Weekly roundup: 5 tips you might've missed, and more Hey friends, I'm having some fun with a new content series on LinkedIn called AI for Advancement. Honestly, I should've started it back when I did the AI for IA podcast in the spring... but hey, better late than never. Over the next few weeks, I'll be covering a mix of practical use-cases across areas like productivity, marketing & comms, fundraising, stewardship, annual giving, alumni engagement, research, and more. No set end date yet,...
30 days ago • 2 min read
Enterprise > Silos: The Model That Wins Since diving deep into the world of Advancement nine years ago, one pattern keeps showing up across organizations that hurts more than any other: silos. Silos slow progress. And more specifically, they slow fundraising. Donors don’t give to an institutional maze. They give to a clear story that shows where their gift goes and why it matters. That’s why a division-wide, enterprise Advancement MarCom model beats a fragmented approach. Especially in the...
about 1 month ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, Sorry to cut into your Sunday lineup—whether that’s a triple-header of kids' sports like me, a Costco run to restock, NFL game (Go Birds!), or just a quiet hour on the couch. But if you can sneak a minute, this email might be worth the pause. In producing The IA MarCom Shift series the past few months and reflecting back as it wraps, one theme has become undeniable: Advancement teams are being asked to do more with less. That’s why one of the smartest investments leaders can make...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Processes matter. But collaboration in higher ed doesn’t succeed—or fail—because of forms or workflows. It succeeds when relationships are strong. That’s the focus of Episode 3 of Advancement Amplified: The IA MarCom Shift: Mastering the Collaboration Matrix. Too often, Advancement MarCom teams don’t have formal authority, yet they’re expected to align a sprawling set of players—Central Marketing, schools and units, frontline fundraisers, alumni engagement, donor relations, university...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, You can’t structure your team for yesterday’s needs—and expect tomorrow’s results. That’s the focus of Episode 2, where I’m joined by two leaders who bring unmatched perspective on building Advancement + MarCom teams for the future. I wanted to bring them together because Melissa sits at the front end of the hiring process—helping institutions define roles and recruit leaders—while Shanna helps leaders succeed once they’re in the seat. Their combined lens makes for a grounded,...
2 months ago • 2 min read
You’ve heard me talk about this in recent newsletters—and many of you even helped pick the name. Now it’s here: Episode 1 of my new (and second) five-part Advancement Amplified 'Pulse Check' series with Enrollify is live. In this first episode, I’m joined by Terry Flannery, Ph.D. (EVP and COO at the Council for Advancement and Support of Education) to unpack how Advancement MarCom teams can break free from “order-taking” mode and step into the role of strategic partner. 🎧 Listen to Episode 1...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Finding Fuel at the CASE Summit I’ve been to plenty of conferences that mix professional growth with a bit of personal indulgence—nice dinners, time to wander around sightseeing a new city, or get rooftop drinks. This wasn’t that trip. This one was all purpose and passion. Case in point: my parting dinner was an Auntie Anne’s pretzel cup on the train ride home from Penn Station. (Zero regrets with that choice, BTW.) Still, I wouldn’t trade it. The annual CASE Summit for Leaders delivered...
3 months ago • 5 min read
There's No Clear Map Right Now Lately, the stories I’m hearing from advancement teams sound very similar—and not in a good way. Here’s what keeps coming up: Lots of transitions. The work is changing, but the rules haven’t caught up. We’re all trying to figure out what comes next. The recent passing of the One Big Beautiful Bill (the new federal package that froze matching-grant dollars) only adds to the uncertainty. It’s a stark reminder that the systems we’ve relied on—for funding, for...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Why the Most Strategic Teams Don't Wait to Be Asked Part 3 of 3: From Support to Strategy There’s a moment many Advancement MarComm professionals reach—especially those striving to evolve their teams—when something clicks:They stop asking, “How do we prove our value?” And instead start wondering, “What if we stopped asking for permission all the time and just started shaping the strategy?” Many teams are still stuck in the “order-taker” trap. Others have changed their naming or restructured...
4 months ago • 4 min read