Apra Partner Webinar: News Alerts: The Hidden Gem of Prospecting and Connecting with Frontline Fundraisers

Amy Doherty (Begg) is the Senior Director of Research and Prospect Management at Harvard Business School, leading efforts to build donor pipelines. Prior to her role at HBS, Amy served as the Executive Director of Pipeline Optimization at Emory University, spearheading strategies to enhance donor engagement and maximize fundraising impact. At Emory, she oversaw the Research & Prospect Management teams. With 18 years of leadership experience at Harvard University, Amy was instrumental in shaping the institution's approach to prospect management. In 2016, she established the first prospect management team for the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and has since provided strategic guidance to development offices across Harvard, including the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, the Kennedy School of Government, the Graduate School of Education, and the Divinity School. Amy is also a cofounder and partner of Cypriped LLC, a cryptocurrency mining company. Amy served as a trustee for the University System of New Hampshire, overseeing the state’s public colleges and universities. She is a past president and board member of the New England Development Research Association (NEDRA) and has previously served on the board (including chair) of the Plymouth State Alumni Association. She is a member of the DRIVE Conference Planning Committee.

Jenn Grasso - has been a proud member of the NEDRA research community for over 12 years, serving as a Board Member from 2017-2020. She is currently the Director of Advancement Research & Prospect Management at Bates College. As the title implies, Jenn splits her focus between prospect research and prospect management, working closely with Bates' VP of Advancement and the frontline fundraising team. Prior to joining Bates, Jenn was Senior Prospect Development Analyst at Trust for Public Land, and she found her passion working in the field of research as an Assistant Director of Development Research at Bowdoin College. 

An active member of her community and environmental advocate, Jenn has served in leadership roles as the founding president of her neighborhood's HOA, and a former member of the Town of Cumberland, Maine's Lands and Conservation Committee, Sustainability Subcommittee, and Climate Action Plan Subcommittee.

Dhruv Sogani - brings over 15 years of experience across multiple industries in the digital domain, excelling in leadership, product management, and business development. An engineer by education, he has co-founded two startups and served as a mentor for multiple startups. Currently, he heads AlmaConnect, a software company that accelerates prospect discovery & engagement via news alerts for advancement teams, as the co-founder and COO. AlmaConnect is an industry leader in news scanning and employment updates and partners with some of the top schools & non-profits around the world. 

Prior to setting up AlmaConnect, Dhruv shaped product strategies and key partnerships at Knowcross (2015–2019), a leading software company in international hospitality. His first start-up, Innovese, which he co-founded while finishing university, was India’s first CAPTCHA advertising platform, later acquired by a German media conglomerate. 

Outside of his love for all things software, Dhruv is passionate about engaging communities and fundraising for social impact. During the COVID-19 crisis, he co-founded MoFA (Medical Oxygen for all) that was instrumental in providing health support across 80+ districts in India, by raising over 1.5M in USD during the peak of the crisis.