People in Fundraising, Season 1, Ep. 38: Amber Countis, University of Houston-Victoria

Originally recorded and aired in early 2023: Amber Countis joins the People in Fundraising program from the Lone Star State, where she recently became the Vice President of Advancement and External Relations at the University of Houston-Victoria. This institution proudly serves many first-generation students.

She shares her career history, from prospect research and management to a broader and more forward-facing portfolio of responsibilities, including engaging alumni and other donors in her community. Amber talks about her tenure on the NEDRA board, as well as how having a diverse background of roles in various states has enriched her career.

She discusses how in her new role, Amber has to be up-to-date on student and campus issues in order to communicate with a wide variety of donors and civic leaders, as well as bring in faculty and the board of regents to help represent their institution.