For over 100 years, Save the Children has been giving children in the U.S. and around the world a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, Save the Children are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We do whatever it takes to save children, transforming their lives and the future we share.As a Director of Individual Philanthropy, I collaborate with donors in Southern California, Nevada and Utah to educate them on the meaningful programs at Save the Children and find funding opportunities that align with their philanthropic goals.

After-School All-Stars, Los Angeles, provides after-school programming to elementary, middle and high school students in Title One public and charter schools throughout Los Angeles county and the Lucerne Valley. In a time when funding was becoming increasingly scarce, due to COVID-19, I prepared and submitted grants and Letters of Intent to local corporations and foundations expressing the urgent need for crucial financial support. While the children we served were participating in distance learning, many did not have the financial resources for equipment, WiFi, or basic items like food and household supplies. Thanks to the support of the After-School All-Stars Los Angeles team, we raised close to $120,000 in grant awards from new and previous foundation partners, in the span of eight months.

After-School All-Stars provides comprehensive and innovative after-school programming to middle school students in Title One schools in 13 states across the U.S. I was recruited to After-School All-Stars to develop their Individual Giving program and to raise funds from corporate and family foundations on the West Coast. I created strategies around donor stewardship and outreach philanthropists and their Family Offices. I helped lead a cause marketing campaign involving celebrity talent, and assisted in garnering media partnerships with well-known brands. With the support of the development team and our individual, foundation and corporate donors, I increased revenue by 30%, which greatly helped our program staff and the children we served.

The Department of Life Sciences at UCLA is comprised of nine departments ranging from Psychology to Microbiology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. At UCLA, I worked with alumni to secure gifts for medical research and COMPASS, a unique scholarship program for students from underrepresented minorities who required extra financial assistance to successfully complete their coursework. I also met with faculty throughout all departments to learn more about their funding needs and helped create case statements to support their efforts.

The American Red Cross Northern California Coastal Region provides emergency disaster relief services locally, and financial and volunteer resources throughout the nation and abroad. My initial role was as a Major Gift Officer, working with incredibly dedicated philanthropists throughout San Francisco and Silicon Valley. The contributors I worked with supported the Red Cross in various capacities, from financial gifts, to volunteering as disaster responders, to sharing expertise on our advisory boards. After some time, I moved into a Senior Major Gifts Officer position, which provided me with leadership opportunities and strategic development, all while collaborating with philanthropists on their giving. I also worked very closely with our women's philanthropy group and led the efforts with our Youth Services Donor Advisory Circle. During the Washington state wildfires in 2015, I served as an Information Dissemination Specialist. I analyzed online media for negative press and gathered statistical data to update staff and volunteers. I also served in interim director level roles to assist in budgeting, ensure the department met their fundraising targets, and to support our hard-working employees during a leadership transition.I am very proud that I was able to revitalize our superb and deeply committed donor base in Silicon Valley. Through the those generous donors, and our supporters in the San Francisco Bay Area, we collectively increased revenue by 25%.

The Salvation Army Golden State Division provides safety-net programs to people in need throughout 17 counties, spanning from San Francisco to Bakersfield, California. My career began with The Salvation Army as their Divisional Grant Writer & Corporate Development Coordinator in 2008. In this role, I built relationships with local foundations and corporations to secure funding for vital programs including after-school education for children, summer camps, grocery distribution and meal deliveries, and residential programs for foster youth and adults in substance abuse recovery. In 2009, I accepted a new role as a Major Gift Officer, covering San Francisco and San Mateo counties. In this position, I built strong, authentic relationships with local philanthropists. I also created meaningful, hands-on experiences by way of special volunteer opportunities and fundraising events. I actively recruited high-profile community members to participate on our advisory board and advisory councils, and maintained positive, collaborative relationships with local government officials. Working alongside our caring supporters, our efforts resulted in a 20% revenue increase, and we were able to sustain vital program operations during the economic downturn in 2008.

St. Vincent's Midtown Hospital (formerly St. Clare's Hospital) was a community hospital based in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan. Initially, I was an Administrative Assistant for the Methadone Maintenance Treatment program, and later served as an employee of The Spellman Center, one of the nation's first HIV/AIDS medical and research center. I created and implemented an education and outreach program for their 1200+ client Infectious Disease clinic. I also was a member of a grant writing team that successfully sustained and renewed competitive New York State funding, as well as corporate grants from pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, I managed media and public official outreach, and as part of our World AIDS Day celebration, I secured a Proclamation from the Office of New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg.