People in Fundraising, Season 2, Ep. 14: Emily O’Brien and Ian Wells of Ian T. Wells & Associates

Originally recorded in spring 2023: From co-workers to a married couple, Ian Wells and Emily O'Brien take us on their professional and personal paths in this episode of "People in Fundraising."

Both Ian and Emily have worked in prospect research & development for years, at Boston College; Salem State University; Boston Children's Hospital Trust; and Mass General, where Ian and Emily started working within a week of each other. They discuss the benefit of working together at prospect development consulting firm, Ian T. Wells & Associates, which Ian launched almost a decade ago.

Ian talks about the personal impetus for his entrepreneurial pivot, as well as what had earlier in his career made starting his own firm seem unfeasible. Emily shares her and her family's long connection to Salem State University, experience in higher ed. and healthcare prospect development, and what led her to join Ian's firm in 2023.

Our conversation wraps up with Emily and Ian discussing plans for the future, trends Ian sees in prospect development, and Emily's encouragement to ensure that nonprofit databases are kept as up-to-date as possible, because there are wonderful stories in there that development leadership needs to know and act on.