Zackery Dean
Pittsburgh,PA
Summary
Relationship-minded and eager Higher Education fundraising professional with a proven track record of exceeding goals and engaging with a variety of donors to cultivate and close gifts.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director, Development
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
10.2023 - Current
- Managed portfolio of 125-150 donors, focusing on parents of current students and alumni across Carnegie Mellon University's colleges and units, enhancing donor relationships
- Conducted 12-15 in-person donor visits monthly, including out-of-state travel, to strengthen donor engagement and secure contributions
- Exceeded annual goal of 40+ qualifications of new donors
- Worked toward an annual goal of $200k - $300k in dollars raised, consistently reaching 90%+ completion of goal
- Met or exceeded annual fundraising goals set by divisional leadership
- Participated in the strategic planning of parent engagement opportunities including parent events and giving societies
- Developed best practices for engaging parents of current students, improving communication strategies and fostering deeper connections
- Participated in CMU's Advancement Leadership Fellows program, a cohort of 6 Advancement professionals working together on leadership training led by HumanQ
Assistant Director, Development
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
06.2021 - 10.2023
- Managed a portfolio of 150-175 Leadership Annual Giving prospects (rated $25k - $50k) within the West Virginia University Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
- Met 90% or more of annual goals set by College leadership of $200k+ raised, with over $750k raised in first year alone
- Completed 12-15 qualification visits per month with overnight and out-of-state travel to established territories
- Worked closely with Donor Relations to enact meaningful stewardship plans
- Partnered with College of Arts and Sciences faculty to develop proposals for donors
Planned Giving Coordinator
James Madison University
Harrisonburg, VA
05.2020 - 06.2021
- Stewarded planned giving donors through regular mailings and university updates, enhancing donor engagement
- Oversaw planned giving gift documentation process, drafting and editing gift agreements, and securing necessary signatures to ensure compliance
- Collaborated with planned giving gift officers on donor cultivation and stewardship strategies to strengthen long-term relationships
Donor Relations Assistant
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
01.2019 - 05.2020
- Collected event RSVPs and tracked attendance information in Advance CRM for donor engagement tracking
- Oversaw stewardship initiatives related to University-wide giving societies
- Assisted event coordinators on donor event planning and execution, including an end-of-campaign gala weekend.
Education
Master of Arts - Strategic Communication And Leadership
Maryville University of St. Louis
St Louis, MO08-2021
Bachelor of Science - Public Relations
Lee University
Cleveland, TN12-2018
Skills
- Fundraising strategy
- Campaign fundraising
- Capital project fundraising
- Donor stewardship
- Prospect management
- Event planning
- Gift documentation
- Customer relationship management
Timeline
Associate Director, Development
Carnegie Mellon University
10.2023 - Current
Assistant Director, Development
West Virginia University
06.2021 - 10.2023
Planned Giving Coordinator
James Madison University
05.2020 - 06.2021
Donor Relations Assistant
University of Virginia
01.2019 - 05.2020
Master of Arts - Strategic Communication And Leadership
Maryville University of St. Louis
Bachelor of Science - Public Relations
Lee University