Senior Team Archives - Page 2 of 10

Elizabeth joined CCS in 2013 and brings deep experience in the education, healthcare, and religious sectors. She has conducted strategic planning and operational assessments, led high performing fundraising teams, and managed major campaigns across the country that have raised more than $750 million. Finding joy in teamwork with clients, Elizabeth brings a combination of skilled project management and high-level strategic guidance to each partnership.

Elizabeth earned her BA from Emory University and MBA/MTS from Vanderbilt University. She recently returned home to Nashville with her husband and two spaniel pups, after living in Chicago, IL, San Francisco, CA, and Sandpoint, IDover the years. They love spending time outdoors hiking, camping, & kayaking, and volunteering for their local parks.

Select Client Partners

University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Antioch University, Yellow Springs, OH
Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Center City, MN
Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health, Palo Alto, CA
PeaceHealth, Vancouver, WA
Hennepin Healthcare Foundation, Minneapolis, MN
Archdiocese of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Diocese of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK
Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, Chicago, IL
The Bush School, Seattle, WA
College Prep, Oakland, CA
St. Philip & St. Augustine Catholic Academy, Dallas, TX
Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, Appleton, WI
Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati, OH

Matt joined CCS in 2019 and has spent much of his professional career in the fundraising and non-profit space. Matt is drawn to the power of philanthropy to address some of today’s most complex and pressing issues in the US and around the world.

At CCS, Matt has lead projects with fundraising goals in excess of $600 million across all sectors. Matt’s expertise lies in campaign management, development assessments, major and principal gift strategies, volunteer engagement, data analytics, and capacity building. Matt’s goal with every client engagement is to elevate the organization’s capacity to support its mission through philanthropy.
Matt is a Canadian/American dual citizen and has spent time living in Europe. He brings a global perspective to his work and has experience working with various international organizations.

Matt holds a Master of Arts from University College London and a Bachelor of Arts from Centre College.

With roots spread across the country, Matt now calls Durham, NC home. He enjoys any opportunity to learn something new and exploring North Carolina’s natural spaces.

Eleanor has dedicated her professional career to supporting the development goals of nonprofit organizations. Her counsel has furthered the philanthropic efforts of institutions and initiatives throughout the Midwest since 2014.

Eleanor brings expertise in major gifts strategy, communications, volunteer management, and coalition-building to every engagement. She has worked extensively with organizational leaders, board members, government officials, and donors to champion transformational initiatives. She values creativity, integrity, and a spirit of collaboration.

Since joining CCS in 2018, Eleanor has led successful efforts across sectors including environmental, arts and culture, healthcare, higher education, and public-private partnerships.

Eleanor earned a BA in American Studies and French from Smith College. Originally from Western Massachusetts, Eleanor lives in Chicago with her family and enjoys visiting museums and Lake Michigan.

select client partners

Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, Detroit, MI
Hennepin Healthcare Foundation
Lake Forest Open Lands, Lake Forest, IL
Saint Mary’s College

Anthony has strong beliefs in advocacy and empowerment to ensure those most in need can reach their potential.

Anthony advises leaders such as headmasters, university presidents, CEOs, chairpersons, bishops, religious leaders, and hospital consultants to plan and implement fundraising campaigns with multi-million revenue goals.

Anthony is extremely diligent and meticulous in his approach to his job to ensure the smooth running of each project he take on. In supporting this, he conducts feasibility studies, produce financial reports and draft policies and procedures which allow him to identify areas to focus on and present recommendations to Boards. Anthony also drafts marketing materials, speaking scripts for leadership, and donor updates for the stewardship of their gifts.

select client partners

Diocese of Shrewsbury
The Mater Hospital Foundation
Children’s Health Ireland
Dublin City University
Sutton Park School
Cavan Cathedral
Dublin Zoo

Elizabeth is a thought leader in philanthropy and expert in fundraising. She has led capital campaigns and development initiatives that have collectively raised nearly one billion dollars for education, healthcare, arts and culture, and advocacy organizations.

Since joining CCS in 2013, Elizabeth has partnered with institutions to plan and implement multi-million-to-billion-dollar campaigns. She provides counsel on strategic planning, major gifts fundraising, and board engagement. Elizabeth has also directed campaign planning (feasibility) studies, served in interim development roles, and managed annual campaigns and special fundraising events.

For the past seven years, Elizabeth has taught a fundraising course at the University of Pennsylvania to graduate students in the Nonprofit Leadership Program. She serves on the School of Social Policy and Practice (SP2) Dean’s Alumni Advisory Board, and in 2020, she was inducted into the SP2 Alumni Hall of Fame for her work with mission-driven organizations.

Elizabeth has been recognized by Crains New York Business as a “Notable Leader in Accounting, Consulting & Law,” The New York Jewish Week as a “thought leader in Jewish philanthropy” in their 36 to Watch, and BELLA Magazine as a “Woman of Influence in Philanthropy.” She is a board member at the Association of Fundraising Professionals NYC Chapter, where she has served on the Mentorship Committee, and is a member of Women in Development New York. You can find Elizabeth offering her fundraising expertise at industry conferences, on nonprofit podcasts, and on social media platforms including LinkedIn and Instagram.

Elizabeth’s belief in social impact influenced her fundraising career: In rural Rwanda, she volunteered at a youth village for vulnerable Rwandan youth that was founded in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide. In Jaipur, India, she lived and studied the generational empowerment of Indian women, working with mothers seeking to build lives of dignity and prosperity for themselves and their families. These global experiences—grounded in the values of inclusion, diversity, and access—motivated Elizabeth to improve the world through philanthropy.

Elizabeth holds a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University. She lives in New York with her husband and their two daughters and is an avid hiker and tea drinker.

Select client Partners

ADL (Anti-Defamation League)
Asphalt Green
Baptist Health South Florida
Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
The Chapin School
The Children’s Health Alliance for Israel
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Columbia University School of Nursing
E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation
Friends Academy
The Hewitt School
Jewish Women International
Larchmont Temple
Low Income Investment Fund
The Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
Museum of West African Art

New York Youth Symphony
The Newark Public Library
NYU Stern School of Business
The Osborne Association
Park Avenue Synagogue
The Parkinson’s Foundation
The Police Athletic League
Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools
The Ramaz School
The School of American Ballet
The Spence School
The Speyer Legacy School
Sutton Place Synagogue
Two Ten Footwear Foundation
Versiti Blood Research Institute
Williamstown Theatre Festival
The YIVO Institute of Jewish Research
YWCA Greenwich

recent resources

Giving USA 2023 Report: Breaking Down the Philanthropy Trends, We Are For Good (Podcast)
Amplifying Philanthropy for 2023: Five Strategies to Inspire Giving in a New Year, NonProfitPRO (Article)
Are You Ready for a Capital Campaign? 5 Questions to Consider as You Plan for the Future, NonProfitPRO (Article)
You Made “The Ask” – Now What? Nonprofit Nation (Podcast)
Fundraising Fundamentals in A New Fiscal Year The Development Debrief (Podcast)
What’s Your People’s Strategic Plan? Why Nonprofit Leaders Should Invest in Talent and Culture, NonProfitPRO (Article)

Senior Vice President Scott Vachon is a seasoned fundraising and development professional with a breadth and depth of experience unique among his peers.

For more than three decades, Scott has supported and directed nonprofits across sectors to achieve their goals and grow their impact. He brings to each client engagement an exceedingly solid grounding in best practice coupled with the capacity and desire to think strategically and out-of-the-box. He excels at analyzing circumstances, strategizing next steps and comprehensive plans, and driving action that is outcomes-based.

Recently, Scott designed and facilitated CCS’s Unleashing Federated Member Fundraising, an annual day-long summit for development leaders of national and international organizations to discuss strategies and share models and best practices. Participating organizations have included the American Civil Liberties Union, Easter Seals, Feeding America, Make-A-Wish America, the National Audubon Society, the Sierra Club, Special Olympics, United Service Organizations (USO), United Way Worldwide, and others.

Scott is a certified professional coach and is regarded as a fundraiser’s fundraiser. Within CCS, he is relied upon regularly to help mentor and train newer directors. He takes great interest in understanding others and in helping his fellow professionals develop their capacities and grow as people.

select client partners

Be The Match/The National Marrow Donor Program, Minneapolis/National
United Way of Metro Chicago, Chicago, IL
Feeding America, Chicago, IL & National
UC Benioff Children’s Hospital, Oakland, CA
Columbia Business School, New York City, NY
University of California San Francisco (UCSF), San Francisco, CA

Mark Urban, Senior Vice President, brings a diverse perspective to every client engagement. A combined almost four decades of experience in the nonprofit, education, and healthcare sectors has molded him into a dynamic and highly effective professional who is able to interface with internal and external stakeholders alike. Mark has extensive experience with leadership and major gift initiatives, interim development office management and assessment, development audits and philanthropic capability assessments, endowment programs, board training and development, prospect research, and campaign management. During his career, he has been involved in campaigns and annual appeals that have raised over $2 billion.

Mark is currently advising the Kean University Foundation providing management services as well as advising them prior to the launch of visionary strategic planning process in advance of a capital campaign. Prior to CCS, Mark held a number of roles in the Higher Education and Healthcare fields including at his alma mater, Columbia University for seven years.

Mark received his Bachelors Degree in Applied Mathematics from Columbia University. A strong proponent of volunteerism, he has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 20 years. He also serves as a fundraising volunteer for his children’s schools and athletic clubs.

Mark, his wife, Emily and their three children, reside in West Windsor, NJ. During the summer, Mark and his family spend weekends in South Kingstown, RI. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and reading.

select client partners

Kean University Foundation
Diocese of Pittsburgh
St. Killian Parish

Jessica brings more than a decade of professional fundraising and non-profit management experience to the clients we serve. A talented major gift fundraiser and strategist, she has partnered with local and global organizations to design and manage successful fundraising initiatives.

Jessica has significant experience conducting fundraising audits and feasibility studies; developing major gift strategies for individuals and corporations; conducting prospect research; coaching and mentoring organizational leaders; and managing transformational campaigns.

Jessica has worked with a diverse group of not-for-profit organizations spanning education, advocacy, international relief and development, health, arts, and other global imperatives.

Prior to joining CCS, Jessica worked with organizations including Umbrella Foundation in Nepal, Concern Worldwide, Robin Hood Foundation and the Office of the President of the General Assembly at the United Nations.

Jessica earned an M.A. in International Development from University College Dublin, and a B.S. in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University. Jessica lived and worked in Dublin, Ireland for four years with CCS and now resides in her hometown of New York City with her husband, son, and Bernadoodle, Murph.

Rachel has partnered with institutions in the advocacy and education sectors to plan and implement transformational fundraising campaigns with revenue goals ranging from $10 million to $1 billion. She has also directed principal and major gifts fundraising, led strategic planning efforts, and improved fundraising systems and procedures for several clients.

Among her client engagements at CCS, Rachel has completed a three-year fundraising growth plan for the Campaign Legal Center and subsequently provided major gift strategy and infrastructure support that resulted in the largest donation in the organization’s history. She also provided counsel to the NAACP on its historic $600 million comprehensive campaign and on major gifts strategy for its civic engagement program. Rachel stewarded the planning process and strategy for the first major gifts campaign for the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, where she helped secure the organization’s largest ever individual and corporate contributions.

Rachel is a skilled nonprofit management strategist with diverse experiences across the philanthropic sector. Prior to joining CCS, she worked as a grant maker at the Open Society Foundations. Most recently, she coordinated funding in the areas of government accountability, money in politics, judicial nominations, and civic engagement.

Rachel holds an MPA in nonprofit management from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a BA in Black Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies from Amherst College. She was a NYC Fellow at the New Leaders Council, a national organization that works to recruit, train, and promote young progressive leaders, and now serves on its Advisory Board. She is also a 2016 alumna of NYU Wagner’s Fellowship for Emerging Leaders in Public Service, and she serves on the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation’s Young Professionals Council and Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s Activist Council.

Hannah’s professional fundraising experience spans from working with individual donors to extensive capital campaigns across all sectors. From campaign planning and management, to implementing feasibility and planning studies, Hannah has a broad range of experience with CCS. Her feasibility study engagements include extensive strategic conversations, peer benchmarking, prospect qualification and campaign approaches. Hannah has directed campaigns, with goals upwards of $100 million, through strategic planning and execution with an emphasis on board development, major and planned gifts, and building sustainable cultures of philanthropy.

Hannah is a key leader within the firm’s gift planning work, advising on client gift planning strategy, providing training opportunities, and elevating mission-based giving through current and deferred gifts. Serving on the executive board of the Colorado Planned Giving Roundtable, Hannah shares her knowledge of gift planning across the Mountain West and with other gift planning associations in the United States.

Originally from Minnesota, Hannah resides in Denver, Colorado where she spends time outside of work creating a wildflower garden at her home, taking her pup on hikes, and sipping tea on her patio with her cat.