for focused training, specifically for women, to support their success in becoming strategic and ethical leaders. T.R.U.E.™. Leaders create values-based cultures, to support innovative and creative work, attract, and retain diverse and high performing talent, which results in increased revenues, and employee retention and satisfaction.

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Today we hear more from Willie Jude (Vice Chancellor for Advancement at University of Wisconsin-Parkside) and Allison Baker (Senior Director of Development, Women's & Children's Health at Johns Hopkins Medicine). Now that we know them a bit better from Part 2 which aired on July 22nd, we will hear about their plans and personal outlook for FY22. 

This episode is sponsored by BWF. BWF is a full-service philanthropic consulting services firm. BWF serves large- and medium-sized nonprofits in the areas of campaign management, high-net-worth fundraising, organizational consulting, data science, digital marketing, and technology. Clients include universities, health systems, arts & culture organizations, and NGOs throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and the Pacific Rim. As a truly comprehensive fundraising consulting firm, BWF has a team of consultants with expertise in every facet of philanthropy. For more information please visit bwf.com.

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Today we talk with Sam Duplessis about his career change from MGO at the Wharton School to Director of Advancement at the Pennsylvania libraries (both positions within the University of Pennsylvania). He discusses the differences he both expected and didn’t between being an individual contributor and leader of a team. We also have the treat of learning more about the libraries at Penn and the reputational risk that comes with working alongside such treasures.

Sam is the Director of Advancement at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries, which has over 400 full time staff who manage 14 departmental librairies. His team includes two gift officers, a development communications person, a data/research person, and a development assistant. His team manages four boards and raises approximately $10m a year in cash, pledges, and gifts of materials such as books, manuscripts, and photographs- all with no natural constituency! Whereas most schools and centers at Penn have alumni, the Libraries has no graduates and counts on campus partners to identify prospects who are interested in their funding priorities and engagement opportunities.

Prior to this role, Sam was a Major Gift Officer at the Wharton School, covering alumni living in the southeast and Texas. Sam also worked as an MGO at Bryn Mawr College and spent five years in the admissions office at the University of Chicago.

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Our conversation today is dedicated to annual fund work. Rebecca Clendenen (Assistant Director of Annual Giving at DePaul University) talks to us about balancing an inclusive environment within the annual fund while using societies as a tool. Rebecca believes that every alum should feel comfortable giving to their annual fund at whatever level is best for them. She is also a strong proponent for making a career working in the annual fund. 

Rebecca has more than 10 years of experience in leadership annual giving and non-profit management. She is currently a PhD candidate with an academic focus on local civil society organizations and engagement, including interest groups, social movements, and non-profits.

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Do you want to hone your development writing skills or think more about reputation? Are you tasked with communications in your role and want to be more effective? This episode is for you. I ask our guest, Ben Feller about brevity in communications, how his experience in the White House has changed his view, and how development is critically intertwined with communications.

Ben is a Partner at Mercury, where he leads media strategy. An award-winning writer, Ben offers strategic counsel on communications after a 20-year journalism career in which he distinguished himself as one of the finest reporters in the nation.

Ben specializes in crafting powerful messaging for corporations, universities, foundations and leaders, and in managing complex, fast-moving challenges. He has a rich understanding of how the news media works and how to shape a communications strategy that delivers real results.

Prior to joining Mercury, Ben served as the chief White House correspondent for The Associated Press, a premier role in which he led presidential coverage for the largest news organization in the world. He offers expertise on the media, politics, writing and public engagement, and a deep reputation for accuracy and integrity across the political spectrum. Ben has particular experience in the fields of education, health care, the economy, national politics, voter attitudes and civic affairs.

Ben’s full-time career began in 1993 as a reporter for the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa. He also wrote for the News & Record in Greensboro, N.C. and The Tampa Tribune in Tampa, Fla. A native of State College, Pennsylvania, Ben graduated from Penn State in 1992 with a degree in journalism. He lives in New York City.

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Hello! Thank you for tuning in to our very first miniseries. Today you will be hearing Part 2. If you haven’t already, please see Part 1 which aired on July 8th, a few weeks ago. Today’s episode features four dynamic professionals in different parts of the country and holding different positions of leadership. In today’s episode the questions will center around who these professionals are, and what they’ve done to date to cope with the pandemic and remote work.

We will hear from the following four people in the following order: Willie Jude II, Vice Chancellor at The University of Wisconsin–Parkside; Allison Baker, Senior Director of Development, Women's & Children's Health at Johns Hopkins Medicine; Kelley Morris, Vice President of Individual Giving at Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation; Karim Kafray, Executive Gift Officer at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Each person will speak for about 15 min. I ask them a similar line of questions, but in their answers you will get a good sense of how different work places operate and how perspectives are differ depending on the role.

Please connect with us and send in questions for our speakers as we will be hearing from them again. Let’s get started!

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Do you remember what it was like to begin your career? This week, I interview Michele Ripka about her desire to join the fundraising field and we learn about what she is looking for in a career and how she views our work. This episode is a fresh take on the field. Michele reminds us about the importance of mentorship and working together. 

Michele Ripka is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan (U-M), where she earned her Masters degree in Business Management from the Ross School of Business, and Bachelors degree in Violin Performance, while studying Performing Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at the School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD).

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