Welcome to Brazen Careerist!

About Me

Well, I definitely believe that the best part of a career is the journey, and you are better off throwing any thought of a destination out the window.

I started my professional life as a 16 year-old working the frialator at McDonalds while wearing a sombrero to mark the groundbreaking launch of the breakfast burrito. That taught me that I absolutely never wanted to work in fast-food again. After college it was off to law school to be the next Matlock, but after a few years of litigation it felt right to return to my first love - the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits are the place to be if you want to contribute to yourself everyday, and my career as an attorney and fundraiser has brought me from San Francisco to Addis Ababa, and many places in between. My professional interests include fundraising, the nonprofit sector and nonprofit law, and social media and online communities.

I live in NYC with my husband, and two cats. I doubt I'll ever leave New York City, as I'm just too lazy to live in a place where I can't order in whatever my heart desires.

Work History

• New York Law School
• Assistant Vice President of Development
• April 2008 to Present

• As the Assistant VP of Development I manage the day to day fundraising operations at New York Law School, including overseeing major gift, planned giving, direct mail, research, and gift processing activities. I also plan special events, and manage special giving campaigns including the Law School's Capital Campaign. I started my career at NYLS in April 2008 as Director of Major and Planned Gifts and was promoted to AVP of Development in January 2009.

• Millennium Promise and Malaria No More
• Director of Developmet/Business Development
• September 2006 to April 2008

• Millennium Promise and Malaria No More are sister organizations focused on eradicating poverty and disease in Africa. As the first Development Director at Millennium Promise I oversaw the fundraising, and completion, of the organization's first $100M campaign. My work at Malaria No More focused on business development, creation of partnerships, and online organizing and education.

• Amnesty International USA
• Director of Major Gifts
• October 2004 to September 2006

• Directed all major gift activities for annual fund and capital campaign. Directed a staff of eight people in New York and California. Drafted strategic plans for both programmatic and budget activities. I started my career at Amnesty International as Senior Development Officer - East, and was then promoted to Director of Major Gifts.

• Planned Parenthood Federation of America
• Manager of International Giving, Planned Giving Specialist
• May 2002 to October 2006

• As Manager of International Giving I managed fundraising activities for Planned Parenthood Federation of America's international direct service and international public policy programs. I was promoted to this position in February 2005.

  As Planned Giving Specialist I assisted in the management of $13M planned giving program that included bequests, charitable gift annuities, and pooled income funds. I also prepared financial reports for filing, coordinated state audits, and presented at national conferences on planned giving best practices.

• New York City Law Department, Division of Special Federal Litigation
• Assistant Corporation Counsel
• March 2000 to April 2002

• Attorney with the Special Federal Litigation Division of the New York City Law Department. Litigated civil rights cases in federal court from inception to trial or settlement.

Education

• New York University (Robert Wagner School of Public Service)
• Master of Public Administration, Nonprofit management, finance, and public policy
• 2002 - 2005

• New York Law School
• J.D., Law
• 1996 - 1999

• Brandeis University
• B.A., English and American Literature, American Studies
• 1992 - 1996