Hi there [imagine me giving a little wave and an awkward smile],

Last week I had to wear pants. And nice shoes. For three days in a row!

It was a pretty momentous occasion—both for my wardrobe, and for ADRP—as we gathered together again after a long, pandemic-induced hiatus at the ADRP 19th Annual International Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Can I just say how AWESOME everything turned out? Kudos to conference chair, Ryan Steele, and chair-elect, Margaret Coad, and the entire committee! I came back inspired, excited, exhausted—and 100% ready to take on anything and everything—including serving as ADRP’s next President.

You can read all about me in the profile below. Suffice it to say that with me, what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG for you html geeks). I like to joke. I like to laugh. I talk a lot about my kid (he’s a giant) and my dog (she’s the goodest girl). Sometimes I talk to myself. I am very charming, after all. 

Background Info: 

1. Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

Once upon a time, I was an archaeologist. I had a blast digging in the dirt, and studying all things forgotten. But after a while, I decided to hang up my trowel and do something a bit more “practical” with my life. I worked as a legal assistant, and then as a clerk for a federal judge. I almost went to law school. Almost. I had what I now like to think of as a quarter-life crisis—and abruptly quit that path. I took some time to read all the great books on finding your purpose, like “What Color is Your Parachute?” and “Who Moved My Cheese?” I had a lot of friends in nonprofit organizations, and they seemed happy. So, enter career #3. It was kind of dumb luck that I landed a job as a development assistant at a tiny five-person nonprofit in Los Angeles. I was processing gifts, writing thank you letters, and reporting on finances, and I LOVED it. 

Then, life got in the way: I found myself moving from West to East—adding a then tiny, now giant, addition to my family—and when I rejoined the workforce, I knew donor relations was where I wanted to be. I joined the donor relations team at Rutgers University Foundation, focusing on gift agreements and reporting. I learned all the ins and outs of a comprehensive donor relations program, which set me up very well for success in building a new program at RWJ University Hospital Foundation. I’m still in healthcare donor relations, now with Hackensack Meridian Health. I am privileged to lead an amazing team that makes me laugh every day (and tolerates way too many dog stories and kid photos).

2. What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations? 

Kimberly Karol
Deputy Director of Development
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

Vanessa Harmon
Director of Donor Stewardship
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)

“Blacks are not philanthropic.”

“Sure, we want to diversify our board, but we cannot compromise our fundraising performance.”

“We need a white gift officer to engage this (white) community.”

“We cannot find people from underrepresented communities with the experience to fill senior roles.”

“While we would like to diversify our volunteers, we need people who know what they are doing.”

“A donor made a pass at me. I don’t feel safe but feel pressured to keep him in my portfolio to meet my goals.”

Do any of these statements sound familiar?

Despite the heightened awareness of biases and discrimination in the workplace and the proliferation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) value statements and programs, these harmful statements — and the sentiments behind them — continue to erode our development efforts, impeding our ability to inclusively engage our beneficiaries, volunteers, donors, colleagues, and community. 

In addition to diluting the impact of an organization’s mission by limiting the pool of supporters and failing to encourage employment opportunities that yield a diverse workforce, these statements and corresponding behaviors perpetuate an unsafe work environment and contribute to inequalities in the fundraising profession.

To further its commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and its development leadership team, led by our Chief Development Officer Tom Neises, is proud to support ADRP in promoting DEI practices in philanthropy. TNC understands that fulfilling our mission of conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends requires committing to DEI across all facets of our work. We also recognize that the nonprofit fundraising community can create more substantive and lasting change by sharing resources and acting together.

Recently, TNC made a financial commitment to kickstart ADRP’s DEI educational programming and provide scholarships to help diversify our membership base. TNC’s contribution enabled the ADRP DEI Committee to bring in an expert to facilitate its session on unconscious bias at the 2022 international conference in Albuquerque.

And this transformative partnership is only the beginning.

We encourage ADRP members and your organizations to join TNC in financially supporting ADRP’s efforts to cultivate a more inclusive, diverse, and equitable fundraising environment, leading to more significant philanthropic outcomes for all.

Consider the benefits and privileges that may exist within your institution. If your organization has committed to increasing equity, reckoning with systems of injustice, and working towards a more inclusive workplace that values and cultivates diversity, then consider an ADRP DEI sponsorship. It is a collective opportunity to care for one another, share opportunities with less-resourced organizations doing important work, elevate the field of donor relations, and deepen the impact of our work to make the world a better place.

We embrace a more equitable and just approach to professional development, job opportunities, and skills evaluations. We are ready and energized to work together to build our resources and increase knowledge as development professionals and bring more voices to the table. If you’re interested in joining us in support of ADRP’s DEI sponsorship or would like more information please reach out to either one of us via the member portal or contact ADRP’s Executive Director Louise Miller at [email protected].

Heather James
Stewardship and Donor Relations Specialist
University of Minnesota | CFANS

To acknowledge or not to acknowledge—that is never the question. Legal requirements aside, we want our donors to feel seen and loved for the difference they make. They are critical to our mission, and acknowledging their gifts is the right thing to do—and the smart thing to do, no matter how busy we get. 

I’m a donor relations party of one on a small but mighty development team at a college in a large, decentralized university. It feels like my to-do list is never to-done, but acknowledgments reign supreme. Fortunately, I don’t have to go it alone thanks to Ack 2.0, which sounds like an adorable robot but is actually a semi-centralized system that makes prioritizing acknowledgments manageable. In short, our foundation sends receipts, thank you emails, and thank you cards to donors across the university. Sounds generic and not very personalized? But wait—there’s more!  

Ack 2.0 is far from a one-size fits all approach. At its heart is a hierarchy of rules in which each college/unit determines how they want their donors treated based on things like donation amount, fund specifics, etc.  

Message from the Chair

H. Ryan Steele

Our entire conference committee is eager to welcome those of you joining us in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Association of Donor Relations Professionals 19th International Conference. After two successful years of virtual conferences, we joyfully and safely convene again in-person to meet new people, learn from fellow professionals and Soar to New Heights. 

As we began developing this year’s conference, we knew we had an opportunity to elevate. One area where we added a new conference element was with content delivery. We were inspired by the success and learnings of ADRP’s education committee with their newly created virtual workshops. Attendees shared rave reviews about their experiences across various topics. We recognized the opportunity to recreate this in-person, so this year, we are introducing workshop to the conference lineup.

You may be wondering, what’s the difference between a session and a workshop? Most notably is the duration of each, but beyond that is the type of interaction with which we hope you’ll experience. As we curated this experience, we wanted attendees to go beyond only hearing content and give them an opportunity to dive in and take an active approach to the learning.

Make the Most of Your Conference Experience

LinkedIn Live with our Keynote and Conference Chairs

Nine Networking Tips

1. Wear something worth commenting on. This is an easy-in for someone to start a conversation with you. Time to get out that cupcake print scarf or those dangly neon earrings. I have a porcupine necklace that is a great conversation starter. Also, if you are admiring someone else’s garb, say it out loud!
2. Set your sights. Look at the conference roster. Decide who you want to meet. Join their table if you see them at breakfast or lunch. Ask which sessions they’re attending, or already attended. Make a connection!
3. Prepare questions. What’s keeping you busy these days? What do you like to do for fun? At my team meetings we often ask “What are you procrastinating on right now?” as a warm-up. We love it. It feels so human.
4. Pretend to be someone else. But not exactly. You should be you, and wear your own name tag, but if you are on the shy side, imagine you are someone else, like your super confident friend, or a famous person of your choice. Channel confidence.
5. Get someone to introduce you. If you see someone you know talking to someone you don’t know whom you would like to know, ask them to introduce you. This is easy and another great strategy for shy folks. If this just isn’t happening for you, find me. I will introduce you to anyone whether I know them or not.
6. Say their name. When you’re introduced to someone new, be sure to repeat their name back to them and use it as much as possible during your conversation. It demonstrates that you’re paying attention and it makes the conversation feel more personal. Plus, it might help you remember it next time you see them. 
7. Shut up. Let the other person talk. Ask them questions. Take it all in. “When you talk, you are only repeating what you know. When you listen, you may learn something new.” — The Dalai Lama
8. Treat yourself. Making new friends is great, but can zap your energy. Go have some dessert in your hotel room, alone. In Miami, one of my colleagues “made it rain” business cards because he had collected over 50. Celebrate!
9. Volunteer with ADRP! Honestly, the best way to make connections. Sign up now!

Member Spotlight: Antonio Chavez-Askew

Name: Antonio Chavez-Askew

Defining Nostalgia: Disease or Emotion?

CEO, Mythos

In Service: The Column of the ADRP President

Angela Altamore | ADRP President 
Associate Vice President
Stewardship and Donor Engagement
Kansas State University Foundation

• To our volunteers: you are the backbone of ADRP. Your devotion to our field is the foundation of our organization.
•  To our board members: it has been an honor to serve alongside you. Thank you for your time and dedication to our members.  I never fail to learn something from each of you when we gather.
• To my exec committee: Cheryl – thrilled to be passing the baton to you…we are in good hands!  Brie – thank you for your diligence on all things finance and conference related! And Keri – I was humbled to follow in your footsteps. Ladies – it has been my honor to serve alongside each of you.
• To my K-State team: you’ve been supportive and encouraging as I have balanced my work life with my ADRP life and I am grateful for your patience along the journey. 
• To Louise, Stacey and the SBI office staff: you keep our work progressing and ensure we never lose sight of our strategic vision.
• To you… my fellow ADRP members: my wish for each of you is that your time with ADRP is as valuable for you as has been for me. I would not be where I am today without the peers I have met through ADRP.