Derek Lambert Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Illinois, United States

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RUSH Office of Philanthropy undertook a comprehensive reorganization to prepare for the public phase of a $750 million campaign. During this restructuring, I was invited to design an expanded leadership role. In my current position as Executive Director, I lead a team of full-time fundraisers who support three-fourths of the clinical departments and sections at the Medical Center.Our team focuses on high-priority service lines such as Cancer and Orthopedics, as well as Gynecology and Women’s Health, Urology, Pulmonology, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Ophthalmology, General Surgery, Infectious Diseases, Digestive Diseases, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, and Primary Care—almost all of which are nationally ranked programs. We are also dedicated to advancing health equity by funding initiatives aimed at closing Chicago’s "death gap" and developing innovative approaches to address the healthcare workforce shortage.While major and principal giving opportunities are more abundant in the Cancer Center, other service lines present additional challenges. Seeking the hard-to-find dollars is particularly rewarding and a point of pride for the team. Our team is charged with raising $7-10 million annually.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

While raising money to support all areas of the institution's mission, my primary responsibilities involve generating principle, planned, and major gifts for the Office of Community Health Equity, Primary Care Medicine, Urology, and the Department of Orthopedics. While closing dozens of six and seven-figure gifts for multiple service lines across the Medical Center, I began negotiations for a $100 million lifetime commitment from a private philanthropist.I exceeded every metric goal for dollars, visits, significant contacts, moves, and physician engagement. Developed a new model for pipeline development focused on private practice patients with high-net-worth. Conducted a national survey of Academic Medical Centers with robust orthopedic programs that led to a novel model for pipeline development and eventually, a quarterly virtual 'meeting of the minds' for people to gather to discuss challenging service lines and compare notes from other organizations. Built a nation network of fundraising professionals dedicated to the unique challenges associated with the philanthropic advancement of orthopedic medicine.Directly supervised frontline fundraisers and development associates.

Chicago, Il

My primary responsibilities involved generating major gifts for the Office of Community Health Equity and Engagement and the Department of Orthopedics. While in this role I developed relationships that led to generosity from grateful patients, corporations, and business leaders across the Midwest. I collaborated with some of the world's most highly regarded physicians, scientists, and community organizers. In close collaboration with talented leadership, I refined a sophisticated program raising funds for research, education, and state-of-the-art equipment. This is a unique collaboration between a private practice enterprise and a nonprofit university medical center to create opportunities and challenges not found at peer institutions. Through a statistical analysis of 21,607 patients from 43 private practices, I created a new model for utilizing patient data from private practices for pipeline development, improving staff efficiency without loss in revenue. I also expanded the orthopedic grateful patient program, increasing the number of participating physicians, and leading to a 58% increase in potential donors.Finally of note, I established Rush’s first clinical-area, philanthropy-focused marketing campaign targeting private practice orthopedic patients.

Lake Forest, Il

As the Director of Gift Planning and one of the senior members of the fundraising team at Lake Forest College, I focused on identifying and soliciting major and principle-level gifts. My primary responsibilities included soliciting contributions from an international portfolio. I provided counsel and education to donors, their advisers, outside professionals, college staff and faculty on the structure and benefits of various giving vehicles, such as annuities and charitable remainder and lead trusts. In the absence of an associate vise-president, I served as the de facto manager for part of the major gifts team. In a typical year, I conducted over one hundred-thirty face-to-face prospect visits and closed a seven-figure estate gift. I enjoyed raising support from otherwise unengaged constituencies that spoke to their respect for education.In 2016, I wrote the overall strategic plan for the estate planning portion of the capital campaign. I was personally responsible for not less than 10% of the College's philanthropic revenue, annually. I also employed crowd-funding techniques, event planning, and volunteer management to build affinity-based endowed funds from constituencies that have historically not supported the institution.

Lake Forest, Illinois

Reporting to the Vice President of Development, this position required the direct management of all aspects of the College's annual fund, including supervising a staff of up to 5 full-time professionals, plus volunteers, and as many as 40 student employees. Lake Forest College is heavily reliant upon revenue from the Annual Fund to meet its financial obligations. The position of Director of Annual Giving carries with it a greater responsibility than it does at many other institutions. Under my leadership, Lake Forest in-sourced the phone-a-thon efforts and improved alumni participation by one percent annually. I developed the messaging, gift fulfillment procedures, and stewardship policies, and saw to their proper execution. Creative development of all printed and electronic mass-market communications fell within my responsibility. I moved away from the basic letter and worked with designers to create solicitations that would stand out in the mailbox. For example, one direct mail piece took the form of baseball trading cards, with faculty members as the players. Alumni connected nostalgically with their favorites and swapped them using social media. Another example used sixty-six different text and photo variables to speak as closely to the heart of the individual alum as possible. Social media also played a crucial role in our successful annual fund efforts. Primary responsibilities for this position included:Planning and executing the day-to-day operation of the program with a goal of $2 million plus an incremental goal of other budget-relieving funds. Supervising phone-a-thon operations.Developing and writing mass market communications, both electronic and direct mail.Fostering a culture of philanthropy among the entire campus population.Managing a portfolio of leadership donor level prospects.

Lake Forest, Il

As the Associate Director of Annual Giving, I was responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the annual fund office, with a focus on direct mail production, reporting, and follow-through.My duties and responsibilities included:Assisting the Director of Annual Giving by overseeing the daily operations of the Annual Fund, including reporting, solicitations, and receipt acknowledgements.Preparing daily and weekly reports monitoring metrics.Managing print production and mailing of direct mail solicitations.Overseeing and monitoring the receipt acknowledgement process, updating receipt acknowledgements as necessary.Managing the production of the annual Honor Roll of Donors.Developing and managing a Senior Class Gift program, in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs and the Senior Steering Committee.Developing and managing a Faculty/Staff Solicitation program, in conjunction with a volunteer committee.Assisting with the further development of the Annual Fund reporting processes.Assisting with daily Annual Fund correspondence.Managing the Annual Scholarship Program.Assisting with the development of volunteer recognition efforts.Supervising, scheduling, and training student assistants.

Lake Forest, Il

Oversaw the mailing and shipping operation for the College. Supervised full-time employees, as well as up to 20 part-time student workers.Served as an informal advisor to hundreds of students in their social and academic development, including but not limited to improving time–management skills, problem solving, navigating employment and social challenges, and creating a better institutional understanding.Design Piece Analyst and Consultant to the Visual Communications Office.

Lake Forest, Il

Performed all duties associated with the production operation of a small commercial printshop.

Highland Park, Illinois

Primarily, my duties pertained to the operation of a small, offset printing press along with some light bindery duties.

Athens, Georgia

Performed all duties associated with the production operation of a small commercial printshop.

Highland Park, Il

Mastered all offset and letterpress printing equipment in the factory.

Waukegan, Il

Operated the feeding system on multiple, large-scale offset printing presses. The majority of my time was spent on Nosco's premier workhorse, a 40" Mehle six-color printing press. I also mastered a 40" Heidelberg duplex press.

Ba, History, Religion

Activities and Societies: WMXM Radio, History Department Advisory Committee, College Council, Intramural Ice Hockey. Lake Forest College.

Ma, Higher Education Leadership (Management)

High School, English

Activities and Societies: Football, Baseball, Speech team, SADD