Cathy Williams Email & Phone Number

West Des Moines, Iowa, United States

Drake University provides an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments, and responsible global citizenship.I manage the creative design and implementation of local and national programing promoting the University's alumni, development, and public relations efforts. Alumni Events include (but not limited to): Alumni Awards, Let's DU Lunch, Regional Alumni Events, Reunions and Relays. Development Events include (but not limited to): Francis Marion Drake Society Dinner, Regional Development Events, College/School Events, Stewardship Events, and Donor Recognition Events.

Des Moines, Iowa Area

Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines Art Center engages diverse local and international audiences with the art of today through its museum and school, adding to the cultural record through collections and programs.• Facility Rental Manager: Lead and manage all aspects of corporate, wedding, and individual rentals, including sales, client relations, and event management all while providing exemplary customer service.• Manage all marketing efforts that promote the facility rental program including online and print advertisements, bridal shows, wedding marketing websites, and email promotional solicitations• Lead sales efforts by touring potential clients and informing them of the buildings amenities• Produce contracts for all rental events and collect and process all facility rental fees• Manage all event details leading up to and day of, working closely with each client on external vendor choices, event timeline, layouts, equipment rentals, catering coordination and more• Coordinate multiple external vendors, lead set up and tear down efforts, and manage Art Center maintenance and security team• Create and maintain annual department budget• Maintain accurate database event records• Assist Director of Events with all internal events including but not limited to the annual gala, member preview parties, member and donor trips, Day of the Dead celebration, and tag sale

Des Moines, Iowa Area

Drake University provides an exceptional learning environment that prepares students for meaningful personal lives, professional accomplishments, and responsible global citizenship.• Annual Giving Officer• Had annual goal to personally solicit 125 leadership-level gifts of at least $1,000 each fiscal year to generate unrestricted support• Assessed constituent financial capacity and inclination to support the university• Developed prospect pipeline of individuals capable of considering annual gifts in the $5,000 and higher range within a given fiscal year• Collaborated with the Associate Director of Annual Fund Programs, who manages the leadership giving level volunteer board and select prospects• Maintained up-to-date information in Raiser’s Edge donor database on significant prospect calls and visits including call reports, rating recommendations, and other important prospect management data.

Lead the Family Care team, ensuring outstanding day to day care of our families while maximizing occupancy of the House. Partner with premier area children’s hospitals to oversee referral & room assignments, lead and manage MICROS Systems, Inc. OPERA Property Management System, check families in and out of House, work with the Sleep Room Director to transition ICU and other families, be available to provide “concierge” service for the families and act as the main liaison between the House and the Transplant Team at Lurie Children’s.•Integral part of the core team responsible for opening of the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House with 75 guest rooms• Sole staff member responsible for the implementation of the first property management system for the charity, OPERA Property Management System. Act as the resident expert, trainer and troubleshooter on staff• Sole staff member responsible for the implementation of the VingCard Visionline Key Card System. Act as resident expert, trainer and troubleshooter on staff• Recruit, train, supervise and evaluate all Family Care staff• Make recommendations to the Senior House Director regarding staffing patterns, job descriptions, work schedules and staff compensation• Act as main staff person to welcome and orient guests to the House, completing all check-in and check-out procedures and paperwork• Take leadership in creating a warm and cooperative environment that promotes a home-like atmosphere for all families, guests and visitors• Work to resolve, in conjunction with Senior House Director, any problem family situations• Perform regular House rounds to monitor goings-on in the House as well as to maintain relationships with families

Manage all aspects of House operations, ensuring the mission of creating a “home away from home” is fulfilled on all levels. Recruit and manage House and committee volunteer base. Lead Volunteer Coordinators Committee consisting of all four House and chapter volunteer coordinator staff. Create, plan and implement premiere House fundraising event. • Attended to all family needs and requests• Worked with hospital staff to place eligible families in the House• Attended to all House issues, including but not limited to general maintenance and housekeeping• Worked with House Director and hospital staff to resolve family issues• Recruited, managed and scheduled volunteer base of over 300 people, including weekly, seasonal, family meal program and fundraising event committee volunteers • Lead volunteer coordinator staff of six in the process of streamlining manuals, applications and procedures for our volunteer programs across the Chicagoland Chapter• Spearhead all on-line recruitment tactics such as volunteermatch.org and Disney Give a Day, Get a Day initiative• Helped to create the premiere fundraising event to benefit the House, The Herman Petty Memorial “Hoops for the House” 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament

Planed and implement all aspects of three major fundraising events (gala, golf outing, sporting clays tournament). Some duties included, but not limited to; Provided leadership and management for event volunteer planning committees, created and maintained event budgets, created sponsorship opportunity levels and benefits for each event, secured and maintained vendor relationships, managed database event records and online registration, provided creative input and copy for event invitations, program books, web based video journals, website and newsletter. Additionally, lead and managed all aspects of end of year direct mail solicitation. Organized and facilitated government workplace giving campaign. Handled wide variety of special projects.• Accountable for event net revenue of over $700,000 annually• Sold out 2007 and 2008 Big Mac Under Glass Gala• Sold out 2007 and 2008 Golf Classic• Led and managed all aspects of Big Mac Under Glass Gala 2008, which was named one of the Top 100 Events in Chicago (placing at number 11 out of 30 in the benefits category) in the Summer 2008 issue of BizBash Chicago• Led event volunteer recruitment effort resulting in a surplus of volunteers for each event• Initiated new focus for end of year direct mail solicitation, growing revenue from nearly $70,000 in 2006 to over $95,000 in 2007• Created follow up campaign for 2007 end of year direct mail solicitation with a 25% response rate• Led and facilitated increased Combined Federal Campaign representation, including improved Board of Director participation

Planned and implemented all aspects of fundraisers benefitting Ronald McDonald House near Children’s Memorial Hospital, both internal and third party events. Assisted in carrying out all aspects of House operations. Went above and beyond to create a “home away from home” for the families served.• Accountable for fundraising and event net revenue of over $50,000 annually• Provided leadership and management of young professionals fundraising Auxiliary Board• Controlled all aspects of end of year direct mail solicitation effort, increasing revenue by $12,000 in first year• Processed and acknowledged all gifts, monetary and in-kind• Facilitated House pop tab program• Attended to all family needs and requests, regardless of development focused workload

Planned and implemented all aspects of four major fundraising events (gala, golf outing, dinner auction and summer festival). Facilitated auction and raffle solicitation and coordination. Provided overall support to Director of Events.

Performed data entry and overall donor database management. Provided administrative support to Vice President of Development