Keynote Speech | Becoming Tomorrow's Leaders

Friday, Oct 2
9:30 - 10:30 AM

Angie Joens has a passionate interest in leadership and will address one of the most important topics in Donor Relations/Stewardship and Fundraising today: where will tomorrow's leaders come from? Our VPs, CEOs and champions are retiring in droves, leaving deep and wide holes in the leadership landscape.  Are we ready?  Do we have the skills we need to serve in these executive positions?  Are we positioned to step into these vacated roles and how can we be seen as serious contenders?  Joens will provoke a conversation and discuss not just what it takes to become a leader, but also how to nurture budding leaders around you.

Angela Joens

Angela Joens is the executive director of development outreach for the University of California, Davis, where she oversees the donor relations, annual giving, prospect research and development communications departments. Prior to her work with UC Davis, Angie was the vice president of development operations for the Mercy Foundation where she oversaw donor relations, annual giving, advancement services and the grateful patient program.

Angie began her work in the donor relations field in 1999 when she was hired by the Iowa State University (ISU) Foundation as the director of donor relations to build a program. In ten years she helped the foundation build a nationally recognized donor relations program from the ground up. Before ISU she was a member of the start-up company RuffaloCODY, which assists nonprofit organizations across the country with their fundraising efforts. Serving the company for eight years, she helped hundreds of clients reach their financial goals and helped build a strong company.

She is also a donor relations consultant for Campbell & Company and provides assistance to organizations wanting to develop and grow their stewardship operations. In addition, she continues to be a frequent speaker and has presented at many conferences, including those for CASE, the Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and others.

Angie has gained extensive management, development and stewardship experience during her professional career. Her areas of expertise include fundraising, strategic planning, market and prospect research, event planning, giving societies, donor communication and staff recruitment, development and management.

She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Iowa and her master's degree in public administration from Iowa State University. She is an active volunteer and assists several nonprofit organizations and served on the National Association of Donor Relations Professionals Board from 2008-2011.