Executive Director

Yates Cultural & Recreational Resources, Inc.

I have worked in Revenue Cycle Management for almost 20 years and working in direct fundraising positions for 15 years.

I'm a writer at heart, so I have found my niche with grant writing. I enjoy the storytelling aspect, and I love being able to make a difference within an organization to further support their mission. 

I decided to join because I had recently started a new position with an organization that is in the middle of a large multi-million-dollar capital campaign. I was looking for further resources to improve my education on donor management and capital campaigns, since in all of my years fundraising, I have yet to work on a large-scale capital campaign.

Having access to educational resources like webinars focused specifically on fundraising, and also networking with other professionals has been a huge help for me.

I have actually tried out using AI for some tasks. At one of the coffee chats, a colleague brought up using AI for letter writing. So, I started out small with letters and volunteer position descriptions. I had my hesitations about it, but it proved very useful.

I.D.E.A is important in every aspect of a business. For myself personally, I was raised in an LGBTQ+ home so when I have witnessed discrimination in the workplace or lack of representation it really hits home for me. We are all part of the same community, and everyone should be represented and treated equally. As an Executive Director, I have a unique opportunity to see the whole picture and the impact that it makes when everyone is represented, and everyone can have fun in a safe and accepting environment. I am able to incorporate that in my fundraising efforts by thinking outside the box of how an organization can make improvements on accessibility and what funding sources we can utilize to do that.

Fundraising also isn't about just sitting behind a desk writing up requests for funds, it's also about those personal connections you make within the community. A person needs to be able to have the skillset to communicate effectively without bias to the people your programs serve, to potential donors, and to the other resource organizations you collaborate with in the community.

Join if you haven't yet already. Utilize as many resources as you can. If you can't make the free webinars, you can always register and watch them at a later date. Attend the networking events as often as you can because having that fundraiser colleague support is crucial for your sanity sometimes haha.