Category: America Associates

Senior Associate

Craig Morris is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) with more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit administration and professional fundraising. He has built development departments from scratch and has worked with well-established organizations, focusing on coaching staff and boards, donor-centric relationship management, annual giving and membership campaigns, sponsorship programs and major donor giving. Craig prides himself on using his background as a social worker to grow an organization’s culture of philanthropy with a task-oriented approach.

Craig is committed to ethical fundraising and cultivating worldwide growth of the philanthropic sector. He is a long-time member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and has served as the education committee chair to bring professional development to organizations needing to stay informed of the latest fundraising trends and tactics. Most recently Craig served as treasurer of the board for the AFP Chicago chapter.

Craig holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences, with a Major in Biology and a Minor in Spanish from Indiana University, a Master of Arts in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago, with concentration on Policy Analysis and Program Evaluation, and he is a Licensed Social Worker.

Fundraising Area of Expertise: Craig’s predominant area of expertise is in Advancement Services including development operations and customer relationship management (CRM) systems. He also has extensive experience in program evaluation and strategic planning.

Sector Experience: Community Based Membership and Advocacy, including child welfare, early child education and advocacy, LGBTQ advocacy, domestic violence prevention and intervention, anti-violence organizations, community centers, federated organizations, homeless shelters, food pantries, emergency services, job training programs, youth development, and associations.

Craig’s fundraising must have: An open-minded leadership committed to writing a focused and engaging case for support underpinning a fundraising plan with long-term goals.

Contact Craig at: [email protected]

Executive Associate

Tom McCarty brings over 35 years of experience in serving nonprofit organizations as a staff member, consultant, and independent contractor. His long and successful career encompasses 17 capital campaigns, solicitation of 6- and 7-figure major gifts (outright and deferred), grants ranging as high as $3.5 million, and a total of over $60 million raised personally.

Holding bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from Oberlin College, Yale University, and The University of Michigan respectively, Tom began his career as a college professor of Classics for institutions of higher education in Vermont, Ohio, and North Carolina. He also holds the current credential of Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

Fundraising Area of Expertise: Tom’s core expertise is in Major and Principal Gifts. He likewise has extensive experience in Annual Giving and Direct Marketing; Board Training, Management and Governance; Fundraising Campaigns and Strategic Planning; Planned and Legacy Gifts; and Grants Management

Sector Experience: Education, Healthcare, and Arts & Culture

Tom’s fundraising must have: Fundraising is a simple business. There are but two steps: raise awareness and raise support.

Contact Tom at: [email protected]

Senior Associate

Chris Locke has more than 20 years of experience as a creative leader with expertise in integrated marketing strategies, and leading education and membership teams. She consistently delivers positive outcomes with strong and sustainable gains by inspiring quality team performance and collaboration. She motivates teams and individuals to exceed organizational objectives, targets and goals. Her greatest pride is elevating group and personal performance levels through skillful leadership and fearless, yet graceful, decision-making outcomes. One of Chris’ biggest achievements was breaking down long-established siloes between departments to create a new level of cooperation between development and marketing teams. As a result, one organization was able to raise over $15MM in an 18-month period, a record for this particular non-profit.
Chris earned her degree in Communications and Public Relations at California State University.

Fundraising Area of Expertise: Chris is a well-rounded fundraising generalist and brings expert-level experience in Fundraising Campaigns and Strategic Planning. She also has extensive experience in annual giving campaigns and programs, direct marketing, and gift planning. She is particularly adept at developing unique marketing campaigns that breath fresh life into routine fundraising efforts.

Sector Experience: Membership-based educational institutes and think tanks, trade societies, animal protection non-profits, and community-based preparedness programs.

Chris’s fundraising must have: Goals. Both team and personal goals, with timeline breakdowns. Also, strong belief that change can be good, and without strategic change, stagnation is eminent.

Contact Chris at: [email protected]

Junior Associate

With a PhD degree in Philanthropic Studies from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University and over 5 years of research experience in the nonprofit sector, Yannan Li is a specialist when it comes to using numbers and figures to tell a compelling story about philanthropy. Yannan is particularly skillful at investigating the giving trends, exploring the market of major gifts, conducting prospect research, and developing social media strategies. She is also dedicated to the education and training of next generation of nonprofit leaders.

Fundraising Area of Expertise: Yannan’s core expertise is in Data Analytics. She also has extensive experience in Alumni Relations and Giving; Counsel and Support for Philanthropists; and Social Media Strategies;

Sector Experience: Higher Education and International Development

Yannan’s fundraising must have: The understanding that fundraising is an ongoing cycle and a commitment to building long-term relationship with constituents.

Contact Yannan at: [email protected]

Junior Associate

With more than 8 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Amanda Leininger possesses expertise in social media, events management, data analytics, corporate giving, project management, and content production and editing. Her career has included various roles in marketing, communications, corporate relations, development and events for Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Amanda’s previous successes include overseeing production and acting as lead writer of the development section of the award-winning Hopkins Children’s magazine. She also developed and led the multi-channel social media strategy for the hospital, with consistently increasing growth and engagement. Additionally, through content production and volunteer engagement strategies she helped elevate the Children’s Center’s annual Radiothon fundraising event to the most successful event of its kind in the US, raising over $1M each year.
Amanda holds a Master of Arts in Communication with a concentration in Corporate and Nonprofit Communication, Public and Media Relations, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Theatre Arts and Studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Fundraising Area of Expertise: Amanda’s core expertise is in Donor and Constituent Engagement. Data Analytics, Direct Marketing, Project Management

Sector Experience: Healthcare, Arts & Culture

Amanda’s fundraising must have: A strong “why” and personal story––no matter your cause, your personal connection and passion is crucial to helping inspire others to give.

Contact Amanda at: [email protected]

Senior Associate

Michael Koch is a visionary business and nonprofit executive, accomplished agent for change, strategic thinker and an effective leader with more than 30 years of experience in philanthropy. Michael has a proven track record creating and implementing innovative models and start-ups that are transformative and drive large-scale change, improve systems, and achieve greater social impact. He has co-founded and held senior management and leadership roles with healthcare organizations and foundations where he oversaw daily operations related to Board relations and investment frameworks, implemented short- and long-term goals, and collectively raised hundreds of millions of dollars in support of healthy families, children, and those in hospice care. Michael is a tireless advocate dedicated to promoting social justice, inclusion, and shaping public policy with the goal to reduce inequities and improve the health and well-being of underserved and vulnerable populations. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Diego State University.

Fundraising Area of Expertise: Michael’s core expertise is in Board Training, Management and Governance. He also has impressive experience in Designing Strategies that Achieve Results; Donor Engagement and Relationships; Capacity Building; Project Management; Identifying, Cultivating, and Securing Major Gifts; Cause-Related Marketing Campaigns; Program-Related Investments; Feasibility Studies; Impactful Giving Strategies for Family Foundations and Donor-Advised Funds; Professional Coaching; Philanthropy and Grantmaking; Civic Engagement; Marketing and Branding

Sector Experience: Health and Human Services; Children’s Services; Social Services; Hospitals; Community-Based Organizations

Michael’s fundraising must have: A strategic plan, solid value proposition, flexibility and agility to make adjustments, creativity, Board engagement, and leverage opportunities

Contact Michael at: [email protected]