Breakout Sessions A

Day One | Wednesday, November 13, 2024

1A: Inclusive Data - One Institution's Exercise

Following AASP Summit 2023, The College of St. Scholastica took some time to review the data elements it collects at the institutional level and within College Advancement (two different data systems). It compiled a list of questions to look at the data elements from many DEI angles. Committees then discussed WHY each element was being collected and IF any current collection practices may introduce bias against a segment of the population. This session will share the questions that were examined by the committees, discuss the processes followed to review the questions, and discuss any changes to procedures that were made. The presenter makes no claims answers derived by the committees are the absolute right answers - only that they reflect the best the institution could do at the time of the decision.

Joel Clasemann has been the Director of Advancement Services at The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, for the last 5 years. In that time he has transformed the advancement office's data and reporting practices, rewritten their policies and procedures, and begun the mindful evolution of data practices to be increasingly inclusive. His next major project, currently underway, is migrating the advancement office from a best-affordable-breed technology strategy to a cohesive strategy built around Slate for Advancement.

2A: There's Only One Way to Eat An Elephant- Gift Operations and the CRM Conversion

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Emory University's CRM conversion is set to go live during the summer of 2024. After more than 15 years on our prior heavily customized CRM, this conversion was long overdue and many years in the making. Come along to hear how the Gift Operations team approached getting ourselves ready for a CRM conversion set to go live just 7 weeks before our fiscal year end - no pressure! The Gift Operations team handles all receipting and reconciliation functions, as well as all gift documentation functions, related to charitable giving to Emory. We will discuss how we set the Gift Operations team up for success as we reviewed the technical and process-related pieces of the conversion that required getting our Gift Operations individuals prepared and comfortable with a new system that completely overhauled every aspect of our work, so they were ready to begin their work on day 1 post-cutover!

Emily Konisky is the Executive Director for Gift Operations at Emory University. With over 14 years of experience in higher education advancement Emily started her work in annual giving and quickly shifted over to the world of advancement operations. Managing a team of team of 17 advancement professionals, Emily's group is responsible for the documenting, processing, receipting, and reconciling of all charitable activity at Emory. Emily received her bachelor's degree from the University of South Carolina, was a member of the Teach for America 07ENC corps, and then received her master's degree in public administration from the University of Georgia.

3A: Start Stop Continue Accelerate Defer with Duke: A Design Thinking Playbook for Collaboration

We have applied a Design Thinking framework at the Duke University Alumni Engagement & Development division to engage cross functional teams to work together and identify quick-wins and improve organizational efficiency. We will share how we used this framework to build a fun and collaborative culture of feedback to accelerate, start, continue, stop, or defer focused initiatives for advancing all dimensions of engagement. Participants will learn how to apply this framework to their own organizations to streamline planning across cross-functional teams and get started with identifying quick wins.

Caitlin Shaw is the senior director of volunteer engagement with Duke Alumni Engagement and Development. She serves as chief volunteer engagement officer and is responsible for developing and executing a best-in-class program that supports Duke's goal of engaging alumni, parents and friends, and inspires them to share their time and talents with the Duke community. Caitlin is also responsible for leading, with the Senior Campaign staff and AED leaders, the development of the plans, policies, and data governance to ensure that these engagement targets are met successfully. Prior to this role, Caitlin worked at the Law School and with the Division of Student Affairs at Duke University. Other prior roles include serving in the Office of Alumni and Development and the Office of Residence Life at Bowling Green State University. Caitlin holds a B.A. in communication studies from Northwestern University, an M.A. in college student personnel from Bowling Green State University, and an M.B.A from Elon University.

Kathleen (Kate) McDaniel serves as the Associate Vice President for Organizational Performance and Business Operations at Duke University’s Alumni Engagement and Development (AED). Bringing over 25 years of global human resource leadership experience, Kate has held senior positions at renowned organizations such as Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Fidelity Investments, Johnson & Johnson, and Haemonetics Corporation. Her extensive expertise in business and human resources spans higher education, financial services, and healthcare sectors. Since joining Duke in March, Kate has demonstrated a deep appreciation for the university's unique culture and history. Her leadership is marked by a commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment. As AVP, Kate is dedicated to ensuring AED remains a top employer of choice, attracting and retaining the most talented professionals in the field.

Sandeep Sarawgi leads Duke University's Business Intelligence team, driving data-powered strategies for alumni engagement and development. He's building a center of excellence, fostering collaboration and process improvement through design thinking and advanced analytics. Sandeep brings over 10 years of experience in analytics consulting and leadership roles, including work with Stanford and other academic medical centers.

4A: The Wheels on the Bus: Using Data & Process to Drive a Public-Phase Campaign Prospect Pipeline

From wealth screening & data appends, to data visualizations, to driving strategy, this session will showcase the steps taken to develop and bring a public-phase campaign pipeline to life at an arts & cultural organization. We'll highlight the tools used, process, workflow, and communication strategies that allow for clear and robust discussions with leadership and fundraisers alike. Learn how to bring a wealth screening to life by layering in organization-specific data and visualizing via business intelligence tools such as Power BI or Excel. Prioritize travel planning, suspect qualification, outreach and campaign events through insights gleaned from your data. Presented as a mid-campaign case study, real-life successes and setbacks will be shared to help attendees develop a data-driven prospecting structure that works for their organization.

Wendy Saam is the Assistant Director of Research and Relationship Management at the Chautauqua Institution. She spends her days translating data into useable information for a busy Advancement Office. She has worked in Advancement Services for twelve years, first in Higher Ed and then in the Arts. In her free time, she enjoys, reading, tap dancing, fiber arts, and watching her three kids perform in musical theater.

Nicole Szydlo is the Director of Advancement Services at Chautauqua Institution, a nationally recognized arts & cultural destination located in Western New York. A dedicated life-long learner and passionate champion of the fine & performing arts, she blends her technological expertise to support mission aligned goals in the arts, education, religion and recreation programming at Chautauqua. She holds a BA in Arts Administration & Public Relations from the State University of New York at Fredonia, an AAS in Computer Science from Jamestown Community College, and an MS in Service Leadership and Innovation from Rochester Institute of Technology. When not embedded in a database, she spends her time supporting the artistic and athletic endeavors of her two teenage sons and can often be found cheering in the stands of a youth hockey game.

Elaine Hooker has been an information professional for over 20 years and brings insight into both information science and human information seeking behavior in public service, academia and the arts. She has a bachelor's in English from Furman University and a master's in library science from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has worked as a librarian in public, academic, and special library settings and in development in the education and arts sectors.

5A: Focus on the Outcome: A Philosophical Approach to Process Improvement through CRM Replacement

Advancement is changing rapidly and UC Berkeley’s database is at end of life. It is time to convert to a new CRM. We took an inclusive, transparent approach from day 1 to help foster a sense of ownership and inclusion in the process. Clear, frequent and consistent communication is an essential part of change management and we needed to set up multiple channels to communicate throughout this project. We changed the language we are using away from “requirements gathering” to “functions & outcomes” because we do not want to limit our thinking / approach to new technology by looking through a lens of “requirements.” We guided our stakeholders to think about their desired future state, and not get stuck in the minutiae of their current processes and limitations. Our goal is to keep everyone as informed as possible throughout. We work to keep our stakeholders engaged, seeking everyone’s participation and constructive feedback in this process to deliver a new CRM that works for our campus.

Riley Jordan is the Associate Director, Solutions Management on the Advancement Information Services team at University of California, Berkeley. Riley has nearly 20 years of experience in Advancement Services in both higher education and hospital fundraising. Riley has held critical leadership roles as a Grants Officer, Director of Data Management, and Director of Gift Administration. She brings a wealth of experience in both gifts and grants administration, data management, change management, and process improvement. She is pleased to do meaningful work in support of a great cause. In her spare time, Riley enjoys spending time in nature and making mosaic art.

Robyn Doughty is the Senior Director of Data and Business Solutions at University of California Berkeley. With over 20 years of experience in public higher education, Robyn possesses a deep understanding of the issues and challenges unique to the field. The past 19 years she has focused her career in Advancement Operations, making her well-versed in the business needs of university stakeholders and the data, systems, and processes that are critical to a successful fundraising enterprise. This knowledge translates to breaking down silos between teams, extensive campus outreach to obtain, integrate, and steward data, and implementation of process and system improvements in all areas of the organization. Using an innovative and collaborative approach to solving business, organizational, and technical issues, Robyn is adept at developing strong, cross-functional teams, strategies, and services. Past successes include database conversions, business process improvements, instituting collaborative data management, and training programs that encompass the entirety of the Advancement organization. Robyn holds a BA in History from California State University, Chico. She is a member of the aasp Technology Best Practices and Program committees as well as the CASE DRIVE committee. She is a current and past presenter at both AASP and CASE District VII, DRIVE, and All District Conferences.

6A: Toledo's Transformation: How the University of Toledo Foundation is Finding Success with Salesforce and ascend

"The University of Toledo Foundation, with its commitment to excellence and innovation, embarked on a transformative journey to implement Salesforce and ascend.

Throughout this session, we will share the pivotal moments of this journey, from the initial decision-making to the stages of implementation. You will gain insights into the strategic planning, the challenges faced, and the solutions that led to a successful Salesforce implementation.

Moreover, we will discuss the importance of supporting staff members through this significant technological transformation. Change can be daunting, but with the right approach, it can also be empowering. We will provide tips on fostering an environment that encourages adaptation, learning, and growth among staff as they navigate new systems.

Whether you are considering a similar implementation or simply interested in the process, this session will offer valuable takeaways. Learn from the University of Toledo Foundation’s experience and leave with actionable strategies to support your team through a major technology transformation."

For the past decade, Shane Sugino has helped Higher Education institutions transform their operations and innovate in the cloud. Prior to joining Heller Consulting, Shane held roles in Financial Services, Healthcare, and technology, and he now brings that expertise while leading Heller’s Higher Education business. His focus is on providing value-added impact to Colleges, Universities and other missions-driven education organizations, and he believes these institutions are foundational to our success as a society. In his daily work with Heller Higher Education clients, Shane focuses on ways to improve the constituent engagement and ensure student success. He equips Higher Education institutions with the tools and strategies they need to more effectively deliver on their missions.