Greater Chicago Area
Strategic advisor with more than 30 years of experience helping nonprofits, foundations, associations, and mission-driven organizations navigate growth, change, and transformation. My work spans organizational strategy, brand positioning, executive communications, partnership development, revenue growth, leadership initiatives, and strategic marketing. Throughout my career, I've partnered with executive teams and boards to launch bold initiatives, strengthen organizational brands, lead milestone campaigns, expand visibility, build cross-sector partnerships, and translate vision into action. I believe the most effective communications begin with a clear strategy and that lasting impact is created when leadership, purpose, and execution are aligned. Today, I partner with organizations as a strategic advisor and executive leader, helping them move through pivotal moments with clarity, strategy, and purpose. Whether leading an anniversary campaign, strengthening partnerships, designing leadership initiatives, or positioning an organization for its next chapter, my focus is always the same: building stronger organizations that create greater impact. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Polish.
Built and led a high-impact external affairs function for a 130-year-old organization, integrating marketing communications, fundraising, and government relations to drive revenue growth & brand awareness. Led cross-functional external affairs team to align fundraising, marketing, and communications while fuelling brand visibility and awareness. Result: Managed 7 full-time staff and 5 consultants, driving integrated campaigns that increased donor engagement, improved conversion rates, and accelerated revenue growth. Elevated organizational awareness across key audiences, directly increasing donor acquisition, retention, and overall fundraising performance. Directed enterprise-wide fundraising strategy for One Hope United Result: Increased fundraising revenue by leveraging CRM insights, launching targeted donor campaigns, and cultivating a new donor base. Expanded and diversified the donor pipeline, securing sustainable funding streams through strategic relationship development, major gift cultivation, and long-term partnership agreements. Developed and advanced government relations strategy to unlock funding opportunities Result: Strengthened relationships with public-sector stakeholders, increasing access to government funding, grants, and advocacy-driven revenue opportunities. Led communications strategy for multi-site consolidation and residential facility closure Result: Executed a proactive, stakeholder-centered communications plan that maintained donor confidence, minimized reputational risk, and preserved ongoing funding relationships during organizational transition. Launched brand awareness campaign “Sip & Share” for Foster Care Awareness Month Result: Partnered with local businesses to generate media coverage, increase community engagement, and drive incremental fundraising revenue through cause-related marketing initiatives.
Building dynamic programming for the business community and engaging over 2500 members by creating new programs that respond to societal changes to ensure relevant dialogue. Strategic member of the leadership team. • Manage the content and communications at the club. Result: Overhauled the club’s programming, including switching to a fireside template. Leveraged key partnerships with the Wall Street Journal and Chicago Latino Network to increase engagement. Developed and executed the organization’s communications strategy. Manage 4 full-time staff members and 4 consultants to ensure the Club’s branding and visibility is relevant to Chicago’s businesses (ongoing). • Lead the rebranding of the Club with a new website. Result: Revamped the organization’s brand to align it with the strategic vision of the club. Redesigned the website to engage key stakeholders. • Produce a new podcast, “Executives’ Exchange.” Result: Reached new audience members and was within the top 10% of business podcasts worldwide during launch. Created a new revenue stream for our organization and leveraged new visibility. • Respond to pandemic and civil unrest with an action plan. Result: Curated DEI programs to respond to racial reckoning. Launched #ShareTheMicNow to highlight African American leaders in the business community. Developed networking opportunities for members using digital platforms. • Communicated acquisition of HRMAC association. Result: Two associations merged to execute on Human Resource programs. Communication strategy excelled in ensuring HRMAC members were welcomed and retained.
• Managed a $1 million budget; Oversaw messaging, media relations, digital engagement and brand management Result: Successfully develop and engage donors, civic leaders, nonprofit leaders and the public while building lasting community relationships • Created and executed On The Table Ambassador Program that recruited more than 200 Chicago influencers and fueled top-of-mind awareness • Developed social viral campaign that led to more than 17 million digital impressions for On the Table’s Civic Engagement Campaign Result: Created awareness in the community using digital platforms and launched a five-year Twitter trend that transformed to a case study presented at Social Media Week Chicago and other national conferences • Launched What You Do Matters, Your Voice Matters, You Matter as a tagline for the organization’s civic engagement three-year program Result: Partnered with artist Matthew Hoffman (designer of the You Are Beautiful campaign) to design a brand that was escalated into a viral campaign digitally. • Led press rollout and transition of the Trust CEO to interim head of Chicago Public Schools in conjunction with the Mayor’s office, as well as his subsequent return to the Trust • Co-led development of community engagement strategy to coincide with the Trust’s 95th, 96th,, 98th, and 99th anniversaries and centennial in 2015 • Developed “We Are Chicago” marketing to support $1 billion capital campaign Result: Up-to-date, mission-driven materials engaged audiences by providing influential content that inspired philanthropic giving. Exceeded revenue goal of $1billion to $1.6 billion in three years. • Developed the Community Match Program with the Chicago Sun Times Foundation, including branding, messaging and engagement that supported the nonprofit sector with an annual budget of $1 million • Developed and executed a marketing plan to engage new donors by creating partnership opportunities with professional advisors – Art & Science of Generosity
Created and executed communication strategy to introduce the Trust and its messages to print and electronic media to increase the organization's flexibility. Positioned program officers as experts in their field with a Media Reference Guide Integrated affiliates into Trust's communication plan by collaborating on media coverage Developed and executed media strategy, developed and maintained media lists, build relationships with editors and reporters; proactively pitched Trust stories Developed and wrote portfolio of stories about the Trust, its activities, grantees, honors, and affiliates for use across multiple media platforms Responsible for Trust's social media strategy, including managing Facebook and Twitter communications
Active in strategic launch of established international magazine brand into a new market. Executed successful targeted events surrounding magazine launch date. Exceeded subscriptions goal during inaugural year Created partnerships with major media outlets, so that Time Out editors were interviewed on a weekly or monthly basis Worked closely with the advertising department to create revenue opportunities for the magazine, by utilizing online marketing vehicles, and sponsoring community events Created new partnerships with various non for profit organizations, City of Chicago departments, local colleges, and hotels through media sponsorship of events and initiatives Worked closely with hotel concierges and private buildings to maximize magazine distribution
Generated media attention surrounding the expansion campaign that tripled the size of the Museum in 2001. Organized press conferences and served as Museum representative at numerous state and national conferences. Developed relationships with community relations directors at numerous Chicago-area print and broadcast media. Increased the Museum's media coverage by 200% Established Museum status as one of the top 100 charities of 2003 in Worth Magazine Led first ever marketing program to attract young professionals to the Museum that consisted of 700 new advocates Marketed Homofrecuencia, the first youth LGBT Spanish language radio program at the LLEGO conference, and received national press coverage