Debbie Meyers

2004 – 2005 Founding Board Member

2011 Conference Chair

What were you doing when we founded ADRP? Where did you go from there? Where are you now? 

I was head of donor relations at the University of Florida, then went on to Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Maryland, and Chautauqua Institution. Now, I am chief inspiration officer at EDiT, working part-time for Rutgers University Foundation, performing long-term free-lance assignments for Stony Brook University, as well as offering consulting and training services to the best clients on the planet.

What lessons, words of advice/inspiration would you like to pass on to other donor relations professionals?

It’s encouraging to see donor relations professionals with leadership titles now: AVP, AVC, VP. Without good stewardship and donor relations, an advancement program is doomed to fail. Our development colleagues have begun to see the immense value in what we do.

Remember that when you don your superhero cape each day. Our work is not just important, it’s crucial. Thus, don’t be afraid to ask for what you need to do your job well, be it staff, budget, professional development, or other resources. Or a promotion. You are worth it.

ADRP Memory Lane

Do you ever tell people about your early history with ADRP? If yes, what reaction do you get?

I tell them that I got my job at Carnegie Mellon by sitting next to Jaime Porter at a pre-ADRP conference (New England Stewardship Conference). She complimented me on my hair and invited me to come work with her in Pittsburgh. Jaime and Bonnie Weeks had secured the conference location by using their personal credit cards. That’s how dedicated the founders were in making sure that our profession had a network of experts to collaborate with, and a support group to commiserate with. The reaction every time is, “Her personal credit card?!! Are you kidding?” When practitioners talk about standing on the shoulders of those before them, know that your footprints are squarely imprinted on Jaime’s and Bonnie’s shoulders.

What was the donor relations profession like when you first started?

In 1996, the profession from my perspective was mostly transactional. We mass- produced endowment reports, acknowledgments, invitations, and recognition circle materials. Very few of us had a seat at the leadership strategy table, and we were often only brought in when there was a problem AFTER the gift had been made. Rarely were we included as a strategic partner in the cultivation plan. We were viewed as administrative helpers, rather than valued partners in the donor cycle. We were an afterthought. Not anymore.

Establishing a professional association is an enormous volunteer contribution. How does it feel to have the creation and early leadership of ADRP as your legacy?
I think I can speak for all founders and founding board members when I say it was the honor of a lifetime, and we didn’t think twice about expending efforts and contributing time and money. It was all a labor of love.

Describe your experience in a completely volunteer-driven association before ADRP had professional staff?
We felt valued, appreciated, and recognized for our work. We did what we did. not for the glory or fame, but because our heart was in it. It was personal. We relied on each other and never let each other down. We were thorough and conscientious about our duties and responsibilities. The feeling of building a network was life-changing. These colleagues have become lifelong friends, and we still visit each other and celebrate our life milestones together, even 20 years later.

What is your best memory of the early days of ADRP?
The inaugural planning meeting in Chicago. In February. Flying up from Gainesville, Florida freezing body parts off as I walked to the meeting. Joe Donnelly standing at the white board in the conference room waving his magic wand. Making history.

Inaugural Keynote Address. Top right: Debbie Meyers today holding 2004 presenter paperweight. Bottom left: Diana Elvin (president's award winner), Lisa Honan (treasurer), Debbie Meyers, and Rose Dalba (former ADRP president). Bottom right: first two ADRP conference programs.