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.

Elizabeth is the development national operations and administration manager at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in Washington, DC. Previously, she worked as a contract prospect researcher at USHMM and in the Photographic History Collections at Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. She graduated summa cum laude in art history from Skidmore College. Elizabeth joined the APRA Metro DC Chapter in 2022, and she is thrilled to begin volunteering for APRA International.

Clay (the “T.” is silent) has been developing organizations and advancing missions for over thirty years. He’s held just about every position in nonprofit fundraising and communications from Grant Writer to Chief Development Officer and everything in between. He’s a wide-eyed optimist about the power of generosity to change the world and focuses primarily on individual giving, strategic planning, teaching and training, storytelling, and building systems that support and empower successful, ethical fundraising. Clay is the founder and principal of TCB Fundraising, creator of the Fundraiser’s Planner, and co-host of the #1 ranked fundraising podcast “Fundraising is Funny.”

Cannon Brooke, founder of BROOKE Solutions, specializes in data-driven insights for nonprofits of all sizes. Building on his extensive experience, he integrates creativity and analytics to offer prospect identification, wealth analysis, giving trends, and engagement strategy services to organizations throughout the United States. Cannon has served in leadership roles at Chapman University, the University of Hawaii Foundation, and Hawaii Pacific Health, where he spearheaded successful prospect research for annual giving programs, capital projects, comprehensive campaigns, and legacy giving. He's been a guest on several podcasts and webinars, featured in publications like The Major Gifts Reports and Successful Fundraising, and is a board member of The California Advancement Researchers Association and Chairs APRA's Executive Leadership Cohort committee.

Lauren has been a member of the Data Intelligence team at Blackbaud for the last three and a half years as a Sr. Strategic Consultant. She previously served as the Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at Penn State University, Abington Campus.  She has enjoyed a 16-year career in development, specializing in both K-12 and higher education.  Driven by a deep passion for education, she believes in making education more accessible and affordable for all students. Throughout her career she has remained focused on increasing donor participation and retention through intentional relationship building, impactful event production, donor database management, and donor stewardship. 

Lauren holds her undergraduate degree in Political Science from The George Washington University, and a master’s degree from Ashford University in Public Administration. She also holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management from Harvard University. In her downtime, Lauren enjoys spending time with family, including her ornery dog Gigi, and volunteering with her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  

Lauren Taylor serves as a customer success manager at Windfall, where she leverages her expertise in partner success and client strategy. With over two years at Windfall, Taylor has played key roles in customer and partner management.

  Prior to Windfall, she held senior positions at FreeWill and Fred Hutch, specializing in planned giving and outreach. Taylor holds a degree in Spanish and communication studies from Central College, enriching her diverse experience in customer success and nonprofit partnerships.

Dan Hoff is a skilled senior product manager at Windfall, where he leads the development of innovative wealth intelligence solutions. With a focus on driving product initiatives, Hoff works closely with cross-functional teams to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency.

  His background in biomedical engineering and product management enables him to create solutions that address customer needs while optimizing business operations. Hoff holds a bachelor's degree in biomedical engineering from Brown University.

Ligia’s superpower is helping nonprofits design data-driven and evidence-based legacy strategies so they may raise more funds for their mission. She has held her CFRE designation since 2007 and is President of GlobetrottingFundraiser where she merges her passion for travel, capacity building, and legacy fundraising by working with charities around the globe.

Ligia is also pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Kent where she is researching the role that trust and confidence plays in legacy fundraising. As an AFP Master Trainer, she’s trained countless fundraisers around the globe by enthusiastically sharing her knowledge by empowering nonprofit professionals to think about legacies differently through creativity and innovation. 

Marissa Maybee is the Director of Nonprofit Customer Success at Windfall. Her team helps Windfall’s 800+ nonprofit customers leverage the power of data science to design fundraising outreach and segmentation strategies. Marissa has more than a decade of experience working at the intersection of nonprofit strategy and data science and holds an MBA from Georgetown University

Gabriella Snow is an Account Executive at Windfall, collaborating with clients to harness data-driven insights for their success. With six years of SaaS sales experience in various roles, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of the sales process. Gabriella is committed to empowering organizations through innovative solutions and holds a B.A. from the University of Chicago. 

Courtney has helped build comprehensive due diligence programs at MIT and UC Berkeley, and most recently worked with Stanford University to assess and refine their existing due diligence processes. Prior to due diligence, Courtney worked in prospect development at MIT and the Appalachian Mountain Club in Boston. They currently split their time between Colorado and Idaho and can often be found climbing or running through the mountains with their dog, Stanley.

Molly Johnson is the Senior Director of Prospect Development at MIT where she leads the prospect research, prospect management, and philanthropic due diligence functions.

Her journey in higher education fundraising has been iterative, from prospect researcher to campaign volunteer manager to fundraiser to AI start up to her current role at MIT. The hallmark of Molly’s career is her ability to employ design thinking to identify problems, develop unique solutions, and co-create value. This highly collaborative style enabled Molly to tackle several complex organizational challenges, including individualized performance metrics with the School of Engineering, which culminated in the Leader of the Year award.

Today Molly is excited to share her expertise in creating, developing, and sustaining a responsive program to help you assess risk and make decisions that support your organization’s mission.

Beca is an Account Executive at Xapien, having worked across customer success, sales and product development, all focused on the non profit and fundraising sector. She now leads on the higher education sector at Xapien.

During her time at Xapien, Beca has been involved in various aspects of developing the product to better serve universities and nonprofits, acting as a liaison between customers and the product team. Her work has often been focused on adapting the product to the changing world, including integrating fully up-to-date sanctions and watchlist data after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and adapting adverse media categories to align with the reputational risks universities and nonprofits face in a changing world.

Beca has a background in research and higher education, with a first class degree in English Literature and an MA in Literature, Criticism and Culture from the University of Cambridge.

Krista Pierce is the Senior Associate Director of Due Diligence Research at Tufts University, where she joined the prospect development team in 2015. Since assuming her current role in 2021, Krista has helped to create the University’s first in-house due diligence program, which included developing a new policy and procedure, research reports, and risk analysis scoring. In addition to managing the due diligence program’s day-to-day operations, Krista has also acted as a subject expert to peer institutions and colleagues, and, most recently, gave a comprehensive workshop on due diligence at APRA’s Prospect Development 2023.

 Prior to her due diligence work, Krista served in a variety of roles at Tufts, where her responsibilities were divided between prospect management and prospect research, with a particular expertise in international prospect research. Krista came to Tufts from Tufts Medical Center, where she helped to develop the fundraising office’s first prospect research program. Krista graduated from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH with a B.A. in English.

Catherine Flaatten, MPH, CFRE, is the associate vice president of prospect development at BWF where she partners with clients to develop creative solutions to their prospect development challenges. Previously, she served in various roles at The George Washington University, most recently as the managing director of research and relationship management. Catherine has also worked in prospect development at Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry, the National Psoriasis Foundation, and the BrightFocus Foundation. A regular speaker and author, Catherine currently serves on Apra’s Board of Directors, Fundamentals Committee, and Foundation Board of Trustees. Former volunteer roles include serving as president and programming chair of Apra Metro DC, chairing the aasp Best Practices in Prospect Development and Apra Membership Committees, and serving on Apra’s Body of Knowledge and PD Curriculum Planning Committees. Catherine holds a BA in International Affairs and an MPH in Maternal and Child Health, both from The George Washington University.

Currently the Senior Research Analyst specializing in Principal Gifts ($10M+ capacity) for Duke Health Development and Alumni Affairs, I have been a prospect researcher for nearly two decades, having started my career at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, PA in 2007. I joined Duke Health in 2014.  In 2021, working directly with the Vice President, I developed a presentation on reputational risk and due diligence in response to incidents at peer and other institutions, and am currently collaborating with our Stewardship team and Duke University’s development team to craft a robust program for identifying “red flags” and protecting the reputation of Duke Health. I received my B.A. in English w/Cultural and Community Studies with honors from the University of Sussex in Brighton, E. Sussex, UK. I reside in Durham, NC and like to play music in my free time and to practice target archery with my English longbow.

Kerry is the Chief Executive of Prospecting for Gold. She has over 30 years’ experience in research, policy and management. She joined Prospecting for Gold in 2012 and currently leads our research consultancy and data protection work. She also runs our training programme, sharing her expertise in webinars and seminars. Before she moved to the UK from Australia in 2005, Kerry worked in the water industry then ran her own research and communication consultancy, supporting leading companies within the research industry. A career highlight was providing customer insights to help determine the future of Australia’s largest water company. Kerry also ran an independent film production company and wrote and produced a feature film that was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. Kerry has written hundreds of user-friendly reports and presented to wide-ranging audiences at national and international conferences, seminars, and board meetings. Kerry volunteers both within the charity sector and in her local community. She is a trustee of Cure Parkinson’s and sits on the Chartered Institute for Fundraising’s Consultants Special Interest Group committee. She is a member of the Market Research Society and president of the UK branch of the University of Melbourne’s Alumni Association. Closer to home, Kerry is a volunteer citizen scientist, helping to protect her local river, the Chess.

Maria started her career in the financial sector as a risk-based researcher and due diligence specialist. After 10 years at Dow Jones she moved to the charity sector as an independent consultant to support charities on their ethical fundraising and conducting ethical checks.

Thanks to her background in translation she is fluent in five languages and specifically trained in conducting due diligence across different jurisdictions.

She joined Prospecting for Gold in June 2024 as a Researcher to add to the company’s due diligence and corporate and trust research services. As a polyglot and food lover, she enjoys travelling to practise her language skills and exploring new cuisines.

Bethany Andorfer Morley works at the West Chester University Foundation as the Director of Prospect Strategy and Research. Driven by a passion for learning new tools and creating innovative systems and strategies, she enjoys collaborating with fundraisers and prospect development professionals. With nearly 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, including a decade as a frontline fundraiser, she has worked in higher education, health and human services and arts and culture.

John Sammis is a Senior Vice President of Data Analytics for CCS Fundraising. He brings more than 30 years of experience with statistical analysis and predictive modeling. John has devoted more than 20 years of his career to charities, universities, hospitals, and other nonprofit institutions, helping them produce models and use the results to achieve their fundraising goals. At CCS, John leads the Data Analytics team, which helps philanthropy and fundraising professionals apply cutting-edge data analytics tools to address specific organizational objectives. John is constantly reviewing the latest statistics tools and innovations to ensure that CCS applies the best approach for each client. John has a BS in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University and an MBA from Cornell University.

Lindsey Nadeau is vice president of data, insight, and campaigns at UNICEF USA, where she guides the philanthropy division toward data-driven decision-making and automation across campaign planning, prospect research, relationship management, database management, reporting, analytics, gift processing, and record management. She has previously held advancement services roles at The George Washington University, the Center for American Progress, The American University, and Public Citizen. Lindsey is Secretary of Apra International’s board of directors, where she has held multiple volunteer roles including chairing the 2020 Prospect Development conference. She previously chaired aasp’s Prospect Development Best Practices committee, co-chaired CASE’s Prospect Development conference, and contributed to CASE’s 2023 book Advancement Strategies: A Reference Guide for Advancement Services Professionals, 4th Edition. Lindsey holds a BA in economics from The American University. 

Michael (Mike) Foote joined Dartmouth’s Advancement team in 2001 and currently serves as the Assistant Vice President of Development Operations and Performance. In this role, Mike collaborates closely with senior leadership to drive strategic initiatives that enhance fundraising effectveness and operational excellence. He plays a key role in shaping best practices across the department to maximize the impact of Dartmouth’s fundraising efforts.

Mike also leads Dartmouth’s Research and Prospect Management team, overseeing the identification and cultivation of high-potential donors in alignment with the college’s fundraising priorities. He has held
Additional roles in his time with Dartmouth included oversight of donor engagement and interim director of Dartmouth’s recognition and stewardship team, where he strengthened the college’s donor-centric approach to relationship-building and stewardship.

Before transitioning to the non-profit sector, Mike spent five years with the National Basketball Association (NBA), where he directed research initiatives and provided strategic insights for marketing and media sales teams. His work supported the NBA’s domestic and global positioning through client-targeted research. Prior to the NBA, Mike held various roles at Nielsen Media Research, where he focused on television ratings and audience analysis.

Mike earned a Bachelor of Arts in Quantitative Analysis from St. John’s University and an MBA from the Lubin School of Business at Pace University. He is an active speaker in the development research community, has contributed to the APRA International Conference curriculum committee, and is a member of both APRA and NEDRA.

Megan Tedeschi is the Managing Director, Prospect Development for UNICEF USA where establishes the priorities and vision for the prospect development area including moves management, pipeline development, prospect research, data hygiene and reporting standards to drive data-informed fundraising. Working in Prospect Development for over 10 years, Megan has gained expertise in due diligence best practices, corporate and institutional research, philanthropic trend analysis, team building and project management. She previously held Prospect Development roles at The George Washington University, Johnson & Wales University, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Megan holds a BA in Art History from Boston University. She lives in Portland on an apple orchard with her family.

Kevin Vaughn is a Research Analyst in the Department of Development at the University of Notre Dame, where he specializes in prospect research and strategy for the Corporate and Foundation Relations team. He also plays a key role in developing due diligence policies and procedures in collaboration with other university departments. Prior to joining Development, Kevin held administrative roles in graduate programs across the humanities and global affairs. Alongside his expertise in higher education, he holds advanced degrees in music performance.

Leah Payne is the Director of Prospect Management & Research at Longwood University, a small comprehensive public university in Virginia founded in 1839. Leah has served in her current role for over 15 years and has a breath of higher education experience. She spearheads moves management, prospect research, major gift pipeline development, internal prospect giving analytics and external wealth screenings.

Before finding her latest passion in fundraising, Leah served as an assistance dean of students. Her exposure to financial aid, admissions, student conduct and student advocacy deepened her appreciation for the crucial role philanthropy plays in the success of higher education and non-profit organizations in general. Leah earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Longwood University and a Master of Education from Virginia Tech. 

Adri Viswanatha is the Director of Donor Research at Macalester College, where she is responsible for prospect strategy and portfolio management. Prior to joining the team at Mac, she worked as a prospect researcher at Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Adri began her fundraising career in Wisconsin where she worked on political campaigns at the state and national level. Adri is the current president of Apra-Minnesota.

Vidya Kagan has worked in development for 20 years, specifically in higher education and independent schools. She started her career in Harvard Law School’s development office, where she was responsible for annual giving, reunion fundraising, volunteer management, donor relations, and events.  At Noble & Greenough School, she served as the Director of Annual Giving for 3 years and as the Director of Major Gifts & Campaigns for 2 years. Her responsibilities included leadership solicitations, campaign planning, and volunteer management. She joined Menlo School’s development team in 2013 and is responsible for advancement services, which includes their Salesforce implementation and use, prospect research, and gift processing. Vidya has volunteered for and presented at many industry conferences and webinars, and has written articles related to data, databases, and research. She has collaborated with iWave, Salesforce, Cloud for Good, aasp, CASE, AFP, and Women in Development (Boston, MA).

Karl Sissman currently serves as the Director of Philanthropic Strategy at the Latin School of Chicago. In this role he oversees the annual fund, development operations, and special events. Prior to Latin, Karl held multiple roles supporting fundraising at some of Chicago's most beloved performing arts institutions including Grant Park Music Festival and Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Karl began his career as a licensed educator following the completion of a BM in Music Education from Miami University. Additionally, he is nearing the completion of his MBA at The University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. Outside of work and school, Karl loves exploring Chicago's rich food and beverage scene, seeing live theater, and traveling to see friends and family around the world.

Katelyn Martin is Managing Director, Strategic Information Services, at Campbell & Company, a national nonprofit consulting firm that helps organizations create greater impact through fundraising, communications, executive search, and strategic information services. In her 10 years with the firm, Katelyn has counseled clients across all sectors in roles ranging from strategic campaign counsel to interim development staff support. As the leader of the Strategic Information Services practice, Katelyn leverages her fundraising expertise and the advanced technical skills of her team to build the internal capacity of our clients to make data-driven decisions and build stronger donor relationships. 

Prior to joining Campbell & Company, Katelyn worked in frontline and database roles with youth-serving organizations. Katelyn graduated with a Bachelor of Music in Arts Management from Northwestern University. She lives in Chicago with her husband and two children. 

Rachel Fidler Cannella is a skilled educator & nonprofit professional with over a decade in the Arts & Culture sector.

Prior to joining the team at Instrumentl, Rachel served as Senior Manager of School & Teacher Programs at the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County, leading educational programming for 150,000+ annual school visitors at two county museum sites. She has also directed creative arts programming for teens & elders at Holocaust Museum LA and designed environmental education courses for early learners at the Portland Children’s Museum, in partnership with the Oregon Zoo.