The Development Debrief

Talking with Shanna Hocking, Associate Vice President, Individual Giving at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, on this episode led to a major moment of clarity for me in my own work. We talk about the importance of a personal brand as a professional, and how we can grow and dream about the future while physically sheltering in place. Shortly after we stopped recording, I used her advice and brainstormed a short term and long term strategy for my regional portfolio. This was so motivating for me. My hope is that you will have a similar experience.

Check out her website at https://www.shannaahocking.com/ and enter DEVDEBRIEF for a 10% discount!

Hindsight is such a bittersweet gift we have. How can we look back on our choices and learn from them? Did we do it right? Did we make a huge mistake? The nature of COVID-19 with it’s waves and regional timeline, gives us the opportunity to hear from a university leader who is 2-3 weeks ahead of those of us living on the east coast. Dan Peterson, Vice President for Development for University Advancement and President of the UW Foundation, shares what has worked and what his team has learned over the past 6-8 weeks of working remotely. Dan’s perspective gives me hope as he acknowledges the pain and loss, but is able to see the positive growth we can bring forward into the next fiscal year and beyond.

Special thanks to Ben Renberg!

How do we handle crisis communications during COVID-19? You are about to hear the alumni relations perspective from Michelle Vaeth, Associate Vice President for Alumni Affairs at Cornell University. Drawing on her long previous Procter and Gamble experience, Michelle shares mantras that help her during crisis, defines the difference between regular communication and crisis communication, offers best practices and she reminds us to always do the right thing. She is dynamic and reassuring about the planning and strategy we CAN control for our external and internal outreach during COVID-19.

You might be asking yourself, what does faith have to do with it? I am pushing the New York atheist envelope and daring to say that faith is a critical element of life right now as we grapple with the new realities of COVID-19. We are being stripped to the basics and forced to rethink what matters most. This episode is the Debrief’s version of Chicken Soup for the Soul. We talk about morning rituals to set you up for success, and Martin's book, "Five Minute's for Fundraising." My uplifting conversation with Martin might ask you to think about what matters to you and how that impacts everything from personal to professional.

Today I have the pleasure of featuring my very own boss, Veronica Martini. Our discussions is focused around how our team is responding to COVID-19. To remind everyone, our team consists of central major gift officers and executive assistants who travel domestically and internationally. We are no longer able to do the primary work function that our team was designed to do. Our colleague Suzanne Atlshuler said in a recent call, “we aren’t trying to work harder, we are trying to work smarter.” This episode will explore just that as we share how the first week of working from home has been for us.

People say timing is everything. In this episode, We talk about timing and choosing the right job based on the team, and institution. Jeff Richard tells us that choosing where to commit your time as a fundraising professional is about more than just what you are passionate about. Where is the institution in it’s life phase? How can you make a difference within that context? I was expecting Jeff to tell us how different all of his roles have been. On the contrary, Jeff tells us just how similar they are. He suggests that more than the cause, the timing, and the team are the most important.

When I started telling my closest friends and family I wanted to do a podcast, I got advice, support, and great leads. Michael Cantor, (whose opinion matters a lot to me) lit up and said, you HAVE To have Ryan Davis on the debrief!!! He knows Ryan as a donor and volunteer at his alma mater, The University of Michigan. He told me that Ryan can engage and make the most non-social person comfortable. She is disarming and makes connections easily.

Now, talk about devlife powerhouse! She is forward thinking, ambitious, and agile. A mother of four, she relies on her upbringing as an athlete to get it all done. Ryan talks about her career transitions, her sense of responsibility to sit at the table as black woman in a predominantly white field, and her hunger for building sustainable donor pipelines for the future.

This episode is dedicated to Julie, Michael, and their son, Robbie Cantor.

This episode is the prequel to the moment when our students open their acceptance letters. In higher ed, that is where the journey begins. However, for me- this conversation puts a magnifying glass over the "what" and the "why" for raising financial aid dollars. We do not talk explicitly about development, but rather dig into stories that demonstrate the immense amount of work Rachael’s team at New York Edge does and the countless obstacles the students overcome before they even step foot on a college campus. Buckle up for a conversation about education equity, scholarship in action, and the incredible support New York Edge provides to help their students lead vibrant lives.

Do you wonder what it’s like to work remotely? What is your colleague who works from home actually doing? This episode is a conversation in three parts. First, I talk with Chase about how he started a remote role at Stanford and how he makes it work for him. As a father of four and professional with a heavy travel role, he talks about why he decided to work remotely and what the pros and cons are of his choice. Second, we talk about fundraising for a school within a large University and the pitch for funding within a wealthy institution. Last but perhaps most important, Chase talks about some complicated gifts he has worked on and he reminds us to not give up on prospects who might seem uninterested and he tells us why his “devlife” is rewarding.

Welcome to our special Valentine’s Day episode. We are going to talk about hearts today. And no- I don’t mean the bruised and vulnerable hearts of those of us dating in New York City. I mean Babies Hearts. Our guests, John Minio and Scott Roskind are the co-chairs of the Babies Heart Fund.

The Babies Heart Fund is devoted to supporting vital research initiatives that will allow all children suffering from heart disease to grow up to be heart-healthy, strong adults. Babies Heart Fund is pivotal to the innovative research being conducted by Columbia University Irving Medical Center physicians and surgeons to benefit pediatric cardiology patients across the globe.