As Vice President of Development, Mary leads and executes the organization’s development strategy. Mary is responsible for establishing the organization’s long-range fundraising strategy and oversees all aspects of the Alliance’s fundraising and donor relations efforts. Mary leads the Alliance’s development team and works closely with the Alliance’s staff leadership and Board of Directors to grow the organization’s financial support. Mary has grown the organization’s philanthropic base. She especially enjoys working with individual and family donors to develop their connection to the Great Lakes and translate their passion and commitment into a lasting impact.
Mary joined the Alliance for the Great Lakes in 2016 with more than 25 years of fundraising and management experience in the nonprofit sector. In addition to her passion for the Great Lakes, she loves the challenge of finding new and innovative ways to raise funds. When asking for support, Mary cherishes the opportunity to build relationships with individuals, businesses, communities, and more. Prior to joining the Alliance, Mary played a leadership role on the development team at Heartland Alliance, a Chicago-based organization working to end poverty. Mary received her bachelor’s degree with a major in biology from Denison University.