Category: America Associates

Executive Associate

With almost 40 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Kate Sheehan is a seasoned fundraising and institutional advancement expert, with almost half her career spent at Northwestern University, where she rose through the ranks to serve as Director of Principal Gifts, followed by seven years as Senior Director of Development, Presidential Activities, supporting the university President in all fundraising work and serving as the liaison between the president’s office and the 300-member Alumni Relations and Development department.

Kate’s experience also includes five years as the Vice President, Principal Gifts for the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She has served in senior roles with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Art Institute of Boston, and The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, among others.

Kate graduated from Indiana University/Bloomington with a BA in English. She holds certificates from University of Chicago and Advancement Resources and is the 2008 recipient of the Garfield Award (Northwestern University).

Area of Expertise: Kate’s predominant expertise is in Major and Principal Gifts. Kate also has extensive experience in Fundraising Campaigns and Strategic Planning, Board Training, Management and Governance, Planned and Legacy Gifts, Project Management, and Institutional Advocacy.

Experience: Education, Arts & Culture, International Development

Fundraising Must Have: A donor-centric mindset.

Associate

Please meet Rex Fuller, an Associate with S. Sutton & Associates Inc., who brings more than 30 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit sector. Rex is a seasoned fundraising strategist whose expertise spans large-scale campaigns, annual giving, strategic planning, and direct marketing. He is known for his ability to unite stakeholders around bold goals, elevate organizational visibility, and deliver measurable impact.

Rex’s career reflects a deep commitment to advancing equity, community engagement, and cultural enrichment. As Chief Executive Officer of The Center on Colfax, he led the development of two comprehensive three-year strategic plans, expanding services to include free mental health programs, disability initiatives, and young adult programming. Rex successfully navigated the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic, creating innovative virtual programming, including the first televised “virtual pride parade,” and spearheaded high-profile initiatives such as Stonewall 50, a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.

Previously, as Vice President of Communications and Corporate Giving at The Center, Rex expanded corporate partnerships, oversaw brand transformation, and launched a new online information hub for the LGBTQ+ community. His leadership extended to producing Denver PrideFest, which attracts over 500,000 visitors and generates $1.5 million annually, and growing the Pride 5K from 200 to 4,000 runners, generating over $100,000 annually while introducing a peer-to-peer fundraising model.

Furthermore, Rex’s expertise extends to arts and culture, having served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Opera Colorado and in senior marketing roles at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and the Boulder Philharmonic. There, he combined creative vision with strategic marketing to broaden audiences, forge community partnerships, and launch city-wide cultural festivals.

At S. Sutton & Associates Inc., Rex applies his expertise in fundraising campaigns, annual giving, and strategic planning to help clients clarify their goals, activate board leadership, and inspire donor communities. His work is guided by the belief that successful fundraising begins with a clear vision and is sustained by authentic connections and shared purpose.

Area of Expertise: Rex’s predominant expertise is in Fundraising Campaigns and Strategic Planning. He also has extensive experience in Annual Giving and Direct Marketing Experience: Arts & Culture, Community Based Membership and Advocacy.

Sector Experience: Arts & Culture, Community Based Membership and Advocacy.

Fundraising Must Have: Successful fundraising requires a clear goal, committed board leadership, and a compelling mission that inspires others.

Junior Associate

With more than 5 years of experience in marketing and communications within the nonprofit sector, Helen Grafton specializes in social media management, project/event management and content creation.

Helen’s expertise includes marketing and development of healthcare and higher education institutions. Some of her previous experience includes multiple roles at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, Maryland. She began her nonprofit fundraising career in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.

Helen graduated from Towson University with a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication.

Area of Expertise: Helen’s predominant expertise is in Donor and Constituent Engagement. She also excels in Project Management. Direct Marketing, and Alumni Relations and Giving.

Experience: Education, Healthcare

Fundraising Must Have: A compelling and clear mission and story to share

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helengrafton/

Associate

With more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Sterling Garcia has served as Director of Development for Florida State University and the University of Florida, and as Major Gifts Officer for UnidosUS, the largest nonprofit Hispanic/Latino civil rights organization in the United States.  Sterling graduated from the University of Hartford with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and from Florida State University with a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration with a minor in Institutional Advancement.  Sterling also holds a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, Board Governance & Community Leadership from Alvernia University.  Sterling is also a decorated veteran, having served as a United Stated Marine, receiving several awards including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medal and two Humanitarian Service medals.

Area of Expertise: Sterling’s core expertise is in Major and Principal Gifts, supported by experience in Donor and Constituent Engagement, Fundraising Campaigns and Strategic Planning, Board Training, Management and Governance, Alumni Relations and Giving, Direct Marketing and Annual Giving. 

Experience: Education, Community Based Membership and Advocacy

Fundraising Must Have: A community with a strong culture of philanthropy both inside and outside the organization.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterlinggarcia/

Executive Associate

As an advancement executive with over 30 years of experience, JoAnne Dolan has a proven track record developing and implementing fundraising campaigns and providing strategic management to effectively address priorities from inception to implementation in academic healthcare and higher education. While JoAnne’s core expertise is Major and Principal Gifts, she has wide experience in developing planned giving programs, prospect pipeline and move management development, building and stewarding strategic relationships, and volunteer/Board management.

As the Executive Director for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, JoAnne was responsible for leading a team of thirteen, raising $15M-$20M annually including successfully orchestrating a capital campaign.

JoAnne also has served as the Assistant Vice President of Principal Gifts at The George Washington University where she served as a strategist soliciting seven figure gifts. In addition, JoAnne was the Assistant Vice President of the Loyola University of Maryland.

She was the founding Director of Development at Maryvale Preparatory School and served in various fundraising capacities at the Baltimore Opera Company.

JoAnne graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature and Art History and received a Masters Degree in Administrative Science from the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School. She holds a certificate in the Business of Medicine from Johns Hopkins and her teacher’s certification in English from Towson University.

Area of Expertise: JoAnne’s predominant expertise is in Major and Principal Gifts. She also excels in Fundraising Campaigns and Strategic Planning, Planned and Legacy Gifts, and Risk Management and Fundraising Governance.

Experience: Education, Healthcare, Arts & Culture

Fundraising Must Have: A strong commitment from leadership, an engaged and committed Board, and a well-defined development plan and mission that inspires the team and donors.

Senior Associate

With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Carolyn Hanson specializes in Donor and Constituent Engagement. Her experience has included owning a successful nonprofit consulting business, working for the public information and philanthropy departments at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, and providing writing services to various UN agencies, including UNDP’s HIV/AIDS Group, UNIFEM (now UN Women), the Office of the UNSGSA, and SDG Impact. Carolyn graduated from Barnard College with a bachelor’s degree in English. As a grant writer, she has consistently raised more than $2 million per year. Her additional skills include direct mail marketing, copywriting, and editing. Carolyn’s wide-ranging experience has helped her develop subject-matter expertise in HIV/AIDS, global and public health, homelessness, LGBTQ+ rights, economic development, financial inclusion, animal welfare, and more. As an independent consultant, she has worked with Housing Works, Bailey House, Bideawee, March of Dimes, and others. Carolyn enjoys learning from her clients and helping them share their visions for a better world with donors and the public.  

Area of Expertise:
Carolyn’s core expertise is in Donor and Constituent Engagement including proposal writing, donor communications, and nonprofit publications.

Experience:
Healthcare, International Development

Fundraising Must Have:
I work to cultivate a deep understanding of my clients’ work so that I can tell their story effectively to raise funds.