Plug In to Small Shops

Prisca Zaccaria is an accomplished leader in higher education advancement and a recognized expert in prospect development, with over 23 years of experience in the field. As the Executive Director for Prospect Development at the University of South Carolina, she plays a crucial role in driving fundraising success and aligning philanthropic strategies with the university's long-term objectives.|Before her position at USC, Prisca held a senior role in prospect development at the University of Georgia. There, she was instrumental in supporting two comprehensive fundraising campaigns. Her collaboration with cross-functional teams significantly enhanced donor pipelines and secured major and principal gifts, which greatly boosted UGA's fundraising efforts.

A key strength of Prisca's leadership is her emphasis on data-driven strategies to improve the productivity of prospect development teams and foster fundraising growth. She has led the integration of innovative processes and analytics, ensuring the identification and cultivation of high-potential donors. This approach has contributed to substantial increases in major gifts and overall fundraising success. Additionally, she has streamlined the metrics used to measure team impact and demonstrate how strategic prospect development drives successful fundraising campaigns and philanthropic initiatives.

Prisca's contributions extend beyond her institutional roles. She serves as the Program and social media Director for Apra-Georgia and has previously held the position of Award Committee Chair for Apra-PD. Her leadership experience also includes being the Education Chair for Apra-Carolinas, a Board Director for GEAC, an AFP and AASP Leadership Mentor, and a faculty member for CASE's Prospect Development training.|Her active involvement at both the regional and national levels, including presentations at conferences and contributions to various webinars and panels, highlights her commitment to advancing best practices in prospect development and fostering growth within the profession.

Chris Copsey is the UNC Health Foundation's Assistant Vice President of Prospect Development. Since 2019, Chris has provided the Health Foundation with research and analytical support, mainly supporting grateful patient, cultivation, and solicitation activities. He is responsible for the management of all Prospect Development work for the Foundation and leads a small team that is in charge of researching prospects, providing analysis of prospect data, and performing portfolio management and optimization for a development officer staff of about 20 officers. He is also very active in Apra, serving currently as the President-Elect of Apra Carolinas., and is a member of the Apra EPD Committee.

Marianne Pelletier has over 35 years of experience in fundraising, with the majority in prospect research and prospecting. She is one of the first adopters of donor modeling and data mining techniques, and is now a world-renown leader on this segment of the research profession. Her prospect research positions include analyst and department head for Harvard University, Lesley University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Cornell University.||Pelletier's career also includes running an annual giving program with average increased revenues of 27% per year and providing software consulting through the Datatel Corporation, teaching clients both how to use their new software and assisting them with better analysis and more efficient processing.||A recipient of a lifetime achievement award from the New England Development Research Association and a Woman of the Year designation by the National Association of Professional Women, Pelletier has served as a volunteer for both election campaigns and social service agencies. She most recently served on her local chapter of Habitat for Humanity and ended her board membership with the Finger Lakes chapter of AFP as president.||Pelletier is a graduate of Rockford University, and earned her MBA at Southern New Hampshire University. Her recent workbook, Building Your Analytics Shop: A Workbook for Nonprofits, is available both on Amazon.com and on this website.

Stephanie is the Senior Manager of Prospect Development at Creative Fundraising Advisors and is passionate about helping nonprofits understand the “science” of fundraising, and how to effectively use data and research to enhance the “art” of fundraising. Stephanie has over a decade of experience in prospect research, prospect management, and data analytics at both higher education and nonprofit organizations. Stephanie has been a loyal Apra member and volunteer since 2013. For six years, she served on the Apra Indiana Board in roles including webmaster, programming chair, treasurer, and vice president. In 2019, Stephanie co-founded the Apra Great Lakes chapter to launch a new regional experience for local state chapters. Stephanie has been a regular attendee and speaker at the annual Apra PD conference and served on the Curriculum Planning Committee for three years. In 2023, she was honored to serve as the chair of the Apra PD conference in Indianapolis and is currently a member of the Apra Board and the Apra Foundation. Stephanie has an undergraduate degree in education and a master’s degree in library science. She is certified in the Tessitura and Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge databases. Since 2010, Stephanie has been a Gallup-certified Strengths coach and has helped hundreds of people understand, apply, and integrate CliftonStrengths results into their lives and work. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Stephanie recently moved from Indianapolis, Indiana to Three Rivers, Michigan. 

Jessica joined CCS in 2015 and brings over two decades of experience in nonprofit fundraising management and consulting. As Vice President of Data Analytics, she has worked with approximately 1,000 clients worldwide, leveraging data-driven insights to develop tailored development strategies. Her expertise spans Annual and Major Giving, Donor Relations, Event Planning, and Data Analytics, allowing her to craft innovative solutions that enhance fundraising effectiveness. Jessica's passion for development began in college when she worked as a student caller and manager at Binghamton University. Before joining CCS, she served as the Director of Development at Columbia University, where she led strategic planning efforts and solicited major gifts. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director of Annual Giving at Fordham University, managing a $1 million telemarketing program and overseeing engagement initiatives for an alumni network of over 120,000 individuals. She holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit & Fundraising Management from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science in Management from Binghamton University. Jessica lives in Queens, NY, with her husband and nine-year-old son, and enjoys exploring the vibrant streets of NYC in her free time.

Lauren Woodring is the Associate Director, High Net Worth at Yale University. She most recently was at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where she had been the Director of Prospect Research and Management. She started her prospect development career at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts (now Ensemble Arts Philly) before moving to the museum. Lauren is a member of the board of directors for Apra International.  She has also served in leadership positions with Apra Pennsylvania and AASP. Lauren is a graduate of Lebanon Valley College, and has a MA in History from LaSalle University, and a M.Litt in Museum and Gallery Studies from St. Andrews University in the United Kingdom. Lauren lives in Philadelphia and New Haven with her partner and their cat, Mona.

Rachel Hammond is the donor research coordinator for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. Starting her career in advancement services at her alma mater, Hammond learned the importance of donor cultivation, retention and engagement as a student caller, call center manager and advancement intern. As a student caller, she raised funds for scholarships by establishing relationships with alumni and friends of the college instilling in her a passion for cultivation. After one year of being a student caller and securing the largest gift during the spring giving season, she was promoted to be the student call center manager where she assigned calling pools, trained students in the calling program and mentored them as they finished out their college careers. Learning the value of retention in this role, Hammond strived to see her college colleagues succeed just as she did and continue the legacy of the student calling program.||As the advancement intern, Hammond harnessed her passion for engagement and development as she built the in-house calling program, implemented the student philanthropy association and learned about each role in advancement services. This experience led her to the position she holds today at Moody, where she harnesses all the skills she learned at her alma mater as well as the ability to uncover key wealth indicators and harness her research skills to find hidden gems in the CRM.||Hammond also has a passion for serving the Apra community! She is the secretary and communication chair for the Apra Indiana Board of Directors, as well as the chair of the Education and Professional Development (EPD) committee. She loves giving back to the Apra community as they have poured into her for the past three years!

Don is the Senior Manager of Prospect Research and Strategy at Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. He earned his BA in History and Anthropology at the University of Minnesota Duluth and MSc in Science and Religion at the University of Edinburgh School of Divinity. He continued in graduate research and teaching History and Philosophy of Science at Arizona State University before moving back to Minnesota to raise his children close to family. Don joined Apra Minnesota and Apra International in 2018 and earned his CFRE in 2021. He is grateful for the support of the Apra community and enthusiastic about giving back as a board member and co-chair of the programming committee for Apra Minnesota.

Susan Quinn is an experienced leader in fundraising operations in large and small institutions.  Today she is Executive Director of Advancement Services and Campaign Manager at Lenoir-Rhyne University in western North Carolina where she leads an agile team of four who provide research, analysis, data integrity and campaign support to LR's fundraising teams. At PD 2024, Susan co-presented ""Small & Mighty"" with Jon Kingzette of Campbell & Co. That presentation delivered survey results from practitioners in small shops who shared their challenges and strategies for success and professional growth. 

Rachael Dietrich Walker is entering her fifteenth year in prospect development. In June 2024, she joined St. Luke's Health Foundation as its first Donor Strategy Manager, where she is building a brand new prospect development program. She comes to healthcare after a career spent in higher education. Rachael is a longtime member of the Apra Carolinas board and currently serves as its President; she has also served in several volunteer roles for Apra International, most recently on the Apra Fundamentals Winter faculty.  She holds an MLIS from UNC-Greensboro and a BA from the University of Richmond. 

Brittani Williams, MBA, is a seasoned fundraising expert with extensive experience in development operations, prospect development, and fundraising strategy. Currently serving as the Director of Development Operations and Prospect Development at the Houston Zoo, Brittani brings over twenty years of fundraising expertise to her role.| |With a background deeply rooted in the philanthropic sector, Brittani has dedicated over eight years to the Houston Zoo, progressively advancing from Development Research Analyst to her current position as Director. In her current capacity, she spearheads strategic initiatives to drive philanthropic growth and engagement, leveraging her finely honed skills in prospect research, relationship management, and operational excellence. Her work is exemplified in the Houston Zoo's largest campaign in its history, the ""Keeping Our World Wild"" centennial campaign, which raised over $150 million dollars for the Zoo and its conservation partners worldwide.| |Prior to her tenure at the Zoo, Brittani made significant contributions to the University of Houston, where she served in various roles within the University Advancement division. Notably, she played a pivotal role in supporting the silent phase of the University's ""Here, We Go"" campaign contributing to the remarkable success of the $1.2 billion dollar fundraising effort. Prior to positions in the nonprofit realm, Brittani held roles in political consulting, political campaign fundraising, and congressional constituent relations. | |Brittani holds a BS in Political Science and Psychology (dual majors) and an MBA specializing in Global Management and Business Modeling & Decision Making, all from the University of Houston.  ||Brittani has been a member of Apra International since 2016 and was elected to the Board of Directors in 2024. Previously she has served in several volunteer roles with Apra International, including with the Conference Planning Committee, Chapters Committee, Nominations Committee, Awards Committee and Campaigns Task Force. She previously served as a board member for Apra greater Houston and as a member of the best practices in prospect development committee with aasp. Brittani was a 2022 nominee for the Houston Business Journal's Women Who Mean Business award. |

Jennifer Schlager embarked on her philanthropy journey during her time as a student at the University of Michigan - Dearborn in 2010. With a comprehensive background spanning various roles, she has demonstrated expertise in volunteer coordination, event management, front-line fundraising and currently works as the Manager, Prospect Research & Data Analytics at Trinity Health. She finds great joy and fulfillment in her work within philanthropy.||Schlager served on the Apra Ethics and Compliance Committee from 2020-2023 and is proudly serving on the committee once again. Outside of her professional endeavors, she finds joy in quality time with her husband and son, while also passionately supporting the Detroit Lions.