Executive Director

• Sep 2020 - Present

The Butler Family Fund's mission is to seek lasting solutions to homelessness and an equitable criminal justice system. The Butler Family Fund's mission is to seek lasting solutions to homelessness and an equitable criminal justice system.

Principal

• Sep 2020 - Present

In addition to my work as the Executive Director of the Butler Family Fund, I am available for consulting engagements.My consulting work is rooted in my personal and professional commitment to social justice. I work closely with individual donors and family foundations, providing strategic guidance on expanding grantmaking programs, developing participatory grantmaking models, governance assessment and redesign, and organizational development. I have also developed innovative new funder initiatives, multi-party partnerships, and issue-and place-based funder alignment strategies.

Adjunct Associate Professor of Public Service

• Jan 2015 - Present

Strategic Philanthropy explores the fault lines within the field of philanthropy and prepares students to effectively leverage resources for their organizations. The course examines different approaches to grantmaking including: social entrepreneurship, effective altruism, venture philanthropy, social justice grantmaking, and strategic philanthropy. Students learn the differences across these conceptual frameworks and understand how they influence the ways in which foundations establish goals, develop strategies, evaluate grantees, and determine grant awards. By exploring both the conceptual and pragmatic dimensions of across grantmaking frameworks, students understand the tensions and debates within the philanthropic sector and become better prepared to identify those foundations most likely to support their work.

Part-Time Faculty

• Jun 2015 - Present

Effective fundraising for nonprofits requires an understanding of sources of private and public philanthropic support, the motivations and expectations of donors and grantmaking institutions, and facility in applying a variety of techniques and tools of fundraising. The Fundraising and Development course emphasizes matching fundraising techniques and messages to donors' values, interests, and capabilities. The course also builds the student's understanding of development issues in the nonprofit world, including sources of income, motivations and expectations of donors, and the techniques and tools that comprise fundraising. During the course, each student develops fundraising strategies and materials for a nonprofit of his/her choosing and will write a case for support, direct mail letter, and letter of inquiry, and a full grant proposal. The Grantsmanship course focused on the philanthropic sector and teaching students effective research, compelling prose, and constructive relationships with a range of foundation types. The Grantsmanship course provides insights into proposal preparation from both the grantseeking and grantmaking perspectives. The class includes a comprehensive overview of research resources, including the Internet, and proven techniques for effective writing, including grants, proposals, letters and reports.

Associate Director

• Mar 2018 - Sep 2020

Lead, manage, and advise projects in foundation strategic planning and grantmaking; foundation learning and capacity building; landscape analyses and grantmaking portfolio review; multi-party partnerships and funder alignment; strategic planning, and managing TCC Group’s portfolio of family foundations to provide advice and support for $25 million in annual grantmaking. Contribute to the design and execution of TCC Group’s philanthropic sector research agenda and thought leadership with a specific focus on social justice philanthropy and exploring how strategic equity commitments and internal institutional practices can align and reinforce each other.

Assistant Director

• Feb 2015 - Feb 2018

As the Assistant Director of the Veatch Program, I was responsible for the effective management of our program and leadership within the broader philanthropic sector. In addition to sharing staff supervision, I oversaw special initiatives including the evaluation of the program’s overall grantmaking strategy and the design and implementation of a new assessment protocol for long-term Veatch grantees. My responsibilities also included management ofthe Democratic Participation, Civil and Constitutional Rights, and Community Organizing program areas.

Acting Executive Director

• Jul 2016 - Sep 2016

Senior Program Officer

• Jul 2013 - Feb 2015

The Veatch Program funds community initiatives and organizations working on a wide variety of social justice issues. The organizations in my portfolio work to build the power of disenfranchised communities and seek to hold decision-makers accountable to the needs of low-income people and other traditionally marginalized groups. Many of my grantees are civil society organizations fighting to preserve and extend basic human rights, including racial and sexual equality, reproductive freedom, and freedom from all forms of discrimination. I also direct our capacity-building initiatives including: managing an annual cohort of grantees selected to receive intensive technical assistance; developing a financial health assessment tool for social justice organizations; a webinar series to train organizing groups to prevent opposition attacks; and a civic engagement capacity-building program for community organizations in low-income communities and communities of color.

Program Officer

• Sep 2007 - Jul 2013

My responsibilities included preparing strategy briefs, regional overviews, portfolio analysis, and presentations for the Veatch Program Board of Governors and the Congregational Leadership on developments in my core program areas: Democratic Participation, Civil and Constitutional Rights, and Community Organizing program areas. I also led the assessment of our grantee's capacity-building needs and developed several specific initiatives including: an ongoing annual cohort of Veatch Program grantees selected to receive intensive technical assistance; an occasional webinar series to train organizing groups to prevent opposition attacks; and, an 18-month civic engagement capacity-building program.

Adjunct Professor

• Jan 2015 - Dec 2017

The course reviews issues of economic globalization and America's declining superpower role with a focus on two major trends: the shifting fate of nations and the rise of people power in defining the new world order. The course looks at how national and corporate powers are emerging around technology, energy, and the environment. It also looks at the growing role of people power and social movements, in conflict with both established power systems and traditional hierarchies based on race, gender, class, religion and nationality. The goal of the course is to teach students about the major global trends shaping today’s political issues and choices. I focus on the interaction of people power with state power, corporate power and nature in creating pathways for change that expand democracy and advance human rights, economic and social equality, and a sustainable environment.

Director of Grantmaking Programs

• Aug 2004 - Aug 2007

At JFSJ, I managed a portfolio that included grantmaking to community organizing and advocacy groups, redevelopment and recovery grants in the Gulf Coast region (following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita), the Seasons Fund for Social Transformation (a Ford Foundation initiative), and management of the individual donor-advised fund program. At JFSJ, I managed a portfolio that included grantmaking to community organizing and advocacy groups, redevelopment and recovery grants in the Gulf Coast region (following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita), the Seasons Fund for Social Transformation (a Ford Foundation initiative), and management of the individual donor-advised fund program.

Program Manager

• 2003 - 2004

At JFN, I developed customized strategies to encourage collaboration and partnership between public, private, family, community foundations, and individual funders. My work included coordinating national and international conference calls, small group business meetings, large educational seminars, and member referrals for individuals with shared funding interests. At JFN, I developed customized strategies to encourage collaboration and partnership between public, private, family, community foundations, and individual funders. My work included coordinating national and international conference calls, small group business meetings, large educational seminars, and member referrals for individuals with shared funding interests.

Acting Deputy Director

• Jul 1999 - Jul 2003

I created a strong financial base for this non-endowed public foundation through successful solicitation of a one million dollar endowed memorial fund, expanded giving from grassroots activists, increased gifts by major donors, corporate sponsorship, and capacity building grants from foundations. I was responsible for supervision of a staff of eight on all finance, fundraising, operations, and personnel matters in addition to exercising direct oversight of all aspects of the grant review and allocation process. During my time at the North Star Fund, I also worked as a Development Officer and Program Associate.

Assistant to the President for Community Development

• May 1998 - May 1999

I worked directly with the President and served as a liaison to the Student Government, Alumni Board and Board of Trustees. My responsibilities included working to improve the recruitment and retention of students of color, increasing faculty engagement with campus-wide conversations on diversity in the classroom and community, and identifying opportunities to engage students in the robust civic life of the town of Yellow Springs, home to Antioch College. I worked directly with the President and served as a liaison to the Student Government, Alumni Board and Board of Trustees. My responsibilities included working to improve the recruitment and retention of students of color, increasing faculty engagement with campus-wide conversations on diversity in the classroom and community, and identifying opportunities to engage students in the robust civic life of the town of Yellow Springs, home to Antioch College.