Liz Vena Email & Phone Number

Boston, Ma, Us

Boston, Ma, Us

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

• In coordination with Executive Director, oversee strategic planning and strategy for Institute fundraising priorities. o Translate academic priorities into fundraising objectives and activities that can be readily operationalized by staff and are compelling to volunteers and prospective donors.o Develop proposals for Institute priorities and initiatives in collaboration with schools, including: the identification, evaluation, and clearance of potential projects; developing communication and marketing plans; establishing and vetting giving opportunities; and fundraiser messaging and education.o Serve as subject matter expert with in depth knowledge of all components of initiatives. Serve as the first point of contact for staff, faculty, donors, senior leaders, and other interested parties on information and material requests.• Coordinate with academic partners to provide strategic advice and recommendations for ongoing capital fundraising priorities, including development of project naming opportunities and gift acceptance.• Organize cross-department fundraising teams to develop prospect pipelines for each initiative and convene regular meetings to strategize, monitor progress, and identify fundraiser support needs. • Provide regular Institute priority project summaries and progress reports to senior leadership. • Organize, convene, and provide strategic staffing support for task forces, initiatives, and working groups of RD and MITAA staff, faculty, and academic leadership. Make recommendations to determine items such as leadership, task force composition, agendas.• Provide leadership and mentoring to three direct reports. Oversee team workflow, direct projects, and cultivate a solid team-oriented culture of accountability.• Additionally, from March to September 2022 acted as interim department lead upon retirement of Executive Director and while new Executive Director was being hired and onboarded. • Named the 2022 “Leader of the Year” by RD leadership.

Cambridge, Ma

• Develop and implement fundraising plans for select Institute priorities and initiatives, in coordination with Advancement colleagues, school development officers, and designated faculty.• Proactively and independently research and identify channels to bring relevant faculty, school- and program-based administrators together for collaborations on funding priorities. Identify and leverage opportunities for synergy and collaboration amongst the priorities.• Develop proposals for assigned Institute priorities and initiatives in collaboration with schools, departments, and programs, including: identification, evaluation, and clearance of potential projects; communication and marketing plan; giving opportunities; and fundraising messaging.• Serve as subject matter expert with in depth knowledge of all components of assigned initiatives and serve as the first point of contact for faculty, donors, senior leaders, and other interested parties on information and material requests.• Organize, convene and provide strategic staffing support for task forces, initiatives and working groups of fundraising staff, faculty and academic leadership. Make recommendations to determine items such as leadership, task force composition, agendas.• Manage other fundraising related assignments such as serving on committees related to fundraising initiatives or managing processes for fundraising activities.

Cambridge, Ma

• Oversee writing and approvals process for principal gift proposals. - Meet with fundraisers and faculty to outline scope of proposal and timeline for completion. - Coordinate with Communications team writer on drafting and editing proposal. - Work with department budget officers on high-level project budgets. - Lead internal approvals process with senior administration.• Act as primary liaison between Resource Development and Alumni Association and Institute senior leadership. - Manage internal process for requesting prospect meetings with Institute leadership. - Work with fundraising staff on ongoing basis to process requests and suggest alternatives if necessary. - Chair quarterly meetings of internal oversight group, providing updates on recent activity and metrics.• Manage other Campaign Office projects on ad hoc basis.

Boston, Ma

• Weekend instructor for participation classes of up to 16 students. • Oversee all set-up, ingredient preparation, and break-down of classes. • Lead recipe instruction and answer student questions during class. Teach students about Milk Street, its cooking theory and recipes, and its platforms.• Manage staff of assistant instructors, volunteers, and kitchen help.

Cambridge, Ma

• Member of three-person team that provides administrative and technical support for events and activities relating to MIT's board of trustees, the MIT Corporation• Provide all planning, coordination, execution, and post-meeting follow-up for 31 Visiting Committees that meet bi-annually - Act as primary contact for Department/Division heads, Corporation members, and committee members - Create and implement departmental timelines to ensure meeting organization proceeds on- schedule - Manage logistics of meetings, including: contracting with area hotels; identifying and reserving on-campus meeting room and dinner locations; negotiating and arranging catering, facilities and audio/visual services, and transportation • Work with the Associate Secretary to manage annual Visiting Committee membership renewalprocess - Monitor and follow up on committee appointment decisions by the Associate Secretary, Alumni Association, and the Institute’s senior officers - Assist as necessary in conducting candidate research - Prepare correspondence for President’s signature; coordinate the timely mailing of appointment letters - Track responses of invited, renewing, and retiring committee members• Lead Corporation Office technology and communications efforts - Managed Corporation move to electronic board book distribution, working with vendor and internal constituents on processes and requirements for successful implementation - Serve as the primary contact for trustees, committee members, and Institute departments and divisions on accessing electronic materials - Manage the annual production and distribution of Visiting Committee membership book, as well as annual committee report compilations and other ad hoc publications - Copy edit all committee interim and final meeting reports

Charleston, Sc

• Led culinary operations for all Charleston Cooks! stores• Oversaw staff of four in Charleston store, and liaised with culinary staff in all stores to ensure consistent teaching and client experience across stores• Taught participation and demonstration cooking classes, teaching between 12 and 34 students per class• Led menu development for participation classes – wrote 5-course menus and original recipes, edited all recipes to ensure consistent voice and proper technique• Trained all new culinary staff in proper teaching methods and kitchen conduct• Shopped for class food and supplies from a variety of vendors, maintaining a 10% food cost budget• Created monthly class schedules for all stores• Coordinated with guest chefs and authors on special event classes, preparing menus and ensuring that classes ran smoothly• Organized and planned private parties, including menu selection and class execution• 2012 Charleston Cooks! employee of the year

• Hired as Executive Assistant and promoted to manager of North America Marketing department• Led a team of four to develop and execute North American marketing initiatives• Managed North America publication execution from inception to distribution. Copyedited reports, formulated audience and distribution strategy, oversaw execution of email and hard copy distribution, and provided post-distribution success statistics to authors • Proposed strategy around the Firm's participation in various industry events. Researched associations and conferences, proposed potential speaking and sponsorship opportunities, and formed relationships with relevant association contacts • For active conference participation, liaised between conference organizers and participating Oliver Wyman Partners, led planning calls, organized logistics for Oliver Wyman participants, and acted as Oliver Wyman representative at events • Developed processes surrounding client and campaign implementation and use for Firm’s new CRM system, managing a global working group on development of new processes for regional marketing departments• As Executive Assistant, performed administrative duties and coordinated department training for new assistants: interviewed candidates, managed group of 10 trainers, and aided in the writing and editing of a global departmental training manual• Recipient of 2006 Citizen of the Year award for contributions to the firm’s culture

• Performed legal research, drafted proofread and filed documents for submission to clients, opposing parties, and courts• Additional responsibilities included extensive typing, maintenance of attorney calendars and tracking of client billing

• Assistant at management consulting and executive search firm specializing in non-profit organizations• Served as search coordinator, managing the activities of consulting teams. Responsibilities included scheduling and attending team meetings, creating agendas and taking minutes, and client and candidate management.

Ba, Communications

Activities and Societies: Women's crew team; Admissions office volunteer; Freshman Peer Advisor

Grand Diplome, Classic Culinary Arts, Graduated First In Class

Intensive nine-month course on classic French cuisine, including 600 hours of hands-on training in a commercial kitchen – attended.

High School