Jess Schoenig

Deep experience in Nonprofits and Philanthropy

United States

About

Dedicated professional with over 15 years in mission-driven organizations with an enhanced passion for social justice with a track record for excellent donor stewardship. My current work involves providing donors with great philanthropic experiences so they gain tremendous value and satisfaction from their philanthropy, and supporting efforts to improve social justice. I am accomplished in donor strategy, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship. A quick learner adept at strategic thinking, with excellent communication skills and analytic abilities. Collaborative team member with a passion for building relationships. A results-oriented professional with attention to detail, organizational skills, and desire to learn and grow.

Experience

  • Lead Major and Planned Giving Officer at Wikimedia Foundation
    May 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 2 mos

  • Advancement Officer - Individual Giving at Management Leadership for Tomorrow
    Jul 2023 - May 2024 · 11 mos

    Within the first six months in the role, collaborated on a strategic plan that included working with internal programs, major donors, and alumni to secure a $30M campaign that increased a program's expansion by 500%. Crafted, launched, and executed the organization's initial cultivation and stewardship strategy and budget for individual donors making 5 and 6-figure gifts. Partnered the CEO and VP of Advancement to implement the annual strategic plan, and provided proposals, presentations, and correspondences for them to stewarded VIP major donors and the Board of Directors.

  • Ocean Conservancy (10 yrs 6 mos)
    • Senior Manager, Planned Giving Stewardship and Marketing
      Jul 2021 - Jul 2023 · 2 yrs 1 mo

      Constructs and executes marketing plan for 10,000+ members that prioritizes building donor engagement to support our organizational revenue goals, and stewards the Ocean Legacy Society of 1,600+ members. Builds strong giving relationships embedded with trust to provide members with customized plans to turn their philanthropic dreams into a reality.

    • Senior Manager, Planned Giving
      Jun 2020 - Jun 2021 · 1 yr 1 mo

      Developed and implemented a strategy amongst various fundraising teams for blended gifts including major donors (gifts over $10,000) and planned giving donors that resulted in a $1 Million outright donation. Installed and facilitated a comprehensive stewardship strategy for planned giving prospects and donors, moving each through the stages of identification, qualification, cultivation, and solicitation that leads to outright and planned gifts.

    • Planned Giving Officer
      Jul 2016 - Jun 2020 · 4 yrs

      Solely cultivated and stewarded a portfolio of 230 donors and prospects, executed donor events and exclusive trips, and I conducted over 500 face-to-face meetings, over 5,000 personal interactions donors and prospects by phone, mail, and email that contributed to an annual $6M revenue.

  • Research Associate at California Environmental Associates
    Oct 2010 - Jan 2013 · 2 yrs 4 mos

    Designed high-impact strategies and evaluations for foundations and nonprofits, particularly in the marine conservation and climate arenas, to address local, regional and global environmental challenges and opportunities, that included strategy development, funder collaborations and conservation markets initiatives.

  • Project Associate at ClimateWorks Foundation
    May 2008 - Oct 2010 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    Global Initiatives Team: Served as a team member for Project Catalyst, which provided analytical and policy support for the UNFCC negotiations on a post-Kyoto international climate agreement with a goal to identify and estimate the costs of country-specific carbon abatement programs and to develop a financial framework for the carbon trading mechanism. Philanthropy Team: Member of team responsible for drafting the organization’s strategic philanthropic plan for a $180 million/year organization, and stewarded more than $1 billion in foundation grants.