Conference Chair

Angela Joens
Executive Director of Development Outreach
University of California, Davis

Angela Joens is the executive director of development outreach for the University of California, Davis, where she oversees the donor relations, annual giving, prospect research and development communications departments.

Prior to her work with UC Davis, Joens was the vice president of development operations for the Mercy Foundation where she oversaw donor relations, annual giving, advancement services and the grateful patient program.

Joens began her work in the donor relations field in 1999 when she was hired by the Iowa State University (ISU) Foundation as the director of donor relations to build a program. In ten years she helped the foundation build a nationally recognized donor relations program from the ground up. Before ISU she was a member of the start-up company RuffaloCODY, which assists nonprofit organizations across the country with their fundraising efforts. Serving the company for eight years, she helped hundreds of clients reach their financial goals and helped build a strong company.

She is also a donor relations consultant for Campbell & Company and provides assistance to organizations wanting to develop and grow their stewardship operations. In addition, she continues to be a frequent speaker and has presented at many conferences, including those for CASE, the Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and others.

Joens has gained extensive management, development and stewardship experience during her professional career. Her areas of expertise include fundraising, strategic planning, market and prospect research, event planning, giving societies, donor communication and staff recruitment, development and management.

She earned her bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Iowa and her master's degree in public administration from Iowa State University. She is an active volunteer and assists several nonprofit organizations and served on the National Association of Donor Relations Professionals Board from 2008-2011.

Faculty

Kay Coughlin
Major Gifts Officer
Capital University

Kay Coughlin joined the Office of University Advancement at Capital University as a major gift officer in November 2011. Prior to that, she led the Office of Stewardship at Oberlin College, where she was responsible for overseeing all major fund and gift agreements, reporting to donors annually on 400 funds, gift acknowledgements and divisional paper records.

Coughlin's background in donor relations and nonprofit management is reflected in her approach to development in a university setting, focusing on making the most of limited resources. Her experience ranges from front-line fundraising, grant writing and events management at small arts and social service organizations, to volunteer program coordination and producing performing arts. She has presented at many conferences.

Coughlin holds a bachelor's degree in speech, communications and theatre from Baldwin-Wallace College, and is a charter member of the Association of Donor Relations Professionals.

Maureen Donnelly
Director, Stewardship and Donor Relations
Boston University

Maureen Donnelly has worked in higher education for more than 17 years—as academic administrator, development officer, alumni relations director, and stewardship and donor relations director. She has an extensive background in relationship management, strategic planning and developing programs that use creative approaches to stewarding and cultivating donors and conveying the impact of philanthropy.

In 2008, she joined Boston University (BU) with a mandate to develop a comprehensive and efficient program that would strengthen BU's relationship with its principal and major gift partners, inspire interest and inclination toward future giving, and be ready for the demands of a campaign. Her team of six set university-wide stewardship and donor relations standards and best practices, and centrally manage gift/pledge/fund agreements, senior leadership acknowledgements and customized correspondence, fund establishment and annual reporting, donor recognition and engagement opportunities.

Prior to BU, Donnelly led the central stewardship team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), held a number of development and alumni relations positions at Emmanuel College and worked as a clinical social worker in healthcare settings. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Association of Donor Relations Professionals, as finance committee chair, and is a frequent presenter for ADRP, AFP, CASE and WID.

Brian Kish
Senior Vice President, Development
University of Arizona Foundation

Brian Kish serves as the senior vice president for development at the University of Arizona Foundation (UAF). He is a member of the executive management team of UAF and oversees the offices of annual giving, communications, corporate and foundation relations, strategic prospect development and analytics, gift planning, special events and stewardship. He is a part-time consultant for Campbell & Company based in Chicago, Ill., serving clients in elevating their development, and more specifically annual giving and operations. As a development professional and consultant, Kish has worked with clients and institutions throughout the world including universities in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Previously, he served as assistant vice president for advancement at Salve Regina University, senior director of development/assistant campaign manager for the University of California Irvine Medical Center, and director of annual giving at Iowa State University.

Kish is a frequent speaker for CASE and AFP conferences having served as chair or faculty on 35 development conferences and making more than 100 professional presentations. He has been awarded the CASE Crystal Apple for teaching excellence; the youngest person to ever receive this honor. Additionally, he hosts collaborative benchmarking meetings for Target Analytics, a Blackbaud Company.

CASE Crystal Apple award winner for excellence in teaching.