2023 ADRP Midwest Regional Session Details 

Keynote

Being the Story Guardian (Presentation)

To realize a truly meaningful, abundant and resilient donor relationship requires joining them on their journey and co-creating a mutual story of positive impact.  And all too often in today’s world of hyper specialization, philanthropic organizations tend to lean towards slicing up the activities of the donor journey and split it up among a group of individuals.  This often leads to missed opportunities to craft an exceptional donor experience and ensure that their journey is cohesive and lasting. This is where the donor relations can be the guardian of the story that threads through the entire donor journey.  The donor relations professional can help from day one to bring out the best in teams that interact with the donor.  Regardless of an organization’s size or resources, there are ways in which to create breakthrough experiences for donors.

The session will concentrate on the donor relations professional as the story guardian.  And it will incorporate insights, tools and cases from the world of donor psychology, experience design and future proofing technologies.  

Michael T.S. Lindenmayer is on faculty at Northwestern University for the Philanthropy and Non-profit Program.  He co-authored Charity and Philanthropy for Dummies.  For the past 20 years he has worked closely with leadership in both donor and non-profit organizations in the US, Europe and South Asia.  These ranged in size from start-up organizations up to the largest non-profits and donors.  He is also a trusted advisor for family offices.

Michael has held appointments at the University Chicago Booth School of Business, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Stanford School of Medicine and UC Berkeley School of Engineering.  He is an avid champion of the donor profession and is always exploring ways in which to help others grow their expertise in this field.  

Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session I: Marketing is Impact (Presentation)

Brandon Davis, Vice President of Brand Engagement, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago

The importance of marketing and brand in donor relations is a trend that is becoming increasingly prevalent. Your organization’s brand is a powerful tool that can be used to ground meaningful donor experiences in your mission and strengthen engagement with supporters. Join this conversation with Brandon Davis, Vice President of Brand Engagement for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, to learn how you can embrace a marketing mindset and integrate your organization’s brand into your Donor Relations strategies.

Brandon Davis joined the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago in 2021. He oversees all aspects of the YMCA of Metro Chicago’s marketing, experience design and events, and brand communications across all business areas. By bringing together a traditional marketing function with customer experience, communications, and brand strategy, Brandon is driving efficiency, innovation, and creativity to elevate the Y and its 14 centers and various programs across Chicagoland, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Previously, Brandon served as the Vice President of Marketing & Communications for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. He also was responsible for leading strategic communications, public relations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives at CNA Insurance.

Breakout Session II – Pandemic Pivot, Digital Disrupt, and the Engagement Evolution (Presentation)

Carlos Terrazas, Vice President of University Partnerships, BrightCrowd

Rebekah Nowak, Director of Donor Relations, University of Chicago

Jasett Ktsanes, Associate Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship, Northwestern University

Join Carlos Terrazas, Rebekah Nowak, and Jasett Ktsanes in conversation about how the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to reimagine much of our essential work, basic tasks, and critical needs. This panel discussion will offer reflections on how stewardship, events, and communications have changed in the past few years, and where we are headed as our industry evolves, constituent expectations change and new technology becomes more mainstream.

As a natural connector, Carlos Terrazas has spent much of his life in roles (personally and professionally) bringing people and organizations together to solve problems, facilitate valuable introductions and build community. In his current role at BrightCrowd, he is focused on building partnerships with universities as well as corporate and nonprofit organizations.  Previously he worked for 13 years at his alma mater, Northwestern University, in various alumni relations and development roles. He spent the first 10 years of his career in sales and marketing roles in the insurance and employee benefits industry.

Rebekah Nowak is the director of donor relations at the University of Chicago.  She has been in this role since the beginning of 2023 and previously worked at Northwestern University in donor relations for over 10 years.  Her undergraduate degree is from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN and a master’s degree in nonprofit management from DePaul University.

Jasett Ktsanes began her career in higher education development in 2011 after fundraising for the American Cancer Society. Since then, she has taken on roles in principal gifts and donor relations at Northwestern University (as well as a stint at North Carolina State University). She graduated with a bachelor’s in history from Northwestern and is currently completing her master’s in higher education administration and policy also at Northwestern.

Panel Discussion – Principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Donor Relations (Presentation)

Aja Castillo, Manager of Global People and Culture/DEI, Rotary International, Moderator

Natalie Coles, Senior Director of Midwest Advancement, The Obama Foundation

Jessica Grimmett, Senior Director, CCS Fundraising

Megan Whitney, Senior Manager II, Network Fundraising Services, Feeding America

A panel discussion on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion values and frameworks. Panelists will discuss how donor relations professionals can incorporate these values into their everyday donor engagement, recognition, and stewardship practices.

Aja Castillo is a dedicated DEI practitioner with a strong focus on enhancing the employee experience and fostering a culture of belonging within her organization. As a passionate advocate for psychological safety, Aja believes in creating an environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and heard.

With a background in human resources, Aja takes a proactive approach to drive meaningful change within Rotary. Through hosting staff podcasts, facilitating DEI conversations, and leading impactful workshops, Aja guides individuals and teams to action real-life scenarios, encouraging thoughtful and deliberate resolutions.

As a certified mediator, Aja is well-versed in conflict resolution techniques and believes in the power of building healthy relationships through open and effective communication. Aja understands the significance of shared experiences and building community, fostering connections that lead to a stronger, more inclusive workforce.

Aja is dedicated to holding her organization accountable for their diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. By providing guidance, support, and implementing strategies, Aja helps the organization navigate their DEI journey and create sustainable and impactful change.

With a commitment to fostering a culture of belonging, Aja strives to empower individuals, teams, and the organization to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential values for success in today's diverse and ever-evolving workplace.

Natalie R. Coles is an unexpected fundraiser. Her professional path began with a thriving career as a young marketing executive working in the music industry for Bertelsman Music Group. Following a successful and fun tenure working with music’s biggest names, she found her skills quickly translated to most industries where data drove sales. She successfully led Sales at Victoria’s Secret Stores before her life changed after starting a family. Although she enjoyed the hustle of sales and marketing, using her talents to create a better world took priority when her children began to arrive.

She entered the non-profit sector having worked for The Girl Scouts and United Way. Eventually she spent over seven years as the Area Development Director of the United Negro College Fund and most recently as the Vice President for Advancement and Government Relations at Wilberforce University, the nation’s first historically black university. In this role Natalie leads a team of professional fundraisers and marketing experts and drove contributed income from $2M to over $35M inside two years.

Areas of expertise include principal and major gift solicitation, corporate engagement, diversity advancement, donor and stakeholder stewardship, staff training and mentoring and strategy development.  Natalie is the Chairwoman of the Bexley Public Library Board of Trustees and a board member of the ACLU of Ohio. Natalie is currently active in The Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Natalie is the first person in her family to complete college and earned her undergraduate degree from The Ohio State University.  She also holds a master’s degree from the Mount Vernon Nazarene University School of Business. She is a Certified Fundraising Professional, (CFRE) who has dedicated her life to helping what she considers the world’s most precious resource, marginalized children, and young adults.

She and her husband Derrick have three children, Angelina, Christopher, and Alexander. In her spare time Natalie can be found with her horse Tanita on the polo field, at her children’s many sporting events or in Boston with a lobster roll, where her daughter attends college. She and her family are dedicated to the care and well-being of marginalized children, issues of equity and opportunity and preserving our home and planet, earth.

Megan Whitney’s belief that everyone deserves nutritious meals led her to joining Feeding America in 2016. After spending three years on the corporate partnerships team, she now serves on the Network Fundraising Services team. As a consultant and coach, Megan collaborates with food bank teams to build fundraising capacity and engage in the Community-Centric Fundraising movement.  Megan’s passion for the power of mindfulness to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) led her to create the Feeding America Network Mindfulness Community and act as a member of the Network EDI Advisory Committee. 

Megan is trained in Presence-Based Coaching and is a certified Search Inside Yourself Organizational Teacher of mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and self-compassion tools. In her personal coaching business, Megan helps women in nonprofits overcome burnout and reclaim rest.

Prior to Feeding America, Megan spent eight years at IES Abroad, a nonprofit study abroad provider. She has a master's degree in Nonprofit Management from DePaul University. Megan lives in Chicago and loves baking with her niece, doing vinyasa and hatha yoga, and reading cookbooks and fiction.

Jessica Grimmett joined CCS Fundraising in January 2020. CCS is a strategic fundraising firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Throughout her career at the firm, Jessica has partnered with over a dozen clients across the religious, education, arts and culture, animal welfare, and environmental sectors. Jessica currently works with the Saint Louis Zoo and leads all day-to-day operations of their largest capital campaign. This multimillion-dollar effort is focused on establishing a new zoological and conservation site in North County St. Louis, re-imagine the current children’s zoo, and further strengthening the organization’s endowment.

As someone who has seen the truly transformative power of building relationships, Jessica is dedicated to driving social impact both professionally and personally. Within CCS, Jessica serves as the officer of the DEI Working Group for the Central US. She holds a BSW from Olivet Nazarene University and an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis. She currently resides in Chicago

Workshop Session I – Recognition Refresh Workshop (Presentation)

Caitlin Foster, Senior Gift Officer, Donor Relations, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation

Do you struggle to recognize your donors in meaningful, consistent, and equitable ways? Join Lurie Children’s Hospital as they discuss their thoughtfully refreshed Donor Recognition Policy, which outlines recognition principles and procedures, gift minimums for spaces, positions and entities, and more. Through a series of interactive case studies, attendees will learn how donor recognition principles and policy can be applied at any size shop.

Caitlin Foster is a Senior Gift Officer in Donor Relations at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation where she has worked since 2018. She has more than a decade of experience in development and donor relations, and prior to working at Lurie Children’s was at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. In her current role she manages the donor recognition program at Lurie Children’s and partners with fundraisers on stewardship, engagement and recognition strategies. Caitlin received her BA in Political Science and Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame and has a master’s degree in Public Health from DePaul University.

Workshop Session II – The Secrets of Great Stories (Presentation)

Etelka Lehoczky, Digital Content Editor/Writer, Rotary International

Storytelling is a critical skill for every fundraising professional to master. But how do you craft stories that convert your supporters into believers? How do you make your stories compelling, relevant, and inspiring across channels? This hands-on workshop will show participants how to craft impactful stories, providing tools and ideas to produce engaging, inspirational communications. Presenter Etelka Lehoczky will begin the workshop with a journalist’s “how-to” that will outline the basics of great storytelling. Participants will then learn to apply these basics to a range of formats, including impact reports, press releases, and social media.

Etelka Lehoczky has more than 20 years’ experience writing for publications including the New York Times, the Atlantic, NPR, Inc. magazine, Money magazine, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune. Currently she’s an online writer and editor for Rotary International. As a book critic, Etelka has reviewed hundreds of titles in almost every genre. She’s also written a wide variety of content, including white papers, blog posts, corporate biographies and websites. Her work has been featured in textbooks in multiple countries. She lives in Chicago.