People in Fundraising: A Nonprofit Podcast by Tim Wilson

People in Fundraising, ep. #116: Eduardo Ayala Fuentes, Columbia University

With gratitude to my friend and season 1 guest Ron Bembry for connecting me with today's terrific guest, I am pleased to share this conversation with Eduardo Ayala Fuentes! Originally from Chile, Eduardo has an extensive career in frontline development fundraising work and recently earned an Executive Master's of Public Administration degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, where he works.
In our conversation, Eduardo discusses:
* How he entered the fundraising profession right out of college, as a paid fundraising intern at a nonprofit that he was passionate about, the Council of the Americas. He also shares about his role as a board member at Valley of the Possible, the center for regenerative culture in the Andes Mountains of Chile. 
 
* His fundraising work at a variety of arts and culture and policy institutions, including El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem; the Friends of the Highline (a public park on Manhattan's West Side); and the SoHo-based Leslie-Loman Museum, a leading center for art by LGBTQ+ artists and for works addressing the LGBTQ+ community.
* How "development has opened up so many doors for" Eduardo, including by "engaging my intellect" and being "a career path that has really aligned with my values."
 
* Eduardo's driving curiosity to understand fundraising and organizational strategy, "thinking about their sustainability, how they're operating and making decisions."
* Effecting ethical and sustainable change in organizations, in the nonprofit sector, and in our culture in a time of legislative rollbacks on rights, support for the nonprofit community, etc. 
 
Thank you Eduardo for sharing your very thought-provoking and well-considered perspective on the nonprofit world and your role in it! I look forward to seeing your career continue to progress.  

People in Fundraising, ep. 115: Madeline Zimmer, University of Wyoming

I first met today's down-to-earth guest, Madeline Zimmer, at an Apra Rocky Mountains prospect development conference in June 2022 in Grand Junction, Colorado. Attendees went to dinner after the workshop ended, and Madeline and I hit it off on an array of topics: both of us are East Coast transplants to the Intermountain West; aliens; life after death; human sexuality; David Bowie; and other topics in two hours of enlivening conversation. We have since gratefully become good friends. 
In today's episode, we expand on our first conversation to discuss:
* How Madeline began her nonprofit career, first as a wildlife rehabilitation volunteer at Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary before becoming a full-time employee there for 7 years. This gave Madeline insight into low-resourced, high-demand grassroots nonprofit work. Relocating to Wyoming lead her to join the University of Wyoming Foundation.
* Madeline's presentation on "How to Work Well," which she has presented on several times. It outlines how to develop collaborative, genuine behaviors when working with other people. It dovetails with Madeline's self-developed label of being "an actual human," which is necessary "as we become more comfortable with digital work and become less human."
* Searching for moments of meaning and "preciousness" with people in daily life, such as in the office break-room. "You can't be real with someone without a warm-up lap!" And how going outside, getting sunlight, and connecting with nature are all ways of truly "plugging in."
Thank you Madeline for an incredibly interesting conversation! And thank you to the "People in Fundraising" audience for tuning in, watching, and supporting this content each Monday!

People in Fundraising, ep. 114: Ambareen Naqvi, RAND Corporation

Thank you to season 1 guest Ron Bembry for connecting me with today's outstanding guest, Ambareen Naqvi. Since her childhood in Pakistan, she has wanted to help people. Her original career ambition was to become a doctor, before she discovered non-profit fundraising. "Education has been a huge part of my life," Ambareen added, which was the main reason her parents immigrated to the U.S. with her when Ambareen was six.
Ambareen currently is a Senior Director of Development at RAND Corporation. I am a Cold War-era history geek, and knew of RAND from its post-WWII origin as a defense contractor. It has expanded to become a research and policy think tank, focusing on an array of military, civilian, and humanitarian challenges across the globe.
In our conversation, Ambareen discusses:
* After graduating from Columbia, her early fundraising roles at UCLA, which was a great fit with her longstanding emphasis on education.
* Pakistani cultural norms around not discussing money, and how Ambareen had to adapt that mindset for her work in fundraising.
* Ambareen's response to a spring 2024 New York Times op-ed by Frank Bruni: "We all carry wounds, and some carry wounds much graver than others...We mustn’t lose sight of the struggle, imperfection, and randomness of life. We mustn’t overstate our vulnerability and exaggerate our due. While grievance blows our concerns out of proportion, humility puts them in perspective. While grievance reduces the people with whom we disagree to caricature, humility acknowledges they’re every bit as complex as we are — with as much of a stake in creating a more perfect union."
* Our interview was the same day as the closing of RAND's $400M "Tomorrow Demands Today" campaign. Ambareen shares insights on RAND's impact at the local and state levels on issues like gun safety education and policy.
Please tune in for these fascinating insights and more in Ambareen's conversation. Thank you for a terrific interview, Ambareen!

People in Fundraising, ep. 113: Brieanna Quinn

Many of you in the "People in Fundraising" space are likely acquainted, through LinkedIn and in real life, with today's wonderful guest: Brieanna Quinn, MA Quinn! I first became acquainted with her and her commitment to nonprofit development through Brieanna's active presence on the LinkedIn platform. Whether sharing her own interesting thoughts on how this work can change to better address needs and better care for the people doing the work, or reposting ideas from people like Jim Langley, Brieanna's passion for all things nonprofit is clear.
In our conversation, she discusses:
* How, as an aspiring sports broadcaster, she first became involved with nonprofit fundraising
* Her 2024 "adult summer vacation," provided by her then-employer Merit America, and what activities Brieanna undertook to recharge while staying engaged in nonprofit issues
* What Brieanna hopes and wishes that people in her network will take from her frequent LinkedIn shares, and apply to their own careers and lives
I find Brieanna's perspective and her willingness to raise difficult questions refreshing for our sector. Since our interview, Brieanna has left Merit America - a chapter that she has written about on LinkedIn with candor and vulnerability and forward-looking optimism. Thank you Brieanna for a warm and energizing conversation!

Tara McMullen-King

Today's episode is timed for Halloween this Thursday in the U.S., and here to talk about that festively spirited day - and her passion for it, as well as her career - is Tara McMullen-King! Tara and I served on the NEDRA board of directors and knew each other through the Harvard University prospect development world. It was delightful to catch up with her. And it's an honor to spotlight Tara's career!
The 2022 recipient of NEDRA's Ann Castle Award for outstanding achievement in development research, Tara discusses:
* Confronting and working through self-doubt in her career, and relatedly, the importance of being gracious and kind to others, and to yourself.
* Channeling creativity and passion through Tara's work as an officiant at client-tailored weddings through her company, The Wedding Witch of Salem, and as a practicing Wiccan.
* What led Tara to join The Helen Brown Group - the opportunity to work with a wide variety of organizations being among the main reasons.
* The importance of re-generation as a professional and a person, and Tara's reflections on this quote from "Yellowjackets" actor Juliette Lewis: "What you learn through time is, you have the ability to re-generate, if you put your heart and mind to it. You have to apply discipline, and get out of your own way."
Thank you Tara for a deeply interesting and warm conversation. I know many in our audience will find value and insight in your remarks. "Blessed be" to you as Samhain approaches on the evening of October 31st and into November 1st!

People in Fundraising, ep. 111: Aashika Patel, Managing Director, CCS

Today’s guest Aashika Patel joins “People in Fundraising” to talk about her fundraising career, the wide range of clients and causes she engages with through CCS, and – with Diwali, the upcoming Hindu New Year – how her faith and Eastern philosophy are “the birthplace of the theory of knowledge and my contextual understanding of the world.” 
Community, kindness, and compassion are some of the consistent themes in this very insightful and fascinating conversation!
I first met Aashika at the CASE District VII and District VIII Conference in Anaheim in March 2024, where she presented a terrific case on “Campaign Readiness: Building and Aligning the Team.”
Aashika discusses:
* Her entrée into the world of philanthropy, at age 16 in Florida, where her local Hindu community raised funds to build a temple. “To see it evolve” from meeting in peoples’ houses “as you are evolving as a person, into a physical manifestation of a place to worship and a place to be together in community, you really see the power of people, and the power of uniting around an idea of what the world can look like if people contribute, and if people think about the greater good.”
* Her 13-year tenure at CCS, which was her first role in fundraising “starting out with a lot of humility and making mistakes” as any does at the beginning of their career
* How her work is best described as “fundraising solutions work” that helps clients “encountering roadblocks” between where they would like their philanthropic capacity to be, and where they are right now.”
* With her background in philosophy, Aashika rhetorically asks, “What is the journey of life if we are not encountering things we don’t know?” and how this shows up in our work. Our conversation features a lot of dialogue about fears, the high stakes in fundraising, and how if one is unable to identify their fears, this prohibits one from working around and working through them – “how are we pushing ourselves past what we think we know?”
* Aashika concludes by reflecting on this topic: “How can I as a better human being be of greater service to those I work with in my professional life and those I seek to love in my personal life.”
Thank you Aashika for a deep and thought-provoking interview! I am so pleased to share your reflections with our audience. Shubh Diwali!

People in Fundraising, ep. 110: Dan Saftig

It's an honor for me to have interviewed today's guest, Dan Saftig. He is a veteran fundraiser and fundraising consultant, a pioneer in earning a Master's degree in nonprofit administration in 1989, and someone who has worked in development across the U.S.
In his current role as a consultant, Dan is "Campaigns 'R Us," helping about 15 public and private universities that are in campaigns, closing campaigns, or planning for their next campaign. I know Dan through my tenure at Weber State University.
Look for Dan's fascinating anecdotes and insights:
At the 10-minute mark, Dan describes a fundraising campaign he led for the Vatican to raise money for "The Pope Scope."
At the 13-minute mark, discusses fundraising trends that concern him (a lot more competition; fewer unrestricted donors; decrease in number of overall donors; how less than 50% of U.S. households donate to nonprofits), as well as ones that give him encouragement for our industry’s future (moving from transactional to relational donor engagement; building a healthy environment that encourages fundraisers to stay much more than the typical 18-month tenures).
At the 32-minute mark, what Dan looks for in top fundraisers – curiosity and emotional intelligence lead the way. He cites and holds up several books that explore these topics, including David Brooks' "How to Know a Person," published in October 2023, and a few titles from team/leadership management practitioner Patrick Lencioni.
Dan also shares his thoughts on the need for outstanding stewardship; the importance of gift compliance officers; and why the most successful shops are laser-focused on leadership gifts.
Thank you Dan for a deeply interesting and very enjoyable conversation! I am sure many in the "People in Fundraising" audience will also enjoy your interview.

People in Fundraising, ep. 109: Erica Marken, Development Director, Utah Clean Energy

Welcoming my former managers as guests on "People in Fundraising" is a goal of my podcast, and today I am pleased to feature the first guest in that series: Erica Marken hired me to my current role at Weber State University in summer 2021. It was great reconnecting with her!
She is now the inaugural Development Director fundraising for Utah Clean Energy, an environmental nonprofit in a state facing several climate and energy crises, such as air quality, the receding Great Salt Lake, access to water in a high-desert state with rapid population growth the last 10+ years.
Erica discusses:
* Utah Clean Energy's four main objectives: transitioning to renewable energy; reducing emissions from dwellings; climate change leadership; and clean/electric transit - and how her role raises funds for these sectors
* Where Erica's passion for environmental and animal rights advocacy originates, and why these issues are close to her professionally and personally
* Resilience and finding value in being open about realizing when an organization is not the right "fit" for a fundraising professional. Erica mentions the uncomfortableness that can accompany this experience, yet she also shares how being transparent about this step with others enables people who have had (or are having) similar experiences to connect and boost each other.
Thank you Erica for a very interesting, candid, and enjoyable conversation! While not covered in our conversation, thank you also for your role in shaping prospect development's Utah chapter of Apra International in its earliest days and iterations.

People in Fundraising, ep. 108: Virginia Commonwealth University's Misa Lobato

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th - October 15th), I am pleased to share this fascinating "People in Fundraising" interview with Milagro "Misa" Lobato! She works with a prior guest, Rachel Brandell-Mayers, at Virginia Commonwealth University. A longtime prospect development leader and Apra volunteer, Misa shares her thoughts on an array of topics, including:
* How Misa is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
* Her reaction, with personal and professional anecdotes, to Elizabeth Colon's (president, Chicago chapter, National Association of Women Business Owners) quote: "Don't let fear stop you from achieving what you want."
* Her "relationship to achievement," as Misa termed this prevalent sentiment where many workers feel that much of their identity is defined by work terms (director, etc.) and a dizzying drive for continued progress and success.
* Misa's role in launching Apra International's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, now the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, Justice, and Access Committee.
* Misa's real-life health crisis, which prompted a re-assessment of her goals and how she works. I also share about my health crisis from 2013, and Misa and I have a deep conversation about what these significant challenges meant for how we wanted to live, work, be grateful, and make more deliberate decisions.
Thank you Misa for a wide-ranging, riveting, and really enjoyable conversation! I appreciate your candidness, and know that your authenticity will resonate with our audience.

People in Fundraising, ep. 107: Brooke Gledhill Wood of The Policy Project

My friend Brooke Gledhill Wood joins "People in Fundraising" with an interesting new perspective to share. Brooke discusses the public-private partnership model in social impact/nonprofit work through Utah-based The Policy Project.
Three of its major recent initiatives are The Period Project (for access to period products in schools, workplaces, and public spaces), the Teen Center Project (to repurpose under-utilized spaces in public high schools for food pantries, laundry services, showers, and community resources), and The Safe Child Project (to expand child sexual abuse prevention education).
As Brooke describes, this public-private partnership model to address specific and long-standing issues in society "is a real sign of commitment and investment from the community and the private sector, and private donors see their donations impact every corner of the state," especially when the state legislature works in tandem to allocate even more funding.
Brooke and I first met in 2013 in greater Boston, where she was serving as a mission for our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At the beginning of our conversation, you'll see us in a still photo from 2015. It was wonderful to reconnect with you, Brooke! Thank you for a very enlightening and fun conversation!