Sara Hunt Munoz
Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives
Queens Village,NY
Summary
Senior director with 15+ years in non-profit administration. Manages volunteers and staff to produce high-quality and engaging programming for alumni. Values both friendraising and fundraising and works toward goals relevant to both. Trusted point person for special projects and liaison between departments. Looking to leverage team-building and problem-solving skills in another fast-paced, goal-oriented environment.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives
Fordham University
10.2014 - Current
- Supervises a team of four alumni relations professionals, 2-3 student workers per semester, and a 24-person alumni advisory board.
- Oversees three advisory board task forces, spearhead alumni association events, and implemented new volunteer recognition program.
- Manages alumni association budget and approve team expenses.
- Launched and maintain the Forever Fordham alumni website that includes a directory, a business directory, event listings, news features, event registration, and more.
- Collects and analyzes data regarding alumni engagement, philanthropy, and outreach and use it to inform future programming and marketing efforts.
- Collaborates with Annual Fund on days of giving, solicitations, and events.
- Identifies ways to generate interest in supporting the university, raise money, and celebrate donors.
- Establishes relationships with external vendors we can leverage to better serve our alumni.
- Co-produces and co-hosts Fordham Footsteps podcast.
- Oversaw university-wide changes to modernize procedures including creating a digital alumni id card, implementing a multi-factor authentication process to access alumni information, and moving all event registration online.
- Coordinated and implemented effective training for over 20 development professionals to improve their knowledge and use of our event registration platform.
- Furthered awareness through RAMbassador program, brand collateral, and annual events.
- Oversaw transition from in-person events to virtual experiences, increased social media engagement, and identified new ways to connect with alumni during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Associate Director
Fordham University
07.2013 - 10.2014
- Maintained all previous regional programming duties.
- Managed one alumni relations professional.
Assistant Director
Fordham University
07.2009 - 07.2013
- Maintained all previous regional programming duties.
- Enhanced regional program by offering additional training for chapter leaders, administering surveys, increasing outreach and improving event venues.
- Launched new Fordham at the Forefront event series.
- Launched Chapters for Charity program.
- Instituted a biennial Chapter Leader Summit Meeting.
- Liaised with other schools and departments and assisted with the planning and execution of their alumni events.
Alumni Relations Officer
Fordham University
03.2006 - 07.2009
- Acted as the University point person for all regional alumni.
- Created official chapter leader handbook and made annual revisions as necessary.
- Oversaw 33 alumni chapters and supervised their chapter leaders.
- Assisted chapters with planning and marketing of local events and activities.
- Planned, marketed and executed 20-25 annual Presidential visits to chapter cities.
- Worked with trustees and major donors to host cultivation events around the country.
- Researched and identified areas where alumni chapters would be viable and worked with local alumni to select leaders and create chapters.
- Devised strategic ways to build the Fordham brand in the US and abroad.
- Implemented new ways to increase alumni participation.
- Worked with Undergraduate Admission to plan Summer Send Off events for incoming freshmen.
- Created, edited and distributed all chapter communication.
- Contributed creative copy and photos to chapter web pages and social media sites.
Program Associate
Lymphoma Research Foundation
07.2004 - 03.2006
- Supported chapter leadership with all communications.
- Coordinated production and distribution of chapter-related publications, materials, and supplies.
- Created and maintained individual membership databases for each chapter.
- Facilitated communication between the National Office staff and chapter leaders to ensure adequate training of volunteers.
- Identified and contributed creative content to the Chapters section of quarterly newsletter.
- Responsible for all chapter-related sections of LRF National website, including creation and maintenance of each individual chapter web page and contribution of creative copy.
- Built and maintained fundraising websites for each chapter participating in the National walk program.
- Assisted with the planning and execution of fundraising galas, auctions, walks, and golf outings.
Education
BA - Communication and Media Studies
Fordham University
08.1995 - 05.1999
M.Ed - Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy
Fordham University
09.2008 - 05.2010
Ed.D. - Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy
Fordham University
09.2016 - 01.2019
Skills
Program oversight
Staff Management
Critical Thinking
Organization and Time Management
Conference Presenting
Teambuilding
Lifelong Learning
Accomplishments
- Boards: member, iModules Platform Advisory Board; secretary, Fordham University Alumni Association Conferences: The Conference of Jesuit Advancement Administrators (2012, 2014-presenter); iModules User Conference (2015, 2016- presenter, 2017, 2018-presenter, 2019-presenter); CASE District II (2019 presenter) Diversity and Inclusion: Member of Fordham's Racial Solidarity Network Effective leadership and management Excellent prioritizing and time management Comprehensive and forward- thinking planning and strategy Contagious enthusiasm and sense of humor Self-starter and teambuilder.
Timeline
Ed.D. - Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy
Fordham University
09.2016 - 01.2019
Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives
Fordham University
10.2014 - Current
Associate Director
Fordham University
07.2013 - 10.2014
Assistant Director
Fordham University
07.2009 - 07.2013
M.Ed - Educational Leadership, Administration, and Policy
Fordham University
09.2008 - 05.2010
Alumni Relations Officer
Fordham University
03.2006 - 07.2009
Program Associate
Lymphoma Research Foundation
07.2004 - 03.2006
BA - Communication and Media Studies
Fordham University
08.1995 - 05.1999