People in Fundraising: A Nonprofit Podcast by Tim Wilson

People in Fundraising ep. 170: Mike Denkers

In a "People in Fundraising" first, today's guest currently serves on several family foundations. Mike Denkers provides fascinating insights about philanthropic operations from his role as a director of both the Eccles and Denkers family foundations, which are legendarily generous Utah-based foundations.
Mike shares interesting viewpoints about how multi-generational family foundation values remain the same across generations, and how funding interests evolve with new needs and challenges, such as supporting efforts for the workforce of the future. He also has begun leading donor strategy and fundraising at 43 Institute, also known as the Ken Block Foundation. He discusses the impact that Ken - a professional rally driver and co-founder of DC Shoes - had on Mike's life. 43 Institute is named after Ken's rally number.
Mike movingly describes how 43 Institute seeks to provide resources and career opportunities for "motivated misfits" in the creative arts, action sports, and motorsports.
In our last of five questions, Mike shares terrific insights about the rare position I envision him holding - director of generations-long family foundations; an individual philanthropist; 43 Institute work; and his vast network of private funders and Major Gift Officers. I was curious to hear how Mike balances being engaged in meaningful problem-solving and dreaming-big ideas with all of these different funding voices. His answers are refreshing!
Thank you Mike for an outstanding and very enjoyable conversation! I am excited to continue following your work on LinkedIn and seeing the ongoing impact you have on Utah's philanthropic environment as a funder, fundraiser, and convener!

People in Fundraising ep. 169: Nicole Fonsh, The Michael J. Fox Foundation

Nicole Fonsh has had a sectors-ranging career at leading organizations since our days of working in the Harvard ecosystem and in NEDRA, the New England chapter of Apra International. I was delighted to reconnect with Nicole and spotlight her career, which has taken her to Harvard Law School, The New School, and now The Michael J. Fox Foundation. 
In our conversation, Nicole discusses:
* Navigating new policies, office settings, donors' motivations to support organizations, and connecting donors and prospects to causes. For example, at The Michael J. Fox Foundation and other health-focused endeavors, some donors are motivated to support the cause writ large, or in honor/memory of a loved one, and some donors are motivated to support the research leading to treatments and cures.
* The important role of mentors. For Nicole, she mentions Lisa Boudreau of Harvard Medical School and now at The Michael J. Fox Foundation.
* How Nicole has transformed reactive prospect research operations (handling requests from academic deans, hospital admins, and frontline Major Gift Officers) into proactive, strategic partners. She has done this by designing and building systems to enhance donor engagement efforts, and Nicole shares some fascinating examples.
Thank you Nicole for a very enjoyable and informative conversation! 

People in Fundraising ep. 168: Chris Amherst, Director of Data Ops., Purdue for Life Foundation

Fellow UMass-Amherst alum Chris Amherst (yes, he went to the university that shares his surname) joins "People in Fundraising" for a terrific conversation. One part, among many, that I liked learning about Chris is that his family has served in branches of the U.S. military dating back to the U.S. Revolutionary War.
He also worked at George Washington University with prior podcast guests Catherine Flaatten, Lindsey Nadeau, and Kate Osterman. In our conversation, recorded when he was just three weeks into his new role at the Purdue for Life Foundation, Chris shares:
* How his fundraising career began, first in the UMass Telefund before working as a UMass admin assistant, where his "other duties as assigned" included prospect research.
* His focus on "leveraging data to help fundraisers better do their jobs," and how he loves "building relationships with fundraisers, because, from my perspective, I see things that they might miss" in donor behavior data.
* How self-care "comes first" as a person and a professional. Chris speaks movingly about honoring the many people he has been close to who have since passed on; identifying and leaving toxic work environments; and personal resilience.
* His on-the-spot reaction to a summer 2025 quote in The New York Times by "Live Aid" co-founder and activist Bob Geldof, that "empathy is the glue of humanity."
Thank you Chris for an enlightening conversation, and for your many contributions to a more empathetic nonprofit ecosystem through your roles and volunteer leadership!

People in Fundraising ep. 167: Will Schrepferman, CEO and Co-Founder, DonorAtlas

My interview with DonorAtlas CEO and Co-Founder Will Schrepferman took place around last month's major snowstorm in the Northeast U.S. So today, with another blizzard socking the area, it seems fitting to air Will's terrific conversation! I appreciate Will's time to meet and share about his near lifelong philanthropic pursuits and his company, DonorAtlas.
Thank-you to prior "People in Fundraising" guest and outstanding nonprofit leader Jennifer Filla for connecting me to Will! In our conversation, Will discusses:
* How a childhood chronic illness and its corresponding hospital stays encouraged Will to lead a fundraising effort to make the hospital more comfortable and "spruced up" for young patients. He quickly raised over $4,000 for this effort!
* The early days of what became DonorAtlas, which Will started working on his senior year at Harvard College (he is class of 2024). He describes the areas for improvement in fundraising technology that he, his co-founder, and team identified.
* What Will has learned about himself as a person and an entrepreneur through the launch of DonorAtlas and its subsequent successes.
* The continuing disruptive and innovative changes that Artificial Intelligence brings to the social impact/nonprofit development world. Will shares some of the questions and concerns that practitioners have about AI, and what they need to know as AI evolves at a blistering pace.
Will, thank you very much for an insightful and fun conversation! I wish you and DonorAtlas continued success, and know that our audience will really enjoy hearing about the founding of your company and its services.

People in Fundraising ep. 166: Kate Osterman, Managing Director of Development, Harvard College Fund

Kate Osterman is another standout fundraising star from Harvard Business School's Team A philanthropy cohort. She joins prior "People in Fundraising" guests Kate Ellison, Nida Januskis, Kyle Garvey, Evan Gallivan, and Courtney Desmarais.
I've known Kate since her earliest days at HBS, where she first started out supporting the late, legendary planned giving and international officer Susan Hamilton. To see Kate's career successfully progress from those beginnings is testament to her commitment for and skill in engaging alumni to support higher education. Kate is also a genuinely kind and sincere person.
In our conversation, Kate talks about her career journey, along with:
* Her longstanding volunteer roles with the annual Head of the Charles Regatta, the world's largest three-day regatta. Kate has served as its Awards Co-Chair of Race Operations, and she explains all that this position entails.
* Her education at and alumni volunteer roles supporting Miss Porter's School in Connecticut. It is one of the oldest and most selective all-girls boarding schools in the U.S. Kate describes aspects of being an alumnae of MPS that have been rewarding to her.
Thank you Kate for our really enjoyable conversation, and for sharing your enthusiasm for our philanthropy profession with our audience!

People in Fundraising ep. 165: Kel Haney, Consulting for Mid-Level Campaigns for Performing Arts Orgs.

Kel Haney is a nonprofit leader who frequently posts terrific and insightful LinkedIn content. Please follow Kel if you aren't already! 
In our conversation, Kel discusses:
* Her focus on and passion for successfully helping nonprofits grow and maintain mid-level donor relationships. And projects with this donor segment (donors who typically give $1K - $10K per year) that crystallized for Kel how critical these donors are to organizations.
* Her pre-nonprofit fundraising career as a theater director, and the commonalities Kel sees between her current nonprofit consulting work and her earlier career responsibilities.
* Her thoughtful response to this quote from playwright Aaron Sorkin (of "The West Wing," "A Few Good Men," and "Moneyball," to name other screenplays, TV shows, and Broadway plays): "Strong drama is built around intention and obstacle." In particular, how this quote resonates with Kel's 5-Minute Fundraising Ask training with clients.
* Tidbits like how it's great to stop "doing what you're really good at" for a change; how "The Wizard of Oz" was her favorite movie for a long time; and her early proximity to the incredible work "Doubt," which later became a stage play and a movie.
Kel, thank you for an outstanding conversation! I appreciate your laser-focus on mid-level giving and your voice to challenge, support, and uplift fundraising practices in our industry.
Please note: As with my previous 164 "People in Fundraising" narratives, no part of this post was conceptualized, written, or enhanced by AI. 

People in Fundraising, ep. 164: Brittany Morrison, B. Spoke Advisory

Today's "People in Fundraising" guest is the awesomely down-to-earth Brittany Morrison, who is the founder of fundraising consultancy B. Spoke Advisory. Like many guests, she came on my radar through her thoughtful LinkedIn content. In our conversation, Brittany discusses:* Her longtime volunteer leadership roles with causes close to her personal life, including Hospice Austin and the American Heart Association, and the deeply valuable relationships she has formed through these volunteer efforts.
* Her 2025 word of the year (big-heartedness), and what led Brittany to choose this word for last year (when our interview was recorded). 
* Her personal and professional reflections on this quote from legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis: "For me, the appetite is the same. I've never acted without that appetite. *That* never went away."
* A LinkedIn post she wrote in 2025 about seeing a butterfly while out to eat. In Brittany's words, "Legacy isn't just about wealth or influence, but about intention. It's how we use our time and energy and share our stories to make the world a little softer, a little better, a little more connected." Brittany shares her belief in what this butterfly symbolizes. 
Thank you Brittany for a heartwarming and candid conversation! I am delighted to share your development perspective and personal journey with our audience.

People in Fundraising ep. 163: Kate Ellison, from HBS to Goldman Sachs to Russell Reynolds

Kate Ellison is one of many Harvard Business School Team A fundraisers who I've been glad to welcome on "People in Fundraising." She joins Courtney Desmarais, Nida Januskis, Kyle Garvey, Evan Gallivan, and Kate Osterman (upcoming) as guests.
Created about two decades ago, Team A engaged pre-alums through alumni up to their 15th MBA reunion. Kate joined this fundraising cohort after working at the Harvard College Fund, and while earning a Master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
At the time, she thought, "I'll earn this degree and rise in time to become a VP of advancement." Yet Kate realized some fundraising dynamics were not as challenging as she needed for her career.
Kate describes how "my whole career plan sort of" evolved, twice. This led her to "switch careers, switch industries, and switch locations, multiple times," as she first worked at Goldman Sachs (going from a fundraising office that was 80% female to one at Goldman that was 90% male) before a mentor, Gabby Lajoie, nudged Kate to consider executive search as a profession.
This has opened a great new chapter in her life and career over the last 15 years. "I'm still working with similar segments of professionals from fundraising to executive search, but with greater intellectual stimulation, innovation, and flexibility. I'm still focused on under- standing people, and while I'm no longer asking for money, I am offering them exciting career possibilities. And then, like a good fundraiser, I let them talk. Human beings ADORE being asked about themselves!"
Thank you, Kate, for a wonderful and fun conversation! Our audience will learn about how to recognize internal and external signs pointing to career pivots, resiliency, and tapping into their own transferrable skills as their careers continue, like yours.

People in Fundraising, ep. 162: Amelia Grant and Andrea Dowd, Mentee and Mentor, Apra Minnesota

Two prospect management leaders from the Apra Minnesota chapter - Amelia Grant and Andrea Dowd - join "People in Fundraising" to talk almost exclusively about one topic: being a mentor. This conversation represents a new element of my weekly nonprofit podcast, focusing on a singular theme. 
In fall 2025, Andrea wrote a moving and motivating LinkedIn post. She started it with "I never thought I could be a mentor," which is a sentiment many people share. Amelia, her mentee through Apra Minnesota, started her reply to Andrea's post with "I won the mentor lottery!" These expressions encouraged me to invite Andrea and Amelia to my podcast to discuss their experience with a dynamic that many nonprofit leaders encounter: For a mentor, what experiences can I bring to mentor someone else?For a mentee, what assistance or encouragement might I need from a mentor to help propel my career?Amelia and Andrea share how their mentee-mentor relationship began; what they each have learned through their in-person and virtual meetings and messages; and what advice they each have for other people looking *for," and looking to *be* a mentor. Andrea said it best in her post, where she concluded:"If you've ever thought about mentoring someone, do it! You will be amazed at how much you will grow together!" 
Thank you Andrea and Amelia for a fun and riveting conversation that I am sure will encourage others in need of a mentor, as well as leaders seeking to share their expertise!

People in Fundraising ep. 161: Kathy Drucquer Duff, Founder of KDD Philanthropy

In my 25+ years in nonprofit development, few other people openly and enthusiastically share their love and excitement for the positive changes that social impact work can make as consistently as today's guest, Kathy Drucquer Duff! She entered the nonprofit world after a first career chapter in the hospitality sector, and has since worked in higher ed. and healthcare sectors.
11+ years ago, Kathy launched her fundraising coaching and consulting firm, KDD Philanthropy. Disclosure: my current employer has worked with KDD. I've had the pleasure of meeting her in-person, and am excited to share her insights with our audience. Kathy discusses these and other topics:
* How an unexpected career turn from MG to annual giving was “the best career turn I could have ever taken.” Why? It led to "an appreciation for participation, building up the program, it's where I first tried metrics, and building donor pipelines."
* Her delight at hearing how a friend and mentor already in fundraising "got to raise money and awareness for your alma mater?!" This led to increased curiosity about development work for Kathy.
* Why starting each day with a reflection is a wonderful motivation for her.
* The importance of "reverse shadowing."
* How nonprofit fundraising leaders can "normalize discussing philanthropy as an enhancer" for society and communities.
Thank you Kathy for a wonderful and delightful conversation!