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In Service: The Column of the ADRP President - July 2023

Cheryl Smith Lintner

Executive Director, Donor Relations

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation

 

In the spring, I shared the board’s plan to launch My ADRP Live! - a regional networking and engagement event hosted by the board for donor relations professionals in the Toronto area in June. Well, folks, let me tell you - we had so much fun! We laughed, we commiserated, we shared great ideas and total flops. We met new faces and connected with familiar friends. 
 
The best part: it was relatively simple to put together! The board took the concept of My ADRP and brought it to life in a small meeting room with 20-25 attendees. We had several donor relations-specific questions, like “How do you surprise and delight donors?” and “What are creative ways to communicate impact?” We broke out into groups for a quick 5-7 minute discussion on each question, then came back together for reports. Attendees shared so many great ideas! And, to end the evening with a little levity, we debated the very, very important question, “Should pizza slices be triangular or square?” 
 
Want to host your own My ADRP Live! event? It’s easy! Reach out to the ADRP Office for a list of local members in your area to help you get started. Thinking bigger? We are working on a comprehensive toolkit for regional engagement events. Stay tuned!
 
Sincerely, 
Cheryl

Member Spotlight: Eileen Bastien

Name: Eileen Bastien
Institution: Seton Hall University
Position: Senior Director of Stewardship and Donor Engagement
Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?
Straight out of college, I joined the fashion industry convinced that I would be fulfilled by beautiful garments, celebrity designers and the evolution of culture through the fashion lens. After eight years, I realized that none of it fueled my spirit. I needed more. So, I left the industry and joined a small college in New York City, where I learned that there was more to life than the latest dress trends. I sincerely believe that if you are not progressing in life, you will not achieve happiness. Working in higher education keeps me in close proximity to learning, growing, and inspiring others. 
What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations?
Throughout my career in higher education, I have been driven by a deep passion for donor relations, stewardship, and building meaningful connections. With over 20 years of experience in engagement, communications, marketing, and stewardship within the nonprofit sector, I have had the privilege of making a lasting impact in the lives of both donors and the organizations I have worked with.
From my early days as an admissions/financial aid associate to my current role as senior director for stewardship and donor engagement, my journey has been defined by a commitment to cultivating relationships and fostering a culture of philanthropy. I have been fortunate to work with diverse populations and engage with high-net-worth individuals, aligning their passions with impactful initiatives.
What lessons, words of advice/inspiration would you like to pass on to other donor relations professionals?
As I continue to learn and grow, I actively seek opportunities to stay at the forefront of industry best practices. I highly encourage other donor relations professionals to invest in your own growth by connecting with other professionals. Learn from others and watch your career blossom. 
Philanthropy has the power to shape a better world, and I am honored to play a role in facilitating those transformative connections between donors and organizations. In my journey, I have come to realize that donor relations is not just a career, but a calling. It is a privilege to build bridges, nurture relationships, and witness the remarkable outcomes that emerge when passionate individuals come together to create positive change.
Can you talk about a specific donor engagement or stewardship activity that makes you feel like you are providing the best experience for donors?
One of the most rewarding experiences of my career has been witnessing the transformative power of philanthropy through a donor’s journey of discovering where he would have the greatest transformative impact. This donor supported many areas, but never once did he consider a personal hobby a possibility. 
It’s encounters like these that have fueled my dedication to creating personalized stewardship programs that honor donors and provide them with a meaningful connection to the causes they care about.
Connection to ADRP:
When did you become an ADRP member?
I joined ADRP in the early 2000s. Prior to that, I attended the New England Stewardship Conference. 
Why is ADRP membership important to you?
Stewardship and donor relations are often misunderstood. Is it art or is it science? It is both. As a member of ADRP, I am fortunate to connect with visionary and progressive professionals who empower and support me as I grow and expand in the art and science of donor relations and stewardship.  
ADRP is universally recognized as the authority on donor engagement for the philanthropy profession. In your own words, how does ADRP serve you in the form of professional development?
There is an old African Proverb that answers this question for me: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. 
ADRP empowers you to go far.

In Service: The Column of the ADRP President - June 2023

Cheryl Smith Lintner

Executive Director, Donor Relations

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation

 

For me, one of the most exciting things about being a senior donor relations professional is seeing new professionals intentionally choose donor relations as a career. How many times have I heard: “Well, it’s a funny story how I just sort of fell into donor relations…”? Too many to count! And for a long time, that was our shared narrative. 
 
But, folks, as Bob Dylan so aptly put it: “The times, they are a-changin'.” 
 
ADRP’s members - all 2,000+ strong!! - now include individuals who saw the potential in donor relations - and jumped right in. From the advancement services intern who applied for that junior level role on the stewardship team right after graduation; to the former frontline fundraisers who happily defected to donor relations (there are lots of you!); to the young adult whose parent is a donor relations professional and decided that works for them too (really, I met them!). 
 
When it comes to careers, donor relations is still quite young. And it’s incredibly heart-warming to see these changes, little by little, in our growth and our impact as a profession. It’s kind of like watching a kid grow.* I am proud and bewildered and nostalgic all at the same time. I was part of this. You are part of this. We are part of this.
 
Thank you for choosing donor relations, and thank you for choosing ADRP. 
 
*Metaphorically and literally for me, as my kid is now *gasp* 7 inches taller than me and counting.

 

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Member Spotlight: Barbara C. Mlawer

Barbara C. Mlawer
NYU Langone Health
Director, Stewardship

Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

I began a career in healthcare development communications over 15 years ago, cutting my teeth at two incredible medical institutions: the first one as the director of development communications at Northwell Health and now as the director of stewardship at NYU Langone Health. 

Stewardship, as a distinct unit within the development and alumni Affairs department at NYU Langone was, believe it or not, somewhat new so while I ‘sit’ on the stewardship team, I really feel that my work more closely reflects donor relations work. 

As a donor relations professional, using my visual arts background, I get to partner with our fundraisers to develop communication pieces that capture the impact donors have when they make a gift. It’s both creatively fulfilling as well as strategically specific to our mission and donor interests.

What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations? 
I fell into this role as the communications partner to the gift officer who manages one of our programs. The program aided medically underserved women to access breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment. As the communications lead, I got to know the doctors, the patients, and hear their stories. I felt the obligation to steward those stories accurately and realized the important role donor relations plays. Donor relations professionals have the unique ability of sharing stories and crystalizing the impact that support can make in saving people’s lives.
 
What lessons, words of advice/inspiration would you like to pass on to other donor relations professionals?
Follow your passion. Find the cause that means something to you, that makes you feel like you can make a difference and go for it. Meet the people to learn their stories. Understand the goals of your organization to drive the mission forward, marrying the stories and impact. If you find purpose in your work, this bleeds into your life. Who else gets to use their work to make a difference? As donor relations professionals, we get to make a difference. What a gift.
 
Can you talk about a specific donor engagement or stewardship activity that makes you feel like you are providing the best experience for donors?  
I had the pleasure of capturing the inspiring stories of the women in our cancer program. I got to interview, film, and photograph them, culminating in a wonderful video and donor report. These assets have been used and re-used, garnering new support for the program. 

Connection to ADRP: 
When did you become an ADRP member?
I became an ADRP member in 2021.  

Why is ADRP membership important to you? 
This community is so amazing and supportive. Ask a question and before you know it, you’ll receive countless responses across the spectrum. And conversely, I have been more than happy to respond whenever I have something to contribute. I always find a nugget of information I can use and/or share with my colleagues.

ADRP is universally recognized as the authority on donor engagement for the philanthropy profession. In your own words, how does ADRP serve you in the form of professional development?
The webinars, the conferences, the email digests, the website, all serve as a fountain of information. ADRP lives up to its tagline: Collaborate. Connect. Learn. 

I am truly grateful to be part of this community.

Member Spotlight: Will León

Will León
Arizona State University Foundation
Director, Donor Digital Engagement Services

Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?


Given that I've spent 25 years in the higher education space, it's fair to say that higher education is in my wheelhouse. I began my career in donor relations after working in the University of Texas at Austin Development Office in corporate and foundation relations. When I relocated to the Phoenix area, I was hired by Arizona State University and have continued my career there.


What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations?


Donor relations found me! Also, what better way to spend one’s time than expressing gratitude! Receiving gratitude makes donors feel good about their decision to give, and it makes me feel good to express gratitude to donors and colleagues as well. I think it's an honorable thing to acknowledge that people are supporting your organization and to find additional ways to engage with donors and connect them to their passions.




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In Service: The Column of the ADRP President - May 2023

Cheryl Smith Lintner

Executive Director, Donor Relations

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation

 

In just a few weeks, I will be on a short flight to Toronto, Canada, where I will gather with the other members of the ADRP board for two days of intense and thoughtful discussions at our annual spring in-person meeting. On the agenda are new board director nominations, membership structure, by-laws (so fun!), and policy development (also so fun!). And while I jest, these important conversations and decisions always leave me energized and excited about the future of ADRP. More to come on that front!

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Career Time Machine

It’s never too early or late to reflect on one’s career especially after a life-changing experience like a global pandemic. Many of us have likely changed in small ways over the last two years including where you find yourself on the donor relations spectrum. Leave us a comment to let us know in the comments below!

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A New Hope for the Future of Scholarship Reporting

Sara Moïse
Tulane University
Senior Director of Donor Relations

 

One of the most prevalent struggles I hear across education-based donor relations professionals is getting scholarship recipients to submit content for stewardship reports. I also spend a lot of my time thinking about JEDI. (Yes, my husband is a mega Star Wars nerd, but I mean Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.) These two topics cross lightsabers in my mind with high frequency… and I think there’s A New Hope for the future.

As we work toward equity and inclusivity, I find myself examining the power dynamic between scholarship donors and recipients, who should express gratitude to donors, and what best serves our donors and students (i.e., our future donors!) in the long term.

At my institution, we don’t require gratitude from scholarship recipients. We strongly encourage it—with repeated, months-long reminders that are laborious and ineffective. Even in-person events often fail to generate content as the Jedis-in-training are focused more on free food and swag.

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Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer with ADRP

  1. Network with colleagues all over the world.
  2. Get the inside scoop on ADRP activities before everyone else does.
  3. Make a difference: Is there something you’d like to improve about ADRP?
  4. Join a committee and make the change yourself!
  5. Work and learn alongside donor relations veterans.
  6. Make friends.
  7. Learn new skills such as event planning, project management, communications, and presenting.
  8. Gain professional experience that you can add to your resume.
  9. Have a platform to share your ideas and expertise.
  10. Broaden your perspective.
  11. Have fun! 

Thank Volunteers for Their Heart Work

Jennifer Hughes
National Park Foundation
Senior Manager, Board and Council Relations

Volunteers are special people. They offer your organization a diverse skill set and bring incredible abilities to help deliver on your organization’s greatest needs. Volunteers make a difference by recognizing no task is too small or insignificant. Each volunteer is a tiny piece of the puzzle with a large purpose in making change and creating opportunities throughout the world. One of my favorite quotes comes from Mother Teresa: “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”

I spent the last seven years in a donor relations role. I had the great honor to be able to communicate the impact and importance that philanthropy has on our national parks as part of our stewardship events team. Last year, I transitioned over to a new role in governance and working directly to manage our Board of Directors and National Advisory Council, some of our organization’s biggest supporters and ultimately, volunteers. Being able to think of creative ways to thank them for their volunteer leadership and philanthropy is a rewarding aspect of stepping into this new capacity for me. Sometimes we get caught up in the details of our roles without appreciating the broader ways that our daily efforts help meet the organization’s mission.

This is a friendly reminder that they are not just volunteers. They’re not just planting trees. They’re not just serving a bowl of soup. They’re not just planning the next ADRP International Conference. We know that our volunteers’ impact far exceeds the action that is taken in our communities, and we should continuously thank our volunteers for their commitment and talents. I encourage you to send a note of kudos to your volunteers and show your appreciation for all of their heart work and dedication to help build upon your mission today.

Member Spotlight: (Volunteer Appreciation Edition)

Carrie Flood
Dalhousie University  
Director, Donor Relations

Corey Smentek
MIT
Director, Donor Relations & Stewardship


 

Carrie and Corey currently lead ADRPs marketing and communications committee.



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In Service: The Column of the ADRP President - April 2023

Cheryl Smith Lintner

Executive Director, Donor Relations

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation


It’s kind of hard to shout out an enthusiastic message in a static written column. Stage directions might help.

Cheryl enters from stage right with a bullhorn. She taps it, and whispers “Is this thing on?” Then, she shouts:

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March 2023 - In Service: The Column of the ADRP President

Cheryl Smith Lintner

Executive Director, Donor Relations

Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation

Have you heard of the Swedish tradition, fika? According to Google’s Oxford Languages dictionary, fika is defined as “a break from activity during which people drink coffee, eat cakes or other light snacks, and relax with others.” I first heard about this custom in 2020 in the midst of a flurry of idea-sharing about how to manage remote teams and keep in touch with friends during the pandemic. And I thought, wow, you had me at coffee. But also the “break” and “relax with others” parts were appealing. I started holding virtual fikas first with friends, then with colleagues, and now with my team. Every other Friday, we log on to Zoom for a Friday afternoon fika. No work talk. Just coffee (or tea), a little BYOS (bring your own snacks), and a chat. It’s been a great way to unwind, vent, and celebrate - to be among people who share common interests and genuinely want to get to know each other better. 


And that, my friends, is the essence of ADRP. We are a group of like-minded people who share a common interest and want to get to know each other better. So I encourage all of you to start your own little fika. Have you been exchanging messages with someone on MyADRP and want to talk face-to-face? Did you meet an awesome fellow newcomer at an event last year? Are you looking to pull together colleagues who live in your area (psst…the ADRP Office can help with that)? Host a fika! 

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Member Spotlight: Karen J. Hamilton

Karen J. Hamilton

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Director of Donor Relations and Stewardship


 

Background Info
 

Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

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The Hub wants to hear from you!

Our skill set as a Donor Relations professional prepares us to be ready in many different situations and scenarios. This got us thinking. What other career could you see yourself in if you were not in the Donor Relations world? Leave a comment on the post in link below to let us know your thoughts! 

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Member Spotlight: Noël Schiber

Background Info
 
Can you tell us about your career trajectory? How did you come into donor relations as a career?

My degree in communications led to an internship at a science museum’s development office where I began to learn all the tools of the trade. It turns out that I had a knack for storytelling and wonderful mentors in the cultural realm, medicine, and youth development who gave me opportunities to hone it!


What influenced your interest in and passion for donor relations?

Every day, I get to meld data with heartfelt experiences and stories to build positive, rich relationships among the people who benefit from our mission and the people who believe in them. It’s a perfect job for someone like me who wears their heart on their sleeve!


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Self Care? Say No! 

Suzanne Bellanger

Brown University

Associate Director, Direct Response & Stewardship Marketing

Recently my college-aged daughter texted me an image of her freshly manicured (blue! pointy!) nails and titled it “self-care”. She’d had a rough week acclimating back to school after winter break and felt the need to do something for herself. Self-care as a “thing” is pretty buzzy these days and she buys into it wholeheartedly. And I admire her for it. She’s a serious student and she tends to be anxious in a lot of situations. But she’s also really good at recognizing internal cues and understanding when she needs to indulge a bit in order to refocus or redirect. It’s a talent she didn’t inherit from me.   

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Member Spotlight: Sonja Dotson

Sonja Dotson

Associate Director of Donor Relations for Principal Gifts

Western Michigan University

 

Background Info: 

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The Missing Voice

Kathleen Diemer

Associate Vice President, Advancement Relations

George Mason University 

Gather with any group of donor relations professionals and talk will eventually turn to best practices. How do we create the perfect reports, recognition pieces and events?  What innovative programs or activities will surprise and delight our donors?

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From the Editors - January 2023

Marcelle Austin, Editor

Suzanne Bellanger, Associate Editor

Rachel Humphrey, Associate Editor

Almost nine months ago, we introduced you to The Hub’s editorial board of Marcelle, Rachel, and Suzanne. We are so very pleased to bring you this newsletter each month. Thank you to all readers (almost 3K!). Thank you to the many contributors who have been gracious enough to partner with us so far. Thank you to the ADRP staff who are integral to delivering this member benefit.

We’ve made a lot of changes since we started, and we’d like to show it off and invite you to be a part of The Hub–new and improved!

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