Resume
Education
Columbia University, Masters of Arts, Oral History October 2016
Thesis: Turning Bullshit into Fertilizer: Empowerment Narratives, Definition of Self, & Sense-of-Place in Agriculture in the American South
Awards: High Thesis Honors
Tufts University, Bachelor of Arts, History & Political Science May 2011
Awards: Dean’s List; Chickasaw Nation Hill Scholarship
School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Fine Arts Certificate August 2006
Specializations: Print-making, Sculpture, Mixed-Media
Experience
Brooklyn Botanic Garden |Brooklyn, New York
Associate Director of Donor Engagement May 2023 – Present
· Co-create annual giving strategy and strategic vision with executive leadership to support $27M operating budget.
· Responsible for raising $3.5M annually in major gifts, dedications, planned giving/estates, and trustee giving; projecting $5M+.
· Prospect, cultivate, and steward a portfolio of 300+ high net-worth donors and board candidates nationally with NYC focus.
· Create, present, and track funding proposals, letters, contracts, engagements, and donor strategies using Raiser’s Edge.
· Supervise team of 3: both Major Gifts Managers (Donor Engagement; Research & Stewardship) and Development Associate.
Austin Children’s Museum (Thinkery) |Austin, Texas
Senior Institutional Giving Manager November 2020 – April 2023
· Work with Chief Advancement Officer to develop, implement, and lead institutional giving strategy and goals focused on increasing multi-year giving, six-figure gifts, and prospecting for ethical and mission alignment.
· Manage institutional giving profile of $1.2million projected in corporate, foundation, and government grants.
· Collaborate with Dir. Development, Chief Advancement Officer, and Dir. Marketing & Communications as part of Advancement leadership to develop departmental goals, strategy, budgets, policies, and procedures.
· Oversee day-to-day operations of the grant fundraising team within the Advancement department.
· Responsible for creation and maintenance of annual grants calendar and funder profiles in Tessitura CRM, identifying viable funding prospects, creating internal and programmatic budgets with VP of Finance, and the timely submission of grant LOIs, applications, reports, and petitions for change (scope, leadership).
· Supervise Institutional Giving Coordinator (full-time) and Grant Writer (contract, as needed).
· Liaise with key staff in education, museum operations, executive leadership, as well as counterparts, researchers, and leadership in external partner organizations to develop grant proposals and reports.
· Create ethical funding framework in collaboration with executive leadership and Inclusion Workgroup (IWG).
· Monitor and analyze STEAM and early childhood education policy and initiatives.
· Steward relationships with government representatives and liaisons to advocate for increased funding and visibility for STEAM and early childhood education focused cultural institutions and research partnerships.
· Representative to the Inclusion Sub Committee (DEIA) co-authoring Thinkery’s land acknowledgement.
Zachary Scott Theatre Center (ZACH Theatre) January 2018-April 2020
Institutional Giving Manager |Austin, Texas
· Wrote and managed applications and reports for grants with total annual awards averaging $600K from foundations and government agencies including the National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Austin, the Moody Foundation, and the Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation.
· Developed and stewarded corporate partnerships with total annual sponsorships averaging $500K with companies including Dell, AT&T, Silicon Labs, 3M, Rackspace, and HEB.
Led COVID institutional emergency funding initiative, writing proposals totaling over $500,000 and managing contract negotiations to reallocate awards from restricted to general operating.
· Drafted, reviewed, and executed grant award contracts and addenda with executive leadership, counsel, and trustees.
· Collaborated with executive leadership to develop project budgets and collect institutional data for proposals and reports.
· Managed constituent, foundation, and sponsor tracking; patron data reports; and ticketing using Tessitura CRM.
· Spearheaded organizational overhaul of grants calendar and institutional data archive improving interdepartmental collaboration.
· Oversaw government relations, advocacy and compliance with federal, state, and local agencies and governing bodies.
· Supervised contract grant writer who assisted on as-needed basis.
· Negotiated and internally coordinated sponsorship agreements including benefits, custom branding, and experience packages.
· Served as staff liaison to the Board of Trustees DEI Sub-Committee; participating in development of DEI initiative and hiring of consultant.
Texas Civil Rights Project May 2017-November 2017
Development Associate | Austin, Texas
· Stewarded donors, bequests, and foundations; raising $490,870 between May 2017 and November 2017.
· Managed Donor View CRM, including execution of a 6,000+ false-constituent purge, decreasing message lag-time by 400%.
· Spearheaded the Generation Justice young donor initiative. June 2017 launch raised $12,400 in $50 contributions.
· Coordinated and promoted fundraisers in Austin, Houston, Dallas, DC, and NY, projected to raise $279,198.
· Compiled exhaustive dossiers and meeting briefings on high-value donors, foundations, and ally organizations.
· Supervised staff of 2 post-graduate development department interns.
· Conducted overhaul of acknowledgement process, to incorporate donor-centered fundraising principles.
· Executed grants for foundations including Ford, Robert Wood Johnson, Embry, and Simmons. Grants awarded: $415,000.
Columbia University & Freelance September 2015-April 2017
Oral Historian | New York, New York & Austin, Texas
· Produced 20+ full-length oral histories. Edited, transcribed, synchronized, and archived at Columbia University.
· Edited and mastered 100+ hours of audio and video interview content for archiving and public distribution.
· Authored 250+ pages of oral history and interview based prose and academic research for publication.
Columbia University & INCITE Interdisciplinary Center for Innovative Theory & Empirics September 2015-January 2016
Videographer | New York, New York
· Produced, shot, and edited ~15:00:00 of HD footage in 6 segments for online publication using Adobe Premiere.
· Coordinated visiting speaker series; negotiated riders and consent forms; oversaw production, and publication.
· Compiled 60+ pages of metadata and prepared 6 segments for archiving with Columbia University & INCITE.
Dunya Restaurant & Bar
Manager; Marketing Director | Washington, DC November 2013-November 2014
· Managed all media, marketing and PR for new restaurant. Increased press social media mentions 300%.
· Improved SEO and social media analytics through innovative grassroots and influencer-driven campaigns and promotions.
· Collaborated with local musicians and Howard University for cross-promotional events. Events averaged $5,000 in sales.
· Managed a staff of 6 full-time bartenders and bar backs. Managerial duties included hiring and promotions.
· Created marketing copy for local and national publication. Increased sales by over 200%. Secured feature in Washington Post.
Silverwood Companies May 2012-August 2013
Media & Marketing Director | Reston, Virginia
· Directed all media, marketing and PR for a 1,100+ unit, multi-state, multi-family housing development company.
· Designed and managed web and social media presence. Increased web traffic 600%. Increased inquiries 200%.
· Created and publicized company-wide “greening” campaign. Reduce waste 150%. Reduced energy cost 50%.
· Implemented dynamic marketing and communications strategies based on SEO and platform specific analytics.
· Coordinated all media appearances, press releases and PR campaigns. Increased media appearances and mentions 200%.
Kaine for Virginia Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) 2012 Senatorial Campaign May 2011-January 2012
Development and Events Coordinator | Alexandria, Virginia
· Coordinated and staffed over 40 events, gaining over 700 new donors.
· Fundraised and catalogued campaign donations totaling $18,000,000.
· Compiled briefings and dossiers on high-value donors and organizations represented at events and meetings.
· Catalogued, investigated, and analyzed data from over 3,000 donors using VPAP, NGP VAN, and CQ Moneyline.
· Candidate, Tim Kaine (D-VA), was elected to the US Senate in 2012 with 52.87% of the vote.
Skills
Fundraising: Capital Campaigns; Annual Fund Plan Creation; Endowment Structuring; Major Gifts; Stewardship
Grant Writing: Prospecting; Proposals; Budgets; Reports; Petitions for Change (Scope; Budget; Leadership)
CRMs: Tessitura; Raiser’s Edge; Donor View; NGP VAN; BetterUnite
Fundraising Frameworks: Community-Centered Fundraising; Donor-Centered Fundraising
Languages: Spanish (conversational)
Editing & Creative Programs: Photoshop; InDesign; Final Cut Pro & Premiere; Hindenburg Journalist Pro
Office & Processing Suites: Adobe; Microsoft; Google
Pedagogies: Anti-Oppression; Truth & Reconciliation
Event Management: Guest list development incorporating strategic fundraising goals; Vendor coordination; Catering for groups up to 50 from home and industrial kitchens; Event staff management; Floral arrangement
Professional Affiliations
Association of Fundraising Professionals | National; Austin Chapter 2022-Present
Grant Professionals Association | National 2021-Present
Oral History Association | National 2016-Present
Board Service
Oral History Association | National
Development Committee October 2021 – Present
Chairperson 2023-2025; Member (Grant Specialist) 2022
Pro Bono Grant Services October 2020 – September 2021
Provided pro bono grant writing and budget creation services to Columbia INCITE Oral History and the Oral History Association (National) ultimately resulting in the successful submission and award of $825,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) American Rescue Plane to support fellowships and financial support for under/unemployed oral historians, especially those from under-represented/marginalized communities.
Speaking & Teaching Engagements
Grant Writing Continuing Education and Professional Development October 2021 - Present
Grants 101: Prospecting, Writing, and Budget Creation for Beginners
Instructor; Creator
Dynamic Women of the Chickasaw Nation Conference May 2019
Ahaklo (Listen to Me): Recording Family Oral Histories
Speaker; Co-Creator