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Summary

Strategic Leader, Relationship Builder, and Partnership Developer situated to inspire stakeholders’ commitment to evolution, to uphold industry standards of excellence, and to implement high-impact organizational practices, while maximizing the social and human capital necessary to guide sustainable innovative development of the organization.

  • Enthusiastic, inspirational, and resilient service-leader who consistently commits to continuous quality improvement of processes and procedures, innovates business approaches and initiatives, and fosters solution-driven collaboration among strategic partners.
  • Talented advancement professional that includes comprehensive campaign development and execution, and division-wide infrastructure design and enhancements.
  • Skilled relationship builder among diverse constituents who creates a transparent environment with clear lines of responsibility and accountability, serving as an ambassador of the organization.
  • Motivated collaborator with a flexible demeanor, high degree of diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness who reliably delivers outcomes that align with the strategic priorities of the organization.

Professional Experience

20162018

Executive Director of Campaign

Creighton University, Omaha, NE
  • Create and implement systems and solutions to support a $650 million comprehensive campaign across the university’s nine schools and colleges and administered the campaign's centralized budget.  
  • Developed and directed cultivation initiatives and events that generated philanthropic support in excess of $5 million.
  • Directed and grew advancement communications and brand development as it related to alumni engagement, annual giving, and campaign fundraising activities, creating campaign materials to promote and celebrate fundraising priorities and milestones.
  • Implemented and led the ongoing professional development and education for the deans and their development teams about the  behaviors and strategies for achievement of campaign’s objectives.
  • Responsible for all volunteer oversight and recruitment, including  campaign leadership volunteers, and provided strategic direction and staffing for Trustee and Campaign committees.
  • Developed and maintained key relationships with colleagues in University Relations and across academic and administrative units to ensure campaign strategy and messaging consistency, information sharing, transparency, and collaboration among cross functional teams. 
  • As a member of the senior leadership team, oversaw appropriate university-wide policies and procedures regarding gifts, naming opportunities, and campaign practices and reporting.
20062016

Director of Campaign Operations/Special Assistant to the Vice President

University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
  • Evaluate, enhance, and implement strategies, policies, procedures, and reporting standards for the university's $300 million comprehensive campaign, oversaw all campaign activities, and collaborated on the design and production of all campaign marketing collateral.
  • Delivered oversight and leadership to 14 campaign volunteer committees, partnered with the Campaign Steering Committee to support their campaign-related prospect screening and solicitation, and coordinated efforts among the development fundraising team and the volunteer members.
  • Led, motivated, and coached direct reports to peak levels of performance and influenced accomplishments of indirect reports through staff recognition activities, thereby increasing the quality of client service, productivity, and overall morale.
  • Managed a portfolio of prospects on behalf of the vice president with an emphasis on timely outreach and sole focus on principal gifts.
  • Created and administered special constituent engagement programs for volunteers and potential benefactors to the university that included a volunteer council of 40 C-level leadership alumni and 1,300 high-profile applicants for admission.
  • Established and oversaw the division's business systems and processes, customer satisfaction, engagement initiatives and protocols for the president's participation at high-profile events and fundraising activities.
  • Redesigned and implemented reporting and other accountability tools resulting in enhanced communication of results, analysis of fundraising trends, and timely responses to queries for performance metrics.
  • Served as a member of the vice president's Advancement Leadership Team and consulted routinely with other senior level personnel to evaluate and plan university-wide strategies and division initiatives.
20032006

Assistant to the Academic VP/Institutional Review Board Coordinator

University of San Diego, San Diego, CA
  • Promoted from Office Manager for Engineering Programs (2001-2003).
  • Provided strategic guidance, advising and decision making on behalf of the provost in areas related to strategic academic and resource planning,  policy development, communications and high level analyses of new program development.
  • Inspired strong working relationships with a broad range of staff and members of the campus and external community.
  • Coached, facilitated and influenced people at all levels.
  • Planned and executed all facets of special events to support and grow the provost’s fundraising activities and strategic partnerships while operating within prescribed budgetary parameters.
  • Managed and implemented the IRB's operational procedures and compliance measures in relation to federal regulations, state laws, institutional guidelines and best practices, and accurately administered 1,000 research project files.

Education

Master of Arts in Leadership Studies

University of San Diego, San Diego, CA

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

University of San Diego, San Diego, CA

Magna cum laude

Professional Development

Workshops and Seminars

  • 2017 CASE Summer Institute, Marketing and Communications Track
  • 2017 Annual Jesuit Association of Administrators Conference Campaigns Track

Professional Societies

  • Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, Member
  • Institutional Review Board Certification Program
  • National Association of Presidential Assistants, Member

University of San Diego

  • Executive Leadership Coaching Certification
  • Leadership for Change Group Relations Conference 
  • Leadership Academy
  • 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Signature Program