Samantha Plotner Email & Phone Number

Chicago, IL, US

• Designed and taught course on nonprofit fundraising
• Helped facilitate field experiments studying nonpartisan voter mobilization strategies in federal and municipal elections
• Helped manage the creation and deployment of a nationwide survey of government employees working on open data and environmental justice
• Provided written feedback on coursework for undergraduate and masters students and facilitated class discussions

Greater Chicago Area

Created and facilitated workshops for Teaching Assistants on how to work effectively with faculty

Greater Chicago Area

• Worked as part of the Learning and Development team to evaluate L&D needs across the MO team and design trainings and programs
• Managed the peer coaching programs for junior and mid-level staff

Greater Chicago Area

• Managed the peer mentoring program I designed for new junior hires on the Managed Organizations team
• Created and managed extended onboarding training for newly hired or promoted mid-level managers
• Coached new hires on Managed Organizations processes and problem-solving

Greater Chicago Area

• Managed the financial, compliance, and other operational needs of some of the firm’s highest profile and most complex nonprofit projects.
• Facilitated grantmaking to a range of organizations including large international NGOs and small volunteer-led domestic groups.
• Monitored monthly financials and prepared reports to funders for a portfolio of projects with complicated financial situations including multiple sources of highly restricted funding and low cash balances.

• Coordinated fundraising efforts for the annual gala; GALA 2017 raised $1.74 million, exceeding the fundraising goal by nearly $200,000 and setting an institutional record for money raised at a gala
• Collaborated with Deputy Director to create strategy to raise $800,000 through corporate gifts in 2018
• Supervised private events for corporate and government partners including Fortune 500 companies and foreign governments
• Created partnership proposals for prospective corporate donors and managed reporting to existing donors

Greater Chicago Area

• Utilized Raiser’s Edge to create benchmark metrics for Chicago area fundraising and donor engagement
• Organized happy hour launch of young professionals network which exceeded attendance expectations

New York, NY

• Managed logistics for annual Women of Power & Influence Awards; 2015 event had nearly 500 attendees and raised over $680,000
• Improved major donor stewardship efforts, resulting in retention of 5 new major donors
• Recruited, hired, trained and managed up to 5 interns per semester
• Used targeted email and social media outreach to triple applicants to Activist Alliance training program from 2014 to 2015
• Spearheaded prospect research for gala honorees; in 2015 personally found 5 of 6 honorees

New York, NY

• Supervised night of execution for the 2013 Women of Power & Influence Awards
• Coordinated with vendors to finalize event details
• Oversaw writing, design and printing of the gala program

Greater New York City Area

• Coordinated college outreach efforts for re-launched Young Professionals Council for Choice
• Supported administrative needs of 2013 Champions of Choice Luncheon which had over 500 attendees including major donors, elected officials, and celebrities

Greater New York City Area

• Planned monthly events for the senior class as a member of the Senior Experience team
• Coordinated sponsorship solicitations for the annual Senior Crossroads Conference
• Created a sponsorship guide to help the incoming Senior Experience staff solicit raffle donations
• Worked with other RAs in the residence hall to plan monthly events for residents

• Managed staff of 11 Resident Assistants at residential summer program for high school students including creating the shift schedule, running twice-daily staff meetings, and assigning special projects
• Designed and implemented week-long staff training
• Coordinated staff response to assorted incidents throughout the program

• Managed event logistics for the 2012 Women of Power & Influence Awards
• Negotiated A/V contract, saving over $1,000 compared to initial quote
• Identified new sources for finding prospective gala honorees in tech and fashion sectors