People in Fundraising, season 3, ep. 25: Blackbaud's Steffanie Brown

When someone like Steffanie Brown is a longtime, enthusiastic supporter of my "People in Fundraising" content, it's an honor to connect with Steffanie as a guest herself! Steffanie and I have both worked in prospect development/ prospect management and research for ~25 years.

And any chance for me to cite one of my favorite songs, the Grateful Dead's "Ripple," is an opportunity to spread goodness. Thankfully, Steffanie gives me that moment by talking about another Dead song that inspired her recent LinkedIn post: "What a long, strange trip it's been," from "Truckin.'"

Steffanie also shares these anecdotes, related to trying to help "what little corner of the world I can":

* her records of longevity at prior shops, including one where "there was no one left in the building who had been there longer than me" when Steffanie left. She saw "a lot of changes to the org chart!"

* how she marked her 25th anniversary in the field by leaving her last job :-) after considering what Steffanie wants the next chapter of her career to look like, and taking a really interesting and re-charging sabbatical

* the critical soft skills that Steffanie had, and enhanced, through her work at faith-oriented shops and in church choirs, and how she brought those with her to more secular shops in time.

Thank you Steffanie for a wonderful interview! I wish you continued success and fulfillment, now in your new role at Blackbaud!